Can I Smoke While Having a Common Cold?

The question of whether smoking is okay while having a common cold is a common one, especially for long-term smokers like myself. During my teenage and young adult years, I was a chain smoker at about 100 cigarettes daily. While feeling sick, I faced numerous challenges, including tasting like rotten salami and finding it almost impossible to breathe. To cope with my symptoms, I would mix smoking with cough syrup. A few spoonfuls of Buckley's cough syrup might seem like a small dose but, during my sickness, I would consume an entire bottle daily. A typical dose of Buckley's is four spoonfuls daily, but this number often increased depending on the severity of my illness and my craving for a cigarette.

My Experience with Smoking During Illness

During my sick days, smoking was no longer a regular habit. Instead, I would sit on the steps with a cigarette in one hand and a bottle of Buckley's cough syrup in the other. Despite my addiction, I strongly disliked Buckley's but would take a chug of that and a drag off my cigarette, repeating this process until my breathing returned to normal. As I aged, my smoking habits remained roughly the same. However, during severe illness, I would push my smoking habit to the side, trying to do it without needing to "chug" something tasting as repulsive as Vicks Vapo rub.

My addiction reached a peak when I was in the hospital due to respiratory issues. While waiting in the waiting room, I had a sudden craving for a cigarette, which I would normally satisfy by running out to my car to have my cough syrup. Alas, I used the excuse to light a cigarette instead, despite knowing it was a bad idea. Eventually, I received a diagnosis of pneumonia and was put on steroids. The steroids made smoking easier, but they also made me realize the negative impact of smoking on my health.

Stopping Smoking

One virus that made it harder for me to breathe led to a few days without a cigarette. Feeling better and coming to terms with my addiction, I started to regularly remind myself that I had not had a smoke. This process was gradual, and when I tried to smoke after a long break, something strange happened. Just as I was about to reach for a cigarette, a phone call disrupted me. After the interruption, I fell asleep. Waking up the next night, I thought I'd wait until morning, then until noon, and this pattern continued. Eventually, my body decided it didn't need to smoke. It took several months, but I stopped completely. During this period, I didn't go out in the evenings with my friends, and as a result, I felt lousy. These factors helped me stop smoking entirely.

After quitting, I noticed significant changes in my health. For example, I was able to swim entire lengths of the pool without gasping. I no longer needed to get instantly wired when I entered a room, and I was no longer yelled at by my coworkers for being too assertive. Perhaps most importantly, I didn't start smoking again.

For those who find it challenging to quit smoking, especially while having a common cold, my personal experience might be comforting. The key is to distance yourself from your habit by breaking the routine and being patient with yourself. Remember, stopping smoking is one of the best decisions you can make for your respiratory health.