Do you have an "expired by" date tattooed on your forehead? I didn't think so; I don't have one either. No one can accurately predict life expectancy for anyone, so no one can say if you didn't smoke you'd die on this date, but because you smoked you'll die on this date, 6, 10, 13 or whatever years earlier. That said, statistics say that smoking can reduce your life expectancy by anywhere from 5 to 20 years. So yeah, you probably aren't going to live as long as if you didn't smoke.

What I can tell you with a good deal more certainty is that if you continue to smoke things will continue to get worse. You're already having panic attacks and they are likely to get worse. And yes, they are pretty common. So are anxiety (probably the reason for the panic attacks) and clinical depression. You can dope yourself up on anti-anxiety medication, but that reduces your ability to enjoy other things as well. Your breathing will get worse, slowly but surely, as your lungs lose the ability to adequately exchange CO2 for O2 and your airways shrink because of the chemical assault on them from the smoke. Meds can help, but not nearly as much as quitting. All this will take a very long time and it will be very slow. Death by cigarettes is a long, slow process and things get harder and harder. It's not pretty and frankly it's not something I'd wish on anyone.

If you really want to quit, find a health professional who has been trained in smoking quits. They will help you analyze your smoking habit and find things that will work for you in each situation. They use both prescription and otc aids. Sometimes they'll hook you up with a mentor and some have support groups. They all have every number in the book for on-line supports that can help you 24/7 when things look bad. The truth is that the nicotine is adding to your stress and you can do something about that. Most people who quit find that they were using stress as an excuse to continue to smoke. The professionals have a good track record compared to quitting on your own.

i do not have emphysema, i have copd and i am sure for you to continue smoking it is going to shorten your life. I was an over the road truck driver for about 40 years. Driving 95% of the time is extremely boring. It is automatic to pick up another cig so for all but the last 3 years i smoked 2-3 packs a day. I tried every thing to quit they did not work. How i quit was because i got so discussed with my self and threw the last pack out the window as i was driving The other 5 % is stressful beyond belief. Constantly be aware of every other vehicle in the area,dodging when necessary. Trying to hold 80,000lbs of machine on icy mountain road with a drop off of several thousand feet if you screw up. The reason i am tell you this is to let you know no matter how stressful your life is you can quit smoking. You will feel better with more energy and you wont stink.
Ok i will get off my high horse but i hope you will give this some thought.

@A MyCOPDTeam Member
I'm struggling with the same issue. I puff on a little cigar a few times a day and know I need to quit! I got the 1-800 number for the help line. I'm going to call and ask for the lozenges as I had no luck with the patches. I wish you all the best! xx

Mentioned Users

A MyCOPDT...

Morning Grace i know giving up smoking is hard i was the same as you but please try again to give up it really do make a difference to your health i fave up years ago now i tryed a few times to give up it really saved my life if i was still smoking now i would not be here it do really help take care and be strong xxx

Grace I smoked for 50 years last October I stopped 🛑 not easy I know but really try please life’s short as it is time is all we have make the most of it