I quit smoking a month ago and I'm coughing up blood, do I have lung cancer?

It is not uncommon for smokers to have an increase in coughing for several weeks after they quit. Smoking inhibits the work of the cilia in the lungs whose job it is to "sweep out" debris that in inhaled. They are damaged and/or paralyzed from the tar and other harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Once you quit, they work over time to rid your lungs of the accumulation of the gunk in your lungs. What you cough up can be a variety of colors, including mucus that is red-tinged but is not actually blood.

I would suggest that you speak with your doctor. Coughing up actual blood (not just red-looking mucus) and unexplained weight loss can be signs of lung cancer. Your doctor may order tests to see what is going on.

One test your doctor may order is a low-dose CT scan. While in your case it would be ordered as a diagnostic test, it can also be ordered for smokers with no symptoms of lung cancer as a screening test. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid just approved  this test as a covered screening test in February, 2015. If you meet the following criteria, you doctor can discuss the risks and benefits of having this done:

• No symptoms of lung cancer 
• Be between the ages of 55 and 77
• Be a current smoker or have quit within the last 15 years
• Be a "30 - pack smoker":

one pack a day = a 1 pack year. 1 pack a day x 30 = 30 pack smoker

2 packs a day x 15 years = 30 pack smoker

1/2 pack per day x 60 years = 30 pack smoker

For more information on low-dose CT scans click here. These are the guidelines for Medicare and Medicaid but not all health insurance polices will cover this, however there may be resources in your area. Contact the office of your local American Cancer Society or American Lung Association who may have a list of local resources for you. 

Exercise As a Way to Stop Smoking

While I have had a couple of aerobic instructors attend my workshops to quit smoking, most smokers would rather go light up another cigarette than hit the gym. Besides, smoking makes it difficult to breathe after running up a flight of stairs, let alone when hitting the stairmaster. Exercise and smoking just don't seem to go together. Yet starting an exercise program can help with the quitting process.
1. Taking a 5 minute walk around your office building instead of a smoke break can help with the withdrawal symptoms of anger, irritability, tension and cravings.
2.Exercise will also help to avoid the weight gain that many smokers face when quitting. Only part of the weight gain is due to a change in metabolism, which two 10 minute walks a day will counter balance.
3. A brisk walk will help clear the tar that has been accumulating in your lungs so don't be concerned if you cough more, think of it as your body healing itself.
4. Getting a little bit sweaty will allow toxins to be released with your sweat.
5. Replace the harmful habit of smoking with a healthy habit of exercise. Find an exercise activity that you enjoy. It's easier to replace a habit than it is to just stop a habit.
6. Meet new friends that don't smoke. Carol used to play cards with her smoking buddies and couldn't seem to stop when around them, so she took up ball room dancing. She met new people who didn't smoke and got some exercise too.
Exercise is the fountain of youth, second only to quitting smoking as the best thing you can do for your health, so replace your cigarettes with something that will increase your health even more-now go take a walk.

Smokers Age Faster and Wrinkle More than Non-Smokers

It used to be thought that smokers developed smokers lines above their lip because of the way they dragged on the cigarette but now we know that smoking causes more wrinkles because of the lack of oxygen to the skin. Carbon Monoxide is a main component of smoke (yes the same gas coming out the tailpipe of your car-the next smoker you see, just think that they are sucking on that tailpipe and sending that poisonous gas to their heart). Carbon monoxide binds to the red blood cells faster than oxygen, so the body believes it is not getting enough oxygen. It does two things. 1. It conserves oxygen and closes down the small blood vessels to non-essential organs, which is largely the skin. That is why smokers have a gray cast to their skin color and develop wrinkles and also why the color of their skin improves dramatically when they stop smoking. 2. The body adjusts to the lack of oxygen by creating more red blood cells. A simple blood test will show a high red blood cell count. This affects smokers when they quit because without the carbon monoxide to bind with the excess of red blood cells, the quitter can experience too much oxygen and have headaches, tingling in the fingers and toes from the blood vessels opening up. A tip to quitting is to go give blood when you stop. If not, the body will even itself out after a few weeks. Just another good reason to quit.