Second-Hand Smoking and its Effects

M

Matt2

New member
I'm 15, 240 lbs, 6 foot tall. I live in a house with 3 smokers, all who smoke profusely and have been doing so for a while.

For 15 years, I've been exposed to smoke. I've lacked ability in sports, I've found myself out of breath climbing stairs, and it was one of the major reasons I got fat; I was so terrible at keeping up with others, that I saved the embarrassment and didn't even try.

What I want to know, if anyone has any info, is just how much damage second-hand smoking can cause and what I can do to improve my exercising situation. I've looked at sites on the internet, but I want some people who've actually experienced it, and can tell me if they've suffered from it to, and how (or if) they found a way to overcome it.

It plays a major part on my weight loss journey because I can no longer jog for long distances, I get out of breath and start coughing up phlegm. I find the I'm experiencing lactic acid build up in my muscles (which are quite fully developed and not new to the notion of rigorous exercise, previously in life) a lot earlier than my peers, which may have something to do with my lessened lung capacity and lung performance (and of course, the extra weight I'm carrying).

For my daily exercise, I usually walk, weight lift and box. Boxing aside, I don't do very many cardio exercises, and find them a lot more difficult. I'd like to be able to finally play the sports I want to play without suffering from wheezing and my heart bouncing around like crazy in my chest.

Is moving out the only way to overcome this? Are there some things that I can try to help improve my situation? Is cardio workouts better at burning fat than just walking, or in other words, am I missing out because of the people around me?

If anyone has any info, it'd be much appreciated. :coolgleamA:
 
wow, i'm so sorry to hear about the second hand smoke. I"m really surprised it would effect you so much at your age though....I wouldn't think it would start effecting you till you were older? It really sounds to me like your health problems (at this time) are probably more weight related....maybe you have some kind of asthma maybe??? I could be wrong, i'm no doctor.

I know what terrible effects being around smoke or 2nd hand smoke has on the body, when your in the older years. I can't tell you how many lung cancer residents I've taken care of through the years. Its really a heart breaking thing to witness. I don't know that you would be able to talk your parents out of smoking so much, but you REALLY should try!! give them some info on second hand smoke and its effects and then ask them if theres any way they can start smoking outside.

I dont' know what else to say but that, I'm sorry!
 
Matt said:
I'm 15, 240 lbs, 6 foot tall. I live in a house with 3 smokers, all who smoke profusely and have been doing so for a while.

For 15 years, I've been exposed to smoke. I've lacked ability in sports, I've found myself out of breath climbing stairs, and it was one of the major reasons I got fat; I was so terrible at keeping up with others, that I saved the embarrassment and didn't even try.

What I want to know, if anyone has any info, is just how much damage second-hand smoking can cause and what I can do to improve my exercising situation. I've looked at sites on the internet, but I want some people who've actually experienced it, and can tell me if they've suffered from it to, and how (or if) they found a way to overcome it.

It plays a major part on my weight loss journey because I can no longer jog for long distances, I get out of breath and start coughing up phlegm. I find the I'm experiencing lactic acid build up in my muscles (which are quite fully developed and not new to the notion of rigorous exercise, previously in life) a lot earlier than my peers, which may have something to do with my lessened lung capacity and lung performance (and of course, the extra weight I'm carrying).

For my daily exercise, I usually walk, weight lift and box. Boxing aside, I don't do very many cardio exercises, and find them a lot more difficult. I'd like to be able to finally play the sports I want to play without suffering from wheezing and my heart bouncing around like crazy in my chest.

Is moving out the only way to overcome this? Are there some things that I can try to help improve my situation? Is cardio workouts better at burning fat than just walking, or in other words, am I missing out because of the people around me?

If anyone has any info, it'd be much appreciated. :coolgleamA:
Click to expand...


Both my parents smoke. I serously doubt you have signs already from second hand smoke. Stop making excuses.
 
I would get some nicorette for the people you live with:) Either that, or tell them that their smoking is causing you harm. Maybe they will think twice before lighting up in the house. Also, ask them if they could perhaps smoke outside instead of inside to save your health.

I would honestly smoke outside if I had a child that was being harmed by my second hand smoke (if I smoked).
 
My brother & his wife (at her mom at one point) would all sit in the house and chain smoke all day! It killed me to know those poor kids were being subjected to smelling that! The poor kids reek of smoke and I'm sure it'll be noticed by their friends when they go to school. It really breaks my heart :(

Why is there no laws to protect childrens lungs??
 
newbride02 said:
wow, i'm so sorry to hear about the second hand smoke. I"m really surprised it would effect you so much at your age though....I wouldn't think it would start effecting you till you were older? It really sounds to me like your health problems (at this time) are probably more weight related....maybe you have some kind of asthma maybe??? I could be wrong, i'm no doctor.

I know what terrible effects being around smoke or 2nd hand smoke has on the body, when your in the older years. I can't tell you how many lung cancer residents I've taken care of through the years. Its really a heart breaking thing to witness. I don't know that you would be able to talk your parents out of smoking so much, but you REALLY should try!! give them some info on second hand smoke and its effects and then ask them if theres any way they can start smoking outside.

I dont' know what else to say but that, I'm sorry!
Click to expand...

I too am no doctor, but my lungs used to be in a lot better condition when I was younger, so something must have happened lol. I'm not ruling out other possibilities, I'm just saying if I was going to diagnose myself, this would probably be it.

My parents won't stop smoking. My mum has tried several occassions, my dad just flat out won't (he's the one that chain smokes). My sister used to have the same problems as I, she used to have trouble running and coughed up shit afterwards, and still does. She started smoking like 2 years back as well, so I linked it up and hey presto I figure it must be the smoke.

I've never had asthma and I've been checked for it a few times I believe. Maybe just a crap respiratory system, who knows ^_^.

Bigguy2007 said:
Both my parents smoke. I serously doubt you have signs already from second hand smoke. Stop making excuses.
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Lol, "excuses," I still exercise as much as anyone else- just non cardio. If I was making excuses to not exercise I wouldn't need the world to know. Thanks for the post anyway....


nikegirl24 said:
I would get some nicorette for the people you live with:) Either that, or tell them that their smoking is causing you harm. Maybe they will think twice before lighting up in the house. Also, ask them if they could perhaps smoke outside instead of inside to save your health.

I would honestly smoke outside if I had a child that was being harmed by my second hand smoke (if I smoked).
Click to expand...

They've quit for like a month together, but couldn't kick the stuff completely. I've tried telling them a million ways, it bothers me whenever they smoke and nothin' happenin'.

They sometimes go outside to smoke, but a lot of the time they're too busy/lazy to do so lol.


newbride02 said:
My brother & his wife (at her mom at one point) would all sit in the house and chain smoke all day! It killed me to know those poor kids were being subjected to smelling that! The poor kids reek of smoke and I'm sure it'll be noticed by their friends when they go to school. It really breaks my heart :(

Why is there no laws to protect childrens lungs??
Click to expand...

Heh, I bought a whole lot of deodorant and perfumes to mask the smell (it gets into my damn clothes because the whole house is linked up together with our AC unit thing).

I don't think there's a need for a law or anything, but I guess some people smoke a lot more around their kids than others, or again, maybe I have a really crappy lung condition due to something else. But this started when I was thin, so I don't think it was the weight (but I'm sure it plays a part in it, now).

Anyways, thanks for the contributions, I was thinking of buying an air filter for my room and sealing off the AC vents; does anyone know what exactly those air filters do e.t.c.?
 
Bigguy2007 said:
Both my parents smoke. I serously doubt you have signs already from second hand smoke. Stop making excuses.
Click to expand...

WHAT!!???!! Did you crawl out from under a rock?????

The recent July issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine published a study regarding secondhand smoke and children. Approximately 6,200 children die annually in the United States directly related to their parents' smoking. Secondhand smoke contributes to the following breakdown of annual deaths: 2,800 from low birth weight due to smoking during pregnancy; 2,000 from sudden infant death syndrome; 1,100 from respiratory infections; 14 from asthma; and 250 from burns.

Due to living in a smoking environment, another 5.4 million children are treated annually by the medical profession for asthma, ear and respiratory infections. The researchers from the University of Wisconsin Medical School estimated that the annual cost for these smoke-related illnesses runs $4.6 billion. Researchers have estimated that the loss of life of these children (based partially on expected earning power had they lived) runs another 8.2 billion dollars a year.





Researchers have been saying for YEARS the harmful effects of second hand smoke can cause children and just other people in general- hell the first article is from '97 and this goes much further back that even that one. Good lord, why the hell do you think it is illegal to smoke in any public facility?? within 25 ft of any publuc facility??? Why do you think they banned smoking on airplanes????

Get a clue......
 
Matt said:
I'm 15, 240 lbs, 6 foot tall. I live in a house with 3 smokers, all who smoke profusely and have been doing so for a while.

For 15 years, I've been exposed to smoke. I've lacked ability in sports, I've found myself out of breath climbing stairs, and it was one of the major reasons I got fat; I was so terrible at keeping up with others, that I saved the embarrassment and didn't even try.

What I want to know, if anyone has any info, is just how much damage second-hand smoking can cause and what I can do to improve my exercising situation. I've looked at sites on the internet, but I want some people who've actually experienced it, and can tell me if they've suffered from it to, and how (or if) they found a way to overcome it.

It plays a major part on my weight loss journey because I can no longer jog for long distances, I get out of breath and start coughing up phlegm. I find the I'm experiencing lactic acid build up in my muscles (which are quite fully developed and not new to the notion of rigorous exercise, previously in life) a lot earlier than my peers, which may have something to do with my lessened lung capacity and lung performance (and of course, the extra weight I'm carrying).

For my daily exercise, I usually walk, weight lift and box. Boxing aside, I don't do very many cardio exercises, and find them a lot more difficult. I'd like to be able to finally play the sports I want to play without suffering from wheezing and my heart bouncing around like crazy in my chest.

Is moving out the only way to overcome this? Are there some things that I can try to help improve my situation? Is cardio workouts better at burning fat than just walking, or in other words, am I missing out because of the people around me?

If anyone has any info, it'd be much appreciated. :coolgleamA:
Click to expand...

If it is an option, get out of that house. It could very well be affecting you ( maybe you should show them the articles I posted for Bigguy).
Good luck
Diane
 
Bigguy2007 said:
What dont people die from? Im sure more kids die from food poisening each year.
Click to expand...

Yeah, because that's completely analogous. You fail.

Anyway, Matt, just do what you can to avoid it, and later, get away from it, you know? Spend more time at your friends' houses, or out. Get good grades and go to school abroad. Do what you gotta do. What they all said. Also, maybe see a doctor and have him get on your parents' about it?

And, uh, just for me, go hit up an army surplus store, buy a gas mask, and start wearing it around the house. :D
 

Thanks a lot for the links, lots of helpful information! Although everything else has failed, I'll print these out and have my family read them.

last10lbs said:
If it is an option, get out of that house. It could very well be affecting you ( maybe you should show them the articles I posted for Bigguy).
Good luck
Diane
Click to expand...

Since posting this topic I've been making plans and applications to a university back in England. It'll be tough moving away for 4+ years, but if it's affecting my health I don't see why I should allow it to continue, heh.

FYI: I'm 1-2 years ahead of everyone school-wise, so I'll be a senior and graduating next year.

[Focus];397783 said:
Yeah, because that's completely analogous. You fail.

Anyway, Matt, just do what you can to avoid it, and later, get away from it, you know? Spend more time at your friends' houses, or out. Get good grades and go to school abroad. Do what you gotta do. What they all said. Also, maybe see a doctor and have him get on your parents' about it?

And, uh, just for me, go hit up an army surplus store, buy a gas mask, and start wearing it around the house. :D
Click to expand...

I'll definitely try to get the doctors on my parents about the issue, they once quit smoking for a month with the help of a GP so I don't see why they can't do it again.

As for the gas mask, my friend has one and I must say they're extremely uncomfortable to wear for a prolonged period of time. I'll look into buying an air purifier though :D

Thanks for the helpful comments!!
 
Matt said:
Thanks a lot for the links, lots of helpful information! Although everything else has failed, I'll print these out and have my family read them.

Since posting this topic I've been making plans and applications to a university back in England. It'll be tough moving away for 4+ years, but if it's affecting my health I don't see why I should allow it to continue, heh.

FYI: I'm 1-2 years ahead of everyone school-wise, so I'll be a senior and graduating next year.
Click to expand...

You're welcome :)

My father is a Doctor (retired now). He is actuallly the man who did the research about smoking on planes, and the reson why they banned it. I am very glad you are trying to get out of that environment. You should not only get the docs on them, but you yourself should go and have a physician check you out. (couldn't hurt :) )

Good luck!
Diane
 
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