Quitting smoking is a very positive step towards a better healthier life. There is a long list of benefits when you quit. But the downside of this is that there can be some initial symptoms as soon as you quit. These can be mild to very severe depending on a number of factors like individual personality, body type, extent and duration of addiction, and so on. But these usually go away after a few days or weeks. These short term reactions, therefore, should not be a reason to refrain from quitting.
Quitting smoking — Is upset stomach a symptom?
The physiological and psychological symptoms that are experienced when one quits are collectively called withdrawal symptoms. Some common withdrawal symptoms are:
- Cravings
- Headache
- Irritability and mood swings
- Nausea
- Increase in appetite
- Sudden short term drop in blood sugar levels
Although quitting leads to an increase in appetite, it may sometime lead to an upset stomach as well. This may be due to a number of reasons. The main reason is that smoking affects the digestive system as a whole and when you stop smoking, it does affect the digestive tract for a while before the system is used to the absence of nicotine.
One of the possible reasons for a bad tummy could be the sudden increase in the intake of food and, in some cases, excessive consumption of sweets and chocolates. Another reason could be the inability of the body to use glucose well, especially for the initial few days after quitting. This may lead to accumulation of sugars and cause an upset stomach.
Sometimes, certain therapies that are used for smoking cessation can also lead to a bad stomach as a side-effect. Sometimes, nicotine gums and certain medications may lead to an upset stomach if they do not suit you or if they are improperly taken or overused.
Whatever may be the cause, you should be prepared to have an upset stomach in the first few days after you quit as this would help you deal with it better. Also, it lasts only for a few days or a week after which things start getting back to normal. Being prepared for it will only make the whole process easier for you and there will be a very high chance that you will quit for good in the first go itself.
