Does the smoke around you affect you?

I've started noticing that my breath is really, really short. I don't smoke at all.. literally nothing. I sit with my friends when they smoke, though. I actually heard that when people smoke around you, it affects you more than it affects them (the smokers); is this true? I have no idea why my breath is very short..whenever I run up the stairs, it feels like I've ran a mile..any advice?

 

Maybe you're just generally a bit un-fit? Passive smoking does affect people but not to that extent I wouldn't think

 

Nope, I'm not unfit at all. I train boxing and before that, I used to go to the gym as well and I'm really skinny for my age. I don't think that's the problem.

 

second hand smoke is more dangerous than first hand, because when your friends smoke, they exhale out all the damaging chemicals which you then breath in, so yes, hanging out with friends is probably damaging your health

 

I appreciate your reply! I've actually googled it and what you said was correct,-second-hand smoke has nearly the same effects as first-hand. I need a way to fix this, though. Will staying away from my friends while they're done smoking help me or not?

 

believe it or not, smoke actually lingers in the air even if you cant see it, same reason why parents shouldn't smoke around babies at all even if they're blowing smoke out the window and believe that their baby is safe because they can't see smoke, that's wrong

 

Unless you are around it almost constantly, it shouldn't be affecting you to that extent. Second hand smoke is health damaging, but if you are in a room with smoke in it for only a few hours a week, it won't make a difference if you are otherwise physically fit.

 

I'm just going to put a foot in the mouth here, second hand smoking is BULLSHIT. If you watch Penn and Teller you'll know that second hand bullshit and totally put way out of context. I think Roary is right, are you not exercising as much? Or are you eating more lately?

You have like 0.00001% of actually being effect by second hand smoking, you have nothing to worry about there, my mother smoked everyday all day near me and I'm honestly as fit as a horse in terms with my breathing.

 

It doesn't affect you more than it affects them however you are still inhaling minute amounts of smoke. I'm in a similar situation as you, OP. I can't be near cigarette smoke... it triggers my allergy symptoms in under five minutes. The shortness of breath sounds like it may be another issue altogether.

 

Do you have a old fireplace, where you burn wood?

Do you have asthma? - Have you been checked out?

How much exercise have you being doing recently?

 

Second hand smoking is much more dangerous than actually smoking cause when the smoke is exhaled from the smokers mouth, it's combined with carbon dioxide too, which if you have enough off and no oxygen, you will die. So, not only do you second-hand smoke the tobacco but, you're also inhaling the carbon dioxide where as the smoker only inhales and exhales the tobacco. So, it is infact much worse.

 

They actually say that second hand smoke is worse for you then the person that is smoking. Because people who are smoking have a filter which removes some of the toxins. Now the toxins that are not caught by the filter goes into their lungs once it has circled around it and is exhaled. Obviously some of those chemicals go back into the air which you are now breathing in without the filter. I would personally try to stay away from it for a while and see if your breathing continues to be short. If it doesn't you have found the root of the problem if it does continue I would recommend seeing a doctor.

 

I've been sneezing a lot ever since I've been exposed to some pretty far away secondhand smoke from my neighbors... my nose has just been killing me I'm going to have to start residing in my other room and turn this one back into a guest room.

I don't know what else could be the cause of this sneezing though... I don't have allergies; I hope I didn't develop any.

 

It is possible that you could be allergic to smoke and not even have known it. If you are worried about it I would recommend scheduling an appointment with your general doctor and taking an allergy test.

 

That's a good idea I might look into that... it's not a problem either way as I usually don't associate with smokers of any kind. Just like alcohol, I've never needed it so why introduce it =p.

 

Honestly it may just be a good thing to have done in order to just have the knowledge of whether or not you are allergic. There is no harm in knowing but there could be in not knowing. Just a suggestion.

 

make better friends, and join a gym so you wont feel so out of breath