Hi Working on it! I also had a lot of coughing the first weeks, coughing up the lovely brown crud. It is a part of quitting and think of it as your body starting to heal itself. Smoking cigarettes masks a whole lot of problems, maybe it has been masking some lung problems for you, but please do stick with your quit and I am positive it will get better! Focus on your quit meter, telling you how many days quit, how much you are saving and how many hours and days you are ADDING to your life. There is such a wonderful freedom that comes with quitting and it is so worth the journey, no matter how hard it feels in the beginning. Read as much as you can here to help you. Smoking is an addiction and as long as you know that, you will know you can't take another drag, because they will indeed kill you, sooner or later.
You can do this, you will soon be breathing strong and free! Practice the deep breathing exercises and drink plenty of water. You can do this. Stay positive as much as you can, read inspirational posts, add vitamin B complex to your daily vitamin and keep coming to this site. You are on your way to great health and great freedom! Stick with it!
Hey Workin' and Sly : ) These little tests pop up occasionally! How awesome for you both that you can post about this - a great place to let off the steam - and still NOT find yourself with a cigarette between your fingers! Good on y'all! and Congrats on your milestones! 300 days and 6 months are nothing to sneeze at! . . . ya - it's a bad pun . .
Working On It , here's hoping that you're feeling better soon. Don't get yourself too tired or run down. Remember H.A.L.T. Those 300 days tomorrow are looking real good on you. Excellent for you. breather Don
This has happened before. When I get cold or allergy symptoms, it reminds me of how I felt when I smoked, which, in turn triggers a craving. I know that this makes no logical sense. You'd think that the last thing a person with a cold would want is a cigarette. I think it's some perverse association of congestion = nicotine buzz. And it seem unfair to only get the congestion.
This week has been hard, since I've had some viral crud that seems to work it's way through various parts of the respiratory system, starting with throat and then to sinuses for a few days, and then causing hacking and chest soreness for another few days. (Yeah, I did end up with some coughing episodes, as the thing progressed.) Meanwhile, just being dog-tired and having to work all week anyways...
It's just been a very negative week.
But I did not smoke. Interestingly, as I was writing this, I realized that none of those craves/ desires actually reached the point of me considering taking a trip to the store. Not even during the times I was deep breathing and breathing out with sounds. I did really want a mint a couple of times, though.
. . . ya - it's a bad pun . . 
