Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I quit smoking about a week ago by using electronic cigarettes. Ive smoked for 40 years until a week ago. Im still getting nicotine from the electronic cigarettes and I plan to switch cartridge strength every two weeks to taper off the nicotine, but no more real cigarettes. I had a real bad cold or mild pneumonia when I quit. The cold seems almost gone now, but the cough is bad and tastes awful. It a weird kind of chemical / metal / rotten kind of taste. Is there something wrong or is this normal for a heavy smoker stopping suddenly?
[|AI|]  Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor . No this is not normal after quitting cigarettes. You might be having bronchitis. Bronchitis is inflammation of airways, and it is common in smokers. Cigarette smoke causes constant irritation and inflammation of airways. And it causes bronchitis and coughing. So better to get done PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) for the diagnosis of bronchitis. It will also tell you about severity of the disease and treatment of bronchitis is based on severity only. You may need inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroid. So better to first diagnose yourself and then start appropriate treatment. Hope I have solved your query. Wish you good health. Thanks.