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Has anyone smoked to curb UC symptoms(let's not get nasty about this please)

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/12/2009 1:13 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone started smoking again to curb UC symptoms, and it did not work?

How long after you started smoking again did you see relief?

This would be my last resort, so I do not take this as a quick fix, but I want my life back, and if everything else I try does not worlk, I would consider smoking a few cigarettes a day again to be able to live and enjoy our family functions, and walk in the park again.

If you feel smoking is the worst of all evil, and living your life without a colon, or in your house is a better option, that is your opinion and I respect it.  Please respect mine to consider this if all else fails.

 

Posted 6/12/2009 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
Joylu, this topic is discussed regularly. I'm sure if you do a search, you'll find numerous threads on the subject.
Posted 6/12/2009 2:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have been looking at this site (on your google) for days and did not find an answer to the question I am asking today.

I wouldn't have asked it if I had.

This is obviously a very important thing to me, and I need input before making my decision, (which will still be my own)

Posted 6/12/2009 3:07 PM (GMT 0)
well I'll tell you, I smoke 4 cigs a day & have for quite a while. The only "help" I find re. UC is that after a particulalry painful/stressful bathroom day, the cigs give me some peace of mind. I quit smoking when I became pregnant & developed UC immediately after my daughter was born- which if anything, I feel, is linked to the wackyness that pregnancy does to the immune system- I also flared up with another auto-immune illness right after childbirth, Graves Disease, which had all but gone into remission.

I don't attribute my smoking to having anything to do with my UC- sure it helps, theoretically, but I'm still getting Remicade, still on immune suppressants, still having accidents here & there, still getting up with gas & mucous 2x a night. Sooo... take from that what you will!

Posted 6/12/2009 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Joylu, Go above the blue control panel bar to Google Custom Search, and put in smoking UC. I tried it and several threads popped up. Hope that helps. Here's a lengthy thread for you to read:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=1488209
Posted 6/12/2009 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
So far, Eva Lou is the only one who addressed my actual question. The older threads do not.

As my post stated, I looked through all the google threads HERE, and there is alot on the subject, but not what I was asking.

Thank you Eva.

Posted 6/12/2009 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
you're welcome! I agree with you- the thing of it is, we rehash the same old subjects over & over anyway- why not smoking? Come on, how many times has diet been the topic of threads????? Gimme a break.....

Posted 6/12/2009 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry, I was just trying to help.
Posted 6/12/2009 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
I used to smoke about 10 cigs a day, and was diagnosed with UC a few months after I quit smoking.

I tried smoking again, but it did not help at all, and I then had a hard time quitting again but finally managed to get off it.

Before trying cigs I also tried nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and even chewing tobacco (snus).
Posted 6/12/2009 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
I completely sympathize with you.

I wanted to quit smoking so bad for a while, but every time I did I would get a flare-up. In fact, my first symptoms at 33 happened 3 months after I quit smoking for the first time. I would start smoking again and the flare up would go away. (PS: patches didn't work for UC suppression as well as actually smoking, in my experience, so I'm not even sure it's the nicotine that does it.)

I finally decided to quit for good (Dec 2008), knowing I was going into a major flare and I personally don't regret it, but I can understand how you feel. My UC has been up and down since I quit and I was in remission when I quit. Mayo clinic is running studies right now about the impact smoking has on UC. Check out their website.

I personally would not start again. Life was worse as a smoker than as a flaring UC sufferer, for me anyway.
Posted 6/12/2009 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
Absolutely no reason to apologise Lonilane. You did nothing wrong.
Posted 6/12/2009 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
yup, no need at all!
Posted 6/13/2009 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
I am a smoker and had my first major flare a few weeks after quitting.  I started smoking again (for reasons unrelated to UC).  Every time I try to quit it definitely makes things worse.  That said, if I did not smoke, I don't think I would consider it as an option to help with UC.  It is a major struggle in my life and for me personally I would rather deal with UC than addiction.  Also, keep in mind that I still struggle with UC although I smoke.  Good luck in your decision. 

Posted 6/14/2009 9:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, i wanted to contribute and post because right now the only symptoms i am having are extreme gas. If these are the only symptoms Joylu you're currently having as expressed in your signature.. i am sorry i cannot answer the question directly because i never tried smoking as the solution. But just wanted to say i sympathize about the urgency and gas.. for urgency like during a typical day i would run to the bathroom 15-20 times per day, now it is only 2-3 times. I still have extreme gas.. i take the metro train to work and in the morning it is especially difficult, i find myself reaching the bar in front of me from time to time and squeezing it with most of my strength to avoid expelling.
Posted 6/14/2009 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Joylu.  Yes, I started smoking again (twice now) as it seems to help keep my UC in remission.  I was another of those that was first diagnosed with UC after I had quit smoking for a few months.  My most recent quit attempt was in March and I last 3 days before a flare started and I immediately went back to smoking.  Within a day, things had settled down again.  So overall, yes, smoking makes my UC symptoms much better - although I do think smoking makes the fatigue part worse. 

Posted 6/14/2009 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
hi
yes, i got uc when i quit smoking.

then just 2 flares ago, i started smoking to stop my UC and it worked.
i worked a charm.

i had about 3-5 cigs a day. sometimes less, somedays more. that was average.

and i just quit smoking about 4-5 weeks ago and i got the worst flare ever. like the bad one i had a few years ago that lasted year and half.
i am in so much pain and bleeding non stop practically.

i quit smoking cuz we wanna have a baby.
i would totally start smoking again, but think that i shouldnt cuz baby and if i did, when i quit, i would probably just flare again.
so im giving it a miss this time and not smoking to stop UC.

im still flaring bad, but hopefully the meds will help soon.

good luck.
smoking did in fact help me get out of a flare.
Posted 6/14/2009 2:38 PM (GMT 0)
thank you all for your input.  You have been a great help.
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