update on nicotine (e-cig) induced remission

are we getting sick of talking about nicotine yet?? oh well. Just wanted to do a final update for anyone who is interested since I did have some changes.

For those of you who are just tuning in, a brief summary of my experience with the e-cig so far:
Started flaring a week or so before christmas 2010. I've never gotten out of a flare without using prednisone before.
Started using the e-cig and after a couple of weeks I was doing significantly better, well enough to get out of the house and wasn't feeling terrible.
Told my GI about it and he was happy that it was working and advised me to stay on it for a few weeks and then taper off.

So that's what I did, started tapering really slowly. The dose that got me into remission was a solution that is 24mg of nicotine per ml of liquid.
I did fine with the taper until I quit the 24mg altogether and was just at the 12mg/ml dose. Started to feel a little crappy in the mornings, had to make more stops on the drive to town to use the public toilets and even had a couple reactions to food that I wouldn't normally have.

Started taking the 24mg/ml again for the first part of the day, until around 1 or 2:00 and then I use the 12 mg/ml the rest of the day. After 2 days back at the higher dose I'm doing great again. No icky feeling in the mornings and BMs are back to being very well formed and healthy looking.

So now I'm looking into long term nicotine use and what the implications of that are. Will consult with my GI as well as other docs who may have more knowledge on the subject.

I wasn't planning to stay on this forever (mainly because I want to be able to have something to use again in the future when I flare. Also because I don't know if I want to have another child someday and won't use nicotine while pregnant.) but at this point I'm on it until I can find some good solid info on why I shouldn't be on it.

How's everyone else doing with the e-cig? I know there were a couple more people who were going to try it out...

But doesn't the negative impact of smoking actually outweigh colitis?

yes, the negative impacts of smoking are worse than colitis.
But I'm not smoking, I'm using an electronic cigarette (basically a vaporizer) which gives me the nicotine but none of the tar, carbon monoxide etc. that are the major health risks of tobacco cigarettes.

You're good Superdoo....links are okay as long as you aren't selling it.

I still switch back and forth between the real ones and the Ecigs. I can not contribute the smoking as to what got me in remission because I am a smoker anyway. I just wanted to stop the cigs (not that I'm a big smoker anyway). I find that when I am solely on the Ecigs that when I do light up a real one, just how nasty they taste.

I'm glad you found something to work for you Hekela. But I wonder if nicotine alone is a bad idea while being pregnant? I thought nicotine by itself isn't harmful - addicting yes, harmful no?

Hekela -
Thanks for posting about this!
I am not "really" flaring.... or to say, I'm not flaring badly, but I am not really in remission, either..... annoying. I am toying around with different ideas that might help.
So.... how often do you smoke these e-cigs? I understand from your post..... you mix the solution to varying strengths, and the solution is what gets "smoked" (vaporized?) but how often per day do you need to do these things?

So.... how often do you smoke these e-cigs? I understand from your post..... you mix the solution to varying strengths, and the solution is what gets "smoked" (vaporized?) but how often per day do you need to do these things?

Maybe nicotine lozenges would be easier if they were just as effective.

I end up using it all throughout the day. I have an e-cig that you refill with about 3 drops at a time and I end up refilling about 15 times a day. I know it sounds like a LOT but if you're on the lower nicotine dose it should be close to 2 or 3 tobacco cigs.

Red, from what I understand the nicotine can cause the low birth weight and I don't want to be messing around with that. I definitely eat less while using this and wouldn't want to be growing another little life while not consuming enough calories. But I sill have some researching to do.

no plans yet. We don't even know if we want to do it again, the newborn phase is SO exhausting. But, you know, in a good way. :)

Before anything gets decided I'll be talking to some docs (and one naturopath) to see what they know about nicotine, long term use, and any other questions I may have about using it.

I've never smoked, so I wonder if this would be effective for me. What about the nicotine gum?
B

I was not a smoker either and it has worked well for me. Took a couple of weeks to get out of the flare.

I don't think I use a full mL in one day but I use about 3 drops each time I fill my atomizer and I fill about 15 times a day. When I was flaring I used the 24mg all day but now that I'm not flaring I use the 24mg until around 2pm and then use the 12mg the rest of the day.

Wodin, I just read the other day that the FDA is planning on regulating e-cigs...hopefully that doesn't bring their cost up. So far so good today. Been vaporizing since yesterday. Have had a slight headache (I'm guessing the re-introduction to nicotine) also noticed a little throat irritation/dryness this morning. I have to admit, I didn't realize how "heavy" the vapor seems. Maybe it's just me. My husband doesn't notice it though (he was more than happy to support me with this type of therapy LOL). I have no idea when to "refill" my cartridge. Will it stop producing vapor when it's empty? That's what I've been waiting for but have been vaporizing all night and this morning, haven't had to refill yet...I might be doing it wrong... :)

The FDA wanted to regulate the e-cig as a "drug delivery device" but couldn't because cigarettes aren't regulated as a drug. So, they came out about three days ago and said that they would be regulating the e-cig like any other tobacco product. Hopefully it doesn't raise the prices of e-cigs and their "accessories" . I am using an atomizer. It's still producing vapor but it doesn't taste minty like it did last night. Of course, I over filled my cartridge... :( Beginners mistake.

Thanks! These e-cigs are so confusing.