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Worried about quitting smoking and inducing a flare...

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Posted 7/25/2011 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there, I posted several threads about smoking and its positive affects towards treating my UC. Long story short, I quit smoking maybe 5 years ago, soon after came down with UC. Was terribly sick for 3 years, battling endless UC symptoms including joint pains, fevers etc. In desperation for relief and after trying many ineffective drugs, Im caved 2 years ago and tried smoking again. Almost instantaneously my UC finally came under control. Ive been smoking and UC free now for 2 years and its heaven, compared to what i was going through.

But, I would like to try and quit smoking again, im just terrified i may re-open this Pandora's box called UC once again....

Can anyone share their experience if they were in a similar boat? Id love to hear how others reacted to this rather unique scenario before i dive in.

Many thanks
Posted 7/25/2011 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
I had a similar experience, and have found lasting relief with e-cigs and nicotine lozenges.
Posted 7/25/2011 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks wodin. Im from Canada and I dont believe we have e-cigs here, though Im not 100% sure about that..... Would they be considered the same as a Nicorette Inhaler?

And secondly, just how unhealthy are they?

Thanks
Posted 7/25/2011 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not familiar with nicotine inhalers, but I would think they would be pretty much the same. They are not regulated in the US, but the FDA keeps trying. One of their arguments is that there have not been studies to show if they are unhealthy or not, or by how much.

Advocates (sellers) of them claim that since there are no tars, carbon monoxide and other junk present in tobacco smoke, they MUST be better than cigarettes, but there are no peer reviewed studies.

Post Edited (wodin) : 7/25/2011 3:20:05 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/25/2011 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
msobo,

I've read about the link between nicotine and UC, but never knew of anyone who could prove such a distinct correlation. Wow, you've certainly proven that. I'm sorry what a choice to have to make: UC or smoking?

That sucks. But UC sucks too.

Have you thought about the nicotine patch?

Also, I have heard about a homeopathic remedy that helps people quit smoking and perhaps that would handle the flare up as a result thereof? It's called Tabacum.

http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/tabacum.htm

In addition to helping smokers to quit smoking as also alleviating the withdrawal symptoms, tabacum is also said to aid in treating gastro-intestinal problems owing to tobacco use. Such patients usually want their abdomen to be uncovered as this provides relief from nausea and vomiting. Besides, this homeopathic medicine prepared from tobacco is also effective in treating diarrhea that is accompanied by abrupt nausea, vomiting, prostration (extreme mental or emotional depression, cold sweating (a chill accompanied by perspiration, caused by fear, nerviness, or other similar symptoms) and/ or acute fainting owing to the smell of tobacco.

What do you think?


 

Posted 7/26/2011 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
"The homeopathic medicine prepared from tobacco and called tabacum" sounds like nicotine in pill form. Um ... wouldn't that be the same as Nicorett Lozenges but with a fancy name?

Nicorett lozenges worked for me to induce remission in a matter of a couple of days; after two months of 60 mg/day of prednisone without relief. And maintained remission until I discovered e-cigs after a couple of months.

If this tobacum's primary active ingredient is indeed nicotine (homeopathic quacks are generally reluctant to provide information about ingredients), it would probably have the same effects; so it would come down to a comparison of relative cost.
Posted 7/26/2011 12:39 AM (GMT 0)

wodin said...
I had a similar experience, and have found lasting relief with e-cigs and nicotine lozenges.

wodin, would you mind telling me which brand e-cig you use? I'm eager to try it. Thanks.

edit: I'm not a smoker at all, but if e-cig helps relieve my UC symptoms, I'm willing to try it. I heard it is not addictive, or is it?

Post Edited (oh.no.my.gastro) : 7/25/2011 6:42:09 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/26/2011 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Count me as one of those who got hit with UC after quitting. It's a long story, but I'll just give you one episode:

In February 2003 I decided to quit smoking. I quit cold turkey. A couple of weeks later the UC symptoms began to appear. By late March I was in a full-blown nasty flare. Finally, in early April I was rushed to the ER and hospitalized about 10 days. The GI who saw me then asked if I had recently quit smoking, and put a big nicotine patch on my arm.

After the hospital I continued using nicotine patches and the prescrined Asacol and Prednisone, but I still had D+blood+mucus. I discontinued the meds, but the symptoms persisted. One day I decided to start smoking again. I felt better almost immediately, and a few days later all symptoms were gone.

There are a few other threads in this forum about smoking/nicotine and UC (use the 'Search' function).

Newer research indicates that it's not just the nicotine that helps, but also the carbon monoxide and the nitric oxide that emanates from the smoke. Do a Google search and you'l find much info.
In summary, nicotine alone doesn't seem to work. It needs to have the carbon monoxide and the nitric oxide in order to have an effect on UC.

Inhalers are in the works and may be available in a couple of years.
Ugh!
Posted 7/26/2011 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
oh.no.my.gastro said... wodin said... I had a similar experience, and have found lasting relief with e-cigs and nicotine lozenges. wodin, would you mind telling me which brand e-cig you use? I'm eager to try it. Thanks. edit: I'm not a smoker at all, but if e-cig helps relieve my UC symptoms, I'm willing to try it. I heard it is not addictive, or is it? Although there are exceptions, (aren't there always?) most studies show that non-smokers and those who did not get dx 1 to 4 years after quitting smoking usually will not benefit from nicotine therapy. That being said, the brand I use are Joye E-go 900 milliamp batteries and cartimizers. The reason I like these is because the big batteries last a whole day, and the cartimizers are refillable, and will normally last for about six hours, so I don't need to carry so many extra batteries and cartridges . While they are not the least expensive, I get them from http://cignot.com . I use them because I have had excellent service from them.
Posted 7/26/2011 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
I'll second what Lady-V posted: for me, quitting smoking allowed my UC to manifest, and a nic inhaler and patches don't seem to matter.
Posted 7/26/2011 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
InSoFla,

Thanks for the recommendation :) To be honest, Ive kind of hidden away from anything UC related (including meds) for the past couple years, simply bc it was so nice not to think about the illness anymore. .... That being said I think I have some research to catch up on, I'll def have a further look into it that. Thanks

Lady-V,

Youre dead on, on everything you said, thats exactly where I left off. In my own experiences, rather than taking up smoking again at first, I tried a nico-patch to test this nicotine theory and saw my first real signs that it was effective. My gastro even wrote me several prescriptions for nico-patches for therapy. I did that for maybe 6 months, it def made things a little better, but was still far from great. So based on that, I decided to try lighting up again and finally discovered full relief. I assume youre still smoking now??
Posted 7/26/2011 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
wodin,

wouldn't that be the same as Nicorett Lozenges but with a fancy name?

No it isn't the same. Tabacum, or for that matter, any homeopathic remedy has an infetesinimal (spelling?) amount of nicotine or whatever else + some tiny bit of sugar.

AND it does work, if you match the remedy to the symptoms.

If this tobacum's primary active ingredient is indeed nicotine (homeopathic quacks are generally reluctant to provide information about ingredients), it would probably have the same effects; so it would come down to a comparison of relative cost.

It is nicotine, but at a miniscule amount and does NOT have the same effect, and cost wise is minute compared to nicotine patches.

You just don't know enough about homeopathy to speak about it....no offense.

Posted 7/26/2011 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
It is sites like this http://www.hmedicine.com/homeopathic/single_remedies/T/Tabacum that add to my skepticism, for instance in the potency column, potency of WHAT? Nicotine? It doesn't say! And what is a 200C or a 1M or a dm? And how many “pellets/pills” are in an oz?

And for that matter, what does a "miniscule amount" mean? Miniscule compared to what?
Posted 7/26/2011 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
wodin,

The potencies differ from 6c, 6x, 12c, 30c, 200c, etc... all the way to the strongest which is 50M. But in homeopathy, strongest doesn't always mean the best potency - it depends on symptoms, etc.... Typically one starts at a lower potency like 30c, and then moves upwards. But many times even a low dosage like 30c does work. A 1 oz. bottle probably holds close to 750-1000 pellets, and you only need 2-3 pellets per dose.

You have to understand the basic principles of homeopathy to understand dosing, etc...

It operates on the philosophy "like cures like".

It would take me hours to explain it to you, which I don't have.

Posted 7/27/2011 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Quit smoking 1977, got UC 1980, started smoking 1982 UC in went into remission, quit again for only 2 weeks in 1986, UC came back. Still have it, and still smoke. So the second time I quit the UC came back and will not go into remission with smoking.

Old Mike

Posted 7/27/2011 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
I developed ulcerative colitis in 1992 (couldn't tolerate the standard drugs (developed leukopenia and anemia),started smoking in 1996 and was in complete remission until I quit smoking in January of 1998. After numerous rounds of prednisone, steroid-induced diabetes, 6mp (an immunomodulator), and liver problems, I started smoking again in 2006 and have been in complete remission ever since. At my last colonoscopy, my GI said if he hadn't diagnosed me and worked with me for years, he would never have suspected I had ulcerative colitis. That said, I did a lot of research before beginning to smoke again, and I decided to smoke a pipe rather than cigarettes. I also found a source for organic, pesticide-free tobacco since I think the real dangers of smoking come from all the additives. Also, with a pipe you don't inhale. Yes, I tried the nicotine patches but they didn't work for me. I'm going to stick with smoking. My doctor won't give me prednisone anymore, and I don't want to take it ever again. I'd also rather stay away from things like Remicade and 6mp. Every drug we take for this disease has its associated side effects, and for me nicotine has far fewer damaging side effects than the other drugs I've taken.

Larry Hartsfield
Durango, Colorado
Posted 7/27/2011 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Larry,

I've seen reports here from people here who got relief from tobacco smoke, but not from alternative nicotine delivery methods. That seems to support the notion that the carbon monoxide in smoke has some effect.

I am thankful that for me, it seems to be the nicotine, as I'd rather use the alternative delivery systems, but if I were in your place, I'd probably be sucking on pipes and cigars too.
Posted 7/27/2011 6:57 PM (GMT 0)

hartsfieldl1 said...
I developed ulcerative colitis in 1992 (couldn't tolerate the standard drugs (developed leukopenia and anemia),started smoking in 1996 and was in complete remission until I quit smoking in January of 1998. After numerous rounds of prednisone, steroid-induced diabetes, 6mp (an immunomodulator), and liver problems, I started smoking again in 2006 and have been in complete remission ever since. At my last colonoscopy, my GI said if he hadn't diagnosed me and worked with me for years, he would never have suspected I had ulcerative colitis. That said, I did a lot of research before beginning to smoke again, and I decided to smoke a pipe rather than cigarettes. I also found a source for organic, pesticide-free tobacco since I think the real dangers of smoking come from all the additives. Also, with a pipe you don't inhale. Yes, I tried the nicotine patches but they didn't work for me. I'm going to stick with smoking. My doctor won't give me prednisone anymore, and I don't want to take it ever again. I'd also rather stay away from things like Remicade and 6mp. Every drug we take for this disease has its associated side effects, and for me nicotine has far fewer damaging side effects than the other drugs I've taken.

Larry Hartsfield
Durango, Colorado

Hi Larry, I have a very similar story and am also from Durango CO.  Just wanted to say hello.  I've often wondered how many other U.C.ers lived here.  John

 

Posted 7/27/2011 7:24 PM (GMT 0)
It would be interesting to know how many of us live in Durango. The gastroenterologists seem to stay pretty busy.
Posted 7/27/2011 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Yep, it can sometimes take a month to get in.....
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