Smoking Poll

So I hear tell that smoking can relieve some of the symptoms of UC and I also hear the howls (mine included) saying 'no way will I smoke to relieve my symptoms' so can I ask the following:

1) Are you currently a smoker?
2) Are you a former smoker?
3) Have you never smoked?
4) If 1) for how long have you smoked and what do you smoke? (i.e. cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars, illegal substances).
5) If 1) did you smoke before you had UC or take it up after?
6) If 2) how long since you quit?
7) If 2) were you diagnosed with UC before you stopped? If so how long before you quit?
8) If 3) at what age were you diagnosed with UC?

I am a former smoker of 35 years. My UC presented 3 years after I stopped smoking.

Just to be certain here, Sara your symptoms presented while you were a smoker and actually improved after you quit?

--35 yr. smoker.

--first flare 8 mths. after switching to ecigs

--GI said I had it for years w/o a flare

I was previously non smoker. Added nicotine (gum / e-cig) to help with flare

Started smoking around 1961,quit 1977,UC 1980,started smoking again 1982 UC symptoms gone.
Quit 1986 for two weeks,flared,started smoking again,flare never stopped,still in same flare.
Quit nov 2011 for 6 weeks extra blood,start again. Quit Jan 2012 for 1 month extra blood,started again.
Old Mike

Former smoker of cigarettes. Quit the three times I was pregnant and one other time for three years. I finally quit for good the last time I was pregnant. My daughter was born in Oct of 2007 and I was diagnosed in April of 2009. Had symptoms for a year or more prior to diagnosis at the age of 36.

former smoker of 18 years. gave them up jan 2011 and presented symptoms of uc in feb '11.
i was on patches up until june '11 so was still getting nicotene into my system.
nearly 32 when UC hit.

I smoked cigarettes on and off for about 10 years altogether, the last 5 years more steadily up to 10 cigs a day then tapering to 3 per day then finally quit. I had quit smoking for about 13 years before experiencing any UC symptoms so I would say in my case it was unrelated.

I quit smoking when I was 48 and a year later, I got ulcerated proctitis and mild colitis. I don't think my stopping had anything to do with me getting colitis. I have always had a bad gut since I was a kid.

Never smoked and suffered from severe left-sided colitis for 12 years. On various meds that never helped at all or for very long. Took up smoking 2 1/2 months ago. After 5 weeks of smoking 5 to 6 cigs a day I was in full remission. So far I'm still symptom free.

Started smoking around 1961,quit 1977,UC 1980,started smoking again 1982 UC symptoms gone.
Quit 1986 for two weeks,flared,started smoking again,flare never stopped,still in same flare.
Quit nov 2011 for 6 weeks extra blood,start again. Quit Jan 2012 for 1 month extra blood,started again.
Old Mike


How can you be in the same flare for 27 years? Something about that doesn't seem right..

May I ask does this mean there's a connection between quitting smoking cigs n colitis? I smoked probably close to 45 years but never more then 1/2 pack a day n the last few years just a couple a day. I quit almost 1 1/2 years ago n only had IBS n just being dx with colitis 6 months ago.
I do plan on trying some kind of THC product when I get every thing filled out but it's very, very slow in my state but but I feel with all my illness' n "flares" that I have no choice but to give it a try cause as I am I don't know how much longer I can bare all this. Feel like I'm just falling apart illness by illness.
Also can COLITIS cause a pounding, throbbing feeling in your pelvic? I've been blaming my IC for the last 3-4 years but no one really mentions that symptom for IC . It's been terrible, I feel like my whole body is pulsing from the pounding.