HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

I had a smoke...

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
1 2
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/22/2013 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know about UC but smoking is one known trigger for crohn's disease (including second-hand smoke) regardless, I have crohn's and it mainly affects my colon and as I stated earlier, when I quit for 3 yrs my CD became even more hellish compared to when I smoke and it oddly has not made any negative impact on my small intestines with the crohn's therefore I will continue to smoke...as usual though, what works for some doesn't work for all and definitely not all UCers that smoke will find remission or any relief...trial and error as with everything IBD related.
Posted 6/22/2013 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
emmaleechase:  It's not the nicotine that is helping me.  

I have been using nic replacement ever since I quit smoking.  3 ml of 24 mg nic liquid in an e-cig, daily

It's something else in the smoke.

Nobody has pinned it down, yet.

Posted 6/22/2013 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
My worst flare happened a couple months after I quit smoking... I am considering starting again to see if it does help me, all of these meds I'm on, and the ones I'm supposed to take for the rest of my life can't be better then cigarettes?! Lung cancer vs colon cancer, vs kidney disease, vs liver issues......hmmmmm
Posted 6/22/2013 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Give it a try JoJo...I am lucky in the fact that I have no physical/mental need for a cig, so I feel like I am taking a dose of unpleasant medicine.

I can see where someone who continues to fight cravings day to day might want to avoid trying this.

I have barely felt human for 2 months...so much pain, so much blood, so many plans cancelled.

Now, I am feeling 50% better than I was on Wednesday morning.  Of course it's going to take more time for my severe pancolitis to heal.

 

Posted 6/22/2013 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
I just got out of the hospital, spent 3 nights then went home then only 3 days later and I was back in for 10 more days!! I'm willing to try anything, and to tell you the truth, a cig sounds good right about now and I haven't touched one in over 3 years.
Posted 6/22/2013 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
JoJo...I would get a pack, and try 1 or two.
I intend to have 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening.
This morning I could only handle 1.

I am still getting nic from my ecig though...so the cigs are giving me the EXTRA stuff I'm missing besides nicotine. The chances of me taking up my former level of smoking are very small.

On the electronic-cig forum, people talk about whole tobacco alkaloids...nobody has figured out FOR SURE what's in the cigs that helps some UC patients. But at this point IDC.
Posted 6/22/2013 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks geeker, it's much cheaper to smoke then to buy all these meds that I can't afford! especially on my Mexican wage! So I'm willing to try anything!
Posted 6/22/2013 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck, JoJo.  I hope it helps you.  Please let us know.
Posted 6/23/2013 3:49 AM (GMT 0)

 

 

geeker said...
emmaleechase:  It's not the nicotine that is helping me.  

I have been using nic replacement ever since I quit smoking.  3 ml of 24 mg nic liquid in an e-cig, daily

It's something else in the smoke.

Nobody has pinned it down, yet.

Yes, geeker, I mentioned what it was about smoking that helps, you must have missed where I wrote it's the carbon monoxide via smoking that aids with inflammation specifically in the colon...here's a link to an article that explains it...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/01/060103084934.htm

Posted 6/23/2013 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
I did see that, pb4.  Thanks for the link!  I actually LIKE to read news notes and journal articles. 

I have read other articles claiming it could be other substances alone, or in combination with the CO that help UC.  I don't think anything is 100% proven, yet.  Hope they keep looking!

Some people claim to be helped by Swedish snus, which would point to the whole tobacco alkaloid being helpful,  but not CO.

As an aside...I posted a signature giving my history.  I logged of and logged in.  Still...no signature.  Anyone have ideas?

Posted 6/23/2013 5:52 AM (GMT 0)
geeker click "post reply" it will take you to another page where there are options to "include signature"

I also recently started smoking one a day after quitting for a year. I think it actually helps but it for sure isn't making anything worse at the moment. I've tried e-cigs and no-nicotine cigs and those felt like they caused more harm.
Posted 6/23/2013 11:16 AM (GMT 0)
OK trying signature Thx Madcat
Posted 6/23/2013 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
UPDATE: So, yesterday I was only able to choke down 3 cigs instead of the 4 I planned on. 

Yesterday was also the first day in approx 2 months that I went to the bathroom just to pee, and had nothing escape my bowel.  Gross, huh?  I guess we're all dealing with malfunction of our elimination systems so I should quit apologizing for the nature of the information I'm putting out here.  It's just so awkward.

I'm actually feeling a little bound-up in the gut today...like maybe it is just figuring out how to absorb water again but is having trouble moving things through.  Gut has not produced anything solid in 2 months, so maybe it just needs to get in the groove.  Am going to go back on probiotic drink to help repopulate flora.

 

Posted 6/23/2013 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Geeker when I was a teen and was sick or something and the doctor or my mom would have to ask me about my BMs, I was so grossed out. My mom used to say some day this when you get married you will be able to discuss anything. She was right I have even called my husband in to look at my BMs. I dont know if that is the marriage thing or the UC thing. I have no problem talking to you guys about anything but lately my mom is having stomach trouble. To me it is still so gross to hear about her BMs. LOL.
Posted 6/27/2013 9:34 AM (GMT 0)
I'm an ex-smoker. I was diagnosed in October last year but I've had UC for two years. I turned out to be allergic to mesalamines and didn't fancy steroids for various reasons, so I cut out wheat, dairy, caffeine and a bunch of other things and tried a lot of non-prescription stuff - mostly from recs in this forum. VSL stopped my D but nothing stopped the bleeding & mucus. I tried gum and then e-cigs - no difference. So a couple of weeks ago I cracked and tried a real cig. It tasted vile! and I felt really sad about my nice clean pink lungs. But I've now had 30 cigs in total - I started on one and gradually upped it to three a day - and I've now had a whole week of no blood and normal BMs.

My plan is to give the colon a couple of months of the smoking to let it heal, and then give up again and see what happens. I'm hoping that within a year or so, one of the treatments currently being trialled that doesn't have 326763637343 horrible side-effects will become available. In the meantime; yup, cigarettes are stinky and dizzy-making and bad for me. But they don't make my eyes swell up and my hair fall out, etc etc, and so far, they're working.
Posted 6/27/2013 10:54 AM (GMT 0)
Fishface:  I have to force myself to "take my medicine".  It is definitely unpleasant.

I am still trying to find a good source for Swedish snus, in case the magic ingredient can be had with that.  If the magic comes from the microdose of CO, then it won't help.

I intended to have 2 cigs in the morn, and 2 at night.  For the past 4 days I have only had 1 at each time, and it still seems to help.

I will probably see what happens when I stop the cigarettes, like you,  after a period of healing.

Posted 6/27/2013 11:50 AM (GMT 0)
geeker - yup, they are pretty nasty. I don't think I'll find it hard to give up this time. I skulk off into the woods and hide in a bush to have mine, because of the shame of my polluting ways :D
*checks out snus* Ooh, looks less expensive than cigs. Hope you have some luck with it!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12