Ulcerative Colitis: My experience with e-cigarette

I am 64 yrs. old. Smoked for many years. Had bypass surgery in 1998. Quit smoking immediately. Have not smoked all these years. about 6 weeks after surgery I developed ulcerative colitis during my heart surgery rehab. It started out kind of mild and progressively got worse. My gastroenterologist put me on Asacol and 6MP. I have also been on Prednesone off and on. In the last few years, nothing seemed to help the flare. Bathroom trips have been 20 + a day for the last year or so. I would have to get up all hours of the night and rush to the bathroom. I would try to go to a store or just go to my workshop out back and would have to rush back home.  So frustrating!!

         Recently, I starting reading up on what others were doing to treat their colitis. I ran across this forum and saw where some were using e-cigarettes. Then it dawned on me that I was not bothered with colitis until I quit smoking. After doing some research and a lot of soul searching, I decided to give e-cigarettes a try. It has only been about 3 weeks and I cannot believe the difference already!!!  My bathroom trips have gone from 20+ a day down to 4 or 5 on most days. Some days I go all day until the evening. Also, stools are becoming formed and bleeding is clearing up.

          One of my concerns was the effect nicotine would have on my blood pressure. I started checking it every day and also during using an e-cigarette. There has been no change that I can detect. It runs 120s over 70s even while using the e-cig. Usually around 122 over 72. Pulse runs in the 60s to low 70s.

           The only problem I have had was using an e-cigarette which had propylene glycol. It gave me a sore throat. I have switched to vegetable glycerin and the sore throat is going away and it's only been a day since I switched.

I switched to 100% Propylene Glycol free cartridges.

          I would never recommend this to someone who never smoked but, being an ex-smoker it has done wonders for me so far. The other good part is I don't get the tar and carcinogens which come with regular cigarettes. I was at my wits end and I really am astounded at the results in such a short time. Hopefully in a couple more weeks I will be in full remission.

Take a photo make a memory,

Photofreak

 

Post Edited (photofreak) : 8/26/2013 5:18:32 AM (GMT-6)

That's not surprising that the E-cig improved your symptoms. Many ex smokers have issues and/or diagnosed with UC when they quit. Do a forum search, located in the upper blue bar of this forum and you will see many posts about this.

Btw, welcome Healingwell!

Are there any health risks with E-Ciggs? Never smoked so I don't really know anything about them.

Durango Kid said...
I need to try the E-Cigs.  Smoking keeps me in remission, but I know the E-Cigs wouldn't be as bad for my health.  Thanks for the post...

 

If you have started back smoking again, I would definitely recommend you go to the e-cigs. You get all the effects of smoking but without the harmful tar, carcenogens, etc., that regular cigarettes have. Research e-cigs online to understand more about them.

Photofreak

 

Durango Kid said...

photofreak said...

Durango Kid said...
I need to try the E-Cigs.  Smoking keeps me in remission, but I know the E-Cigs wouldn't be as bad for my health.  Thanks for the post...

 

If you have started back smoking again, I would definitely recommend you go to the e-cigs. You get all the effects of smoking but without the harmful tar, carcenogens, etc., that regular cigarettes have. Research e-cigs online to understand more about them.

Photofreak

Photofreak, there is a theory that the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke has an anti-inflammatory affect on the cells in the colon.  This is why I've stuck to real cigarettes. 

Durango Kid, that is interesting. I had not seen or read anything about that.

According to my experience, E-cigarettes are much better than tobacco smoking. The e-cigarettes make you healthier, economically and physically strong. I used best4ecigs ecigarette starter kit from last 3 months and I feel such changes in my routine. I feel more energized and better than before. I used it 2 times in a day and each time I refill it with different flavor. It decreases my expense over disposable tobacco smoking. Through e-cigarettes, I just vapor natural ingredients that don’t impact over my health. You can see the varieties of E-Cigarette liquids here: www.best4ecigs.com/e-cigarette-liquid-s/1843.htm

Post Edited (Jack riddle) : 9/9/2013 3:21:25 AM (GMT-6)

I tried to quit smoking 4 times, always started in January every year and UC would flare up in March, so I would go back to smoking, Hated it. I hated the smell of cigarettes, on my clothes, in my hair, my breath, made my house stink. my kids hated it so I would go out side to smoke when they came over. So this year when I stopped smoking in January, and like clock work the UC came in March, I decided to try the patch, used it for about a month, no success. the patch burned my skin and it wouldn't stay on half the time, and I didn't like all the red burn marks all over my back, I even tried to place it on my stomach hoping it would get the nicotine faster to my colon. One day a friend came over with an E-Cig and told me about it, my husband went do the Vapor store and purchased a kit for me and a bottle of E-Juice, cost $40.00 for all. the E-juice had 18mg of nicotine in it and within 2 weeks time I was feeling better, UC slowed up, with in a month, total remission. I like the fact that the vapor disappears pretty quick, I can vape pretty much anywhere I want, any time I want,( but still courteous where I go). It doesn't make me smell bad and it doesn't stink up my house and my children are Ok way it.
My husband was a smoker so he got him one but he doesn't use nicotine in his E-Cig, and stopped smoking the day he started with his E- Cig. I hope this helps anyone who is thinking about going to E-Cigs.

Thanks for sharing. I am definitely going to give this a shot if I have symptoms. Better than cigarette. We had another member here, hekela, who had great success with e-ciggs. You could look her up and read her threads, it's almost like a journal.

Wow, this discussion is totally an eye opener for me. I'd heard of ecigs before but not vapor or e juice. It sounds like its pretty cost effective too. I'm one of those who quit smoking back in the 80's but started just a few on occasion about 15 yrs. ago. When I stopped it I got hit with UC and have been a slave to cigs (now at 2 a day) ever since. I HATE smoking! I feel I have to sneak around, due to not wanting my dh to know, as it would disappoint him. There is such a stigma against it. I always wear something to protect my clothing and hair from the smell, and always smoke outside. I also benefit from nicotine lozenges, and I am so ready to be done with those too! So very expensive! Nice and convenient, though. I'll be looking into all this stuff to get started. Its not just a UK thing is it? If not, is there a US source for these things?

I vape just like you would do a regular cig, but that's just me. Yes I still vape in remission, don't want to take a chance of going out of remission, like I said, when ever I quit smoking in January, it would always come back in March. E-Cig stores are popping up everywhere now, in fact my husband and I are getting ready to open one ourselves, here in Nashville, four stores have open here in the past 8 months, California, they are practically on every corner. Most of the E-Cigs are on the internet for sale and you can buy the E-Juice there too, but I feel that will be changing soon.

One more thing I forgot to mention, when I was smoking, I was smoking about 2 packs a day, around $7.30 a day, know with E-Cig, I spend $7.00 in about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks on E-Juice. The price of E-Juice differs at each store, some are cheaper and some are higher.

Post Edited (Vaperdeb) : 10/26/2013 11:59:06 AM (GMT-6)

Have any non-smokers had any positive experiences with e-cigs?

what mg of nicotine did you try? I started with 18mg, which is like a light cigarette,  and I also like 24mg, which is like a full flavored cigarette. I 'm not talking about the E-Cigs you get at  convenient stores that look like cigarettes, I'm talking about the ones you get at vapor stores.

So stopped smoking at the end of September. Been on the patch since. Added vaping e-cigs to help - esp as a poop trigger. I began extreme flare about a month ago, constant urgency, pain in rectum, bleeding and mucus, going 10-20 times per day, stopped going to the gym. Thursday, at my breaking point, I bought a pack of American Spirits (Marlboro Light is my cig, but I have a strange feeling they are exceptionally addictive). Had four cigarettes Thursday. Three Friday morning and presto - after 3 BMs I miraculously felt the beautiful sensation of emptiness. Pain in rectum subsided as did constant urgency...I even went to the GYM!!! Coincidence??? Is there anything else that can give this type of relief? If my wife and daughter find out - they are going to crucify me!