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The nicotine patch

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/27/2009 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Seriously thinking of asking the doctor to let me try this.  I was a smoker 9 years ago, and that is how I got my disease.  He said it's very common in people who quit.

I have read and read and the effects of the patch are not near as bad as Pred.   I have also considered smoking again, but would try to patch first.

The quality of life is my thoughts here, and right now mine is pretty low, as I am almost housebound.  My husband and I love to travel, go out to dinner, ect and that was a big part of our life, and although he never utters a word of complaint, his life has taken a total turn also.  We aren't young and haven't that much time to wait around for something that may never come.(meaning remission)

Has anyone here tried the patch, and how did it work for you?

Posted 3/27/2009 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Joylu,

I was a light smoker and had quit smoking just before I developed UC. I tried nicotine patches to see if they would help relieve the symptoms but instead had dizzy spells and stopped taking them - and it did not help with the UC symptoms too. I started with the low dose patch and built up to the medium dose for about 4 weeks.

I then tried smoking and it did not help too; and I had an extremely difficult time getting off the cigs again. I did this for about 2 months.

Smoking and nicotine patches have worked for some, but not for me. This issue has been debated in the past, especially with the risk of lung cancer and other smoking related illnesses, but I decided to give it a try as I was desperate to stabilize my condition.

In my opinion, it's worth giving the nicotine patch a try, but I won't try smoking again.
Posted 3/28/2009 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
Try the patch - it helped me a bit, but not nearly as much as full-blast smoking. The patch made me feel dizzy and edgy and fatugued a bit, but nothing serious.
Posted 3/28/2009 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks to you both. The dizziness part doesn't sound good.
Posted 3/28/2009 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
I tried the patch and it did nothing for me - except make me vomit :(

Posted 3/30/2009 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Joylu, Id highly recommend trying it!! My story sounds quite similar to yours, i was a 20-25 smokes a day for around a decade, quit cold turkey and along came colitis. If you do try it, i have a few helpful pointers for you i learned along the way.

-You were a smoker so you shouldnt get as dizzy as a non-smoker would, mind you you WILL get quite dizzy the first couple go's but you will adjust, so dont give up right off the bat.
- Its expensive still for patches even with a prescription (at least for me), do not cut them in half like i did to spread out the cost and decrease the dosage, they will not work properly if you cut them.
-wear each patch for 48-72 hr, they will still release nicotine past 24 hr and itll help your prescription last longer and still be effective.
-give it a little time, it took a few weeks to work for me. I went from a consistent 8-12 movements a day down to 4-6 a day. Im not cured by any means, but i can live a much more normal life thanks to them.
Posted 3/14/2014 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
smoked for about 10 years and quit in 2004.  First diagnosed with UC in 2008.  Quality of life plummeted, was on mesalamine and prednizone but didnt help. Was having 8-10 bloody stools a day and horrible abdominal pain.  Starting smoking by chance again in 2012 and havent passed a drop of blood since.  So my delimma is running the risk of developing lung cancer or quit and give up my quality of life I have now that my UC has gone into remission.  I'm going to try the 21 mg nicoderm patches along with my mesalamine and see if it works.

41 yr. old male

UC since 2008

taking mesalamine

Posted 3/14/2014 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
other threads on this topic:
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=2814182

Not a former smoker, but like you it was to the point that I was housebound....it's day 32 for me and I am on 14mg patch and it's working great, and having been on pred before the nicotine, for me, has little side effect and is working. I did not even bother to ask my doc I just started taking it.
good luck!
Posted 3/14/2014 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
Joylu,

It works for some: and others, not so much. But you'll never know until you try.

As for "getting a Doctor to let you", you don't need ANY Doctor to give you permission. It’s your body, your disease, your money, and your decision.

Nicotine patches are sold over the counter, without any prescription at any drug store and most department stores and supermarkets. Go out and buy some, follow the package directions and see how it goes… or not. But it’s up to you.
Posted 3/14/2014 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Everyone's different of course, but if your an ex smoker you should tolerate the nicotine better I would have thought...my view, and it is ONLY my view, is that if your going to go the nicotine route, and your already in a really, really bad way with UC, I would go for it HARD...meaning I would smoke a couple of cigarettes a day, for two to three days, to get it into your system quick, then discontinue that, and stick on a patch, not a low dose, a high dose, which you can then slowly reduce, the reason for this is because I happen to think there is something that we aren't fully aware of that is in the cigarettes, which helps, its not just the nicotine, whether its the actual smoke which somehow helps to "dry up" (for want of a better word) the ulcerated areas, I dont know, but when your so utterly miserable, I think its worth trying anything really...
Posted 3/14/2014 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
"Starting smoking by chance again in 2012 and havent passed a drop of blood since"


so, you were just wandering aimlessly down the street, contemplating a purchase from the new cabela's catalog you recently received, when along came an old, beat up yellow cab driven by a little grey haired Korean guy, who sneezed just as he passed by you, expelling his lit cigarette directly into your mouth ?

cool ! some guys have all the luck ;-)

glad you found relief for your unhappy colon - I would run the risk and keep the nicoteens flowing -
Posted 3/15/2014 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
wvarcher72, you should really take a look into ecigs/vaping.. it delivers the nicotine like cigarettes, minus the additives, tar, and toxic effects. It's really technical to get started, but there's plenty of forums and info on the internet. Definitely an option if you need to return to smoking.
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