Vaping for UC patients who are former smokers

Some people who quit smoking and then got UC do see some relief by starting to smoke again, some see no improvement by starting smoking. Unfortunately once the pandora's box of UC is opened, there's no way to reverse it. There was some talk about this the other day, specifically about nicotine patches not being as effective as cigarettes are for helping UC. No idea on vaping, I'd wager it'd be no different than the nicotine patches since there's nothing more to it.

Hi Alice 22

Were you ever a smoker before being diagnosed with UC? And when you did vape were there any positive results regarding your UC?

Thanks for the tip on eye irritation. And pls let me know about the above.

Thx Kulinarykidz. If you are in remission now do you know why?

I am considering vaping to deal with these beginning symptoms of UC and while I don't want to become nicotine addicted ( it was sooo hard to quit) I also am determined to not be sick again. Any thoughts? Amount of vamping? Best method?

Diagnosed with UC in 1998 when I quit smoking. Returned to smoking as a last ditch effort to get my life back in 2002, complete remission. Colonoscopies have been perfect. Slowly started move to vaping (12mg) about 6 months ago, nearly full transition as of 1 month ago (down to 1 or 2 cigs a day). Gum and patches usually only worked for a week or so.

Over the last 3 months, I have experienced joint pain, uncorrectable loss of vision, fatigue, internal temperature out of whack, broken wrist won't heal.

The eye doctor was stumped, then asked, "By any chance, do you have an autoimmune disease?" BINGO!, steroid eye drops are helping a bit.

It's been 30 days, and now the bathroom gut troubles have begun. I'm sure it is the nicotine withdrawal. I was completely unaware of the external manifestations of UC: Eye, joints, skin.

Headed back to the doctor. UGH!!!!!!

Thank you all for weighing in on vaping.

Here's the dilemma...if smoking keeps UC at bay for some of us, why does the patch and gum not do the same job? Is it the delivery method? If so then vaping should be delivering nicotine to the bowel via the same systems as smoking so it should work the same.

I am female, 62, post menopause with no other auto immune disease indications. Currently dealing with only a small amt of bloody stool and mucous and 4-5 bathroom trips per day but this is up from one bm and no blood 3 weeks ago. It's getting worse and while I wont smoke again the nicotine gum is not working. Need to explore alternatives. Going back to smoking worked 30 years ago...could vaping work now?

Questions...

Mary k ...did you stop vaping altogether and 30 days later began to have symptoms again?

Alice...3-4 cigarettes per month...wow...how do you keep it so low? And that amt of nicotine would not influence your UC? Are you in remission now?

Thank you all...this is hugely helpful and interesting

Thanks iPoop and Alice.

30 years ago when I was first diagnosed I tried prednisone, sulphasalzine, 5 Asa , pill forms and enemas. And other stuff I can't even remember. Absolutely NOTHING made a difference. When I began smoking again because my gastro mentioned research on smoking and UC I smoked 3 cigarettes per day at first. Within three weeks all symptoms were gone completely and stayed gone. Yes, I did become nicotine addicted again and 5 months ago when I stopped I was up to a pack a day.

The relationship between smoking and remission was so definitive for me. Smoking therefore was justified in my mind and quitting was actually quite terrifying. I strongly believe that if I were to start smoking again I would go into remission. But I really don't want to.

The odd part is that I have way less diseased colon than most. I only ever had disease in the last 10 cm of my colon and the docs could not believe how severe the symptoms were. I am hugely afraid of many of the drugs, am currently upping my fish and fish oil intake and that has made a bit of a difference in the last few days.

Other than the constant feeling of having to go, the gurgling and diarrhea and blood and fatigue, I had very little pain. Weird huh. I have never met anyone who had this form of UC.

I am Canadian and strongly connected to the IBD research community through the Canadian Crohns colitis foundation and have reached out to the researchers there for advice on drugs.

I am n Florida for the winter and hoping I can hold out till I get back there in April.

Thanks for your support

For ipoop.....

5asa enemas made me really sick...went to emerg
Sulpasalazine had no impact whatsoever
Prednisone didn't really work and made me feel ill.

And since then I have met people who take any number of drug cocktails that contain carcinogens. I would rather smoke!

BUt...it has been 30 years so maybe there's something out there that works.

Right now I am doing everything I can think of to beef up my immune system.

Suggestions?

Misdub said...
For ipoop.....

5asa enemas made me really sick...went to emerg
Sulpasalazine had no impact whatsoever
Prednisone didn't really work and made me feel ill.

And since then I have met people who take any number of drug cocktails that contain carcinogens. I would rather smoke!

BUt...it has been 30 years so maybe there's something out there that works.

Right now I am doing everything I can think of to beef up my immune system.

Suggestions?

5-ASA meds are the first line treatment for UC. Since you only tried them 30 years ago, you can try the oral meds again at a very low dose and then up it gradually, unless you had an actual intolerance to them or are allergic to main ingredient. Did you try all the different 5-ASA formulations? There are some that I can't tolerate at all, but I've been able to tolerate balsalaside at a lower dose. Your body/tolerance for meds also changes with time so you can try again. The fact that nothing worked for you 30 years ago is not that relevant now. Inflammation, bleeding and D is also toxic for your body.

There are also many threads on alternative options for UC since you are hesitant re: meds, including diet (SCD, paleo etc), probiotics, tumeric/curcumin, omega 3 etc. You can add these as an adjunct to your treatment.

IPOOP, Do all 5ASA enemas contain sulfa? I am allergic to sulfa and did have a reaction to the mesalamine generic enema so that would make sense. I had no idea!

Jane 974 said...
IPOOP, Do all 5ASA enemas contain sulfa? I am allergic to sulfa and did have a reaction to the mesalamine generic enema so that would make sense. I had no idea!

Only Sulfasalazine and rowasa enemas contain sulfa. In the rowasa (generic, and brandnamed) it is a preservative. There's always sulfate-free rowasa known as sf-rowasa for those who have an issue.

Got UC in 2008, 6 months after quitting. Was taking Rowasa and worked really well. Few years down the road UC went up from 5in to 16in. Read about smoking and colitis. Started smoking again and was almost cured (2cm of inflammation). Quit smoking again and it all came back. Continued with meds and started smoking again. All was good. Then thought of trying the vape. Slowly switched to vaping and over time I did not relapse. Thought of trying my luck and gradually decreased the meds. Now i only vape and everything seems fine.

Things I noticed.
- If I only take meds, slowly I need to increase the med over the years. (no Alcohol)
- If I smoke and take the meds. Everything is perfect
- If I smoke and take meds, and drink Alcohol every now and then....still feel good but colonoscopy showed it was slowly creeping up.
Currently only vaping(18mg) , no meds and drink alcohol pretty often....still doing fine. Need to go for another colonoscopy to be certain. One things for sure is running for me is not good. I use to run around 7min per mile for 5 miles for 5 days. I think its the stress...it all comes back. Oh, and I added a glass of carrot or beet celery or beet cucumber etc juice every morning for past few months, not sure if that's helping, but skin does look improved haha.