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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/9/2009 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone! I just registered for this site and I'm glad I'm not the only one with questions that seems no doctor can help me with. I was diagnosed with colitis 26 years ago. When I first got this I lost 16 pounds in one month. I was lucky that I did catch it in its early stages because I've been on Sulfasalazine 500 mg 4 times a day since they diagnosed me. My problem is....for the last 35 years I smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day. I have quit many times, at least tried to. When I reach the 3rd month of no cigarettes, my colitis flares up and I must be near a bathroom at all times. Even water will send me to the toilet. I have spoken to the doctors and their answers are: Your colon depends on the nicotine all these years and when its not receiving it, the flare up happens. So its either live with cigarettes or live with the consequences. I have been off cigarettes for 1 month today and so far I'm good, but when that 3rd month comes I'm afraid of falling back into my old bad habit. Has anyone ever had this problem, and is there anyone that can tell me how to cope with it? I'm trying to only wear a nicotine patch every other day to try to fool my system. If anyone can help or has been in my situation, I would really like to hear from them.

Be Well All
Sher18
Posted 10/9/2009 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

well ... I was a heavy smoker for 18 years (age 18 until 36) and got UC when I was 25. When I was diagnosed, I was still a smoker. So it wasn't like that UC broke out when I quit smoking. However, everytime I tried to quit smoking, I had flares within weeks of non-smoking and I started smoking again and again.

Now I am a non-smoker since 2 1/2 years and yes, my flares are more frequent and more severe. I never had to take Prednisone for flares before; now my flares last 4 months as a non-smoker. I admit that I am really tempted sometimes to take up smoking again just to get rid of the flares, but smoking didn't really help me against the UC anymore in my last years as a smoker. That's the reason I gave up (and of course, the obvious health risks of smoking and the costs etc.). By the way, i don't think that the nicotine is the factor that is "beneficial" with UC, it is more the carbon monoxide of cigarette smoking. I tried the patches - they did nothing (for the UC). Only cigarette smoking has helped me, but like I said, even smoking doesn't help me anymore and that's why I stay quit. Besides I had the hardest time quitting and don't want to ever go through the withdrawal and all that jazz before.

I hope you will have success in whatever you decide to do. PERSONALLY, I don't think that smoking will do the trick in the long run, because you will run into other health problems to add on top of UC.

Posted 10/9/2009 6:40 AM (GMT 0)
Here's the link...carbon monoxide helps shut down inflammation...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/35173.php

Like anything, what works for some doesn't work for all.

:)

Posted 10/9/2009 11:00 AM (GMT 0)
PB4, I wonder if/how this important info could be more widely disseminated?
Posted 10/9/2009 3:45 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, smoking does help UC symptoms for some. You seem like you might be one of those people. If you really want to stop, you could perhaps try some different meds (espeically rectal meds!!!) to see if they help. Or, you could try to just have a couple of cigarettes a day and see if that helps.

Good luck with your decision.

And please, let's not let this thread turn into a fight like all other smoking threads have recently!!! :)
Posted 10/9/2009 3:49 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting article pb4. I've read several reports of either nicotine or CO being beneficial. Just wondering how to get this additional safe dose of CO without smoking...also since this study was done in 2005, it would be interesting to know the outcome of any of their follow up work.
Posted 10/9/2009 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
Rio and Mitzo, since researchers have discovered this about the CO they've said they are working on a medication designed to work the same way as the CO does from smoking but without the negative side-effects of actually smoking...typically it takes yrs (maybe around 10) for them to make the drug and then the yrs it takes for clinical trials before it's approved for public use.

At first they credited the nicotine for it but since have discovered it's actually the CO that has the real benefit of shutting down inflammation in the colon.

I too would be interested in knowing what, if any progress they've had to date with this.


:)
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