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Survey of the Day: Smoking and Colitis

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Ulcerative Colitis
What are your experiences with smoking and it's effects on your I.B.D?
I have Crohn's so I don't smoke because I know it will only make things worse. - 0.0% - 0 votes
I have never smoked and not about to start. - 42.9% - 12 votes
I noticed my symptoms started after I quit smoking and started again only to see no improvements in symptoms. - 7.1% - 2 votes
I noticed my symptoms started after I quit smoking, started back and my symptoms have improved. - 39.3% - 11 votes
Smoking or not, my symptoms stay the same. - 7.1% - 2 votes
Smoking has made my symptoms actually get worse. - 3.6% - 1 votes
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Posted 10/14/2009 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hello,

I have heard that smoking helps people with U.C. but can make things worse for those with Crohn's. I started to notice my symptoms of U.C. last summer. I had quit smoking for about a year. Since my diagnoses in July of this year, I have started smoking a few cigarettes a day once again. It does help, it sucks because i'm smoking but I'm working out, eating extremely healthy, not drinking alcohol at all. I started taking  VSL #3 today along with other supplements recommended by my Naturopath. Anyways, I hope you will take part in the survey.

Alan

Posted 10/14/2009 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
I replied as someone who got diagnosed with UC soon after stopping smoking, and then tried smoking again but it didn't help at all.

However, there are also other people who have benefited from using nicotine supplements instead of starting smoking again.
Posted 10/14/2009 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed about three years after I quit smoking. I've never tried smoking again - to me the risks outweigh the possible gains.
Posted 10/14/2009 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
I voted "Never smoked and not about to start" even though that's not quite true. I quit smoking oh, about 14 years ago. Long before experiencing any UC symptoms. So there was really no interaction between my smoking and UC.
Posted 10/14/2009 10:35 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Rio,

I did some research on using patch but then found a study that said the carbone  monoxide in the cigs is actually what is responsible for the anti-inflammatory benefits. I am well aware  of the other health risks that come with smoking, but still new to this and just trying to improve quality of life. Smoking sucks, but U.C. is even worse...lol.

Posted 10/14/2009 10:40 PM (GMT 0)

For those of you who don't smoke or quit and don't want to start smoking again, I can't blame you. I understand it's a risk that I'm taking and just want to get this thing under control. I'm hoping the supplements and working out and eating healthy will do the trick so I can eventually quit smoking. For now , it is helping. Thanks for the responses.

Posted 10/14/2009 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Yes smoking can aid with UC but is suppose to be bad for crohn's...the interesting thing is that I have crohn's colitis (CD affecting the colon where UC typically hangs out) but maybe I'm an odd duck cuz although I have crohn's and not UC (my mom has UC though and she's never smoked) because my CD is in my colon maybe that's why it's helping some...all I know is I do much better smoking than not smoking from what I've experianced.  Here's a link regarding carbon monoxide from smoking shutting down inflammation in the colon....

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

:)

Posted 10/14/2009 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
Alan, the risk-benefit thing is something everyone has to work out for himself or herself. For me it was an easy equation; for others the answer may be different than the one I arrived at.

And to our regulars, let's please not have the arguement again. We don't have to do that every time this subject comes up, do we?
Posted 10/14/2009 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Rio, did you find snus helpful? I use it but it doesn't help my UC. I am a nicotine addict, I guess.
Posted 10/14/2009 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
It's not an easy trade-off at all, especially as both UC and smoking also have an impact on your family and others who you deal with. So it really is up to each person to weigh out the circumstances and consequences.

Alan, I've read about the CO research too but also read about people who benefited from nicotine supplements and didn't go back to smoking. I think that if someone is going to consider smoking then it probably is worth trying nicotine supplements first, just in case.
Posted 10/14/2009 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Good point Rio about trying the Nicotine Patch first.
Posted 10/14/2009 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
Mitzo the snus didn't help. I think we actually corresponded about snus a while back when I was trying it and asked for some advice, and you had been using it at that time as well? It was worth a try then, but I'm glad I got off it. I'm much better now and nicotine/smoke free.

Alan...I actually tried several kinds of nicotine supplements. Patches, gum, lozenges...and then tried snus (a kind of chewing tobacco) before trying smoking again. The patches had the worst side-effects from all the nicotine supplements as I felt extremely dizzy when using them.
Posted 10/14/2009 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
I've never smoked and won't ever try it. I'm really, really, really allergic to cigarette smoke, though. If I go to a smoky place (which isn't going to happen much, now that I live in a state that's banned smoking in all public places and have a kid!), I'm miserable the next day--stuffy, snotty nose, itchy eyes, etc. Once, when I was in college, I was at a bar with friends and got smashed. I thought it would be fun to smoke a cigarette. When I woke up the next morning, it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest...never again!
Posted 10/15/2009 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I also wanted to clarify that I'm not advocating that ex-smokers try smoking again, but that if you are going to choose doing that then you could consider trying a nicotine supplement first, just in case it works for you.

Also, if you are going to do that then be prepared for a struggle if it doesn't work. I had a very hard time getting off cigs again, but made sure I did get off them once I realized that they didn't help me.

The reason why I did go that far was because I was having 20-30 BMs a day, azathioprine was not working, and I had been told by a specialist that surgery was my next (only) option....and I was in business school at that time. So I was just trying to buy time and avoid surgery as I needed to finish business school and make sure that I was able to take care of my mother too.
Posted 10/15/2009 12:40 AM (GMT 0)

fruitgirl said...
I've never smoked and won't ever try it. I'm really, really, really allergic to cigarette smoke, though. If I go to a smoky place I'm miserable the next day--stuffy, snotty nose, itchy eyes, etc. Once, when I was in college, I was at a bar with friends and got smashed. I thought it would be fun to smoke a cigarette. When I woke up the next morning, it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest...never again!

Ditto this down to the getting drunk in college and trying a cigarette--although the following moring I went to the hospital with an asthma attack!
Posted 10/15/2009 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hmmmm, I quit smoking (for good) 4 years ago but all this smoking talk is making me crave one. :D

It is tempting if it supposed to help UC but for me there are too many negatives associated with smoking. I worked to hard to quit but wow...it would be so easy to pick it up again...hello old friend. Okay, I'm not going to read, think or write about smoking anymore.
Posted 10/15/2009 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
The nicotine patches are hellish - didn't help my UC and I was a year and a half in a dizzy insomniac fog from them. Only smoking cigs helps me. But I do not smoke - not because I fear the effects of it, but because it has been so banned, my workplace, a university campus, has been made virtually "smoke-free". And the faces I see if I smoke from my family and partner make me simply sigh, shrug, and get out the toilet cleaning products.
Posted 10/15/2009 5:28 AM (GMT 0)
Bobella, I hope you read this...there are no guarantees that smoking will aid every UCer, it's like everything else, what works for some doesn't work for all so don't start up again thnking that it will help for sure, cuz what if it doesn't? Then you'll still be flaring and addicted again to smoking and you don't want that.

I'll be so glad when they finally make the med based on what the carbon monoxide from smoking does without the nasty effects of smoking...and hope to god it will work for everyone then no one will have to smoke in order to feel better with their inflamed colons.

:)
Posted 10/15/2009 11:17 AM (GMT 0)
ive started smoking during a flare a few times and it helps my uc.
gone into remission from it.
have to taper off slowly or it will flare up again.

cant do it this time since im preggers. :-(
otherwise i would.
but i dont have an addiction issue.
i can stop and start smoking any time at will. no matter how much or little or how long i smoke for.
im lucky i guess.
Posted 10/15/2009 11:22 AM (GMT 0)
guys i dont know why anyone would use ciggaretts as a thing to help uc, smoking causes cancer any way and deteriates the immunity. how come people would consider this but not consider an alternative diet first. just a question no a go, im just wondering. i dont really judge people on what they do or say, its wrong but im just wondering
Posted 10/15/2009 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hellokitty, I guess it is the quick and effective relief that some people get from smoking. Several times in my life I have been rolling into a major flare and had to travel for work related reasons. Whipping out the pack of cigs stops the flare in its tracks and puts me into better shape than before. Hard to believe if you've never experienced it, but that kind of experience really puts the dangers of smoking into a different perspective, and makes me cynical about a lot of what I see and hear about it.
Posted 10/15/2009 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hellokitty,

Alot of people struggle with the issue of starting smoking again for relief (and I think everyone on the planet knows that smoking in general is bad for you) which is what often leads to the struggle of making that decsion, it's a catch-22 for those that it does help...and it does make a difference how much one smokes/day as well (overall health wise)...until researchers finally make the med (which they are in the process of) that mimics the carbon monoxide without the harmful effects of smoking, it doesn't leave many much choice (sometimes diet altering and taking meds religiously as well as regular exercise and supplements isn't enough). Important to remember that many that have never smoked or rarely been around second-hand smoke can still get cancer and heart disease....life is not without risk.

:)
Posted 10/16/2009 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
i didnt smoke for my really big long severe flare that lasted a year and a half.
it was later flares, that i was finally fed up of no meds or alternative therapies working for me, that i started smoking. only 1-3 cigs a day and it worked.
and when you are miserable, in pain and sick as all hell, you (or i) will try anything to fix it as soon as possible.

and i have not had any trouble stopping the smoking when i was better.
so i dont see a problem.

nutrasweet causes canccer and MS but billions of people still drink diet soda. being fat causes many life threatening diseases, but everyone still eats fast food. and people who dont smoke can get lung cancer and many people who do smoke are fine.
i guess its all relevant to your situation.
Posted 10/16/2009 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Never done it, never will. No point in even considering it.
Posted 10/16/2009 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
B H, you're smart for never trying it or considering it..I regret starting when I was 14, neither of my parents smoked but most of my siblings (all but 1) did/do, well 2 now I guess, one sibling never tried it either and one quit 23 yrs ago.

:)
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