Tobacco

I chewed smokeless tobacco for 23 years and I quit 10 days after my July 2010 colonoscopy. I had the colonoscopy due to mucous in the stool. I've heard/read that people that quit using tobacco/nicotine experience their first major flare shortly after - which is what happened in my case (mucous, blood, D). Has anyone else had this happen to them or have any info. on this. Is there a direct link between tobacco/nicotine and Colitis?

I along with many others on this forum developed UC/UP after I quit smoking. In fact, It took me about 15 years to finally quit for good as I would always go back to smoking when the UC got too bad. Smoking puts it in remission. Even the Wikipedia page on ulcerative colitis will tell you there is a direct correlation. My doctor even suggested possibly doing nicotine patches as a way to control my flare that I could not get under control. I said no way. It was difficult to quit and I don't need the temptation. I also smoked for about 30 years.

I was told I had the early stages of emphysema, though I have no symptoms of it. I have heard it is a horrible disease to die from, like suffocating. I will take UC over that any day, or over lung cancer. I can live without my colon, not without my lungs.

I know someone on here said they benefit from using the e-cigs. That way you're getting the nicotine but not the carcinogens. Might be something to look into.
Many studies show that it is actually the carbon monoxide that help, and not the nicotine. But since that are some of us who have noticed a positive change, the e-cig is something I'll try someday when I'm not doing well again.

If you decide to look into it, there are some made mostly in the US (one component is made in China), while the rest are made all in China and tend to have a shorter life span. You can also find the liquid stuff without propylene glycol if that is of concern to you.

Hey 'Colonblow' (great name btw), yes there is a strong correlation between smoking and UC but the exact correlation is still unknown. Perhaps my experiences will be of some benefit to your inquiry.

Long story short, I never once had any prior bowels issues, I smoked for 10-11yr, quite heavily, 15-20 cig's a day. Decided to quit for about the hundredth time and finally found success via the cold turkey route. about a month later the diarrhea began and never really left, I was officially diagnosed with UC maybe 3 months after. This was all about 4 yr ago now.

So for about 2 yrs, my life was pure hell, the Dr.'s put me threw all the typical UC meds in that time, Pentassa, Sulphasalazine, Enema's, Prednizone.... nothing really made my situation noticeably better. Until, I stumbled across an article relating smoking to UC. I sure didnt want to smoke ever again bc it was so hard to quit in the first place and its just so unhealthy for you. So me and my Dr. decided to give the nicotene patches a try to see how my body would react to them. Amazingly, I found 'some' success, I can honestly say it made my UC roughly 50% better, which was pure heaven after 2 yrs of hell. I used them for about 6 months and even got a prescription for them.

Shortly after on vacation, I lit up a cigarette for the first time in 2.5 yr and 2 days later my UC vanished. That was about 1.5yrs ago and I've been smoking and UC symptom free ever since.

I just had my one yr follow up with my Gastro Dr. this Tuesday and asked him about the cigarettes/UC connection. He said there is an ever increasing number of UC patients being diagnosed with UC after quitting smoking and a large number that are again smoking to combat the illness. There is supposedly many studies taking place right now to try and find the exact correlation between smoking and UC. Its some combination between the tabacco, nicotene, carbon monoxide, carcinogens and who knows what??

He also mentioned that other patients have tried the 'fake' cigarette inhaler to combat their UC but havent had terrific results, kinda similar to how I reacted with the patches, some relief, but somethings still missing. For now, as bad as it sounds, I'll just have to continue smoking for full UC relief, and keep my fingers crossed that a legitimate cigarette/UC correlation is soon found and a much healthy method to combating this disease is discovered. Till then...

I would smoke a cigarette here and there if it helped my UC but I couldn't become a "smoker". I just don't enjoy cigarettes, they actually make me feel kind of sick. I could smoke another substance that is available in the state of CA and approved for UC treatment but I don't believe that alone would get me into remission. I think I'd rather smoke a cigarette here and there than take all these drugs. Is a cigarette really worse than 6mp or remicade? I've had some relatives that smoked their entire lives and died of something unrelated. Seriously, something is going to get you eventually.

Colonblow,

My GI and my best friend (who is a GI Fellow at USC) both offered the off-cuff suggestion of smoking as a remedy for UC. My GI said to me that smoking was very effective for bringing UC into remission. I have not personally taken their advice but before finding remission with other methods and later diet/probiotics seriously considered this for a while. When you're in the grips of UC, any pathway to remission sounds pretty good. I am doing very well but still keep this info filed away. This is obviously a very difficult thing to study. No research committee would authorize the clinical trial offering cigarette smoking as a viable treatment so we will only see anecdotal evidence or a few studies of the nicotine patch.

I am an e-cig fan...I was a 30 yr smoker, but my first major flare was over 3 years after I quit..? I honestly was only nicotine free for about 2 months, I then started using nicotrol inhalers..and more recently tried an e-cig..one puff & I was smitten, all those endorphines started buzzing in the brain. Not all ecigs are equivilent! I use blu e cigs, there are major differences in quality. I also use tasty vapor for e cig liquids.

MOMUC19 said...
In the UK in 1994 they did a clinical trial with the nicotine patch in patients with ulcerative colitis.

CONCLUSIONS: The addition of transdermal nicotine to conventional maintenance therapy improves symptoms in patients with ulcerative colitis.


Don't know what happened after that.

There were a couple of peer reviewed studies done on this in the UK and at Mayo in the 90s. The results were that UC patients who went through a traditional course of treatment (pred, 5-asa, etc.) and used transdermal nicotine patches had about a 50% increased rate of remission than those who used placebo patches (no nicotine). The conclusion of both studies were that nicotine patches were effective for treating UC flare ups, but did not increase the duration of the remission.

 From looking at the data, I could not see where that last conclusion was supported.

 Also there is increasing evidence that ONE of the contributing factors for UC is long term (one to five years) nicotine withdrawal; and that those patients who benefit from nicotine therapy are those who contract UC after stopping smoking.

 Now for personal experience: During my last flare in the summer of 2009, I was very sick, and heavy course of prednisone (60 mg/day ) was not helping. After reading a thread on the subject here at HW, I went to the internet and researched the evidence, and found the above mentioned studies, and a wealth of anecdotal evidence. I consulted with my GI and PCP, and my GI said “Well there is some anecdotal evidence …” and my PCP said “Harumph, old studies”.

 I decided to experiment; as I don’t tolerate the patches well, and the gum is hard on my teeth,  I bought some Commit (now Nicorette) lozenges and started taking them at a low dose, 12 mg of nicotine per day. Within two days I was feeling better, but not yet in full remission. Within a week I was feeling well enough to get in a round of golf. While enjoying my game, I lost track of how many lozenges I was chewing, but it was at least double my self imposed limit. That was on a Sunday, and by Tuesday I was in full remission.

 A couple of months later I discovered e-cigs, and find them much more satisfying and very much less expensive than the lozenges. I now use them almost exclusively; supplementing them with lozenges only during those times when sucking on an e-cig is not PC, like in meetings or social events. I have been in complete remission since September of last year.

Pam,

While nicotine seems to help some UC patients, inexplicably, it seems to exacerbate Crones symptoms. I would be very sure of the Crones diagnosis before considering nicotine in any form.

I had the classic situation of quitting smoking and then being hit by UC. Starting smoking again has put me back into remission - although work and home life circumstances make it almost impossible to smoke. I firmly believe that doctors should tell the truth about this and that the word should be out there that some people may smoke to relive this condition. All the antismoking pressure may be causing harm to some people, who surely have a right to self medicate using an admittedly dangerous-in-the-long-term product which is legal. Smoking MAY get you later down the line, but UC is right now and the meds may be wreaking as much havoc over years.

Biologics have their downside too. If nicotine patch or lozenge could deliver remission without inhaling toxic smoke and chemicals then that might be something to look at.

Post Edited (BabeintheWoods) : 11/14/2010 9:48:02 AM (GMT-7)

Joylu said...
if it doesn't directly affect YOU, you have no business telling me what I should do.

Hmm. Then you have no right telling others what they should do, including what they should or should not post on this forum.

Please remember that reminding people about the dangers of smoking is not against the forum rules.