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UCers who've never smoked: tried nicotine? Did it work?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/7/2012 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I haven't fully tested the effects of nicotine on my UC, But I will say that my UC did start when I quit smoking and I got my first full-on flare when I cut the nicotine level down on my e-cig.

It's also in the back of my mind that my I went into remission when I chose to raise the level of nicotine back up.

For me, after 35 years of smoking, I'm definitely not going back to cigarettes, and e-cigs are much, much cheaper and easier to use.
Posted 2/7/2012 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
My mother is smoking since she's 14 years old. I know I have the UC gene from her side because my uncle, her brother, has UC as well. Maybe that is what was protecting her the whole time from a break out in case she is more prone to it. I hope she never gets it.
Posted 2/7/2012 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
hateuc said... I think Elyssa1978 was a non smoker who was helped out by e-cigs. There is also a debate if it is the CO or the Nicotine. Their is no clearcut answer. I also think Wodin uses e-cigs for remission...but not sure if non smoker or not. There was another guy...although can't remember his name...who got help w/ the gum, but was also a non smoker. Seems nicotine alone did help some people. B Yes, I am an ex-smoker and I've been able to maintain remission for 2 1/2 years now using e-cigs occasionally supplemented with Nicorett lozenges. No carbon monoxide involved!   After reading about the UC-nicotine relationship here, I searched the web and found several peer reviewed studies that suggested a 50% better remission rate for people who used nicotine patches over those using a placebo. The studies did not differentiate between previous smokers and non smokers, but I suspect that if they had the increase would approach unity for ex-smokers.   My personal story is after months of heavy prednisone use, and it’s attendant side effects, with no relief, I decided to experiment with nicotine. I chose to use the lozenges as I don’t tolerate the patches well, and the gum is hard on my teeth (dentures). The results were amazing, I achieved significant relief within two days, and after increasing my dosage, complete remission in a week. I have since discovered that the e-cigs also work for me, and and have been in remission since.
Posted 2/7/2012 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
wodin, do you also use meds or are you only using nicotine?

I'm wondering now if it's the CO or the nicotine. As you can see, folks have conflicting reports here...
Posted 2/8/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I also use Colazol (now the generic), but I was also using it before and during my last flare, and it didn't prevent that.

I can't opine regarding the CO connection because in my case it was not involved at all. I am fully aware that this is a very complicated disease, and that there are possibly many causative/contributing factors, and that what works for one may not work at all for another. I only know what works for me, and that is nicotine in the form of e-cigs occasionally supplemented by nicotine lozenges.
Posted 2/8/2012 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
Wodin- can't you just up the nic level on your e-cig instead of adding lozenges?

I'm at 12mg and in remission 3 wks.
Posted 2/8/2012 6:30 AM (GMT 0)
It's really great that this has worked for you guys. Makes me hopeful that nicotine could work for me. Thanks for sharing.
Posted 2/8/2012 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
I've tried the e-cig in the past but I found it was not as effective as a REAL cigarette.....must be something about the smoke, plus the additives (maybe not so healthy in general) make the tobacco burn faster, thus a higher nicotine dose verses the e-cig. Additionally, I used the HIGH nicotine liquid and it was not strong enough....switched back to good ole Marlboro Menthol Silver Packs (Ultra Lights). :-)
Posted 2/8/2012 1:49 PM (GMT 0)

Durango Kid said...
...... I'd rather have quality of life now and take my chances with smoking.


INDEED!
Posted 2/8/2012 5:01 PM (GMT 0)

coffeeman said...
Wodin- can't you just up the nic level on your e-cig instead of adding lozenges?

I'm at 12mg and in remission 3 wks.

Yes, I could, but I use the lozenges during those times when it's not PC to be sucking on an e-cig. I attend a lot of meetings at work and it just wouldn't look good to be vaping with the boss at the head of the table.
Posted 2/9/2012 1:48 AM (GMT 0)

wodin said...
coffeeman said...
Wodin- can't you just up the nic level on your e-cig instead of adding lozenges?

I'm at 12mg and in remission 3 wks.
Yes, I could, but I use the lozenges during those times when it's not PC to be sucking on an e-cig. I attend a lot of meetings at work and it just wouldn't look good to be vaping with the boss at the head of the table.

LOL...true.
Posted 6/7/2013 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
It is not true that smoking won't help UCer's who have not previously smoked. There are loads of people, including myself, who chose to smoke (and never had before) who went into full remission thanks to those controversial "cancer sticks". I had never smoked, hated the idea of it, but was so miserably ill and on the verge of hospitalization with useless meds that were doing absolutely nothing, that I decided to give it a go. I smoke between 5 and 6 cigs a day and it took 5 weeks to experience total and complete remission, but it worked. I'm not the only one (or even a rare exception). I think many GI's claim that it won't work for those who have never smoked simply to discourage smoking. Read the thread on the website IhaveUC, Does Smoking Really Help. I've posted a lot about my own experiences as many others have. It will work for most and for those it doesn't help, THEY are the exceptions rather than the other way around. The war on tobacco has made people refuse to acknowledge that cigarettes do have some beneficial aspects. I think low dose smoking is far safer than out of control colitis and even colitis treated with many of the dangerous drugs, many which increase the risk of cancer just as cigarettes do. I would suggest to anyone to give cigarettes a go, esp. if they can keep their number of cigarettes to a relatively low amount smoked per day.
Posted 6/7/2013 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
I was really interested in nicotine therapy for treating my UC as well. This study concludes that using mesalamines (e.g. Asacol) and nicotine therapy had better long term success than pred and mesalamines. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2014383/

So... I bought a box of Nicoderm patches one Friday night. Unfortunately I lasted with it on my arm for about 15 minutes. By the end of that period I was begging my girlfriend to rip the thing off of my arm because I felt like I was having a heart attack or something, and I couldn't stop moving around or talking a million miles per minute. Even though I got the darn thing off of my arm pretty quickly I still vomited and had a pretty nasty headache that didn't go away until the next morning.

Bottom line: if you have never been a smoker I wouldn't recommend getting the "Step 1" patches which are the highest nicotine doses. You probably won't be able to tolerate it.
Posted 6/7/2013 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, if you're a non-smoker I think to start slowly w/ the nicotine would be best. There is a girl, Katherine on the ihaveuc.com website that was not a smoke and gained remission w/ nicotine patches. However she started low and worked her way up. Tara H, thank you for posting you experience...I know it can be a very controversial topic.
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