new to forum

It's back and I'm not liking it!! I was diagnosed with UC when I was 14 I had it for 11 years. It has been in remission for 22 years which is when I started smoking. In that time I have gotten married and started a career driving truck. 6 months ago I quit smoking and was doing well till 2 weeks ago. It came back with a vengeance going 5-6 times a day cramping and feeling sick to my stomach. I have not been able to work and my wife just does not understand what this does to a person. I'm going to GI in couple days and she is going maybe the Doc will talk too her. I'm 47 now and I started smoking again. What has changed in treatments it has been 22 years since I had it I don't know what is new out their for treatments and what seems to work best.

Posts like these make me wanna smoke.
Not much changed, except that now we have strong meds called biologics but their effect sometimes wears off after a few years.

Back then they thought it had to do with stress. I had it so bad at that time that my doctor in WA said I had to get it under control or they were going to have to do surgery and possibly a colostomy bag . So I moved to OK from WA and got a job at a hospital were I met a doctor that suggested smoking and it worked within 2 weeks it went into remission. At that time it was the lesser of two evils.

Actually, things have changed a lot. We now know that stress can certainly be a trigger for flares, but doesn't cause UC. In addition to the older drugs, we have a variety of 5-ASA medications that help the majority of people, some of which are time-released and can be taken once a day. We have immunosuppressors such as Imuran and 6-MP. We have biologics such as Humira and Remicade. Some people find relief through one diet or another, others through nutritional supplements. Most of us use a combination of these.

Surgery remains an option chosen by many people, but usually doesn't require a permanent bag. An internal pouch can be made of remaining intestine when the colon is removed, allowing normal evacuation of stool. Not perfect, but preferable to a bag to many people.

The current thinking is that UC is an autoimmune disease, caused by the immune system for some reason beginning to identify our own cells as foreign and destroying them. Therefore, the immunosuppressors and biologics (which target only specific cells in the immune system.)

It's a good idea to talk these all over with your doctor. He or she will most likely be more knowledgeable about the medical treatments rather than diet or supplements; those you can learn about here. Remember that each of us is different and what works for one may not work for another. It can be a trial-and-error process to find out what works for you.

Hi..welcome to the forum.

Where exactly is your UC located?

When was your last c-scope?

What exactly are your symptoms at the moment?

When you get to the GI, I strongly suggest you ask him/her for an oral mesalamine and a rectal retention mesalamine enema rather than just the supps.

Lots has changed in the med front...depends on what can work for you and what you're wanting to take as well.

I do hope you set up another c-scope to make sure all is clear regarding precancer/polyps, etc...and to get another baseline of your UC at this point.

q

mostly everyone here covered most of the changes. welcome to the forums and you are NOT alone! good luck

Ended up in the hospital for 3 1/2 days but home now. GI said lower colon was fully inflamed but seem to have gotten it under control. Not bleeding now but still have the runs. They put me on Prednisone and Lialda. I'm not out of the woods yet feel a lot better than I did. Started smoking 1/4 pack a day

So sorry 2 Feathers...so hard for an ex smoker to quit and than the UC comes as a "reward". Let us know if it goes away now that you are smoking. I bet it will. Feel better!

What about ecigs (electronic cigarettes)?

Actually I heard it's not actually the nicotine but the carbon monoxide the cig puts out. But I have a new question I went to Walgreen's to pic up the Lialda and about had a heart attack. My portion was almost 400.00 for a months supply. Any suggestions????

Thank you very much dmacell I found the website and got the temp card. Going to the pharmacy now to fill it.

Hi hautec,

I smoked very occasionally but so little I had forgotten about it when I was diagnosed with U C in 2009 and told them I was a non- smoker. I was told it could help me again on my current flare. There is an article in the daily mail newspaper on 12 March 2012 about a student Stephen Pendry who controlled severe symptoms of U C by smoking four a day. I'm struggling to attach the web address but start of the address is www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Doctors-dont-know

Hope you can find it with that address or those search terms. I notice there are some comments from readers and someone says you should totally avoid smoking if you have Crohn's.

Hope that helps x

Jessa33 I believe that is what I'm going to try to do to. Smoke 3-4 cigs a day and treat them like a medication that I have to take. If a person can get the right mindset to do that than I can't believe it would be a bad thing to do. It will be extremely hard to do as a ex smoker (as me) but to those that don't I believe it can be achievable. I'm feeling much better now and was actually joking around with my family and told them. "Hey I hit a mile stone I actually farted with out crapting my pants".

Post Edited (2 Feathers) : 8/11/2013 5:17:09 AM (GMT-6)