smoking with UC

Gibson, I can assure you that it is definitely not the CO (carbon monoxide) from your cigs that is keeping you in 'remission'.

The average cigarette produces about 450 parts per million of CO over 6 minutes whilst being smoked.  If there was a (properly calibrated) CO detector nearby and you blew your smoke into it, it would start sounding the alarm after about 4 minutes.

Just to give you an idea on the harmful effects of CO,  800 ppm in a confined space would cause dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45 mins, and death within 2 to 3 hours.

I'm not preaching to you to sack the smokes, just telling you that there are absolutely no benefits from CO, only danger.

Your remission just maybe down to the nicotine.

Now I'm gonna pop down the pharmacist for some nicorette.   Cheers pal....

It's gotta be worth a try...

mackster read this link....

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

:)

I just found some more links on nicotine patches and UC, if you're interested.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1585/is_n8_v22/ai_19539858

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/332/15/988 (This study found the patch was no better than a placebo at maintaining remission in UC patients)

http://www.eboncall.org/CATs/2383.htm

http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/96/1/57

I don't know, but it looks like some of the nicotine patch studies showed that they helped a significant number of people, so that leads me to believe it's not the carbon monoxide (or at least not just the carbon monoxide)..maybe they don't work as well as actually smoking though. Either way, I smoke and it doesn't seem to help me...sure wish it did though.

Smoking could be considered an alternative therapy for our health problem. It is up to each individual victim of UC to decide, and it would be a lot easier to do so without the current climate of hysteria about smoking. The odds of getting lung cancer, emphysema, or heart disease from smoking are not absolute, meaning that you have increased risks of these problems as a smoker but by no means overwhelming odds. For me, smoking works virtually 100%, but I do not do it, relying on patches and smokeless tobacco instead, which do only a fraction of what actual smoking can do for my UC. Social pressure and an anti-smoking spouse have done this to me. In short, I blame society for my persistent UC, it could be squelched in a day or two if I could smoke freely. We live in an all or nothing world, in which the pharmaceutical companies and a rampaging anti tobacco movement are actually causing suffering for UC victims.

Well, take a look at I as a smoker would be facing these days: most hotels are now nonsmoking, whole towns and cities are banning it on the streets, I work at a university in which the entire campus is smoke-free, I live in a city where winter lasts 5 months and temperatures drop to -20 celcius for weeks so stepping outside to smoke is a brave act indeed, the very mention of smoking sends 99% of the people I know into a rant and rave. All of this is a direct result of several decades of demonizing tobacco based on hazy research into "second hand smoke" dangers and well-funded lobbyists convincing politicians to enact bans designed to appeal to the 75% of the population who do not smoke. And the pharamceutical industry can cash in by peddling nicotine patches and gum, as well as UC symptom-relief meds! As for my spouse, well, we share the house and it is important to have peace together. We both know the situation with my health and there is no compromise on smoking, so I have to choose between the relationship and smoking. Like the vast majority of smokers have done over the years, I have chosen the former.

Smoking tobacco STINKS in addition to damaging the lungs and heart. This damage is a scientifically proven fact! However, if you continue to smoke and give yourself emphysema, lung cancer, or heart disease, you may indeed make your UC less of a problem. Pooping your pants won't matter if the rest of your body deteriorates from lung or heart malfunction and you have a stroke. / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC; currently on 3 Colazal daily for maintenance of remission)

I am away from home visiting family for the holiday and haven't smoked in about 4 days (partly b/c I have a bad cold and partially b/c my family hates smoking). I noticed blood on the tp yesterday and am not feeling good today. I'm wondering if it's because of not smoking for so short of a time? Or would it probably take longer than this? I had not seen blood before this since last May/June, I think...it had been a while. I have also been very stressed out over family issues.

We have alot of smoking bans where I live but I don't smoke in my house anyways so I could really care less, I smoke in van when there are no kids in it, with windows down, or outside, so not being able to smoke in public places is not an issue for me....

BTW, stinky smoke sweaters can be washed (and no, it's not more important then someones "stupid UC symptoms") {If I'm mistaking your post I apologize, if not I stand by my ground}, and those who use smoking for medisinal purposes can confine to the laws of public smoking just as I have...to be honest, I don't care to smoke inside anyways.

:)

gibson said... I couldn't go anywhere that I hadn't mapped out the toilet locations. Had several accidents while waiting for a stall. Had to carry a change of clothes with me all the time when I was brave enough to leave the house. Could barely work.       I completely understand where you are coming from. I use to be like this too. In fact, it was still happening as recently as August 2007. I could barely function in everyday life, including work. I had a number of accidents whilst out in public and took to wearing an adult nappy every time I left the house.   If smoking works for you, then best of luck to you…………   However, it does seem a real shame to risk lung and other cancers, cardiovascular disease, emphysema, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney failure, paralysis, gangrene, amputation, chronic bronchitis, periodontal disease etc……just to make your UC better.   It is quite ironic, as this is the very reason why I chose to give up medication in the first place. I could not see the point of taking a certain drug to “heal” UC but at the same time suffer from serious side-effects in the form of other disease brought on by that drug. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul!   Obviously you have to weight up the pros and cons yourself. Are you going to be smoking long-term and if so are you willing to risk the associated diseases. If you stop smoking, will the UC flare-up worse than ever. Then of course you have your wife and child to consider. Good luck in whatever final decision you make.   I have been on the mend since September 2007 through natural healthy methods. By incorporating the David Klein diet from “Self Healing Colitis and Crohn’s”, into my life, my UC and life has improved by 1000%. On this diet I am only eating certified organic produce (my lifestyle choice) and I feel better than I have ever done, not just in the UC department but also in all other aspects of my life.   I am not being judgemental towards you, as I use to smoke myself, but I would personally never go back to the ill effects I suffered whilst smoking, just to cure UC.   Good luck.

Sorry Mitzo, it's not always easy to pick up on sarcasm, especially when there are some pretty die-hard anti-smokers that probably would think that way LOL, especially if they have no clue about IBD. That's why I inserted this in my reply "{If I'm mistaking your post I apologize, if not I stand by my ground}".

:)

Well, to those who smoke and want to quit, buy herbal cigs from your healthfood store, my store has Gensing and vanila flavored ones...they don't contain any nicotine but do have some tar in them.

:)

PB4, it is the tobacco/nicotine that works, I do not think herbal cigs would be worth it.