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SMOKING

Posted , 4 users are following.

Guest
Guest

I was first diagnosed with UC in my early 20's, no real problems until I gave up smoking when I found out I was pregnant at 33 years. Major problems throughout pregnancy, but symptoms stopped almost immediately when I started smoking again after the birth. 7 years later I decided I wanted to give up smoking and did so successfully - until the UC returned with a vengence - my consultant was at his wits end what to do until I came right out and asked him - would my symptoms stop if I start smoking again. He knew I had done some research into the link between smoking and UC and indeed confirmed that although he could not advise me to start smoking again, there was documented evidence to support that smoking in patient's with UC can be benificial.

I AM IN NO WAY ADVOCATING THAT ANYONE START SMOKING

I want to know if anyone has any experience of this as I feel someone should be doing more research into what it is exactly in cigarettes that is helping with UC, as I have previously tried patches, herbal ciggs, etc etc and nothing worked. I hate being a smoker but I would rather suffer the consiquences of smoking at a later date than suffer the horror that I endured when I was not in remission.

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi

    I experienced my 1st UC flare a few months after I quit smoking. I had always had 'tummy problems' up until that point but had never had a flare until then. It wasnt till I quit-had a flare that I was diagnosed with UC.

    My mum has had tummy problems all her life and is about to stop smoking so I will be interested in seeing if her problems get worse and she too develops UC.

    I was never a heavy smoker though, more a social smoker, but I too found it such a coincidence.

    I have also had many chest inflammation problems since I quit too.

    Some research should definitely be done into this!!

  • pinkney
    pinkney

    Posted

    Hi

    Just read what you put regarding stopping smoking i was also fine until i stopped i useto joke that i was fine until i stopped but when i was reading what you had put it was like i had wrote it i'm still not smoking but i tell you iof they said it would stop all of what you go through i would take it up again tomorow and take my chances!!!!

    cheers XXXx :?

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I have suffered from ulcerative colitis since i was 14 (i am 29 now), i too have been a smoker since about the same age. I normally have one flare up a year around nov-dec i usually put this down to the winter blues and the stress of christmas. This year i didn't have a flare up until mid feb, 2 weeks after i gave up smoking! This is the worst one i've had in years, hence me being on this web sight. I think there is definatley a link but i really don't want to start smoking again! Im at the hospital in the morning and i am hoping the flare up will calm down without using nicotine again... i totally sympathise with your case as we are now faced with having to decide the lesser of 2 evils!
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    there is definatly a link between smoking and uc. ive tried to stop smoking twice and have ended up in hospital both times, ive had, tones of steroids and also inflictmab, my hair fel out, what a state i was in. iam thinking of trying to stop smoking again but dred what could be. o what to do???
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I too got ulcerative colitis after quitting smoking back in 2002. I suffered 4 years ending up in the hopsital with iron deficiency anemia and reluctantly did the steroids and imuran. I finally started smoking 2+ years ago (5-7 per day) and within 4 weeks the UC was in remission. I did try the nicotine patch once I discovered the smoking worked, however that just made it worse. I've just recently had a flare up and ended up in emergency even though I'm still smoking. Has anyone had flare ups while they were smoking? I'm not sure if I should try and quit and re-start again in a few weeks to see if it works again. Frustrated!!!
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