There is an interesting study that basically states that The onset of ulcerative colitis occurs at a significantly higher percentage in Ex Smokers and at its lowest rate in Smokers, with non- smokers falling somewhere in the mid ground. This finding has been reinforced by several studies and I have included a link for those interested in reading the finer detail
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3122262/
What I would like to know is whether this may also be true for microscopic colitis, Coincidentally I gave up smoking about 4 months before my problems started.
Smoker , Ex Smoker, Non Smoker
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Hi Jim,
Yes, that's true for UC and MC, and for UC, nicotine is not only therapeutic, but you can get a prescription for nicotine patches to be used for treating UC. But that doesn't work for the other types of IBD. It is indeed true that stopping a long-term smoking habit is a well-known cause of microscopic colitis, and quite a few members here attribute the onset of their disease to stopping smoking. However, the bad news is that resuming smoking will not resolve the symptoms, because once the genes are triggered, they are permanently triggered (at least there is currently no known way to reverse that event).
Tex
Yes, that's true for UC and MC, and for UC, nicotine is not only therapeutic, but you can get a prescription for nicotine patches to be used for treating UC. But that doesn't work for the other types of IBD. It is indeed true that stopping a long-term smoking habit is a well-known cause of microscopic colitis, and quite a few members here attribute the onset of their disease to stopping smoking. However, the bad news is that resuming smoking will not resolve the symptoms, because once the genes are triggered, they are permanently triggered (at least there is currently no known way to reverse that event).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I am a smoker:( I am 49 years old, and have smoked since i was 16.........I know i need to quit, but i am scared to quit, b/c my dad smoked since he was 14, he died at the age of 72. He quit smoking and then had a heart attack, then had a stroke, then developed lung cancer and emphysema........so i am very scared the same thing will happen to me if i quit. I know that is not the right way to think, but i can't help it.....i feel like if your body is used to something, whether it's bad for you or not, and you've had something in your body for so long, if you quit, it can be damaging either way. 
I'm Still Chasing The Original High
Kate,
The effect that stopping a smoking habit has on the body is associated with stress. Nicotine withdrawal causes severe neurological, psychological, and physiological stress. And this type of chronic stress can trigger MC in the first place, or prevent remission in previously-existing cases. IOW, it would be extremely difficult to stop smoking without triggering a relapse of MC symptoms (or perpetuating them if symptoms are currently present). I'm not advising you to continue smoking, but I'm not advising you to stop, either. As you're well aware, it's not an easy decision.
Of course most doctors won't admit this, but there are definitely some positive effects of nicotine, not the least of which is the fact that it is protective of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, UC, and probably others. I've smoked cigars for over 55 years. I don't inhale them, so I'm not concerned about the biggest risk, which is lung issues, but with cigars one absorbs plenty of nicotine through the mucosal tissue of the mouth. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease over 6 years ago, so I decided to continue smoking cigars as "theraputic insurance" just in case the neurologist happened to be correct. I don't believe the diagnosis was correct, but so far, there have been no significant changes in my condition (at least no negative changes).
I'm not totally convinced that the fact that the current "epidemic" of Alzheimer's disease correlates relatively well with the campaign against smoking that began several decades ago, is mere coincidence.
As I mentioned in my previous post, one can get a prescription for nicotine patches, but like virtually all prescription medications, they are ridiculously overpriced.
Tex
The effect that stopping a smoking habit has on the body is associated with stress. Nicotine withdrawal causes severe neurological, psychological, and physiological stress. And this type of chronic stress can trigger MC in the first place, or prevent remission in previously-existing cases. IOW, it would be extremely difficult to stop smoking without triggering a relapse of MC symptoms (or perpetuating them if symptoms are currently present). I'm not advising you to continue smoking, but I'm not advising you to stop, either. As you're well aware, it's not an easy decision.
Of course most doctors won't admit this, but there are definitely some positive effects of nicotine, not the least of which is the fact that it is protective of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, UC, and probably others. I've smoked cigars for over 55 years. I don't inhale them, so I'm not concerned about the biggest risk, which is lung issues, but with cigars one absorbs plenty of nicotine through the mucosal tissue of the mouth. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease over 6 years ago, so I decided to continue smoking cigars as "theraputic insurance" just in case the neurologist happened to be correct. I don't believe the diagnosis was correct, but so far, there have been no significant changes in my condition (at least no negative changes).
I'm not totally convinced that the fact that the current "epidemic" of Alzheimer's disease correlates relatively well with the campaign against smoking that began several decades ago, is mere coincidence.
As I mentioned in my previous post, one can get a prescription for nicotine patches, but like virtually all prescription medications, they are ridiculously overpriced.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex, i agree!
My father after he quit smoking cigarette's started smoking cigars, and he loved them. I remember he used to sneak and smoke them so my mom wouldn't know, god love him.....he was something else. We were partners in crime....i go buy his cigs, and he'd give me some.....not the best thing to do for your kid, but i loved him dearly. I miss him very much.
It's unfortunate cigs do so much harm.....i don't believe they used to be so bad many years ago.......
I had a great great uncle that rolled his own for his whole life, grew his on tobacco as well......
My father after he quit smoking cigarette's started smoking cigars, and he loved them. I remember he used to sneak and smoke them so my mom wouldn't know, god love him.....he was something else. We were partners in crime....i go buy his cigs, and he'd give me some.....not the best thing to do for your kid, but i loved him dearly. I miss him very much.
It's unfortunate cigs do so much harm.....i don't believe they used to be so bad many years ago.......
I had a great great uncle that rolled his own for his whole life, grew his on tobacco as well......
I'm Still Chasing The Original High
I'm sure you're right. Cigars and cigarettes used to contain relatively pure tobacco. Over the decades all sorts of chemicals and synthetic wrappers have been added to control burning rates, enhance flavors, etc., and just like all the junk that's added to our food, no one really knows what the long-term effects are.Kate wrote:It's unfortunate cigs do so much harm.....i don't believe they used to be so bad many years ago.......
I also had an uncle who rolled his own using Bull Durham tobacco for many decades. His doctors finally convinced him to stop smoking when he was well up in his 80s.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi Kate I'd hate to have in any way contributed to someone not giving up smoking. The same study does actually state that smokers are disproportionately represented in chrohns .
Yes I'm sure we've all heard of people who smoked all their life only to give up and have a heart attack etc etc, however at 49 I think you've still got time and it wouldn't be such a major shock to system.
As an asside I never felt healthier or happier than when I had a cigar in one hand and a sambucca in the other, never knew who my Dr was, now I've given up everything (including caffeine ) everything seems to have gone wrong and I get that 'not you again' look from my Dr .lol
Yes I'm sure we've all heard of people who smoked all their life only to give up and have a heart attack etc etc, however at 49 I think you've still got time and it wouldn't be such a major shock to system.
As an asside I never felt healthier or happier than when I had a cigar in one hand and a sambucca in the other, never knew who my Dr was, now I've given up everything (including caffeine ) everything seems to have gone wrong and I get that 'not you again' look from my Dr .lol
Jimbo68 that is what i mean! That is why i'm scared to quit.......but i KNOW that i need to. I really do, i feel the effects every single day. I don't know why i don't have the motivation to just do it for good! I wish i wanted it that bad......and in one way i do, but i'm just scared......I need to give up caffeine too~i'm doomed i know. I do it to myself.....It's just so weird to me how that happens to people when they "go healthy".......what to do...what to do!
Tex~ my uncle was well in his 80's too, but i don't remember if he actually ever quit or not tbh, but either way~i know he loved his rolled cigs:)
I'm Still Chasing The Original High