Quitting smoking will help even the moderate smoker

Hi all,

I was a moderate smoker (3 to 5 per day). Did not really think about it as I was initially diagnosed for UC, so my internet searches were all used to contain the keyword UC. With UC, smoking is not mentioned as an avoidable thing or some have even reported positive effect of it. After my surgery I was diagnosed for CD, and I was shocked to find everywhere in internet smoking is mentioned as one of the triggers for a flare. Still I was lazy to try quitting as I thought moderate smoking won't matter that much.

But then when one month back I became concerned due to possible formation of an enterocutaneous fistula, in addition to seeing the doctor etc. I thought let us try quitting smoking also. With 3 to 4 days of quitting itself I started to have lesser of the symptoms I was having like mild pain in the abdomen and sounds in the abdomen. I started to feel a lot more energetic, the fatigue I used to have reduced by maybe 75%. I was completely medicine free at that time so this cannot be due to anything else.

I strongly suggest those of you chronies who are moderate or even occational smokers, should try quitting completely. I am certain it will have a positive effect.

Correct!! Dito

Grats on quitting, don't ever go back.

Studies back up your claim. In fact, in Crohn's disease, quitting smoking is akin to taking azathioprine in effectiveness.

I managed to give up for 18 months once, but still found the crohns horrendous. So i'm back to 15 fags a day, sometimes more when stressed. Give it another couple of months and I might manage to try again. Perhaps will try e-cigarette.

Interesting info David!!! I didn't realise that. It really says something. Probably giving up the ciggies will not make me throw up like aza either, lol.

Hi
I was forced to give up last July when I was in hospital for 10 days with a bowel perf. When I came out I started to use the electronic ciggies (which I think are great) and still use now occasionally. I think they have really helped me to not go back to 15 a day.
I never wanted to give up smoking but I took the opportunity last year.
I cannot say that my Crohns since the operation has been better without smoking but maybe it would have been a whole lot worse if I was still puffing?
Good luck and think about trying to give up again and maybe the E's will help.

Spooky1 said:

I managed to give up for 18 months once, but still found the crohns horrendous. So i'm back to 15 fags a day, sometimes more when stressed. Give it another couple of months and I might manage to try again. Perhaps will try e-cigarette.

Interesting info David!!! I didn't realise that. It really says something. Probably giving up the ciggies will not make me throw up like aza either, lol.

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The reality is that it would have been more appropriate to call Crohn's a syndrome rather than a disease, as it has a diversity of expression without a unequivocal singular cause & mechanism. So it is not surprising that some individuals may not respond to quitting. However, the research is certainly supportive of the assertion that it is advisable & beneficial for most people with the syndrome.

I don't think anyone can ever justify smoking for anything other than the pure enjoyment it gives the smoker (but not anyone else). I smoked up to 20 a day and gave up in August after my gastro literally got down on his hands and knees in my hospital room and begged me not to. Since then I have smoked electronic cigarettes which provide all the enjoyment I need without being harmful to my health (and others) and unpleasant for anyone nearby. (although I was always careful not to smoke around others the smell does linger).
My gastro said giving up was equivalent to taking 15mg of prednisone.
Anyone who is reluctant to or having trouble giving up, I strongly advise electronic cigarettes. Apart from all the other benefits I have mentioned they are far cheaper than cigarettes and just as satisfying. I order mine online from a company in the USA so if anyone is interested just PM me. I tried a few brands before finding this one which is most realistic.
I can't say I have noticed an improvement in my health since giving up but I've been going thru a rough patch anyway. I don't regret stopping at all and I was a confirmed smoker before.
Good luck and congratualtions to everyone who stops, and keep on trying to those who are not quite there yet. You'll get there.

Hello Anna
You and me girl giving up the ciggies.
I think I now prefer the E ciggies to the real ones - especially the chocolate flavoured ones.
Love your piccie - is the doggie yours?
Hugs

The only really positive research for cig's, outside of its relationship to UC, according to the British medical association's text on Drug's and medicines asserted that they can help with concentration. However, they also noted that the effect diminishes with continued usage - prompting an escalation of required dosing. The later tallied with the increase risk of stroke easily outstrip any positives wrt concentration. Other "benefits" claimed include a reduction in stress and improved creativity, however, both of these apparently rely not on the composition of tobacco but on the fact that one is engaged in an activity that is diverting. Breathing exercise etc have all the benefits and more with none of the downsides. With respect to other people, I suspect the only benefit is that they get a break from the smoker everytime he leaves to get another box of cigs

6months or so w/o buying a pack of cigarettes (yes I cheated once or twice but 3 or so cigarettes over the course of 6 months is highly impressive!).

I can absolutely say the effects are more positive at least in terms of energy and just overall not feeling like crap. Breathing is so much easier and I can SMELL things and taste flavors in foods I didn't even realize I was missing out on. My co-workers make fun of me and tell me I have a bionic nose now. I can smell out specific ingredients in someone meal from the other side of the room and be 100% accurate most of the time lol!

If stressed, I would go to a cigarette, then my symptoms would feel FAR worse. I can't personally say quitting turned my life around big time for the good....my worst flare ever began approx 2 months ago and Im still recovering from it/on new meds...but Im certain that if I had been smoking at the time my flare would have been pure HELL, even moreso than it was already.

Exercise, meditation, healthier diet, more balanced sleep schedule and venting to you folks is now my substitute for a cigarette

I just beat up a pillow! - For those in the league for the protection of pillows, I have the excuse that it was prescribed by a doctor, and sometimes it is self-defence:smile:

Thanks for your support CrohnsChicago

I gave up for a year in 2009. I have to say I became sicker from crohn's than ever before. However I think thats just a coincidence. I took smoking up again but have finally now given up for good. (other than my pretend cigies )

CeeCeeGo said:

Hello Anna
You and me girl giving up the ciggies.
I think I now prefer the E ciggies to the real ones - especially the chocolate flavoured ones.
Love your piccie - is the doggie yours?
Hugs

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I prefer the e cigs too.
Yes he is my dog. Thats when he was a puppy. He is three now but just as cute.
:heart: anna

anna's dog is actually my teddy bear that I've only loaned her, lol. Give teddy a huge hug for me, anna.

Anna
He is gorgeous!
Can I send him a hug too? :hug:

I am recently diagnosed with CD and chose that diagnosis help to motivate me to quit. I was a heavy smoker of between a pack and a pack and a half a day.. It has been extremely hard especially with the stress of the new diagnosis but I am proud to say I am one month smoke free!!! Most websites do say that smoking can cause or worsen a flare up and as we all know the last thing you want is for that to happen

Hello tlc7376
Well done you - apparently you have now done the worst bit!
I am now 8 months free of the ciggies.
Keep up the good work and make sure you treat yourself to something nice with all that money you will be saving.

Spooky he is like a walking teddy bear. I'll give him lots of hugs from you and CeeCee.
:ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug::ghug:

I quit smoking 2 1/2 years ago after smoking for most of my life. I quit with Chantix and an E-ciggy (no nicotine filters) and was surprised how easy it was to quit!!! Oh yeah, I also did hypnosis - I wanted to do anything I could to get over that nasty habit... which I loved! I'm posting this for those that still smoke and would like an easy way to quit. I believe all three of those modalities made the difference in me quitting - Chantix (for sure!!!), E-Ciggy no nicotine filters!) and hypnosis. I still 'puff' on the e-ciggy whenever I feel that urge to smoke.... it was the best suggestion my doctor gave me, besides trying Chantix.

I've read enough articles to know that smoking is very bad for Crohn's and is probably one of the reasons I now have that disease.

I gave up last July after seeing my consultant, she was basically blaming everything that was wrong on the smokes so i said Right then I'll give them up and if I'm still getting ulcers and pain and stuff then she cant just write it off as smokes. I'm still getting stomach, intestinal and mouth ulcers all the time but apart from that for the first 6 months felt healthy as a horse!I think I'm on my way back into a flare so dont feel great now but that's just the way it goes,chances are it would've come on a lot earlier if I had continued to smoke and at least now when I see the Dr next month I can say now you have to do something about it instead of just giving out to me for smoking!Anyway I strongly advise anyone who's thinking of giving up to just bite the bullet and do it it's SO worth it!

sue85 said:

I gave up last July

for the first 6 months felt healthy as a horse!

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Most of us probably felt more energetic or less fatigued after quitting. So the suggestion by doctors/literature that quitting smoking is equivalent to taking 10mg prednisone or 50mg Azathioprine, is a valid claim.

The time I gave up for over a year was with Champix (chantix?). It worked fantastically and I only took up smoking again when I was in hospital (yes i know!!!) and they stopped the champix and I was nil by mouth for 6 weeks (on TPN). Unfortunately the champix didn't work the next time I tried to stop - I think my body had got used to it - but I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to stop. It works well as an antidepressant too!
The way it works is by blocking the dopamine hit you get every time you have a cigarette so you gradually find that there is no pleasure in smoking so smoke less and less until you stop. magic!

I quit six months ago today! It was my third day in hospital, and my Dr. came in and said "You have Crohn's, you MUST quit smoking!" and I did. It had already been three days without one, and I was far too sick to even think about having one at that point. When I got home it took over a week to recover from surgery and I wasn't up out of bed very often, nothing was normal so it didn't even seem like I was missing out. I feel quite lucky that I did have that silver lining in all of this and quit easily. I had been wanting to for such a long time but I was getting nowhere with it!

Good on you Jo. And Congratulations.