Impact of smoking

[FireflyX]

At the moment I am working on trying to reduce the risks of having a flare up with Crohns. I have improved my diet and reduced my alcohol intake but I have been reading about the risks that smoking has with Crohns. I would usually smoke about 15 cigarettes a day but I am currently trying to reduce this to 3-4 a day. I have read a lot about how there is more chance of having a flare up and needing surgery with smoking but none of the research I've looked at takes into consideration the amount that somebody smokes. I was just wondering if I would be at less risk if I smoke a little as opposed to somebody who smokes a lot?

 

[Terriernut]

Yes, all the research is smoking v not smoking. But I can tell you what my GI said to me. The more you smoke, the worse it is. Also, he had to add that smoking impacts your liver as well. (i didnt know that!)

I'm trying my darndest to quit.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

I've been trying to quit for ages myself. My IBD nurse said it's one of the worst things someone with Crohn's can do, but never explained exactly why, so when I brought it up to my GI he said they don't know exactly what it is but he does believe that smoking can affect the effectiveness of medication.

My theory is that it's something to do with nicotine, the reason I believe that is because I smoke super light cigarettes, 1mg, whereas the regular strength smokes vary from 8mg to 10mg.

When I started on the 15mg nicotine inhalers I was getting terrible diarrhoea. And when I stopped the inhalers I was fine. :/

 

[2thFairy]

Smoking also delays healing in general....blood flow, if I recall correctly.

 

[Irene3]

Hi Firefly, my GI said that not smoking is the same as being on 20mg pred for crohns. He tells me it's very important to not smoke, though I am a smoker, it's deffinatley something I'd like to quit as I start a healthy scd diet this week or next. Best of luck,

 

[Judith]

Hi FireflyX,

I have a little bit of information on why they believe smoking is bad for Crohn's Disease patients.

- As Iamthewalrus mentioned, researchers believe the nicotine is probably one of the major causes of smoking-related problems in Crohn's.

- Also, it seems that a component of the tobacco itself stimulates the inflammatory response (glycoprotein in the tobacco causes this)

- Smoking increases Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) which are very damaging to multiple components in cells. Many people take "anti-oxidant" supplements to reduce ROS levels and help protect cells against damage.

- Smoking also reduces the amount of antioxidants that the body can store.

- Women have a more pronounced effect of smoking and its exacerbation of Crohn's Disease

- Smokers have 2 fold increased relapse rate over nonsmokers and increased need for surgery, and increased risk for multiple surgeries.

- Smokers have more Crohn's related pain than nonsmokers in general.

- I found some info about heavy smokers (greater than 10 cigarettes per day) versus nonsmokers or persons that smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day. Researchers showed nonsmokers had inflammatory activity 37% of the time, smokers (less than 10 cigarettes per day) had inflammation 46% of the time, and heavy smokers had inflammation 48% of the time.

I found this article. Maybe it will be helpful?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3180011/pdf/WJG-17-3567.pdf

Good Luck!

 

[Dazzafarr]

I'm still undiagnosed although.. Crohns has been suggested by my symptoms, IGG levels and bone problems.
I take anti inflamitorys and I am not so bad now..
But still sick...
If I have more than 10 smokes I become bloated, gassy, runs etc..
I am not cutting down to 8 max a day....
When I quit for 7 months a lot of the symptoms suppressed although foods would still set me off.
People think we are stupid for not quitting... It's your health etc.
My perception is always left at... What else can I do?
I can't eat the foods smokers who are quitting find to help.
I can't drink alcohol to have that relax..
It almost becomes a catch 22. I want to quit..
It's hard to quit normally.... Having these issues with depression from these issues doesn't help...
My aim is to quit this habit to get that remission feeling again.
I was actually going to post the same thing u did to see how others cope

 

[KJS]

Wow i was too scared to mention i am a smoker.i am looking again at trying to give up.each time i go into hosp for my blockages(once a month at mo) they ask me THAT question.one DR told me i was killing my bowel.i know smoking inhibits healing due to reduced blood supply to area needing recovery.when i have given up i do have reduced bowel motions.however smoking has neen found to help patients with colitis but docs don't know why.

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Interesting that I just read that as I'm currently I the waiting room at the hospital and just read this!

Stopping smoking is an effective treatment got active Crohn's disease and can decrease the chance of having a disease flair by more than 50%

Stopping smoking in Crohn's disease produces 60% remission rates (no symptoms of disease) which is higher than any treatment for the condition!

I think that says it all!

 

[Dazzafarr]

I have quit smoking for over a month and the change is pretty huge.
I also apparently have protatitis, you should see how flared that gets after smoking.... z

 

[Tiffany]

I'm trying to quit, I do notice the days I smoke more my tummy feel worse but I usually smoke more when I'm stressed so I'm not sure if its one or the other, or possibly both. I recently started cutting back and bought an e-smoke, it is working pretty well for me so far, I have cut back to almost half of what I usually smoke. YAY

 

[Dazzafarr]

If you are serious about quitting take the 15mg 16hr patch.
Works better than anything else I have tried.
I tried oral stuff, champix, cold turkey, other patches.
The one patch with the mighty power was 15mg 16 hr.
Give it a go.
Call the quit line. They are actually really good and give you ideas!
Think it's 1800 quit of 1300... Can't remember