Is it ok to smoke Hookah(Sheesha,waterpipe) instead of cigarettes?

[Leopardos]

Hello everyone...

Seems I will hang with you guys abit since I got diagnosed with Crohns disease yesterday,
I love smoking, I know it's bad for health and all, but I can't live without smoking,
I smoke 1 box a day ( 20 cigarettes ) ...

the doctors told me a very horrible stories of what could happen if I keep smoking..
Are they right? Could 1 to 5 cigarettes a day effect me too?

If so,

Is it ok to smoke Hooka (which Known as Sheesha or waterpipe too) ?
It has no nicotine ... And apple flavor...


Thanks

 

[Sarah50]

Hello Leopardos and welcome to the forum. You'll find lots of great information here.

I don't know about smoking Hooka but it sounds ok since it is not nicotine. Otherwise, smoking is very bad and from what I read, can make Crohn's worse.

I wanted to share with you that I was a long time smoker (over 30 years / pack a day) and never thought I would quit because, yes, I enjoyed smoking too.

I quit 2 years ago and it was waaaaaaaay easier than I thought. The secret was 2 things:

1. Chantix! You need to get a prescription from your doctor. While taking it, it takes away the desire to smoke. You smoke while you're on it and quit sometime while taking it. I quit on the 11th day of taking Chantix. The other thing that helped greatly:

2. I purchased an 'e-cigarette' online and of course, with NO nicotine cartridges. You have to charge it and it 'lights up' at the end when you puff on it, you inhale vapor and blow out vapor - it makes you feel like you're smoking.

I'm telling you I quit *easily* - I was very surprised, by using Chantix and using an e-cig. I still have the e-cig but rarely use it anymore.

I know it's very difficult to quit and creates anxiety just thinking about it. But if you try Chantix and the e-cig, you might be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to quit.

Best of luck!!

 

[hello123]

i am also a smoker and was given the doomsday talk about what will happen if i continue to smoke, i was diagnosed some months ago.

i know that each cigarette makes a difference so smoking as few as possible will obviously help vs. full blown smoking, but one should be aiming to go smoke free.

what i have not established is if it is the actual process of smoking the tobacco that is so bad (as in; is nicotine replacement without smoking ok ?) so if anybody can clarify this it would be a great help!?

 

[Jennifer]

The tobacco plant itself contains nicotine. So even those flavored tobaccos have it. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_tobacco_plants_contain_nicotine I'm tagging you Sarah50 so you know that they do contain nicotine. It's naturally in the tobacco plant.

Its a common misconception that smoking from a hooka is less harmful than cigarettes.

"...a single session of waterpipe smoking (which may last about an hour) may deliver as much tar as an entire pack of cigarettes."

"Studies have shown that hookah smoking increases the chances of periodontal disease, and may be associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, such as tachycardia and increased blood pressure."
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/727687

Any form of smoking is bad for Crohn's. Studies have shown that it can be beneficial to people who suffer from UC. http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/ibdfaqs/a/smokingguts.htm More research needs to be done since the possible side effects of smoking (as treatment for UC) are extremely harmful to the rest of the body.

I understand the need and desire to smoke but really the only thing that comes close to being less harmful for anyone in general is the use of electronic cigarettes. With those you can get high, medium, low or no nicotine and it does come in different flavors. The thing is that they are still relatively new so there's no research on possible health hazards for long term use. Its been found that short term they could still cause lung damage: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/253773.php

Its completely up to you if you want to quit smoking. Just be aware that no form of smoking tobacco products is 100% safe and most are extremely harmful even if you don't have Crohn's but as the link showed above, people who have Crohn's are at a greater risk of increased flares which could lead to harsher drug treatments and more surgery. Yes even 1-5 cigarettes can still cause damage over time.

Edit: Wanted to add that my old GP doctor refuses to prescribe Chantix to any of his patients because of the possible side effect of psychosis.

 

[Sarah50]

Crabby - thanks for the info, I had no idea that the "apple flavored" hooka had nicotine and good for Leopardos to know.

As far as the "e-cigarette" - it *may* or *may not* be harmful but smoking NO nicotine e-cigs for awhile to help you quit smoking deadly cigarettes is waaaaaaaaaay better than not quitting!!! If you haven't been a smoker, you wouldn't realize (as much as a smoker) how difficult it is to give up.

Regarding Chantix, *some* people have problems with it, especially those that are on certain anti-depressants. But, MANY people have quit smoking successfully with NO ill side effects. When my doctor recommended it, I first researched it and went to a Chantix forum that has thousands of people discussing how they did on it (dating back to around 2006). After reading and researching, I figured it wouldn't hurt me to try it - and the worst that can happen is IF I had any 'ill' effects, I would just stop taking it! Fortunately, I didn't have any bad side effects whatsoever. The only thing I had was very vivid dreams - and not 'bad dreams' - I just remembered them. I missed that after stopping Chantix. LOL!

Again, I recommend at least checking out Chantix along with an e-cig for someone that smokes and wants to quit. I am a testimonial of its success as a LONG TIME, pack-a-day smoker who quit 2 years, 5 months ago... fortunately, before I was diagnosed with Crohns. Smoking possibly made me suseptible to Crohn's as research has stated. I give kudos to anyone taking the step to quit smoking, which ever way they choose... it's been compared to getting off of heroine. I believe it!!! :rosette1:

 

[hello123]

does anyone know if nicotine gum or smokeless tobacco is bad for crohns disease - where the nicotine is absorbed through the gums ?

i read elsewhere about a patient with UC inquiring and they were advised that the actually had to "smoke" and they would not get the same benefits from a nicotine patch so i thought the reverse might apply for crohns disease ?

i found this but it is referring to crohns colitis(?) is that just "crohns disease" or something different ? (sorry for my poor understanding):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533102/

people with active "crohns colitis" were given "nicotine enemas" and there did not seem to be a detrimental effect as far as i gathered (?).

thanks!

 

[Jennifer]

As far as the "e-cigarette" - it *may* or *may not* be harmful but smoking NO nicotine e-cigs for awhile to help you quit smoking deadly cigarettes is waaaaaaaaaay better than not quitting!!! If you haven't been a smoker, you wouldn't realize (as much as a smoker) how difficult it is to give up.

Actually the study showed that it does cause lung damage but didn't really get into the extent of the damage. I believe that's because a long term study is needed but we'll have to wait on that. I do believe still that switching to an e-cigarette is less harmful than smoking cigarettes in general but I could be proven wrong over time, who knows. I have been a smoker and am currently dealing with quitting again. Last time I quit was with an e-cigarette alone.

 

[Sarah50]

Here's what I found about smoking and Crohn's.. it's one of many good articles to read about it:

"According to a report in the April issue of Gastroenterology, quitting seems to snuff out the painful flare-ups of this inflammatory bowel disease, a disease that is not only associated with pain, but also with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, and rectal bleeding."



"This is the first study to demonstrate that modifying smoking behavior in Crohn's disease patients can actually improve the long-term course and reduce the number of flare-ups when patients stop smoking," Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, tells WebMD after reviewing the study."

http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20010416/fight-fire-of-crohns-disease-quit-smoking

 

[Leopardos]

Thanks for the information guys...

my nicotine is forcing me to ask even more...
1st, I will ask my doctor about Chantix..
2nd, I just checked the tobbaco box (Apple flavor)
It has 0.50% nicotine...
Which will serve 2 times using the hookah... And each last for 1 to 2 hours smoking...
Is it too much for a crohen patients? 0.50% a day ....

 

[Sarah50]

Actually the study showed that it does cause lung damage but didn't really get into the extent of the damage. I believe that's because a long term study is needed but we'll have to wait on that. I do believe still that switching to an e-cigarette is less harmful than smoking cigarettes in general but I could be proven wrong over time, who knows. I have been a smoker and am currently dealing with quitting again. Last time I quit was with an e-cigarette alone.

Crabby, the e-cig might cause lung damage but I bet it was referring to the e-cig with a "nicotine" cartridge. I could be wrong. Either way, I used it off and on during the first year I quit smoking. It really, really helped!!! BUT... there is no way I could've quit without the Chantix! There were NO withdrawal symptoms this time quitting with Chantix. Before when I tried to quit, I was "climbing the walls", out of my mind, eating, yelling for no reason, bloated, gas, insomnia, oh my God - the withdrawal symptoms are what made me believe I'd never try it again!!! But having NO withdrawal with Chantix and feeling like I was still smoking eventhough there was no nicotine with the e-cig really shocked me... everyone around me was shocked that I quit so easily!! LOL!!

So this is why I highly recommend at least checking it out. I see that you're a smoker, Crabby - so you know I wish you the best on quitting!! :rosette1:

 

[Ihurt]

I myself am Not a smoker, but I honestly think that article stating that quitting smoking will snuff out painful flare-ups. That makes no sense at all since there are tons of people out there with crohn's who do NOT smoke at all. I mean I am sure that smoking cigarettes are not good for anyone at all, and much less for someone with a chronic illness. But to say that smoking is going to make everyone with crohns worse, I dont buy that.

My son who is 21 smokes cigarettes and I hate it, I have been on him to quit, I mean he has asthma for crying out loud! His best buddy has crohn's disease and he also smokes cigarettes. I asked him once if he thought he should quit due to the crohn's and he said it did not bother him at all. He was diagnosed with crohns when he was 16 or 17. He is also now 21 years old. He also told me he does Not take any medications at all for his crohns and he is doing well. He attributed his well being to smoking cannabis. Now obviously it is illegal over here in this state but everyone is doing it from what my son says! Not that I would ever encourage anyone to smoke cannabis, especially if it is illegal, but I know they have passed it for medical use in some states. If you live in one of those states, then maybe that would be a better option instead of cigarettes. But still, it cant be good for the lungs. Taking it in an oil or in food would be better...

Here's what I found about smoking and Crohn's.. it's one of many good articles to read about it:

"According to a report in the April issue of Gastroenterology, quitting seems to snuff out the painful flare-ups of this inflammatory bowel disease, a disease that is not only associated with pain, but also with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, and rectal bleeding."

 

[Sarah50]

Another great article about smoking and Crohn's.

"Researchers have known for a long time that people who have Crohn's disease are more likely to be smokers but that didn't prove that smoking caused or worsened Crohn's disease. Over the years the evidence has been mounting and now we can say without any doubt that smoking worsens Crohn's disease. If you are a smoker, the good news is that giving up smoking is as good as taking medicine to stop it from coming back. Quitters have a 65% lower risk of flare-up than continuing smokers. That is the kind of benefit conferred by drugs like Imuran. That is worth repeating - if you give up smoking, the benefit is as great as if you take medications to stop the disease from flaring up again. Put another way, you are less likely to need steroids or other immunosuppressive medications if you give up smoking."

http://www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au/smoking-and-crohns.php

I am also a good example of not only quitting easy, but I went into remission only after 6 weeks of being diagnosed with crohn's, put on Asacol and a low residue diet. I had very bad stomach aches (daily), extreme fatigue, nausea, vomitting, night sweats (nightly), weight loss, loss of appetite, sore joints (knees especially) and backaches. After 6 weeks, ALL my symptoms have disappeared and I am soooooo very greatful!!! I do believe that if I were smoking, I may not have had the same, fast success. Smoking prevents healing, as you smokers know. So however you can do it, *try* to quit.

Best wishes!!! :rosette1:

 

[nogutsnoglory]

You are still ingesting smoke into your lungs which puts you at risk for cancer, etc. If you have ulcerative colitis and already smoke they suggest you don't stop but with crohn's definitely stop. People with UC should not start smoking but research suggests those already smoking shouldn't stop since it may be helpful. Overall though its bad.

 

[Sarah50]

does anyone know if nicotine gum or smokeless tobacco is bad for crohns disease - where the nicotine is absorbed through the gums ?

i read elsewhere about a patient with UC inquiring and they were advised that the actually had to "smoke" and they would not get the same benefits from a nicotine patch so i thought the reverse might apply for crohns disease ?

i found this but it is referring to crohns colitis(?) is that just "crohns disease" or something different ? (sorry for my poor understanding):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533102/

people with active "crohns colitis" were given "nicotine enemas" and there did not seem to be a detrimental effect as far as i gathered (?).

thanks!

Hello, I'm sorry, I have no idea if a nicotine patch or gum is 'ok' as opposed to 'smoking' nicotine. My gut reaction is nicotine is bad, no matter how it's delivered but I don't know for a fact what you asked.

When they're talking about "crohns colitis", I believe they are referring to those people with ulcerative colitis as opposed to crohns. I have read that people with IBD/colitis get some benefit from smoking. Here's from an article I found:

"Research has shown that there is a connection between nicotine and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, what is puzzling is that smoking seems to have opposite effects on the two main forms of IBD -- ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

"Researchers have discovered that it is the nicotine in tobacco cigarettes that has a positive influence on symptoms of ulcerative colitis. It is theorized that the nicotine in cigarettes affects the smooth muscle inside the colon. This effect may alter gut motility (the rate at which food material moves through the GI tract)."


"Smoking cigarettes actually has a detrimental effect on Crohn's disease. People who smoke, or who have smoked in the past, have a higher risk of developing Crohn's disease than non-smokers. Crohn's disease patients that smoke have an increased number of relapses, repeat surgeries, and may require aggressive immunosuppressive treatment. People with Crohn's disease are strongly encouraged by their physicians to stop smoking in order to prevent flare-ups of the disease."

http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/ibdfaqs/a/smokingguts.htm

This article talks about nicotine patches but only how it relates to ulcerative colitis and not crohn's.

 

[hello123]

thanks for that sarah50,

in the article i posted, they refer to uclerative colitis as "(UC)" whereas the people in the test are referred to as having "(CD)" so i think it is a form of crohns disease (?).

 

[Sarah50]

My son who is 21 smokes cigarettes and I hate it, I have been on him to quit, I mean he has asthma for crying out loud! His best buddy has crohn's disease and he also smokes cigarettes. I asked him once if he thought he should quit due to the crohn's and he said it did not bother him at all. He was diagnosed with crohns when he was 16 or 17. He is also now 21 years old. He also told me he does Not take any medications at all for his crohns and he is doing well. He attributed his well being to smoking cannabis. Now obviously it is illegal over here in this state but everyone is doing it from what my son says! Not that I would ever encourage anyone to smoke cannabis, especially if it is illegal, but I know they have passed it for medical use in some states. If you live in one of those states, then maybe that would be a better option instead of cigarettes. But still, it cant be good for the lungs. Taking it in an oil or in food would be better..."




Ihurt, while googling smoking and crohn's, I came across this about smoking pot and crohn's:


O'Shaughnessy's, a scientific journal, published a study in its Autumn 2005 issue titled "Cannabis Alleviates Symptoms of Crohn's Disease," by Jeff Hergenrather, MD, that found:


"[Crohn's] patients described marked improvements with the use of cannabis.

Beneficial effects were reported for appetite, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, activity, and depression. Patients also reported that cannabis use resulted in weight gain, fewer stools per day and fewer flare-ups of less severity...

Cannabis-using Crohn's patients not only report significant relief of their symptoms, they are also able to reduce the amount of immunosuppressive medications that have been a mainstay of conventional treatment...

Crohn's disease is so debilitating and life-threatening and so difficult to manage with conventional medications it is very encouraging to find that cannabis is proving to be an effective treatment for it right now."


http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000138

 

[2thFairy]

Crohn's colitis is Crohn's disease in the colon. It is different from ulcerative colitis.

 

[Leopardos]

No one answered me ,

"Thanks for the information guys...

my nicotine is forcing me to ask even more...
1st, I will ask my doctor about Chantix..
2nd, I just checked the tobbaco box (Apple flavor)
It has 0.50% nicotine...
Which will serve 2 times using the hookah... And each last for 1 to 2 hours smoking...
Is it too much for a crohen patients? 0.50% a day ...."

Thanks again

 

[ctrl z]

Crohn's patients shouldn't smoke.

 

[Sarah50]

No one answered me ,

"Thanks for the information guys...

my nicotine is forcing me to ask even more...
1st, I will ask my doctor about Chantix..
2nd, I just checked the tobbaco box (Apple flavor)
It has 0.50% nicotine...
Which will serve 2 times using the hookah... And each last for 1 to 2 hours smoking...
Is it too much for a crohen patients? 0.50% a day ...."

Thanks again

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question. I will say if it means you're cutting way down on smoking, then that should help. BUT... it still is smoking nicotine and if you read any of the links/articles about smoking, you'll see that no smoking is the ultimate goal with having crohn's - if at all possible. Good luck!!!

 

[Jennifer]

No one answered me ,

"Thanks for the information guys...

my nicotine is forcing me to ask even more...
1st, I will ask my doctor about Chantix..
2nd, I just checked the tobbaco box (Apple flavor)
It has 0.50% nicotine...
Which will serve 2 times using the hookah... And each last for 1 to 2 hours smoking...
Is it too much for a crohen patients? 0.50% a day ...."

Thanks again

"The average cigarette in the United States contains about 9mg of nicotine. However, this is not the amount of nicotine that is ingested by the smoker. Cigarettes are burned and the smoke is inhaled by the person, so the nicotine is absorbed through the smoke. The amount of nicotine that actually enters the body in this manner is typically less than 1mg." http://www.ehow.com/about_5370963_much-nicotine-one-cigarette.html

The amount of nicotine may seem small but the method to get it still isn't healthy since you're still getting tar etc through the smoke. No where have I read any study suggesting that a little nicotine through smoking is ok for Crohn's, only Ulcerative Colitis.

 

[rollinstone]

Don't smoke nicotine if you got Crohn's. Marijuana on the other hand, is quite beneficial in my opinion.

 

[MikeAndreson]

Hello everyone...

Seems I will hang with you guys abit since I got diagnosed with Crohns disease yesterday,
I love smoking, I know it's bad for health and all, but I can't live without smoking,
I smoke 1 box a day ( 20 cigarettes ) ...

the doctors told me a very horrible stories of what could happen if I keep smoking..
Are they right? Could 1 to 5 cigarettes a day effect me too?

If so,

Is it ok to smoke Hooka (which Known as Sheesha or waterpipe too) ?
It has no nicotine ... And apple flavor...


Thanks

Well the Shisha hookah are incredible to try, they hardly have much health hazards as compared to other tobacco products.

 

[bettyboop12]

Sorry for jumping on this one, related to the smoking aspect of it..

Is it the nicotine and/or tar (and gunk) that is harmful to crohns?

I have given up the cigs but still on patches. Less stomach cramps and rushing to the loo now but wondered if the nicotine even has an effect on crohns as well then I could optimistically think that my symptoms will get even better once I come off the patches too.

 

[Jennifer]

Sorry for jumping on this one, related to the smoking aspect of it..

Is it the nicotine and/or tar (and gunk) that is harmful to crohns?

I have given up the cigs but still on patches. Less stomach cramps and rushing to the loo now but wondered if the nicotine even has an effect on crohns as well then I could optimistically think that my symptoms will get even better once I come off the patches too.

Nicotine itself seems to prove beneficial for active disease in patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Colitis.
http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/ibdfaqs/a/smokingguts.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533102/

However this study on rats compares inflammation in the small intestine vs inflammation in the colon. The results found that nicotine itself was beneficial for inflammation in the colon but had the opposite effect in the small intestine causing more harm than good.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11317692/?i=4&from=/10579118/related

In this first think I provided it says, "It is theorized that the nicotine in cigarettes affects the smooth muscle inside the colon. This effect may alter gut motility (the rate at which food material moves through the GI tract)." Thus far I haven't found another study that talks about this further. If you find one please share it. Thus far with my research, if you have colon involvement then its possible that nicotine will help while the disease is active but does not have the same effect for involvement in the small intestine or anywhere else but the colon.