Smoking with Crohns

[DrewT]

Hey guys, I've had crohns since I was 13 and I am now age 25. I recently flaired resulting in a 4 day trip to the hospital and lost a ton of blood. The flair happened while I was smoking and it scared me so I stopped when I was in the hospital.

2 days after getting out of the hospital my girlfriend of 5 years broke up with me. 5 days after she broke up with me she moved on already and I'm hurting really bad.

I smoked for 5 years of my life before the flair and it's been about 3 and half weeks since I smoked a cigarette but at this point I feel I'm going insane. I wouldn't care as much because I would be feeding into the addiction but from I'm afraid I would flair again. While I was smoking cigarettes I never had any issues until I quit for a few months in the summer of 2015 while not having insurance or any medicine.

I recently lost my dad in September and my brother needs a heart transplant so I'm extremely vulnerable about that and with the breakup/flair I feel having a couple would just help me and give me the confidence I need to get back to myself.



Should I smoke or could this cause me to go into a full flair again? I'm on 20 mg prednisone and 2000 mg pentasa daily. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[Nym]

Hi drew, really sorry about your situation. Smoking is very acidic to the body, something someone with crohn's doesn't need more of. I smoked on and off - sometimes giving up for many yrs - and was always worse off health-wise when smoking. Try doing something positive, maybe make a health-boosting smoothie rather than soothing your system with something negative. It's surely bound to make you feel much better!

 

[ronroush7]

Agree

 

[leloupaccroupi]

I'm sorry to hear about such a unfortunate train of events, I caved and had just a couple puffs of a coworkers dart after a busy dinner service the other night and not smoking with Crohn's for like a solid year and it absolutely DESTROYED my system. Same thing, bad D lost a little blood, thankfully not enough to have to take a trip down to the ER for a transfusion but enough nonetheless. It sucks to have to let go of a vice for stress, especially when inflammation is already wreaking havoc on your nervous system, but it will do you a ton of good in the long run on many fronts to push it aside. If you have a spare hour or two, and any energy whatsoever, take a trip, push some weights and if you're into video games at all I find they help dish out some stress paired with physical activity. Sounds ridiculous but it's helped me thus far.

Hope you feel better soon man,

Keenan

 

[David]

As said by others, the data says stop smoking if you have Crohn's. It really is that simple.

 

[fuzzy butterfly]

Hi DrewT i stopped smoking just over 2yrs ago after an ileostomy. I went on the electronic cigs and have been fine with those. May not suit everyone but has kept my sanity without any issues. Best wishes

 

[bren110568]

Its so hard , I have smoked on and off for years. But my dr does say it is way worse for us then other people, good luck

 

[everthin]

Smoking impedes healing, makes it take longer, longer means possibly more scar tissue? :shifty:

I'm so sorry about your relationship.:sorry: :hang: Hang out with other supportive folks, family, friends, I know bad habits are hard to break. :tear:

 

[PrincessPaint]

Drew, I understand.
I smoked for 7 years and didn't quit until 2 years after my diagnosis.

Smoking won't give you the control you desire. If you quit, you will have accomplished something and returned your power!

It's not easy. But I really believe anyone can quit. You get to choose. This is YOUR life.