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Smoking: does it help or hurt UC?

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pancake

04/06/2020 at 21:33

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pancake

Last activity on 19/04/2023 at 13:30

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Hi, I was talking with a friend from my UC group on Facebook and she was telling me that quitting smoking can flare up UC and make it worse. Has anyone heard of this? Are any of you smokers?

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Courtney_J

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05/06/2020 at 11:46

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Courtney_J

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Last activity on 13/10/2022 at 16:47

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@pancake Hello pancake, thank you for starting this discussion. Let me tag some member who can maybe weigh in on this topic.

Hello everyone, how are you today? Have you heard anything about the impact of cigarette smoking on ulcerative colitis? Does it help it or hurt it? Are you a current or former smoker yourself? Feel free to share your thoughts with us here!
@Teddysmum‍ @Fahima44‍ @kentishmagic‍ @Stonenessa‍ @MariaannT‍ @JC1969‍ @Paingoaway‍ @Dawn6791‍ @MariaannT‍ @JC1969‍ @Paingoaway‍ @Dawn6791‍ @Caro62‍ @AlisonFox‍ @Karen.‍ @Svetik‍ @keithjohn‍ @Marnie64‍

Take care,
Courtney

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Courtney_J, Community Manager, Carenity UK

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 11:46:22

Unregistered member

05/06/2020 at 11:50

Hey @Courtney_J‍ I’m a current smoker I find that I do get pain whilst smoking but on the other hand it does help me go to toliet sometimes. I’m just on the end of another flare up (3rd one in 2 months) and at the moment it isn’t helping😫

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 11:50:36

JC1969

05/06/2020 at 11:58

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JC1969

Last activity on 08/06/2020 at 13:17

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4 comments posted | 4 in the Ulcerative colitis Forum

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@Courtney_J I was a smoker when I was younger & within a few months of packing in, I was diagnosed with UC. My gp at the time commented that there was an (unsubstantiated) article in the Lancet that there were suggestions that nicotine could keep uc symptoms at bay. He was not suggesting I smoke again it was more of a fly away comment.

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 11:58:16

pancake

05/06/2020 at 11:59

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pancake

Last activity on 19/04/2023 at 13:30

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@MariaannT Yes, I smoke too and I hadn't thought it about it really, and then when we were talking my friend showed me a few articles and it said that can help with symptoms, and once people quit it launches them into a flare up. Doesn't really help motivate me to quit!

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 11:59:40

cactus

05/06/2020 at 12:03

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cactus

Last activity on 21/06/2023 at 17:04

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@JC1969 @pancake @MariaannT Wow this is so very interesting to me. I think at one point my GP mentioned to me too that research was showing that the reverse was true for Crohn's. That it really irritates it and can even make one more likely to develop it.

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 12:03:32

Caro62

05/06/2020 at 12:08

Caro62

Last activity on 08/05/2021 at 15:25

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@Courtney_J‍ I started displaying symptoms of UC 1 month after giving up smoking. Maybe coincidental I dont know.

I was 56 at the time and had smoked for most of my life.

Caroline x

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Caroline

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 12:08:30

Unregistered member

05/06/2020 at 12:11

@pancake yeh I have read that to! I wanted to give up but if it will cause another flare up I think I’ll carry on 😅 I stopped last year when I was pregnant and I had a flare up then ( didn’t have the dignoses then) so I just thought it was pregnancy but I guess it could be because I stopped because it was right at the beginning !

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 12:11:27

JC1969

05/06/2020 at 12:28

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JC1969

Last activity on 08/06/2020 at 13:17

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@cactus I'm going back over 25 years ago. I struggle to remember my own age sometimes 🤦‍♀️ but distinctly remember this conversation.

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-05 12:28:00

Unregistered member

06/06/2020 at 07:14

Yes when I gave up 8 years ago this is when my Crohns started doctor says that smoking underlined the problem

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-06 07:14:05

JC1969

07/06/2020 at 12:19

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JC1969

Last activity on 08/06/2020 at 13:17

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@Caro62 I was about 25, had smoked heavily since 16. So not a relatively long time but I had a huge flare up when I stopped.

Smoking: does it help or hurt UC? https://www.carenity.co.uk/forum/ulcerative-colitis/living-with-ulcerative-colitis/smoking-3439 2020-06-07 12:19:53

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