[14597]

I quit smoking and soon after my stomach pain increased... Has this happened to anyone else?The doctor claimed that it was probably because cigarettes are a simple depressant that kept me calm and hence lessened my IBS.

 

[Paula J.]

I think cigarettes probably do have some good effects, but you could get the same with a nerve pill, but they won't usually give those kinds too readily.

 

[stefdoe]

Are you doing anything else to relieve your stress? I quit smoking cigarettes 4/96 and used the patch for a few months afterward, then got all kinds of digestive problems 10/96. Granted I did some rounds of Accutane in the years before I quit smoking, so I don't know for sure what caused my problems. However, smoking cigarettes was a way for me to deal with stress. When I quit smoking, I didn't find a replacement (i.e., exercise,etc). I'm not trying to scare you, but you haven't seen blood or anything have you? Ironically, smokers are less likely to develop UC. I did not know this when I developed UC, but if I did I would have picked those cigarettes right back up as quick as I could. Doctors have told me UC isn't as bad as the potential dangers of smoking, but I got NO LIFE now and I'd like them or anyone else to live a week in my body before they judge me.I'm not trying to tell you to smoke or not to smoke that is a personal decision. Just make sure you have some ways to deal with stress and watch what your body is telling you.

 

[overitnow]

I smoked for 30 years and it was one of the principle causes of my d, GERD, gastritus, cardiovascular blockages and hopefully that will be all. The magic day my d started, three cigs in the morning brought on three immediate explosions. (I'm a slow learner.) It still took me 5 more yeears to completely quit. I do remember a little more rawness when I finally got rid of them which eventually passed; but while it didn't stop the digestive and bowel problems, at least I wasn't further insulting my poor digestive system. Further experience suggests that the vascular problems have contributed mightely to my d and correcting one has corrected the other. (One of the things no one tells you is that the free radicals in cigs are so plentiful that they will do damage to the lining of your arteries. Once that happens, cholesterol in the blood stream will be attracted to patch the lesions. That will set up a slight obstruction which will continue to encourage those buildups. Where those buildups occur can effect various functions in the body.)Unlike stefdoe, I am trying to tell you to not smoke. We were stupid to start and if you can quit, you will look back upon that decision as incredibly important. Mark

 

[bushja1]

Well, I quit smoking 4 months ago and I have noticed an increase in gas and my D has become worse. I'm hoping that my body is adjusting and these side affects will lessen. I'm certainly not thinking about starting up again, because as bad as IBS is, lung cancer, heart disease , etc. are worse.

 

[Bowiegirl]

I wish I could quit smoking. The fact is...I could quit right now because I am down to around 3 or 4 cigs a day. It is the mental aspect for me. I am so stupid for smoking. My dad has had 2 heart attacks (age 45 and 48) from smoking. I have to hide from my kids to do it. I don't want them to see me because I believe children learn by what you say and what you do. I can tell them "don't smoke", but then when I go and smoke that sends a bad message. I'm just confused. It stresses me to do it because I am constantly looking around the corner to see if my mom pulls up or if my kids are coming out the door. What do I have to do to get it through my head to quit? You would think that with my family history (not to mention I had a melanoma taken off my back a couple of years ago) and the extra stress to even smoke that it would be easy. Damn addictions!!

 

[overitnow]

Tgirl: Before I finally buried the habit I would only smoke 3-4 a day at work, never at home or around my wife. (She had quit some years before me.) This also meant that I would have to quit every weekend. It wasn't until we moved and were both out of work in a new city that I was finally able to make a complete break. There was no way to keep it hidden anymore when we were always together. Perhaps there is someone you so respect that you can use them much as I used my wife as the final block on my activity. The recurring quitting also helped, as I knew what to expect...I was going through it weekly.As I mentioned above, I was able to treat both my cardiovascular conditions (I have a bunch of the danger signs in me and throughout my family, too) and my IBS with the same flavonoid supplement. There is a real possibility that you may have the same cigarette caused conditions that I have. If stopping cholesterol buildup and (maybe) your IBS is important, drop me a line. Whatever else you do, do find a way to stoop those last cigs. You will be ever so glad you did.Mark

 

[Bowiegirl]

Thanks for the reply Mark. You seem so sincere. It's funny how you mention finding that one special person to help block this. When I was pregnant I put the cigs down without a hitch. I knew I could not smoke because my love for that child was more than my love for the cigarettes. Maybe if I program my mind to focus on my children the same way then that will be my "kicker". I know I have to quit so I can live longer for them. Thanks for the advise and good luck in your life and health.

 

[bushja1]

I think it helps having a support group to quit. My girlfriend and I both quit at the same time. Now it's kind of gotten to be a competition. We're both too stubborn to fail. I will say the 3rd month was harder than the first 2 for some reason. Things are getting easier now. I just wish my intestines would go back to their normal bad selves. They have gotten worse.

 

[Paula J.]

Many times kids do the opposite of the parents, trying to find their own identity.

 

[21438]

texasgirl,I quit 5 weeks ago. It hasnt been too bad, I'm surprising myself! I noticed that you seemed stressed out by smoking and getting caught and worrying about your kids...I bet you say that you smoke to de-stress?!! It would be alot less stressful to quit then you wouldnt be worrying. Worrying brings on my IBS. When I quit i noticed that my constant nausea went away.Do it for your kids, they don't want to see you ill from smoking, can you imagine how they would feel if you got cancer? I know thats an absolutley terrible and shocking thing to say, but think about it for one millsecond and you'll give up and never look back, I promise you.

 

[Bowiegirl]

You are right. I do always contribute my habit as a "stress reliever", but it seems to add to my stress instead of help it. Maevem-How long did you smoke before you quit?

 

[bonniei]

Apparently when you smoke and are between cigarettes the nicotine levels fall and you suffer from the stress of abstinence and having a smoke merely deletes that stress. So smokers in addition to normal strssses in their lives also feel the stress of depleted nicotine levels between smoking and thus feel more than average stress. If you give up smokingthen that additional stress is removed. I just read that herehttp://www.planetpsych.com/zPsychology_101...king_stress.htm and I think I am going to quit right now.

 

[20776]

dear agcohen,i smoke and figured out that nicotine speeds up your dugestion and causes any bowel discomfort to increase for a little while.

 

[nj_jaguar_lady]

I was just told by my doctor that if I don't quit smoking immediately my esophagus will be in serious trouble.

I've been smoking for 30 years, I'm 50, and was just diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus. My reflux is at it's worst and the doctor won't even consider surgery until I've quit smoking. He says the smoking plays a major part with reflux and IBS. They have run out of medicines to give me so it's a little scary now. I will quit this weekend. I have put my mind to doing it so I'm hoping I will have an easy time of it. All I have to do is think of my insides and how rotted they are becoming. Good luck to all that quit and to those of us who are trying.

 

[overitnow]

Glad to hear that you are making the break. It took me to almost 50 to completely quit, so I know how stubborn we can be, even in the face of this. Nice to read your doctor's comments. It's unfortunate that more people on the Board don't make that connection. I'm sure it was a key to my condition. (It is interesting how these problems have ballooned in the aftermath of the explosion of cigarette addiction in the 60s and 70s.) It is also a big contributor to cardiovascular blockages. Anyone who has smoked as long as we have will have some established. The sooner you quit, the sooner you can work on reducing those.The good news is that you can go even further, once you get this behind you. 10 years older than you, my health and vitality continue to improve, and if I don't kill myself at the gym, I'm gonna live a good, long time. You can, too.Stay with it.Mark