[Luckystar]

I gave up smoking 2 and a half years ago. I was officially diagnosed with IBS about a year ago (with symptoms occurring for years before that). Anyway, having thought about this, my IBS was more D based when I smoked. Since stopping, my IBS is now C based. I'm not saying that stopping smoking has made me constipated by any means, but it's just an interesting observation ESPECIALLY as i quite often have to smoke a shisha/hookah pipe to instigate a BM - and 95% of the time after smoking the pipe, i have a very successful BM. Is tabacco/flavoured mollasses a type of laxative? I do recall in my cigarrette smoking days that i would very often have a BM in the morning after my morning smoke...

 

[Kathleen M.]

Nicotine is a stimulant, like caffeine.So it can get the bowels moving because it stimulates things.

 

[MickeyT13]

I quit smoking in January and almost immediately my IBS went from D to C. I didn't even realize it until a non-IBS friend of mine (who also quit smoking a few years ago) pointed it out to me. Funny how I never attributed BMs with cigarettes.

 

[overitnow]

While cigs were the first, and quite obvious, trigger for my D, sadly, quitting had no effect. I think the damage was too far along at that point.Mark

 

[clareuk]

I also gave up smoking after 10 years and at the time with full blown ibs d I thought it might help. it didn't make any difference to me I still had the diarrhea. However it did give me the determination to give up which I probably wouldn't have had otherwise.

 

[Tiss]

I have a ciggie every morning with my coffee and it helps to get things going. I don't smoke any other time.

 

[screeb]

In my procedure to get my stomach and bowels going, I used to smoke a cigarette 10 mins. before starting, but I found that the smoking cessation pill, Zyban works just as well. Haven't you heard about cigarettes: those things will kill you.

 

[Gmonkey]

Smoking is linked to serotonin production. It does help constipation.I forget how and why.Not a good idea to smoke though.