# Can smoking help IBS?



## hellolnd

I looked/googled and saw a lot of things about smoking cigarettes making IBS worse, but is it at all possible they could help?I started smoking in January when I moved to London, and I remember vaguely wondering if smoking could help IBS because I noticed on the days I did smoke my stomach felt way better. Then I started smoking more and more, and the whole time I was in London my stomach was fine. I could eat whatever I wanted, I was never constipated or had D. (I have both symptoms.) Literally, it was like I didn't have IBS at all for 5 months.I quit when I moved back to the states, and ever since my stomach has been HORRIBLE. The past two weeks have been awful, and it JUST occurred to me today that maybe this could be why. I talked to my doctor before, and we talked about diet change, etc. and my diet has been the same, I've exercised more and drank less alcohol since being back, so there's no reason I should be so sick. The only major difference is that I quit smoking. Is it possible the cigarettes were what was keeping my IBS in check? I want to quit smoking because of all of the horrible consequences, but every day since I've been back I've ended up curled in my bed with the worst cramps, feeling so incredibly ill.


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## Kathleen M.

For some people who go back and forth between C and D controlling the C is the key to keeping things under control. If you don't back up, you don't go into "flush mode" with diarrhea.Nicotine is a stimulant and can speed things up and prevent the constipation.Do you do anything to prevent the constipation other than smoking? Like an osmotic laxative daily to keep from getting constipated?


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## WonkyColon

Smoking can make IBS worse because you swallow air when you smoke (whether you mean to or not). If you have IBS-D, it makes it worse because it has a laxative effect.The nicotine can temporarily make you able to poop if you have IBS-C, but there are obviously much healthier ways to treat C. Look into using an osmotic laxative or a good soluble fiber supplement. Congrats on quitting smoking-- it's a big step!


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## TheIBSExperience

Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health.


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## overitnow

I smoked for 30 years. After 25 years I had created enough inflammation to begin a daily D and GERD for the next 10 years. Even after quitting for 5 years, the D and GERD stlll continued, worse than ever. (I was "prepared to die"; but no one ever told me about chronic D and acid reflux, not to mention male smokers impotence I would endure.) Then there are the vascular buildups smoking will cause, that will lead to heart attacks. Then there is lung cancer. Mark


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## Tiss

OK, first of all everybody knows that smoking is bad for you. That said, I smoke 1 cigarette in the morning with my coffee after I take 1/2 pill of zelnorm. I also take magnesium and vitamin C at night. I chew some nicorette at night and that is also a stimulant. Maybe try to chew a little nicorette in the morning and that might help without smoking.


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## AngelineK

It might but I would try other options because smoking is absolutely awful for you


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## mndbnks

Just staying at my aunt and uncles when I was a kid for the summer made my IBS flare up because they smoked a lot. My aunt didn't believe me, but I felt like ####.


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## anonymous313

mndbnks said:


> Just staying at my aunt and uncles when I was a kid for the summer made my IBS flare up because they smoked a lot. My aunt didn't believe me, but I felt like ####.


I have been contemplating this for one specific reason, whether or not you choose to smoke all day or not is one thing, but when I was a smoker I would have a cigarette in the morning, and as people say, it would cause D. However, I would have 1-2 more and when I would smoke and no BM, I was good to go.Now I go to the bathroom multiple times, and I have no way to "test" if I have emptied my gut like the cigarette did.Unfortunately I quit through Electric Cigarettes as well, and the reason I quit those is that they did not have the same effect as the regular cigarette (hence making me wonder if nicorette would also fail as well).Just my .02


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## Illuminated_Morning*Star

Interesting connection I have made here in my own research. I would answer your question with a "yes" tobacco helps. I am a laymen, not md, more eastern medicine, spiritual, non religion. I don't believe in what others tell me, I find out for myself. so check it out for yourself...

Nicotine is an alkaloid. It is also a night shade (meaning - acid lover). While I was looking at Loperamide over the counter - OTC (Imodium) as a possible fix for my IBS symptoms to settle gut spasms I found that Loperamide the active ingredient is an opioid drug similer to opiate drugs id est / I.E. Morphine, Coedine, ect... and it is physically adictive. How this is OTC is bizarre, it is illegal in Pakistan leading Poppy producer world wide, go figure. Now, we know Loperamide is opiod drug. We also know it is a derivative of piperidine. If you look up piperidine you will find that tobacco or nicotine falls under this category compound type, as well as black pepper, poison hemlock, egg plant, ect... As a side note it is also interesting to know these all are night shade plants. Night shades tend to cause acid reflux in many people who have GERD type issues. Now look up Helicobacter pylori and you will find this is a bacteria that is found in many IBS sufferers in high levels in the large and small intestines as well as in the stomach. When acid levels are depleted or removed all together from either a H-2 reducer like Pepcid or Zantac, or a proton pump inhibitor like Prilosec or Prevacid this bacteria is not killed off by stomach acid and therefore thrives causing little critters to eat and digest your food before you can, drop fecal matter into your gut, and methane with that all of which will cause gas.

This is all theory I must remind. But let me ask you this; when smokers stop smoking, what do they replace smoking with, and what happens? Eating, weight gain. When smokers still smoked they would always have a smoke after eating and most would say "it helps digestion", most smokers are thin.

This has been a bunch of rambling by a none tobacco user who instead uses a nigh shade plant our species has used since before recorded history "tree of knowledge of good and evil" which tends to help my symptoms a great deal, why do you think cancer patients use it for nausea.

One thing remains clear. Instinct is natural. Pharma is manufactured and controlled. Humans purpose in life is not to be controlled. Inhale exhale know freedom and choice. Ask John Galt, he will tell you.


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## ClarissaB

Hi Hellolnd,

I will give you an answer according to my experience not some stupid answer like "smoking is bad for you" like you're an idiot & don't know that. I wake in unbearable pain every single morning. When I smoke my 1st cigarette when first waking, in order to "get things moving" it makes my pain worse. I've considered not smoking in the morning but I do need it for the constipation but it does make my pain worse. Your experience sounds like it was a good one. If I could find something that would give me relief, like drinking which I don't do, I would stick with it. Anything to get rid of the pain.

I wish you all the best!!!

Take care,
Clarissa


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