Reddit thread snapshot: 1o8l3m2
source_class: reddit-thread ingested: 2026-06-29 backend: opencli reddit read
- author: kryptikguy
score: 86
text: >-
Three Day Smoking Update - PLEASE DO NOT START SMOKING!
[ORIGINAL POST, FOR CONTEXT](https://www.reddit.com/r/UlcerativeColitis/s/HocL15cxBC)
[RECENT POST, SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS](https://www.reddit.com/r/UlcerativeColitis/s/c7bzh5tzJw)
To start off, for all those that said I didn’t know what I was talking about and that cigarettes could not help UC,
I’m still 100% symptom free. I had a few folks mention they would be willing to smoke cigarettes if they could also
get relief. I can’t emphasize this strongly enough… **DON’T START SMOKING**. Here is why I say that.
As I’ve mentioned in prior posts, I started smoking 15 years ago to control UC. I saw near immediate results, and
achieved deep remission for the entire 15 years following that I smoked. I didn’t care why, I just enjoyed living
my life. **THIS WILL NOT BE THE CASE FOR EVERYONE**. I stopped smoking in May of this year, and within six weeks I
was in another flare. It continued to get worse, and this past week I decided to smoke a single cigarette before
bed one night. The horrible eczema that had developed, as well as all UC symptoms, literally disappeared
overnight. I woke up the next morning completely rash free, and had a normal BM. No blood, no mucous, just a nice
clean poop. Even the toilet paper was clean. Miracle, right? Not exactly. This time, I wanted to know why. So
I’ve spent the last two days doing deep research.
It turns out not all Ulcerative Colitis is created equal. There are different subtypes. This is quite possibly why
some medicines work for some people, and not for others. Some medicines might make symptoms worse for people. It
could also explain why medicines work for varying lengths of time, and then stop, as the immune response to certain
triggers shifts. My research so far, based on searching for info on what I have experienced prior as well as what
I’m experiencing now, point to my Ulcerative Colitis being a specific subtype. One that is an unusually
neuroimmune-sensitive subtype. That
... [truncated]
type: POST
- author: Absorbe
score: 32
text: >-
I was in remission for years when I smoked a pack a day. Still … I’d rather not get lung cancer. 10 years since my
last cigarette.
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 6
text: ' > Hopefully you’ve found what keeps you in remission. If it ever fails, talk to your Gastro about NRT. In my case, one cigarette literally flipped the switch overnight. The patches were slow rolling it, but cigarettes are like a nicotine enema into your brain. If your medications fail, nicotine patches or gum might be enough to help you out. Especially if you were in complete remission while smoking all those years like I was while I was smoking.'
type: L1
- author: Opal2catherine
score: 17
text: >-
This was a good read. I had no idea that there are subtypes for UC now I’m wondering what kind of tests can be done
to determine subtype. I guess it makes sense like different things can cause the same disease, works the same with
mental illness which I’m much more in the know about. I know you said this was your last post but it doesn’t need to
be. I’d be interested to see some of the sources you used in your research. I could potentially take them to my
doctor and see what she thinks. I think you have a pretty nuanced understanding of the whole thing which is
something I appreciate. Anyway thanks for posting!!
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 8
text: |2-
> I started off by researching what effects nicotine could have on the immune system. Then I looked into how the immune system relates to UC. Then how the immune system relates to eczema. I noticed a Th2 cytokine, IL-4, being common to both UC inflammation as well as atopic dermatitis inflammation. I read that nicotine can suppress that particular cytokine, or increase it, and sensitivity to nicotine can amplify that one way or the other. That explains why some people respond well to nicotine, and others go the opposite way.
>
> I smoked one cigarette, which is like a nicotine enema to the brain, and it turned off both UC inflammation as well as eczema inflammation literally overnight for me. That indicates that my inflammation was immune activation, rather than deep ulceration. That could be a very positive prognosis for me, and one that would not require biologics to manage my disease. I intend to talk more in detail about all of this at my Gastro appointment in December, but that explains why I was able to achieve and maintain 100% clinical remission with no abnormal symptoms for so long with no medications whatsoever. It also explains why I flared the way I did when I quit, how the patches were getting me back to normal, and then the one cigarette turned it all off so quickly.
>
> I suspect there are many folks out there that are asymptomatic while smoking that are likely in the same boat. I guess the amount of cigarettes needed to reverse symptoms would dictate the level of sensitivity to the nicotine. But, hell, I could be completely off base about all of it. What do I know? I’m just a schmuck with an internet connection, lol.
>
> Edit: Sorry, I just realized I never posted any sources like you asked for. The following is an interesting article that discusses the possible underlying issues that trigger the immune response and pathology of Ulcerative Colitis. It highlights possible reasons why all molecular targeted therapies have roughly the s...
type: L1
- author: ThatMeasurement6619
score: 12
text: Please don’t leave the group or stop contributing. I’ve found your comments very cathartic.
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 4
text: ' > Thank you for your kind words! I’ll still be around, feel free to shoot me a message any time!'
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+1 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: Salty-Refrigerator86
score: 12
text: |-
But nicotine patches could help.
Why last post? Keep sharing
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 16
text: |2-
> Yeah, I mentioned in my post that nicotine patches should be able to help. I’ve been wearing them for the last 12 days, and was seeing positive results. They were just slow, and I’ve got a trip coming up, so I needed a bit of a turbo boost. Hence, grabbing the cigarettes again. I’ll need to come up with a plan to transition properly so as not to shock my system so violently. This is absolutely my plan. I don’t want these cigarettes in my body at all, which is why I stopped smoking back in May.
>
> Why last post? Because I got a shit ton of hate for my last one, especially when I mentioned not wanting to go on biologics. This sub seems to be overly biased towards them, and I’m not here to ruffle feathers. I just didn’t want to leave my last post as my final word touting cigarettes. I’d hate to think I contributed to someone getting sicker because of my shared experience.
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+2 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: Ky3031
score: 9
text: >-
As someone who grew up with parents addicted to nicotine, I also stand strong on please don’t start smoking!
If you asked my parents when they started, they would say they’d never smoke in the house. By the time I was 7, they
smoked in the car, in the house with the windows closed, I was an elementary schooler smelling like they smoked a
pack before school started. I lost friends since they couldn’t stand the smell of me or my house. Also I can’t even
recall the amount of times we were somewhere fun (amusement or water park) and would have to physically exit the
park every one for 30mins to they could have a smoke break if there was no smoking areas.
Absolutely made me resent them. It’s not a good habit to start, and as someone with UC, it will be all too easy to
light one up inside when you’re in pain and don’t feel good or it’s cold outside etc
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 4
text: ' > I agree with you 100%. I smoked for the last 15 years, and my kids have never seen me smoke a cigarette. I don’t even carry them with me. I only smoke alone out back at my cooking station with a large outdoor fan blowing the smoke away from me. I’m fortunate enough to own a beautiful home, and I would never even smoke near my garage if one of the doors were open. Hell, I wear a latex glove when I smoke, because I can’t stand the smell of it on myself. I would never impose that on my family, especially on my children.'
type: L1
- author: '[deleted]'
score: 1
text: ' > [deleted]'
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+1 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: Data-Gold
score: 10
text: >-
I don't believe it's the nicotine that protects against UC. I started getting UC symptoms after I stopped smoking
and was using nicotine patches and gum. Smoking does have a protective effect against UC, and I've personally had
several doctors confirm this. I just think it is linked to something specific to smoking.
Some studies have pointed to carbon monoxide, and a recent one to Streptococcus. I'd be interested in seeing how
your UC is after completely switching from cigarettes to only nicotine.
This was posted to this sub a few weeks ago.
[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250919085235.htm](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250919085235.htm)
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 3
text: |2-
> I have read those same studies, and I was leaning towards believing it was a non nicotine component of the smoking that was helping me. Looking into it further, neither the carbon monoxide in my blood nor the streptococcus bacteria making its way to my gut from just one cigarette would be enough to calm a full flare overnight. It definitely wouldn’t explain the disappearance of the eczema overnight. That is what put me on the path of the neuro-immune suppression. I suppose the carbon monoxide or streptococcus could also block some type of cytokine. That will require more reading to see if there are any common links between either of those and the eczema as well.
>
> I’m only sharing what I discovered so that others don’t see my prior posts and think that smoking is the only way. All of us have different underlying causes for this disease, and as such we all have different levels of response to various therapies. I switched to vaping for a couple of years, and never saw any significant change in my level of remission. Some foods would often upset my stomach, but that could have been any number of things. I switched back to cigarettes after my cardiologist said smoking was less harmful to my cardiovascular system than vaping. She said smoking causes somewhat repairable damage, whereas vape chemicals can cause irreparable damage to arteries.
type: L1
- author: Long-Community-9694
score: 6
text: >-
I HATE that you say this is your last post! Dude, everyone HAS their own story that no one can steal.
YOU, my friend has a beautiful word flow that we all can appreciate.
The knowledge and your research/effort taking the time to explain things most of us never knew IS incredible. Adding
your experience with whatever works for you van force us all to ask our docs to be more informative about each ones
"subtype" and what it all means.
All of us shit in the same bowl it feels like. You have made alot sense and I wanted you to know, "I", we or whoever
read your post and reading this are grateful for the time and passion that you were willing to share. Please don't
go.
I personally, enjoy your writings and also am interested in your diet and supplements. THAT in itself IS huge.
I am struggling tryin to get my shit right. - Literally.
A year of collagenous colitis with villous atrophy is all I know by not my doc, my own research, its caused by
nsaids, my pantoprazole and sadly, my smoking 3-5 a day for years. Praying it does not turn into UC which possible.
Ive gotta give up all 3- which first two have and its hell with arthritis AND dental work coming, Down to 2 cigs a
day.
Gotta give up caffeine, gluten, lactose and get a wicked low FODmap diet or I feel like shit and have "blow outs."
Its wrecking my life so point is--- YOUR stuff is giving me a "time out" than having OCD, depression, anxiety, etc
of MY own bullshit.Give yourself some credit, Man, you are a great reporter/writer and you being cured however you
are doing it, is amazing! Nothing wrong with shouting to the world. Thank you kindly- do not GO, we do enjoy the
reads and the way you write giving us hope that there can be light somewhere- and you are living our dream in
remission🙂
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 1
text: |2-
> Your words are far too kind, thank you so much!
>
> It’s ironic how boring my diet is, because I love cooking all kinds of fun meals for my family. I have never been one to eat for pleasure, though. I eat only out of necessity. I do weekly food prep, as I find that easier to incorporate into my often hectic lifestyle. My diet has nothing to do with being Ulcerative Colitis friendly, as while in remission I can eat anything I please. It’s more because I’m a creature of habit, and it’s convenient to always just grab the same basic foods for myself at the grocery store.
>
> For protein, I alternate daily between smoked salmon and smoked mahi mahi, around 14-16oz. I season with fresh herbs, spices, lemon, and occasionally low sodium seasonings. Maybe once a month I’ll do grilled chicken instead. For a starch I prefer Jasmine rice cooked in bone broth. Every other week I’ll make homemade mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes to mix things up. For a vegetable I go with steamed broccoli, slow roasted carrots, or steamed spinach. Sometimes a brussel sprout or two might make their way into the steam pot. That’s pretty much it. Once a month I’ll cook something horrible for myself as a cheat meal. Reverse seared steak, crab legs, smoked ribs, Wagyu burgers, whatever. I generally only eat one meal per day, around 2pm. I snack on bananas, pears, oranges, etc. I usually keep a bowl of almonds on my desk to munch on. I haven’t had fast food in over a decade, and nearly as long for restaurant food. No refined sugar, no caffeine, no artificial sweetened anything. I primarily drink only water, around 145oz daily. I also drink 32oz of organic coconut water for the electrolytes. In the morning I mix mint tea and Tumeric tea, sweetened with organic honey. In the evening I have a ginger-lemon probiotic tea sweetened with organic honey.
>
> I have recently incorporated homemade double fermented kefir milk and Greek yogurt daily for my probiotic load. For prebiotics I ...
type: L1
- author: codykabob17
score: 3
text: >-
I was in the same boat. I smoked for around 8 years and they were the best 8 years of my life (UC wise). Was in
complete remission, normal bowel movements, healthy weight, etc. I quit smoking per my wife’s wishes, due to my
father in law having a double lung transplant.
I was in the hospital for a week shortly after quitting with the worst flare I’ve ever had. It’s been 7 years now
and while my UC is mostly under control with new meds, and I’m leading a mostly normal life, I’ve never felt as well
as I did when I smoked. OP is 100% correct though, it’s not a fix for everyone, and it brings on a long list other
issues as we all know.
type: L0
- author: MullH
score: 5
text: >-
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Doesn't matter if people agreed or disagreed with you. Personally I can't
even stand the smell of cigarettes let alone dream of smoking one. But if they reduce your symptoms then good for
you. F@#k UC.
type: L0
- author: Select_Collection_67
score: 3
text: |-
That is Crazy I don’t smoke but I thought nicotine
makes you shit. I smoke hookah and it’s the same case for me
type: L0
- author: thisusernameis4eva
score: 1
text: |2-
> "I dont smoke... I smoke hookah"
> You do smoke. Burning inhaled tobacco is smoking anyway you word it
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+1 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: Legally_yours
score: 3
text: Thank you for sharing your experience!
type: L0
- author: Chris-flow
score: 3
text: |-
Im in the same boat - I am now using patches, I dont love it, but it does keep my UC at bay.
Id wonder what's worse, long term nicotine patches or dealing with flares every couple of years.
type: L0
- author: donmifc
score: 3
text: >-
Its crazy that UC has so little funding worldwide, that we're basically using our own bodies as test subjects to
figure out cures and maintenance
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 2
text: |2-
> I believe it’s because some possible treatment studies could be considered unethical due to addictive stimulants like nicotine, or harmful substances like carbon monoxide.
>
> Also, some treatment methods might be expired patent, which means it would be difficult to secure funding for studies due to the low profit potential.
type: L1
- author: Nice_cluck
score: 3
text: >-
Funnily enough I only smoke when I'm drinking (which causes pretty bad symptoms for me) and the smoking cancels
those out lmao
type: L0
- author: derpin77
score: 3
text: >-
I started developing UC symptoms in 2015 but didn’t have a clue at the time and doctors could identify it. I started
vaping 2017-2019 and am realizing that’s probably why I was mostly in remission for those years. A while after I
stopped is when it came back with a vengeance. Wow.
type: L0
- author: '[deleted]'
score: 1
text: ' > [deleted]'
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+2 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: AffectionateTaro3209
score: 4
text: >-
I got my first UC flare after quitting smoking. It took me several months of research before figuring out that lack
of nicotine was what caused it. I tried multiple prescriptions and nothing helped, at all. Sadly the only way I
was able to make it go away was to start smoking 2 cigs a day again. And lots of aloe pulp and broth. But yeah,
anyone saying you don't know what you're talking about is wrong, bc this is true for a lot of people. Ulcerative
colitis is considered a "non-smokers" disease, along with Parkinsons and a few others, bc statistically smokers do
not get these diseases. It's crazy to think but yes, nicotine has some protective qualities. I've tried patches
and gums and they were not helpful, which makes me sad. I have researched into this and apparently the nicotine
acts in a synergistic way with other chemicals. I really hope more attention and research can be paid to this
issue, bc we could find a way to deliver the goods without the harm to our lungs. But yes I agree with you. I'd
rather smoke a couple a day than ever feel like that again. Fun fact, there is a House episode about this very
topic.
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 6
text: |2-
> Glad you’ve figured out how to help heal yourself and not have to be reliant on expensive medications. Fingers crossed that it maintains for as long as you need it to. I also hope they’ll eventually figure out a true end to this disease for us. I imagine that’s probably 10 or so years away.
>
> I’ve never watched House. I’m a very analytical asshole, and many people have always told me my personality is not all too different from the character in the show. I’ve been encouraged to watch it many times, but have never found the time. Maybe I need to figure out where I can stream it.
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+1 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: '[deleted]'
score: 5
text: '[deleted]'
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 6
text: ' > Thank you. I don’t intend to smoke long term. I just needed a bump to get things straightened out. I’ll ask for another calprotectin test in a few months, and I have my next colonoscopy in less than a year. Once all my labs indicate clinical remission again, I’ll start transitioning to NRT. I hate these damn cigarettes. Always have.'
type: L1
- author: NoobPLyer29
score: 2
text: |-
I have a lot of question. How many cigatetts did you smoke a day when you were in remission?
Were they all regular cigarettes?
Do you have any information about cigarettes with weed?
What about vapes or stuff similar to that?
So is it the nicotine and not the smoke or the co2? So theroitacelly snuss, vape or any kind of nicotine could help?
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 1
text: |2-
> I just smoked whatever I felt like smoking. A few a day, ten a day, fifteen a day, whatever. Usually smoked more if I was out back cooking, just because it was a time waster and I was running the smoker anyway so there was a steady cloud of smoke. If I was traveling or spending the day out with the family, I wouldn’t smoke at all.
>
> My cigarettes were American Spirit, light green. They were menthol lights. Organic cigarettes don’t use any pesticides or chemicals. They are basically just tobacco grown, cut, dried, chopped, and put into cigarettes. The menthol flavor wasn’t chemical, either. It was from menthol crystals imbedded in the filter.
>
> I smoked weed a handful of times back in my mid to late teens, but nothing regular. Mostly just while partying.
>
> I switched to vaping high doses of nicotine for a couple years back around 2015 or so. I didn’t notice any major reduction in my remission, and never experienced any flare symptoms. My colonoscopy during that time still indicated full remission. I switched back to cigarettes at the recommendation of my cardiologist. There wasn’t much difference for me between the two.
>
> That really depends on the individual’s underlying cause for the inflammation, as well as their sensitivity to the nicotine in regard to their immune response.
type: L1
- author: kira-l-
score: 2
text: Do nicotine patches work too? Or is it just smoking
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 1
text: ' > It might depend on which specific cytokine you’re trying to either suppress or stimulate, and how the individual’s immune response triggers react. I was seeing slow results with the patch only, so it’s something I plan to explore once I’ve gotten myself back to remission. I’m hoping I’ll see a positive result once I begin transitioning myself from cigarettes to NRT.'
type: L1
- author: MindlessCat3542
score: 2
text: >-
I want to quit so badly, but everytime I stop I end up in a flare. I’m planning on hopefully cutting down gradually
with the support of nicotine patches, but I started smoking at 19 (why I have no idea!) and I’m 36 now and probably
had a handful of flare ups since.
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 1
text: ' > I’ve been fortunate that I never had any issues at all while smoking, and even more fortunate that just one cigarette was able to turn everything back around so quickly. I wish everybody could be so fortunate to find what their body needs. Hopefully more folks will see this as motivation to spend time researching how this disease works on a molecular level and work with their Gastro to find something that helps them. It seems like too many doctors shoot with a shotgun, so to speak, rather than getting more info and shooting with a rifle.'
type: L1
- author: theshylock350
score: 2
text: >-
Firstly, THANK YOU for posting. I think it's good that anyone who has a way to manage this disease shares their
story.
It never came across to me that you were advocating smoking!
I have been on Infliximab for 8 years (first 6 combined with Azathioprine) and I am now experiencing my first bad
flare in that time. I'm grateful biologics have worked so far but have experienced severe fatigue, brain fog and a
myriad of other minor issues since being on them. It seems I may need a different treatment regime soon anyway.
Your post got me thinking. My grandmother used to suffer from terrible mouth ulcers. The only way she found to
manage them was by smoking. She cut it down to I or 2 cigarettes a day to keep them at bay. I can absolutely see how
that would work for UC as well, especially after reading your excellent posts.
There is no doubt UC is a complicated beast. Most likely there will never be one treatment that works for everyone.
As it becomes better understood, which will come from personal experience and evidence (hoping clinicians take a
least some notice of course) as well as clinical studies, each person suffering will likely have better tests and
therefore treatment for their individual cause or causes.
So thanks for sparking thoughts in my mind and opening it up to an option that might help me keep it under control
if the biologics can't.
type: L0
- author: kryptikguy
score: 1
text: ' > It looks like there might be a way to study the cytokines in the tissue of a colon to determine which specific therapies could be more targeted. I would have thought that would be the primary goal of a biopsy, but after researching the three medications my Gastro recommended it looks like they all target different aspects in different ways. He just told me to read up on them at the Crohns and Colitis Foundation website and let him know when I’d made a decision. Either that or I could decide to let him remove my colon and rectum surgically. Our discussion lasted 15 minutes at the most. That just seems like way too broad of an approach for my liking, especially when we’re talking about potentially life altering ramifications on my end. One damn cigarette turned everything around. I might be completely off in left field with my logic here, but something tells me that’s not the case.'
type: L1
- author: ''
score: ''
text: ' [+1 more replies]'
type: L2
- author: Impossible_Play_5975
score: 2
text: >-
Back in 1996, my gastroenterologist also told me that nicotine was known to help people with UC. He also
acknowledged that they couldn't encourage people to smoke as it would be unethical. I've often wondered to myself
whether nicotine patches might be an effective and somewhat ethical solution to the dilemma.
type: L0
- author: Tig_Biddies_W_nips
score: 2
text: >-
Ima. Respiratory therapist and I find fascinating! Mind posting links to your sources? I’d love to check them out
and read up more.
I know my UP isn’t nicotine dependent as I had one of my worst flare ups occur while smoking (I actually shat mucous
and poo while smoking in a car, never trust a fart)
I will tell you smoking is going to kill you much quickly and more painfully than UC could.
So consider using a nicotine patch instead please
type: L0
- author: tofuqube
score: 2
text: >-
Thank you for saying that!!! My colitis is horrible when it gets triggered - only triggered by stomach virus or
antibiotics - foods don’t do it - stress doesn’t do it etc. I was in remission for 15 yrs and now seeing a GI dr in
2025 after getting a stomach bug and they want to throw me on biologics - hell to the naw on that shit. The thing
they want to do now is put every case on a super strong medicine. It’s not that simple.
type: L0
- author: hewer006
score: 2
text: >-
not really sure why anyone would criticise you for any of this, youve done your own research and experiements using
your own body and shared your foundings its respectable at the minimum. i plan on seeing how various supplements,
drugs and peptides affect **my** UC, i dont want to push people to do it but i think the knowledge can be valuable
for a lot of people and yours definitely is
type: L0
- author: ''
score: ''
text: '[+7 more top-level comments]'
type: ''
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