I appreciate the advice. Surgery just makes things worse in the long> run. it causes the disease to re appear in different parts along your> entire GI tract. I phone my doctor but like I said he never rings back> with any words of wisdom and I'm not sure if he just doesn't care or if> he is a substandard gastro doc here in austin texas.>

But thanks for the words of wisdom Susan and may your body heal and you> gain weight to start the new years off right.>

*peace profound to you and yours*> KathyZ SRC aka hermes705>

He > said the effect was well known to relieve symptoms but I have never heard of> it. Is it specific to Crohn's IBD or is it a general effect on the bowel> for anyone [with IBD]?

Would balancing the risk of lung and heart disease be worth any relief one> might get from cramps and D? (I think that was the moral of the scene).

The party line is that smoking may be good for UC but is bad for Crohn's.> It's my layman's opinion, and Dr. House seems to agree with me(!), that> smoking or other nicotine dosing might be useful for any IBD patient with> inflammation in the colon, but not for those whose inflammation is > confined> to the ilium.>

Each of us has to make that decision for himself. Bear in mind that > smoking,> particularly at two cigarettes a day, is not inevitably deadly. You > balance> the future *possibility* of heart and lung disease versus the present> *certainty* of unrelieved cramps and diarrhea.>

Are you intrigued? Try it for yourself: go to the drug store and buy some > of> the lowest-dosage nicotine gum. Chew a piece and see if it does you any> good, symptom-wise. Be ready for some side effects, since nicotine is a> stimulant. If it helps, chew some more gum, or experiment with nicotine> patches. If it doesn't help, or if you can't stand the side-effects, throw> away the gum and no harm done -- nicotine is a pretty benign drug.>

Wayne Marsh Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA> waynegmarsh@mac.com­>

I have no plans to take up smoking but this scene just hit my radar. He > said the effect was well known to relieve symptoms but I have never heard > of it. Is it specific to chron's IBD or is it a general effect on the > bowel for anyone?>

Would balancing the risk of lung and heart desease be worth any relief one > might get from cramps and D? (I think that was the moral of the scene)>

I have no plans to take up smoking but this scene just hit my radar. He> said the effect was well known to relieve symptoms but I have never heard of> it. Is it specific to chron's IBD or is it a general effect on the bowel> for anyone?>

Would balancing the risk of lung and heart desease be worth any relief one> might get from cramps and D? (I think that was the moral of the scene)

Hi,> The reference had less to do with smoking and more to do with nicotine.> Nicotine is medically recognized to help SOME people with UC. It does> not help with Crohn's.>

I am on 12 mg of nicotine gum a day and have found it to be helping me> a great deal. I am not an ex-smoker but was exposed to a lot of second> hand smoke earlier in my life.>

Nina

I noticed an article in the paper a few days ago, there was mention that> the carbon monoxide in cigarettes seems to be what helps patients, more> than the nicotine. Apparently this is something which will be studied> further.

Nina>