Smoking And Celiac Disease

[Kellygirl]

Another weird question...

Does anyone here Smoke? Has anyone given up smoking and felt better with their diet? Only reason I ask is because if I am to look at pictures of myself last February I look like I am anorexic. I quit smoking last April and put on about 7 pounds and didn't looks so sick. Now that I am eating properly I look amazing compared to last February. I am amazed that I am happy that I have to go on a diet to stay trim. I was really scarry looking last February and if I had to go back and track my progress it started with the quitting smoking.

Again just another weird question, is it possible there is wheat in cigarettes. I don't plan on starting again any time in this life but I am curious.

Kelly

[irish daveyboy]

Hi Kellygirl,

My name is David and I have to relate a different scenario, I am 59 yrs old but approximately

2 yrs ago I decided to give up smoking after 40+ yrs, because i reckoned i was killing myself

mind you, I suffered from Asthma and the cigs weren't helping and I think this may have been

a deciding factor.

6 Months after I stopped I became very ill, I didn't know what was happening,

I thought I was dying ! !

I had very bad Diarrhoea, Vomiting and a huge weight loss 56 pounds in 3 months.

I was sent by my Dr to have blood tests and a Colonoscopy (Camera and Biopsy)

Well the results confirmed it I had Coeliac (Celiac) Disease.

After investigating on the Internet it appears that smoking prevents the onset of

Adult Coeliac Disease.

Open Original Shared Link

I now bake all my own bread and cakes and have regained all the lost weight (+ some)

I now post recipes to the Irish Coeliac Society's Message board, if you would like to visit

just click the link.

Best Regards,

David

Open Original Shared Link

[ravenwoodglass]

I have actually read about the celiac onset delay and smoking. It seems smoking can delay the onset of the GI symptoms, but in my case that may have been a bad thing because it does nothing to prevent the neuro effects or the autoimmune process and the delay in the presentation of GI symptoms of significance can make diagnosis even harder.

And yes there are gluten ingredients in many cigs. Don't forget that gluten is highly addictive so adding it to cigs would increase the number of people that would stay brand loyal. I switched to American Spirit cigs, they are additive free, just tobacco and nothing else. I smoke much less of these than I ever did of regular smokes without trying.

[confused]

That is very interesting to know. my mom never had symptoms until she gave up cigarrettes 2 years ago, right after she did she couldnt drink milk anymore. Now she is realizing she cant have any wheat problems and that she has not been able to for 2 years, but she never knew about celiac until now.

I for one started to smoke again last summer when i was going threw a stressful time, I still smoke from time to time but its nots a daily thing. I never knew cigs could have gluten in them. I wonder if that is one place that i am getting glutened from.

I smoke marboral menthol lights does anyone know if they are gluten free.

paula

[Belinda Meeker]

I have actually read about the celiac onset delay and smoking. It seems smoking can delay the onset of the GI symptoms, but in my case that may have been a bad thing because it does nothing to prevent the neuro effects or the autoimmune process and the delay in the presentation of GI symptoms of significance can make diagnosis even harder.

And yes there are gluten ingredients in many cigs. Don't forget that gluten is highly addictive so adding it to cigs would increase the number of people that would stay brand loyal. I switched to American Spirit cigs, they are additive free, just tobacco and nothing else. I smoke much less of these than I ever did of regular smokes without trying.

Hi ravenwood, I to am a smoker and need more scoop on the brand u mentioned...

I was told yesterday I have DH on my feet and react terrable when I consume "GLUTEN"...

I need to kick the cig habit,but already have all the signs for "C" disease so afraid to quit til i can go gluten free so let me know about American Spirit cig's plz will be truely greatful

And hubby is being tested too, he quit smoking about 5 years ago (the same time his "Devil" showed it's true colors....We do have a 17 year old son with Celiac Sprue

[Kellygirl]

OK glad to know that my question wasn't a stupid one. I do find it strange that I was sicker when I smoked. Maybe because I only ate granola bars, macaroni and cheese and drank black coffee.

Who knows my body is a strange machine. I am very routine now though and Dave I will definately check out your recipies. I am an Irish Gal so I am sure I will find some lovely treats awaiting me at the web site you gave.

Thanks for the input everyone, I don't feel as silly now as I did when I posted the first blog.

Kelly

[Lisa]

Anyone have documentation that there is gluten in cigaretts? Just curious.

[Guhlia]

Anyone have documentation that there is gluten in cigaretts? Just curious.

There was a link to a website posted a while ago on a different thread that had a link to cigarette additives from one company. There were hundreds of additives. I believe barley, rye, and wheat were ALL listed. I couldn't find the old thread. Perhaps someone else will.

[UR Groovy]

I just found a list on "about". Check it out - Rye extract & wheat extract and flour were listed.

Open Original Shared Link

I've smoked for about 18 years - can't seem to make the decision to kick it for good. A funny thing happened when I read this thread. I realized that I'm more afraid of gluten than the hundreds of carcinogens in cigarettes - rediculous, I know. Now, I may have a good enough reason to quit.

This may be the push I need.

[Lisa]

I just found a list on "about". Check it out - Rye extract & wheat extract and flour were listed.

Open Original Shared Link

I've smoked for about 18 years - can't seem to make the decision to kick it for good. A funny thing happened when I read this thread. I realized that I'm more afraid of gluten than the hundreds of carcinogens in cigarettes - rediculous, I know. Now, I may have a good enough reason to quit.

This may be the push I need.

uhhhha

[nikki-uk]

I just found a list on "about". Check it out - Rye extract & wheat extract and flour were listed.

Open Original Shared Link

I've smoked for about 18 years - can't seem to make the decision to kick it for good. A funny thing happened when I read this thread. I realized that I'm more afraid of gluten than the hundreds of carcinogens in cigarettes - rediculous, I know. Now, I may have a good enough reason to quit.

This may be the push I need.

Well let's not forget that it is EXTREMELY addictive - I mean we all know it's bad for us

I'd hate to come across as a ''reformed smoker'' (LOL!, I'd describe myself as a 'smoker who isn't at the moment') but I gave up around 7 weeks ago with patches.

I'd wrestled with it for a long, long time.

I like to think of myself as quite health conscious - very aware of nutrition and diet, exersize etc.. but the time has to be right for YOU.

If you feel like you're giving up because of outside pressure (e.g family ) then it's not gonna work.

It's a bit like dieting I suppose - you have to want to do it for YOURSELF.

Ok, sermon over!!

...now all I've gotta do is work off the 7 pounds! I've put on in as many weeks !!

[marlene57]

About 15 years ago, I quit smoking for a year and a half. I became extremely ill with migraines, bowel problems, severe weight gain (60 lbs), severe fatigue....

My doctor at the time insisted it was PMS.

I started smoking again, got better right away and lost all of the 60lbs.

I always believed it had something to do with quitting smoking, but never mentioned it.....who would believe that quitting would make me sick?

Recently, I quit again for 3 months....same thing happened! Since I suffer with autoimmunes diseases, I did a search for autoimmune diseases and smoking. Low and behold! Smoking can mask the symtoms of Hashimoto's disease (autoimmune hypothyroidism)!

I started smoking again so I could function while I saw my current doctor. He already thinks I'm strange, but he listens and accomodates my requests. He tested me for Hashimoto's and it came back negative. He told me to quit again and have the test redone when I'm feeling lousy.

That's where I am now...waiting to feel lousy so I can find out if I have Hashimoto's.

It never occurred to me that cigarettes have gluten! How this relates to getting ill when I quit, I don't know, but am interested in any info available.

I obviously have to quit, but cannot be so fatigued all the time. I care for my husband who is in early stages of Alzeimer's.

I'm actually hoping I have Hashimoto's because then I can quit and be treated. If that's not it...I don't know where to go from here.

Thank you for all of the info here.

Marlene

[Murph]

After investigating on the internet it appears that smoking prevents the onset of

Adult Coeliac Disease.

Best Regards,

David

Open Original Shared Link

"Prevent" is a little overstated. "Delay" is what I remember from the original research a few yrs ago.

In fact, I smoke & I'd give ANYTHING for it to have "prevented" the incredible array of debilitating symptoms I had a few yrs ago before going 100% gluten-free.

Since the 1st step to damage to the villi is stripping off the protective mucosal layer, I've wondered whether the delay could at least in part be due the inevitable (at least in heavier smokers) occasional swallowing of coughed-up thick stuff. Yuck, huh? Just a thought.

[Kaycee]

Smoking.

I have read about smoking delaying the onset of coeliac. Like a lot I have been a smoker on and off, I started at 17 and gave up at about 32, just before I had my last child, and lo and behold, my stomach problems started about there. I gained an awful amount of weight, was always hungry but blamed that on giving up ciggies. About 4 years later I had all the classic coeliac symptoms, diarhoea etc etc. I was a slow learner and tried to ignore it for years as my mother had similar symptoms. It must be a family thing I told myself. Funny how a decade before our family was described as having cast iron stomaches. A year and a half ago I got brave and tackled my symptoms head on.

But in having said this, I think I was leaning towards coeliac as my iron levels were low when I was pregnant each time, but my diet was reasonably healthy. Probably two years back, my iron levels were down again and in the back of my mind, I knew that could be related to coeliac.

Cathy.

[Josina]

I was thinking the same question today.