”Years ago, patients who developed severe ulcerative colitis symptoms after quitting smoking were (on occasion) asked to consider returning to smoking tobacco,” says Dr. McDonald.
“Today, we are very lucky to have numerous safe, effective treatment options for ulcerative colitis. Smoking is not an appropriate therapy for ulcerative colitis.”
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Immunosuppressant drugs
- Biologic drugs, which target certain proteins made by your immune system
- Small molecule drugs, which reduce inflammation
- Other medications, such as painkillers or iron supplements
- Surgery
Speak with your doctor about what treatments may work best for you. Your doctor can also answer any questions you might have about nicotine treatments. Harsh Sheth, MBBS, a gastroenterologist and a bariatric surgeon in Mumbai, India, says, “It’s important to acknowledge these short-term effects [of nicotine] in medical research, but to educate patients thoroughly on the full picture. The goal should be to find safer alternatives that mimic the effects of nicotine without inviting the damage caused by smoking.”
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