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Hello all,
Someone told me that I have RA because I smoked for so long, have any of you ever been told by a professional that this is true? Just wondered before I bring it up at my next Rhumey visit, I know it doesn't help but a cause/trigger for RA and to be fair they blamed smoking for other auto immune disease as well.
Comments please...
Susan
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Hi, I wouldn't take any of that to heart, but no I have never had a doctor say that, Look at how many people who have never smoked get RA, and the children with juvenile RA, they never smoked. Besides it doesn't do any good for the blame game, what happens happens, no one intentionally sets out to hurt themselves, I used to smoke, always a light smoker but anyway when I first went in to pulmonolgist about some wheezing, of course let's just ASSUME it's from smoking, upon further lung complications, CT scans-x-rays-RA lung nodule-turns out to be RA lung disease. smoking doesn't of course help but it wasn't the cause eithier, again many many people with RA have never smoked, they don't know the cause, I just see it as typical good health message, don't smoke, eat healthy, exercise. On a lighter side thought-maybe a year ago or so I saw article on msnbc news of how (of course don't do it)-must throw in disclaimer, LOL, that they found people with RA who are very heavy smokers, it helped with their RA. Of course stated that the RA benefits of heavy smoking were outdone by the heavy smoking itself.
Arava-Prednisone-Mobic-Daily Vitamin-and Vitamin D-Calcium.
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Susan,
After all these years, medical researchers still have not found a cause for RA -- there are theories, but no definite cause.
As far as smoking, I was diagnosed in my 20s and did not smoke. None of my family smoked nor any of my friends, so I wasn't exposed to second hand smoke. Though, back in the day before smoking was prohibited in some public areas, I had to work alongside a woman who had a cigarette going the entire workday.
We know now the health problems smoking can contribute to, but once a smoker quits, there are positive effects shortly after.
Take care.
________________________________________________
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I feel a little energized today, and if someone wants to throw a blame game on someone let me say two can play that game "if you would come up with a cure for RA then we wouldn't have to worry about the cause" ha ha, that'll teach them! ha
Arava-Prednisone-Mobic-Daily Vitamin-and Vitamin D-Calcium.
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Hi Susan,
Like others have said, there is no known cause of RA.
However, I have RA and I have never held a cigarette. My dad smoked for a few years when I was little, but during the same time period we had to evacuate our house because of the Three Mile Island adventure.
I'm sorry that this person was rude to you by insinuating that you did something to cause your disease.
Take care,
Shu-Shu
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While there is no know cause for RA there is often a correlation between the onset of RA and some form of stress, either good or bad. This might be a trigger for RA even though it is not believed to be a cause. Smoking could be some sort of trigger but I sure don't think of it as a cause. God bless.
Age 84, diagnosed RA 12/2001, married since 1952, 4 sons no daughters, 4 grandsons 1 granddaughter. Doing well on Methotrexate and Remicade.
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Recent research has shown that those who smoke have a 'lesser' form of RA than those who do not. It has to do with NO uptake in the cells. Supposedly, Michael J Fox started smoking because it's been shown to lessen the effects of MS too.
That being said, I smoke, and not for a minute do I believe I can get my 'cure' without quitting.
And I'd really like to know who paid for that research.
Pip
Antibiotic Protocol - Minocin, Zithromax, Naproxen (occasionally), 1 mg. Folic Acid. Supps are Milk Thistle, Black Cohosh, Bromelain, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, NAC, B12, Hawthorne, CoQ10, MSM, Tumeric, and weaning Melatonin! PROBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS!!! Occassionally Nystatin, Diflucan, GSE, Oil of Oregano still sitting on the counter! Feel free to PM me about the Antibiotic Protocol~ Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity. Hippocrates
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I use to smoke and I have it.
Here is what it says here. http://www.arthritis.org/smoking-genetics-ra.php
From what I have read it does nothing about making it worse or not better but it might effect the cells that "turn on" the disease. The cells already have to have RA in them.
In other words, it can be one of the environmental factors but the disease is genenic. Don't beat yourself up, my disease did not change when I quit.
Anna
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In case there was some misunderstanding, I just wanted to clarify something I wrote earlier. When I wrote "once a smoker quits, there are positive effects shortly after," I meant positive effects to one's overall health, not specifically to RA.
Benefits of quitting smoking
http://www.stop-smoking-tips.com/benefits-quitting-smoking.html
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I have never smoked either. My JRA occured not long after my father died when I was 14 & was aggressive until I was 30. I went into a "remission" for about 12 years and it reared its ugly head again a year after my husband died. Both very stressful situations.
FYI: Michael J Fox suffers from Parkinsons Disease, not MS.
http://www.michaeljfox.org/
Blessings, Bonnie
ARE YOU A TIGGER OR AN EYEORE?
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]My bad, thanks, as I've been exhausted lately.
Anti-TNF-alpha agents are less effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in current smokers. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20051749
Here is more info on smoking and NO uptake.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/175728.php
Here is more on neurodegenerative diseases. I had the stuff on RA...but don't have time to search thru 655 Pubmed studies for the exact ones for RA. Sorry.
http://www.smokersclubinc.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1647
Using Google - I found this -
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1516-89132002000200012&script=sci_arttext
Basically, using ancedotal evidence, researchers noted that smokers reported less effects in there rheumatic disease when smoking...going in to research this...they found it may be protective. I still don't believe this is the whole story...but recent research seems to be bearing this out.
Pip
Antibiotic Protocol - Minocin, Zithromax, Naproxen (occasionally), 1 mg. Folic Acid. Supps are Milk Thistle, Black Cohosh, Bromelain, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, NAC, B12, Hawthorne, CoQ10, MSM, Tumeric, and weaning Melatonin! PROBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS!!! Occassionally Nystatin, Diflucan, GSE, Oil of Oregano still sitting on the counter! Feel free to PM me about the Antibiotic Protocol~ Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity. Hippocrates
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polly sue: no but i`ll tell you one thing thats a fact, i did`nt have ra until i quit smoking.
makes me think i should have never quit!!!
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I'll echo DonaldO! I quit smoking after 48 years because I had a bout with bleeding ulcers. About a year and a half later, I had RA. There was another thread on this subject quite a while back and there were several folks who came down with RA after quitting. Susan - don't beat yourself up about this. There are clods out there willing to blame a hangnail on smoking. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY glad I quit because it's too expensive and limits ones interaction with others, to name a couple of advantages. But I certainly cannot say I feel better! And my healthcare expenses have probably quadrupled or more.
Mary H
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Hello,
I smoked for over 20 years. I quit smoking almost 5 years ago. I developed inflammation about 3 &1/2 years ago. I do not believe there is any correlation at all between the two. I can say I breath way better than I did before and am not so prone to bronchitis as I was when I smoked. Plus my breath, my body and my clothes smell better.
As always take what you can use and toss the rest.
God Bless you and keep you.
Bette
Current DX: Inflammatory arthritis, Osteoarthritis, IBS, Fibro, ruptured and/or bulging discs in C-spine, lumbar spine broken at L5-S1 now fused (yeah!), hearing loss & Depression (lol, can’t imagine why).
Current Meds & what they are for: Plaquinil arthritis),Triamterene/Hctz (decrease water retention), Dicyclomine (IBS), Lexipro (AntiDepressant), Allopurinol (for increased Uric Acid caused by the triamatrene!), Lortab (Pain), Flexiril (Muscle spasms), Parafon Forte (muscle spasms) Savella (Fibromyalgia), Omeprazole DR (heartburn/upset stomach from meds), Ambian (sleep aid) Omega 3 Fish Oil (anti-inflammatory), Super B-Complex, Vitamin D and Citracal to aid fusion.
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hello oh yea don`t misunderstand me i`m glad i quit smoking,it just makes me wonder if i would have ever
noticed the ra had i continued smoking, mthis si an interesting thread to me
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My mother smoked and she had it. I smoked for 20 years, and was diagnosed with RA aome years after I quit.
There does seem to be more of a trend to attribute RA to environmental factors these days. But the fact remains, smoking isn't good for us. My mother always said the health risks were not known when she and her friends started to smoke. Me...I had no excuse. It was well documented by then. When we are young, we think we are invincible.
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