I have been tobacco free for 12 years. I smoked off and on from the time I was 12 years old up to when I was 30 years old. When I first started smoking (mostly choking ) in 6th grade I thought I was tough. At that age having a cigarette was a way for me to exert some control over my life as well as show the world how "tough" I was. In my late teens cigarettes were largely an accessory for the weekend and of course I thought I looked mature and cool. In my twenties cigarettes were a stress reliever. I loved having a cigarette with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and definetely after a stressful day. My pack was the first thing reached for when I got off work. Working in healthcare all of my adult life I knew smoking wasn't good for me but I wasn't interested in quitting.
When I was diagnosed with Lupus of course I was told that I needed to quit smoking. My rheumatologist went over the risks with me but I wasn't listening to him. I felt that I was not in control of my life again. I reverted back to being a 12 year old girl and continued smoking to show that I was the "boss of me"! Smoking only made a bad situation worse. Over a few years time I developed Raynaud's and an arterial clot. When I had the fem-pop bypass my surgeon explained that smoking could and would continue to constrict my blood vessels. It would mean slow healing and possibly the development of another clot.
Two years later I developed Class 4 nephritis. I continued to smoke until my rheumatologist said to me" You have enough things killing you; why are you WILLING adding one more?" I'd never thought of smoking in those terms and it was a real eye opener. I prided myself on being strong and fighting for my life but in actuality my stubborn stupidity was killing me!
Finally that was enough for me to put the cigarettes down. I quit cold turkey. I am not gonna lie, even after 12 years sometimes I still want a cigarette when I get super stressed or upset. But I have resisted the urge to pick up cigarettes again because my health is more important than temporary stress relief. I've also learned that by not smoking I am now really controlling my life.
The following list pairs what we know about lupus with the known effects of smoking:
- People with lupus are more susceptible to infections, with respiratory infections among the most common.
- Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of pneumococcal pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. Researchers report that passive smoking, or regular exposure to secondhand smoke, also raises the risk of having this type of pneumonia. Smoking or hanging around others who do may increase your risk of pneumococcal pneumonia.
- People with lupus on long-term moderate (11-40mg/day) to high (41-100mg/day) doses of prednisone have been found to develop heart disease (atherosclerosis) 20 to 30 years earlier than the general population. It's not uncommon for angina (heart muscle pain) and even heart attacks to occur in lupus patients as young as 30 or 40 years of age.
- Smoking increases the risk of coronary artery disease. If you smoke and have lupus you greatly increase the risk of damaging your heart.
- Lupus can affect the blood vessels and circulation in a variety of ways. Raynaud's disease is common in people with lupus and when active, results in poor circulation to the hands and feet. Lupus vasculitis can cause narrowing of blood vessels and reduced blood flow to tissues and organs. Antiphospholipid antibodies may increase the risk of serious blood clots and stroke.
- Smoking narrows blood vessels and worsens peripheral vascular disease (poor blood supply).
- Smoking contributes to blood vessel spasms and can magnify the effect of Raynaud's making a mild case worse, and could result in severe damage to fingers and toes.
- Smoking increases the risk of stroke.
- Kidney disease in lupus can result in hypertension.
- A study at Stanford University of patients with lupus nephritis found that those who smoked progressed to end stage kidney disease far more quickly than did non-smokers (145 months vs. 273 months).
- Smoking contributes to elevated blood pressure which increases the risk of stroke and worsening kidney disease.
- People with lupus can also develop diabetes and thereby be prone to poor wound healing.
- Smoking slows wound healing.
- Smoking increases the risk of heart attack in diabetics (insulin or non-insulin dependent).
- Avascular necrosis of bone can develop in lupus and may require surgery.
- Smoking slows recovery from illness and surgery.
- Smoking slows bone healing.
- Heartburn is found in 10 to fifty percent of people with lupus.
- Smoking has harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system, contributing to such common disorders as heartburn. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease - Smoking and Your Digestive System.
- Many of the medications used to alleviate symptoms of lupus are broken down by the liver. Lupus can affect the liver.
- Smoking affects the liver, too, by changing the way it metabolizes drugs and alcohol. In some cases, this may influence the dose of medication necessary to treat an illness.
- Lupus can cause skin disease, which may be effectively treated with antimalarial medications.
- Smoking has been shown to interfere with the benefits of hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), chloroquine (Aralen), and quinacrine (Atabrine) for the skin disease of patients with SLE.
- A study at the University of Minnesota of patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) found that smoking was more prevalent in people with DLE compared to those with other skin diseases and those in the general population. The researchers proposed that smoking may be a risk factor for development of DLE.
- Studies conducted at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found lupus skin disease is more active in smokers than non-smokers.
- Lupus can cause hair loss and other skin symptoms.
- Smoking has been associated with skin diseases and studies in mice indicate a link may exist between smoking and both hair loss and premature gray hair.
- Medications used in the treatment of lupus: prednisone, excessive thyroid hormones, anticonvulsants, antacids containing aluminum, and heparin increase the risk for fragile bones or osteoporosis.
- Smoking magnifies the risk for osteoporosis.
In addition, over the years research has consistently shown that cigarette smoking causes skin wrinkling that could make smokers appear prematurely old.*
Comments