Smoking with thyroid problems.

[JS33]

I have recently taken up smoking again , temporarily I hope , and was wondering about what it will do to my more recently improved thyroid condition.

I quit smoking about 7 years ago , and was diagnosed with hashi's about three years ago.

I recently spent a couple of days in Holland , had a spliff , the first in 10 years, and had a great old time. The spliff I have left behind as just a break from the norm while in Holland , but I have continued smoking tobacco since.

I think, since not paying too much credence to blood results and dosing by my symptoms , I have felt much better, slowly losing a bit of weight , generally more active and less depressed , hence going for a road trip and letting my hair down, maybe a bit too much.

To be honest , I am quite enjoying the smoke and actually feel like it is not giving me any initial problems in the thyroid department, but I think it is something I will have to recognise as not being conducive to the long term recovery of my health.

Anybody with any info or experience to share on the matter, greatly appreciated ?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

JS33 This article should help answer your question

verywell.com/cigarette-smok...

Don't just think of your thyroid though, think of the other implications to your health where smoking is concerned. I say that as an ex smoker (35 years fag fee now) who wishes she'd never started.

[Clutter]

JS33,

Tobacco smoking will lower TSH which can mask thyroid dysfunction and if you are already diagnosed may lead to a reduction in thyroid replacement dose.

There is some research to show that tobacco smoking may protect against thyroid cancer but it didn't protect me and I developed a rare thyCa a few years after quitting smoking. The risks of developing other cancers are increased which would offset any potential benefit of not developing thyCa anyway.

[JS33 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for replying clutter. I will be quitting again. I was feeling a lot better thyroid wise , and the last few days smoking has not has any adverse impact yet, in fact i probably feel even better LOL .

I started running again a couple of weeks ago , so starting smoking again is a bit out of left field . It was taking up running that helped me quit last time , as being a smoker and runner don't really make sense. I will get back to the drawing board soon.

[Saggyuk in reply to JS33]

I will be honest, if unpopular lol!!

My experience is kind of like yours, I have quit smoking a number of times, once for two years, my autoimmunity has always worsened to avery noticeable degree when I do and there is research suggesting that smoking does have a protective quality against a few auto-immune issues including hashis. I'm not sure whether it gives your immune system more to do and therefore distracts it or whether through some other mechanism???

My mum just quit smoking and her thyroid went a month later!!! Many coeliacs get diagnosed shortly after quitting too.

However, I have gone a long way to take out the things that were triggering my immune system in the first place in the past few years and have reduced my inflammation levels to zero so once I have a few unresolved issues sorted, I will once again attempt to quit and see whether this is more successful this time as at the end of the day, would prefer not to smoke for more obvious long term issues

[Zephyrbear]

I stopped just over 13 years ago as my breathing after finishing a fag was getting quite bad. I'm not sure whether it was coincidence or not, but I got hit by the menopause and the thyroid failing to the extent that I was given thyroxine at the same time and my weight ballooned by 3 stone which, despite being prescribed T3 after 7 years of failure on T4 only, has steadfastly refused to shift. I'm quite happy to say I've never been tempted to go back to smoking, but I never had a weight problem while I was.

[Jefner]

I quit a few months ago for 4.5 months but couldn't take the additional depression and anxiety and started again a month or so ago. I need to stop again but just keep reaching for the damn things which make my anxiety worse and I know it, but I just keep doing it

[JS33 in reply to Jefner]

I think sometimes it's better to recognise that it's not the right time and to not beat yourself up about it.