I know this is going to seem like a really weird question in this forum, but does anyone or did anyone ever smoke (cigarettes or otherwise)? I ask because I experimented around as a teen in order to be "normal," and I wonder if anyone else did that too? Do you feel like you can tell the effects of it now? I am just curious. I know we all know we aren't suppossed to do it, but I was just curious as to how many people tried it.
weird question for a CF forum
- Thread starter anonymous
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I did. Both marijauna (moreso) & regular cigarettes. I wouldnt call myself a smoker because the regular cigarettes were when I was drinking. I didnt do it for long so I dont think it had any real affect on me. I also never did my treatments either so I'm not sure what damage was done from what.
Thats a good question!! Well, sadly to say but i smoked cigs for like three years, and smoked weed maybe 10 times... I really think that it affected my health... For a long time I was in and out of the hospital every three weeks and each time i would tell myself im gonna stop!!! But then it hit me that i hated life and it didnt matter and it was what everyone else was doing so should i... I was really stupid and didnt care about life! Until my now husband told me that he would not be with a smoker and for a person with my disease i shouldnt be doin that if i wanted to live... SO... Never in my life have i changed for anyone but i really liked him and knew that there was somethin there that i didnt want to give up so i gave up cigs... I thank him now from the bottom of my heart, he saved my life by telling me to give it up... He has saved my life in many ways, so for anyone out there who wants to do it... i know that I cant stop you from doing it but i know that i feel sooo much better now that I dont smoke... I have only been in the hospital a few times this year... So I ask that you really think about it before you do it! I know that I lost at least 10% of my lungs while I was smoking... along with the money.... Its not worth it to me!!! I thank my husband for showing me the way out of it!!!
Anonymous, what are your PFTs?
I have to keep my reply here anonymous because I go to this site at work sometimes and wouldn't want anyone to stumble on my reply, but I have smoked pot intermittantly for about 15 years now - since I was a teenager. I'm sure it has affected my lungs somehow - but it would be hard to tell whats from age vs. smoking. I have never smoked cigarettes except for a few months in high school. My PFTs are in the 70s to low 60s depending on the day. I'd be curious as to what they'd be had I never smoke at all. I've always smoked pot for "fun" not for any medical purpose at all. Though to admit to smoking anything with a lung affliction raises many eyebrows, it is a choice I've made.
I have to keep my reply here anonymous because I go to this site at work sometimes and wouldn't want anyone to stumble on my reply, but I have smoked pot intermittantly for about 15 years now - since I was a teenager. I'm sure it has affected my lungs somehow - but it would be hard to tell whats from age vs. smoking. I have never smoked cigarettes except for a few months in high school. My PFTs are in the 70s to low 60s depending on the day. I'd be curious as to what they'd be had I never smoke at all. I've always smoked pot for "fun" not for any medical purpose at all. Though to admit to smoking anything with a lung affliction raises many eyebrows, it is a choice I've made.
Ok, this is going to raise a few eyebrows i imagine, but honesty is a good thing, so here goes..................i was diagnosed at age 19 and refused to do anything about it, i just said 'thanks for the diagnosis' and split, never to go back. I have since been in hospital with a lung infection recently for the first time (age 37) and while in there i took the opporunity to read through my medical file.
Apparently at the age of 21, my doctors must have checked my FEV1 at some stage (i don't remember but i've that many tests over my lifetime i've forgotten a lot of it) and at age 21 my FEV1 was at 51%. Since then, i smoked cigarettes (pack a day) for 16 yrs, PLUS, i also was a daily marijuana smoker.........i know i know, shocking behaviour, but there you have it. Now after 16 years of being a heavy smoker and a heavy marijuana smoker, i had my FEV1 tested in hospital at age 37 while suffering from a moderate/heavy infection and it came in at 36%. So over 16 years my FEV1 decreased an average of about 1% a year. I can't help but wonder how much damage all these cigarettes and marijunana actually did, considering some CF patients who have never smoked a thing ever, deteriorate up to 4-5% a year. I dunno, i think the ciggies are an extremely bad idea and i gave up while in hospital 3 months ago and haven't touched one since. I have also severely cut down my pot use, but have been unable to stop completely. I still smoke most days, but only half to one joint a day, or a couple of bongs. I rarely drink, but when i do, i do it properly and knock back tequila shots all night and never get home before daylight, i do this maybe once every six weeks maximum. I test myself on a peak flow meter regulary, but refuse to have my PFTs tested properly, and my peak flow comes up now to be between 60 - 70%. I really don't know what to think about the damage pot does to CF lungs - maybe there is something the doctors are missing. Does anybody out there know if any actual research has been done on the effect of marijuana smoke on CF lungs? Or is everybody just assuming it's bad, evil and nasty and should be avoided like the plague? Maybe it has an effect on inflammation? Maybe it lowers our immune response just enough to prevent extreme inflammation, thereby actually slowing the rate of lung deterioration? Maybe i'm dreaming and looking for an exuse to keep smoking.............who knows!
Apparently at the age of 21, my doctors must have checked my FEV1 at some stage (i don't remember but i've that many tests over my lifetime i've forgotten a lot of it) and at age 21 my FEV1 was at 51%. Since then, i smoked cigarettes (pack a day) for 16 yrs, PLUS, i also was a daily marijuana smoker.........i know i know, shocking behaviour, but there you have it. Now after 16 years of being a heavy smoker and a heavy marijuana smoker, i had my FEV1 tested in hospital at age 37 while suffering from a moderate/heavy infection and it came in at 36%. So over 16 years my FEV1 decreased an average of about 1% a year. I can't help but wonder how much damage all these cigarettes and marijunana actually did, considering some CF patients who have never smoked a thing ever, deteriorate up to 4-5% a year. I dunno, i think the ciggies are an extremely bad idea and i gave up while in hospital 3 months ago and haven't touched one since. I have also severely cut down my pot use, but have been unable to stop completely. I still smoke most days, but only half to one joint a day, or a couple of bongs. I rarely drink, but when i do, i do it properly and knock back tequila shots all night and never get home before daylight, i do this maybe once every six weeks maximum. I test myself on a peak flow meter regulary, but refuse to have my PFTs tested properly, and my peak flow comes up now to be between 60 - 70%. I really don't know what to think about the damage pot does to CF lungs - maybe there is something the doctors are missing. Does anybody out there know if any actual research has been done on the effect of marijuana smoke on CF lungs? Or is everybody just assuming it's bad, evil and nasty and should be avoided like the plague? Maybe it has an effect on inflammation? Maybe it lowers our immune response just enough to prevent extreme inflammation, thereby actually slowing the rate of lung deterioration? Maybe i'm dreaming and looking for an exuse to keep smoking.............who knows!
i think that the general consensus about smoking anything is that any kind of smoke (be it cigarette, pot, or just plain fire smoke or something) causes the "cilia" (sp?) in your lungs to freeze. the cilia are what move mucous out of lungs. so when they freeze up, or paralyze, they are unable to move the mucous. they eventually "unfreeze" but not if you smoke everyday.
there are other factors obviously when you consider things like toxins that go into your lungs especially with cigarettes, whcih are then harder to clear out of lungs because of paralyzed cilia, and then stay there and can cause worse damage or infection.
i think that a lot of us would like to believe that maybe doctors are stupid and that pot really isn't that bad, but i think that just because it is not as toxic as cigarettes, i.e. can be natural, doesnt necessarily mean it is good for us. i wish it was. honestly, i have smoke pot a number of times intermittently, and afterwards i never really FELT bad, sometimes immediately after i even felt better and ddint cough anything up. but i have noticed that in the long run it wasnt making me feel any better at all, not the way that meds do, or exercise, or just plain healthy living.
there are other factors obviously when you consider things like toxins that go into your lungs especially with cigarettes, whcih are then harder to clear out of lungs because of paralyzed cilia, and then stay there and can cause worse damage or infection.
i think that a lot of us would like to believe that maybe doctors are stupid and that pot really isn't that bad, but i think that just because it is not as toxic as cigarettes, i.e. can be natural, doesnt necessarily mean it is good for us. i wish it was. honestly, i have smoke pot a number of times intermittently, and afterwards i never really FELT bad, sometimes immediately after i even felt better and ddint cough anything up. but i have noticed that in the long run it wasnt making me feel any better at all, not the way that meds do, or exercise, or just plain healthy living.
Thanks for that education about cilia - admittedly i didn't know any of that. I must say i do really WANT to give up completely, i just CAN'T! :-( i managed to give up ciggies which is supposed to be a harder addiction to break than heroin............but not the other, darn it. I have to agree with you though that after smoking it, i don't cough AT ALL. Although that isn't necessarily a good thing with CF, it is nice and somewhat of a relief to have a spell where no coughing occurs. I currently have an active infection, although i caught it early and my doc thinks oral meds will suffice, today i've been coughing up lovely pale yellow oysters all morning, then about half an hour ago i had 3 puffs of the 'evil substance' and haven't coughed or had the desire to cough since, i feel loads better!! This inadvertent side effect is not making it any easier for me to be convinced that it's a bad idea - in moderation of course, i would NEVER suggest going overboard with it like I used to! Cheers for the info 
I have read somewhere that pot smoke does help relax bronchial tubes - whether this is true, I dunno. I know that if I smoke pot, I don't cough or anything at that time, but I do have more phlegm the next day. Still, I too have to question the true horrors of pot smoking. How much is anyti drug propaganda? Though, I have to admit that with sensitive lungs and heavy mucous, it probably isn't the best of ideas.
Purplelungs
New member
I have only tried pot once and it was brownies. So I cant say i ever smoked anything. Yes its true pot is a broncho dialator. Look it up. The no coughing has its bad side too because you cant cough out all the infected phlem...or phlem at all that is blocking air ways. Thats why some doctors dont like us using cough surpressants. But it (marijuana) also has its bad effects. You also run the risk of getting asperiglius (sp?) anyway some bacteria from smoking it. It can be pretty bad. Some people are even allergic to this type of bacteria causing the airways to swell if you will even more than normal. Not everyone that smokes pot will get this bacteria but it is known to be found in marijuna. I dont think i spelled that bacteria right so i will just keep refering to it as bacteria. Actually come to think of it i dont think its a bacteria as much as its a mold of some sort. i'll look it up if i remember.
Mockingbird
New member
Aspergillus (yeah, i know I spelled it wrong) is a fungus, I think.
ccflewallen
New member
Hmmmm..... a person with cystic fibrosis smoking marajuana
....kind of like picking up an angry rattle snake.
Yeah, I did smoke a cigarette when I was about 14 or so. The next day I felt really nervous and thought about smoking another one, but thought better of it. However, for fifteen years growing up, almost everyone in my family smoked around me without a second thought. I didn't think anything about it then, but now it bothers me thinking back that they would know I had CF and know what it was, and still do it around me.
ccflewallen
....kind of like picking up an angry rattle snake.
Yeah, I did smoke a cigarette when I was about 14 or so. The next day I felt really nervous and thought about smoking another one, but thought better of it. However, for fifteen years growing up, almost everyone in my family smoked around me without a second thought. I didn't think anything about it then, but now it bothers me thinking back that they would know I had CF and know what it was, and still do it around me.
ccflewallen
ccflewallen
New member
Maybe Im in the dark on this issue or something, but there seems to be an awful percentage of CFers who either do or have smoked pot. It would be interesting to know if that percentage is higher than that of non Cfers. And if so, then whats the deal with it? Depression, rebellion, dont care, what? I simply do not understand. If someone could explain to me why Cfers deem it necessary to do this it would be helpful. Maybe it's like the forbidden fruit deal. Everyone tells us (CFers) never ever ever smoke because you will "die". So, just like Eve, we rush to the weed. Really I do not know what the deal is. I am completely bumfuzzled to come on here and see that almost (not all, but almost) everyone on this forum with CF has smoked or smokes pot. In this instance, I am not saying it's bad. I am just really surprised.
I did it for two reasons: 1) I was in with that kind of crowd as a kid and didn't want to seem "different" - and then liked it when I tried it, so I kept doing it; and 2) the rebellion (goes with not wanting to be "different"). I didn't want to be told that I couldn't do it because I had CF.
Honestly, I still do once in a while, and I'm not saying that's wise, but I'm not willing to give it up yet .
Honestly, I still do once in a while, and I'm not saying that's wise, but I'm not willing to give it up yet .
Purplelungs
New member
Not to burst your bubble ccflwewallen but I dont think there are any more cfers doing pot than none cfers. Sure maybe a little bit more because of the "dont care" attitude. But think about it. I bet you personally know at least 2 people cf or not that has tried pot. Heck you probably even know someone that not only tried pot but used it for a while. I have been out of high school for four years. Not a long time. In a classroom of 20 kids I could name you half of them that were currently using marijuana or something else. I was friends with a "drugie". Alot (not all) people will experienment with drugs...and its usually marijuana because its safer, yes it is. Its like alcohol you cant hardly find anyone anymore that hasnt at least tried it at some point. Yes I do think the rebillion and just dont care attitude has something to do with it, and maybe some cfers are more so. I also think teenagers all have this attitude at some point.
Regardless of whether one has CF or not they tell us not to smoke because you will die. So why does anyone smoke would be the question - not why does someone with cf smoke. I have smoked for app. 10 years and did not know that I had CF, just diagnosed this year (38). I am not having any respiratory issues right now just pancreas. FEV1 is right around 96% and I am trying to quit because of the CF. However, I don't know that I will be anymore successful with this new information than the other times I tried to quit.
ccflewallen
New member
you are probably right purplelungs, it is just disturbing. Yes there are more disturbing things to worry about, but I cant help it. It just "seems" like if there were 20 CFers in a room, maybe 15 or 16 have tried marajuana, rather than just half. Another thing that may or may have had an affect on me was that growing up, both my parents did it. I remember the smell and I remember the little clips with feathers on the end of them. Alcohol was very big in my home as well. I saw the effects of these drugs at a young age, and I remember being afraid for reasons I wont go into. But, it had a lasting affect on me. If you dont really see the really bad effect of drugs growing up, maybe people just think it will be fun and nothing bad will ever happen to them. At least for some I guess
ccflewallen
ccflewallen
HyperactiveDreamer
New member
I hate to say it but ive smoked before cigarretes and weed . Mostly to calm my nerves i was going thru depression i still am but i dont smoke anymore all it did was make me sicker than i already am . After i smoked for about 3 weeks i started not being able to breathe and my chest would hurt i ended up in the hospital with a picc line <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0"> . I had to go home with my picc for thanksgiving having to tend to myself waking up every 4 hours to flush put the antibiotic wait an hour flush put the other wait another hour flush again . It was tiring but i knew it was my fault .. My lung functions went really down and so did my weight . It was hard to recover , Thankfully now i take pills for my depression and i havent smoked since . Smoking is a death wish .
-Vanessa-20/CF<img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0">
-Vanessa-20/CF<img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0">