I have read every article on EM that I could find in the last 10 years, including a bunch I got from Dr Davis at the Mayo Clinic. I have never seen mention of smoking causing EM. Maybe the doctor you saw was not convinced that you had EM. Maybe suspected it could be Buergers or just wanted to scare you into quitting smoking.
The doctor I saw was not my usual one and had only read the notes from my previous visit to him plus, it would seem, my history of smoking. If you knew the whole truth about my smoking you would think it would have scared me enough to quit but I am too ashamed and embarrassed to divulge it. However I am still trying to quit and have reduced my intake significantly.
I don’t believe the smoking theory either, just in comparing and amount of smokers to the amount of people with EM it doesn’t add up. But one thing that has caught my attention is the number of teachers their seem to be with EM. I myself was not a teacher but worked 18 years as a school cook.I’m thinking it’s the cement floors we stood on day after day maybe? Just a thought.
Believe me, it took several attempts to give up smoking. I had been to hypnosis, but because my husband still smoked I did too, even though i did not enjoy it. Then we both got to the point of being over it and just stopped. I had one puff 2 weeks after giving up and it reminded me why I stopped. Mentally I still have days where I think it looks nice, but I know the reality its not. If you try the hypnosis I strongly recommend that you complete the course. It may seem expensive but in the long run its going to save you money and your health :)
I am like Mark Twain who once said 'giving up smoking is easy, I've done it hundreds of times!!'
I have tried everything from hypnotism (which worked for my sister) through to patches,gum,spray, fake ciggies and cold turkey. My husband also smokes and that makes my attempts at quitting even harder. But in the end it is my own stupidity that has ruined my health.
angel14 said:
Believe me, it took several attempts to give up smoking. I had been to hypnosis, but because my husband still smoked I did too, even though i did not enjoy it. Then we both got to the point of being over it and just stopped. I had one puff 2 weeks after giving up and it reminded me why I stopped. Mentally I still have days where I think it looks nice, but I know the reality its not. If you try the hypnosis I strongly recommend that you complete the course. It may seem expensive but in the long run its going to save you money and your health :)
I'm just reading through some of your posts for the first time - I smoked for about 10 years on and off through uni and 6th form as a rebellious student! I do't smoke now but I have had EM since birth and smoking made no difference. So whilst I'm not advocating smoking (my husband is hopeless having quit more times than I can remember!) I am pretty certain that it has nothing to do with your EM. Having said that I do believe that it is not good for Raynauds.
You also asked about my treatment at the Royal Free. I've been a patient there under the rheumatology team since about 2007 having asked my GP for a referral. They have been pretty good but it's such a huge hospital that I really do feel like I'm being processed through a machine! I currently take 100mg Imipramine and 10mg Nifedipine daily, plus aspirin. I also have a twice yearly infusion of a drug called Iloprost which is mainly used for Raynauds and Scleroderma patients because it opens up the blood vessels.