<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> On Fri, 20 Oct 1995, Annmaureen Surra wrote: > Looking at my history, it might seem I should try smoking again! Does > anyone have any statistics on whether the stress of quitting smoking has > contributed to Celiac conditions? Could smoking have helped to regulate > my metabolism? Does nicotine depress celiac symptoms? Just curious! AMS I don't have any answers, just a similar experience. When I smoked (1 pack a day of unfiltered cigarettes) I was healthy and strong (could carry 150 pounds without any trouble). After I quit I was pleased with how much my lung capacity improved. But within a few weeks, my minor respiratory allergies became extreme (constantly runny nose and unstoppable sneezing fits) and my digestive system no longer seemed to be processing what I ate. I experienced a lot of water retention, headaches, low body temperature, and was always on the verge of passing out. I got used to it. Nine years later I developed nephrotic syndrome, an auto-immune attack on the kidneys, which was stopped with prednisone, but I began a steady and unstoppable weight loss. Since going GF 9 months ago, all these symptoms have faded away, and only return temporarily when I ingest gluten. Like Annmaureen, I wonder -- "What is the connection between quitting smoking and getting celiac?". It's too bad that celiac would probably not go away if we started smoking again. Though I guess there's nothing really appealing to me about lung cancer either. Ron in Seattle, [log in to unmask]