• Stephen Pendry, 23, struggled with crippling pain, tiredness, shortness of breath and dehydration since he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis four years ago.
• But he is now completely symptom–free, thanks to a new four–a–day cigarette habit.
• Doctors are divided over benefits of patients smoking to combat symptoms – some believe nicotine is the healer so patches, and not cigarettes, are way forward.

A medical student claims to have cured himself of a debilitating disease by taking up smoking.

Formerly a non–smoker, Stephen Pendry, 23, struggled with crippling pain, tiredness, shortness of breath and dehydration since he was diagnosed with bowel disease ulcerative colitis four years ago.

He had to rush to the toilet up to 15 times a day but is now completely symptom–free, thanks to a new four–a–day cigarette habit.

The incredible turnaround is due to a side–effect of nicotine, hardly known outside medical circles, which cancels out damage caused by the disease.

The trainee pharmacologist from Croydon, south London, who had never previously smoked, defied doctors’ recommendations of invasive surgery in favour of studies which showed patients with the disease improving after being given nicotine.

He said: 'Smoking was my last option. I didn’t really want to wear a colostomy bag at the age of 23.

'Colitis is a condition which is constantly on your mind. It holds you back from doing a lot of things.

'Now, thanks to smoking, I do not suffer with the symptoms anymore and I can finally move on with my life.

'I know it’s controversial to say smoking can have positive effects, but doctors don’t always know best.'

Mr Pendry was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in February 2008 and was forced to give up university following repeated visits to hospital.

He said: 'It was so bad I was taken on a stretcher into hospital where I stayed for three days. I was very anaemic. After that my mum persuaded me to go back home and get better.'

Despite struggling with symptoms, he re–sat his A–levels and began a new course in pharmacology at Bristol University.

Doctors prescribed drugs which are usually used to help chemotherapy patients, but he found the side–effects unbearable.

Then, in April this year, he read a study in which half of ulcerative colitis sufferers who took part in a trial experienced complete relief from symptoms when using a nicotine patch.

He said: 'I had really bad headaches and I was really run–down on the medication.

'I found that smoking was quite a well recommended method in America, and decided to give it a try.

'Cigarettes, rather than patches, were the best option for me to get the nicotine. Patches aren’t routinely available on the NHS for this treatment and they are too expensive for me to buy.

'I am only smoking four cigarettes a day so I can make a one pack last for several days, meaning it works out cheaper.

'As a student, everyone in my shared house smokes, so smoking cigarettes was a natural thing to do.

'Within a week of starting smoking all of my symptoms disappeared.'

Despite well–known links between cigarette smoking and cancer, Mr Pendry balanced the decision to take up the habit against equally well–established links between ulcerative colitis and bowel cancer.

He said: 'The colitis, and the drugs used to treat it, can themselves cause cancer.

'I’m only smoking three or four cigarettes a day, so I don’t believe I am at risk.'

Dr Sean Kelly, Consultant Gastroenterologist at York Hospital, who has written on the subject in the British Medical Journal, said: 'It is a well–established medical fact that smoking protects against ulcerative colitis.

'Rarely, we use tobacco as a bridge to conventional medical therapy.

'We sometimes get an ex–smoker to start smoking again – for a short period – to settle the colitis and then allow medicines, such as azathioprine, to maintain remission after they have stopping smoking completely.

'This has worked in two out of three cases which I have personally dealt with.'

Dr Kelly added it is common for ulcerative colitis to be found in patients who have recently stopped smoking.

He said: 'The condition is three times more common in people who have given up or who never started smoking. We do not know why.

'Around 20 years ago there was a lot of interest in using nicotine patches to treat ulcerative colitis, but the research was not terribly effective.'

But Helen Terry, Director of Information at the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, said cigarette smoking is not a safe treatment.

She said: 'The recommendation of the medical advisors we work with is that although smoking has a known effect on ulcerative colitis, the general advice is to give up smoking.

'In terms of maintaining general health, not smoking is better for you than smoking.'

And Martin Dockrell, Director of Research and Policy at charity Action on Smoking and Health said: 'The evidence doesn’t come from smoking, it comes from nicotine.

'There are ways of getting safe pharmacological nicotine in patches. We advise talking to a doctor about the benefits of going on nicotine replacement therapy.

'There is no need to try smoking which is, of course, very dangerous.'

CAN SMOKING PROTECT AGAINST COLITIS?
Dr Sean Kelly, Consultant Gastroenterologist at York Hospital, has written on the link between nicotine and colitis in the British Medical Journal.

He said: 'It is a well–established medical fact that smoking protects against ulcerative colitis.

'It is not widely–known outside specialised medical circles, and raises eyebrows in patients and other doctors when explained, but the treatment is well–known among those familiar with this condition.

'Rarely, we use tobacco as a bridge to conventional medical therapy.

'We sometimes get an ex–smoker to start smoking again – for a short period – to settle the colitis and then allow medicines, such as azathioprine, to maintain remission after they have stopping smoking completely.

'This has worked in two out of three cases which I have personally dealt with.'

Dr Kelly added it is common for ulcerative colitis to be found in patients who have recently stopped smoking.

He said: 'The condition is three times more common in people who have given up or who never started smoking. We do not know why.'

But other doctors believe nicotine is the healer so research into the benefits of wearing nicotine patches, and not smoking cigarettes, are the way forward.