Implications of Leukoplakia

[Gustav]

I started smoking the pipe about 1 month ago and to my dismay I have contracted Leukoplakia which are growths of protein in the mouth with occur primarily as a result of pipe smoking. In my case it presents itself as a white spot on the side of the tongue and according to my physician a biopsy will have to be performed to analyse its possible malignancy (apparently rare) and then it will most probably have to be removed. Has anybody else encountered anything similar? Is this the end of my short pipe smoking excursion? I never had this problem with Cigars, will I have to give up those too? I am not a regular smoker so giving up completely will not be a major problem but it would be very sad if I had to give it up altogether.

[Stevew443]

A quick question for you. Do you smoke aromatics? My dentist could tell right away when I switched from aromatics to straight Virginia or Virginia/Perique. It seems that the aromatics tend to burn hotter and have more additives in them which cause problems in the mouth. When I made the switch, my dentist thought I had stopped smoking the pipe.

[Gustav]

Thanks for the input, I have quit for now until I have had the biopsy performed and had the verdict. I will use the time I would have spent smoking to do some maintenance on my straights.

[Gustav]

Great preliminary news: I went to a dermatologist today who removed the white material sent it off to the lab and said that it was very unlikely that it was leukoplakia. According to him you do not get leukoplakia when like me you are around 40 and certainly not from smoking 12 bowls of pipe tobacco. He encounters leukoplakia in 60 year old heavy smokers. Instead he said it was more likely scar tissue from a wound on the tongue or an infection or possibly some kind of fungus. It was likely that it was completely harmless. Anyway if his diagnosis is confirmed by the lab, I might be so bold as to give it a go again.

[oc_in_fw]

Great preliminary news: I went to a dermatologist today who removed the white material sent it off to the lab and said that it was very unlikely that it was leukoplakia. According to him you do not get leukoplakia when like me you are around 40 and certainly not from smoking 12 bowls of pipe tobacco. He encounters leukoplakia in 60 year old heavy smokers. Instead he said it was more likely scar tissue from a wound on the tongue or an infection or possibly some kind of fungus. It was likely that it was completely harmless. Anyway if his diagnosis is confirmed by the lab, I might be so bold as to give it a go again.
Good to here, Gustav

[PugslyCat]

Great news, Gustav!

I think we all have to acknowledge that what we're doing isn't good for our physical well being, but it is something we insist on doing for our mental mental health.

[Commander Quan]

Everyone knows that there is risk involved with the use of tobacco, but there is risk involved with everything (skydiving, drinking soda, shopping on Black Friday). As long as use doesn't turn into abuse you're chances of adverse health effects are minimal. Each person has to weigh the risk and consequences and determine for themselves of that risk is something they are willing to assume.

[Kentos]

Great news Gutav!

[oc_in_fw]

Everyone knows that there is risk involved with the use of tobacco, but there is risk involved with everything (skydiving, drinking soda, shopping on Black Friday). As long as use doesn't turn into abuse you're chances of adverse health effects are minimal. Each person has to weigh the risk and consequences and determine for themselves of that risk is something they are willing to assume.
You know, ever since they allowed drug companies to advertise on tv, I don't want to take medicine. The side effects of some of them sound worse than what they are treating.

[Commander Quan]

That's because of the stinking lawyers, and the fact that everyone is out to sue everyone else. "Sure I had to start taking Lipitor because I ate crap for every meal for the the last 20 years, and sure it probably saved my life, but it made my skin itchy so I'm going to sue the pants off of someone" :a52:

[Champion of Capua]

That's great news ! Sorry I posted my last response without reading your good news post.

[Xilbus]

Great preliminary news: I went to a dermatologist today who removed the white material sent it off to the lab and said that it was very unlikely that it was leukoplakia. According to him you do not get leukoplakia when like me you are around 40 and certainly not from smoking 12 bowls of pipe tobacco. He encounters leukoplakia in 60 year old heavy smokers. Instead he said it was more likely scar tissue from a wound on the tongue or an infection or possibly some kind of fungus. It was likely that it was completely harmless. Anyway if his diagnosis is confirmed by the lab, I might be so bold as to give it a go again.
Did you bite your tongue recently? Ive gotten white spots on the side of my mouth not because of smoking but because i bit the side of my cheek while eating. That spot then became white but healed up after a bit of time. A fever could probably cause this also.

[luvmysuper]

Leukoplakia and similar ailments can be attributed to alcohol use, rough teeth, scraping mucous membranes while chewing food etc.
An interesting study performed on people with leukoplakia found affected people to be low in the B complex vitamins.

Glad to hear that this was a false alarm.

[rickcharles606]

I suggest a celebratory bowl ;-) Congrats on the good news!

[Argonaut]

Everytime I see this thread, that "My name is Luka" song gets stuck in my head.

[oc_in_fw]

Everytime I see this thread, that "My name is Luka" song gets stuck in my head.
I may have to look that up to dislodge my two day earworm ("Surrender" by Elvis)

[Gustav]

I suggest a celebratory bowl ;-) Congrats on the good news!

Just to be on the safe side, I will wait until the lab confirms the diagnosis. Besides my tongue is still sore from the "white matter" removal yesterday.

[Champion of Capua]

Just to be on the safe side, I will wait until the lab confirms the diagnosis. Besides my tongue is still sore from the "white matter" removal yesterday.

I could not imagine a more sensitive part of the body.

[Kentos]

I would say a lot more people will be having health issues rated to poor eating habits vs. having a bowl of pipe tobacco.

Apparently a Swedish study found the mortality rate between obese men and smokers to be similar.
The article:
http://www.obesitypanacea.com/2009/03/what-is-more-likely-to-kill-you-smoking.html?m=1

Abstract:
http://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b496.abstract

Now skydiving...

[oc_in_fw]

I think we could argue days over that point of view :smile:. I would say a lot more people will be having health issues rated to poor eating habits vs. having a bowl of pipe tobacco.

Apparently a Swedish study found the mortality rate between obese men and smokers to be similar.
The article:
http://www.obesitypanacea.com/2009/03/what-is-more-likely-to-kill-you-smoking.html?m=1

Abstract:
http://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b496.abstract

Now skydiving...
What about obese men who smoke while skydiving?

[oc_in_fw]

I could not imagine a more sensitive part of the body.
I can think of a few

[Kentos]

What about obese men who smoke while skydiving?

I would say they are loving life, no? I secretly "admire" the guy who eats all skin on his KFC bucket of chicken, guzzles it down with a Coke, and lights up a Marlboro afterwards as he releases a satisfied belch. He may or may not live longer than me, but at that moment he is happy. To be unconcerned with your own mortality must be liberating.

Me? I peel off the skin, drink water, and quit cigs a while ago.

[Gustav]

Call me paranoid but there seem to be a number of posts that have been deleted from this thread to do with quitting altogether if it were leukoplakia.

[haiku44]

I'm not sure which mod did that. But the reason I think is that those posts were from people that don't frequent the Brown leaf section. The vibe I got from those posts was "quit smoking regardless", leukoplakia was just an excuse to convince you to quit.


Call me paranoid but there seem to be a number of posts that have been deleted from this thread to do with quitting altogether if it were leukoplakia.

[Kentos]

Call me paranoid but there seem to be a number of posts that have been deleted from this thread to do with quitting altogether if it were leukoplakia.

The post that was deleted was one that had an opinion stating the side effects of tobacco were way worse than drinking soda, skydiving, etc. Nothing to do with leukoplakia and quitting :) In the end, we all need to weigh the risks of whatever we do.

[Argonaut]

Call me paranoid but there seem to be a number of posts that have been deleted from this thread to do with quitting altogether if it were leukoplakia.

You're paranoid.

[rickcharles606]

I would say they are loving life, no? I secretly "admire" the guy who eats all skin on his KFC bucket of chicken, guzzles it down with a Coke, and lights up a Marlboro afterwards as he releases a satisfied belch. He may or may not live longer than me, but at that moment he is happy. To be unconcerned with your own mortality must be liberating.

Me? I peel off the skin, drink water, and quit cigs a while ago.

I hear you...I avoid fried foods as much as I can. The sad part is that I LOVE fried chicken, so when I do eat it...I eat it all and love every second of it. I subscribe to an all things in moderation (within reason) code, and it works for me. I'm healthy...knock on wood ;-)

[luvmysuper]

Call me paranoid but there seem to be a number of posts that have been deleted from this thread to do with quitting altogether if it were leukoplakia.

The posts that were deleted were posts that were made by people who don't frequent this forum.
while their posts would be fine in the barbershop, they are not fine here.
If you want the opinion of people who are anti tobacco regardless of mitigating circumstances, ask your question in the barbershop, not the Brown Leaf, a small sanctuary free of those who argue against all tobacco use no matter the facts.

[oc_in_fw]

The posts that were deleted were posts that were made by people who don't frequent this forum.
while their posts would be fine in the barbershop, they are not fine here.
If you want the opinion of people who are anti tobacco regardless of mitigating circumstances, ask your question in the barbershop, not the Brown Leaf, a small sanctuary free of those who argue against all tobacco use no matter the facts.
Thanks. Smokers take grief from people just about everywhere, we don't need to here.

[Gustav]

Thanks. Smokers take grief from people just about everywhere, we don't need to here.

Well that explains it. I find it disturbing to think that some people do not anything better to do than to interfere with other peoples business. Thanks for removing their posts!

[Gustav]

I finally got the diagnosis: Lichen Ruber Mucosa a.k.a. Lichen Planus of the mouth. It is a very rare autoimmune skin disease which in rare cases affects the mouth. Its cause is unknown and it is quite harmless. Apparently, where large portions of the buccal mucosa is affected, especially the underside of the tongue, the risk of developing cancer is two times higher than in the rest of the population especially if you smoke. Mine is very localized and minor. I will treat it according to instructions and see the doctor regularly. I asked him if the occasional pipe or cigar could be dangerous and he said it was unlikely that that could cause anything.

[luvmysuper]

Thanks for the update Erik!
Glad to hear it wasn't something serious.

[rickcharles606]

Glad to hear that it's harmless ;-) Now, how about that celebratory bowl?

[PugslyCat]

Erik, I am glad to hear that it is not, at this time, anything serious. It does sound like something to keep an eye on over time, but that seems to be your plan.

[Argonaut]

Glad to hear it.

[Champion of Capua]

Good news indeed.
Just wondering If you'll go back to cigars first and sneak in a few bowls here and there to see how it goes ?

[SALBONE]

Great stuff! Smoke up!

[du52]

Hooray!

[Blade Boy]

You know, ever since they allowed drug companies to advertise on tv, I don't want to take medicine. The side effects of some of them sound worse than what they are treating.
+1 to that, "This stuff will cure your rash but it may cause fatal bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose & mouth", sign me up :wink2:.

[Gustav]

Glad to hear that it's harmless ;-) Now, how about that celebratory bowl?

Yep I am all for it, I might have one this evening! To answer another gentleman's question, I think I will go for my pipe directly, I actually enjoy it more than cigars.

[Gustav]

A quick question for you. Do you smoke aromatics? My dentist could tell right away when I switched from aromatics to straight Virginia or Virginia/Perique. It seems that the aromatics tend to burn hotter and have more additives in them which cause problems in the mouth. When I made the switch, my dentist thought I had stopped smoking the pipe.

Sorry for the late reply, I might have a look into this. Could someone suggest a non aromatic which I might be able to find in Europe?