Can I smoke a cigar 2x a month on birth control pill?

Smoking is harmful whether you’re on birth control or not. I’d suggest that you quit outright.
In any case, if mixing the drugs regularly kills people, sticking to an irregular intake will be less bad for you than that.
Perhaps you could look into what, chemically, is going wrong in the deceased birth-controlling smokers, and draw your own conclusions about your relative safety.

The reason they advise women to avoid smoking while on the birth control pill is because the pill can increase one’s likelihood of getting blood clots, which is also an increased risk in smokers.

I’ve been smoking and on the pill for 15 years. No clots here. Now, that doesn’t mean that you should smoke. Any kind of smoking is bad for your body in one way or another.

I would look into your family history of blood clots, and draw your own conclusions there.

I don’t believe I have a family history of blood clots.
My grandma got a clot once but that was because she was on a drug that made her blood clot (she has a problem with blood thinning).

I don’t know, I’m more leaning toward it being okay for me because I do it so irregularly. I enjoy it.

Personally, and I am by no means a doctor or anything close to it, I wouldn’t worry. You’re still young, which makes you less susceptible to blood clots anyway, and it’s an occasional thing. Smoke a little if you like to, just know that you’re putting yourself at risk, albeit a small risk.

Good to know. Thank you.

Yeah, there are risks to everything, ya know? When I started smoking the VERY occasional cigar (I don’t really like cigarettes, just cigars) I knew that I was taking a small risk in regards to lung cancer, etc.

For now, that’s fine for me. Maybe it’s because I’m “young and stupid”, haha, I have no clue. But for now, I don’t see too much harm. I will definitely re-evaulate in the future when the risk becomes greater. If I have my PCOS under control by then, I may just switch to IUD. Or maybe I’ll have outgrown my cigar loving ways.

You can smoke all you want, but just have to be aware that each time you do, you are adding to the risks to your health. You alone can determine when the risks outweigh the benefits. Two or three times a month certainly doesn’t sound excessive.

Everyone takes risks to their health. It is almost impossible not to. Drinking pop, alcohol, diet drinks, eating excessively, not sleeping enough, exercising too little or too much, taking part in extreme sports. On the other hand, you can do just about anything you enjoy as long as you do it in moderation.

Just take something to thin out your blood as well, and you should be fine.

Warfarin should do the trick! =]

brb, just toasting to your health…

Personally, I almost died last summer from bilateral blood clots related to the use of oral contraceptives… and I’ve never smoked, was perfectly healthy and had no family history of blood clots.

After being through the hell of blood clots, I cannot possibly imagine why you would voluntarily give yourself additional risk.

If you’re really curious about the quantification of the additional risk (and yes, I’m certain you’re putting yourself at additional risk), ask your doctor or OB/GYN. They should be familiar with the current (recent) literature.

Sorry to hear about that Cupcake. How long did you take the oral contraceptives? I’ve been on mine for 5 years straight now – no breaks.

Yeah, I’m probably at some additional risk. The question is, how much? I’m going to go find out. I have no doubt that there is some additional risk but I need to find out how much there actually is.

Everyone takes risks in life. You kind of have to. This is one that I am fine with taking, at least for now. Others, well, not so much. I don’t take drugs, drink excessively, do crazy sports, date casually, etc. Others I do take, I smoke cigars once in a great while, I don’t use a condoms when I’m in a monogamous relationship, and I put Splenda in my coffee. It’s all about evaluating the risks out there and weight the benefits for you.

@The_Idler Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll look into it. I wouldn’t mind being on a blood thinner.

There is always the odd case where a person smokes for one year and winds up having to have a lung transplant or something, but that is very rare. What happened to @Cupcake is very rare. I personally have smoked and taken the pill, as did my daughter, for over a decade and no adverse effects.

…Can I smoke a cigar 2x a month…
Is this like a Clinton/Lewinsky cigar?

Whats the point in that, quit al together!

Hahaha, you funny.

Nah, I get my cigars from this local smokeshop, in case anyone was wondering. They are handrolled and made in the shop. I find them to be quite delicious. You can get them in different flavours.
I don’t even really smoke a full one. What I like to do is go on walks with my boyfriend and we light up as we leave and we’ll go on LONG (2–3+ hour) walks and just share it. So that’s about half each, ya know?

They cost $10+/cigar and I don’t want to smell/get addicted so we don’t smoke often.

Hookah is something I do maybe 1–2x a month. Again, it’s with my boyfriend and it’s fun. I haven’t done in a month now but we are going out to a smoke shop next week when he comes to visit me.

@patricia1

Because it’s fun and I enjoy it?

If I can do it very occasionally, then I’m going to do it.
in my mind, it’s not like cigarettes (which I don’t like). Cigars are calming, taste good, smell good, and I just enjoy them.

Alcohol poisons your liver and can make you fat, so “whats the point in that, quit al together!”

But the thing is it takes away 10min of your life and thats only one of them.

and its good for your heart [alocol] but only a little and ciggaretts are just bad all together.

I’d like to see your sources, @patricia1.

@seekingwolf has made it clear that she knows of the health risks associated with smoking. She’s also an adult, so she can make her own choices regarding her health. She strikes me as an intelligent person, not least because she’s concerned about the possibility of combining smoking with birth control. The question at hand isn’t whether she should stop smoking, it’s whether she should stop just because of the pill. You also should reread the question and her replies, because she doesn’t smoke “ciggaretts”.

someone thinks there the boss of me!

@patricia1 – Welcome to Fluther :)

@patricia1

Hey, don’t call @Seelix names. btw thanks for standing up for me

There are risks to everything…drinking, smoking, etc. It’s all about what YOU feel comfortable taking. I enjoy cigars and in moderation (of course) I feel that it’s worth the risk. Right now though, I thought about the BC pill I’m on and now I’m trying to evaluate the risk there. If I feel it’s too much, I’ll have to stop the cigars/hookah for now. If there isn’t that much risk, then I will continue to enjoy cigars a couple times a month. Simple as that.

I don’t do it that often, I’m not addicted, I don’t expose others to my 2nd handsmoke, I don’t smell, and I definitely don’t try to get others to smoke or pressure anyone in any way. It’s my own choice. It adds a little something to my life and for now, it’s worth the risk but that may change.

i really cant help it got a bad temper!

but shes still is.

@patricia1 – I hope you’ve read the site guidelines. I can see that you’re pretty good at using proper spelling, grammar, capitalization and punctuation. Now if you can just work on that whole “being nice” thing… Maybe Fluther isn’t the place for you. Have a look around; you’ll see that we’re very different from some of the other Q&A sites you might have seen.

@patricia1

I stated in my title…cigars, not cigarettes.

I’m not sure if you know this but my smoking habit is NOT like regular smokers. I only do it 2x a month and that’s like half of a cigar at one time, not an entire box (that would be like binge smoking and BOY I would get a headache!)

Is there still a risk despite irregular use? Of course, I’m not dumb. But I’m knowingly taking that risk. I just want to know what the health risk is (however much) when you combine an irregular smoke habit with BC pills. Simple as that.

Oh, I was wondering how long it’d take to get into the Jerry Springer defenses! So sorry your thread got hijacked, @seekingwolf.

@Seelix it’s okay, not your fault at all. I think I mostly got my question answered and I’m really happy I got input from you and other helpful people so thank you. :) I reported partricia, it’s just a matter of time.

In case anyone’s wondering where that GA on the “emo bitch” reply came from, that was me. Just ‘cause I’m so emo, I wanted to hurt myself by GAing it. Or something.

HI, @patricia1 , learn a few manners and you’ll be welcome here. Otherwise, please go find a playground where they don’t mind your idiotic juvenile behavior.

There, @Seelix , that should take the heat off of you and make me the target of the “bitch” remarks.

whatever

@JilltheTooth – I doubt it, but we can share if you want!

Ooh! The ubiquitous “whatever”! I am so stopped in my tracks. I am wounded. I bleed. Someone get me a tourniquet!

Psst… @patricia1 – you know you won’t be here long, right?

No no no, if anyone here is a bitch, it’s ME. Says so right on my profile. And since I’m such a bitch, I’d like to mention that you should really watch your fucking language, dammit.

I should tell you that I have major girl crushes on @Seelix and @JilltheTooth, so chill, before I get all protective and start throwing pancakes or stuff you in the frizzer.

Gone, now. Thinking the hammer came down?

@JilltheTooth Yes, yes I do

Aww, I was hoping for more!

The sea king ate her.

I managed to message her asking her age and she told me “14” and then got mad about @Seelix again saying that she was acting like she was “24 or sumethin”. Haha.

I’m so acting like I’m 24 or sumethin’! I lurve when people think I’m younger than I am :)

Awwww damn, she’s gone already? But it was just getting fun!

Yeah it made me giggle. Thought I would share with you. :D

@WillWorkForChocolate

I know! I’m bummed! I wanted you to start throwing pancakes! standing with mouth open

Can we request that her answers don’t get modded? This thread made my night! I just wish I made it in time for the real action.

Can I be 24, too? Wait…no…I didn’t much like 24. Never mind.

Trak her doun and stik a cigarett up her nose and splish her wit alocol and stuff.

Sorry for flagging, guys, I was drunk with power. I’ll go get some wine instead. Well, this is General, we’ll prolly all get modded. Pooh.

No No No!! No modding the funnies! It could end up being one of those epic janets threads or something!

Who’s got syrup for the pancakes?

Do you actually inhale the cigars? I would think that might make a bit of a difference. When I smoke cigars I don’t inhale. Isn’t that how you are supposed to do it?

Yeah, for sure! We should just archive this one, and leave it intact. As long as @seekingwolf is okay with it, that is.

I think I’ll go smoke a ciggarett now, and maybe have a nice alocol-ic drink. Since I’m 24 and I can.

When I smoke cigars I frow up.

@Seelix Don’t stik it up yur nose, mmkay?

I’ll try not to. But since I only act like I’m 24 or sumethin, I might idiotically do so.

I actually love that girl for thinking I’m younger than 24.

24? Pffft, I act like I’m still 14. Excep I smoke them cigaretts and drink alocol and got me sum tatoose and my tung peerced.

Nobody’s voluteering syrup for the pancakes? WTF? I’m disappointed in you all.

Sorry, I used all the syrup. I had Gandhi dip his bald head in it and rub it all over my body.

Oh man, I haven’t even had any alocol.

Damn, we do get giddy on these slammin’ threads!

@Seelix Whoa… I would pay money to see that.

I think Patricia got eated

Awww man, and now her comments are gone too. :(

[mod says] Question has been moved to Social. Enjoy. ;)

Thanks, auggie! Any chance you could unmoderate the moderated responses?

Oh, please do, it’s just too funny…

I agree. All the mean remarks were made to me, so that should count for something sumethin!

“sumfin”, @Seelix , “sumfin”.

I’ve restored most of the comments now, but I can’t leave the direct personal attacks up (even with permission from the attackee). Sorry!

Dangit, but the poo slinging comments were what made the whole thing so funny!! Especially when she called @Seelix an emo bitch and @Seelix gave it a GA. That was just priceless!!!

Thanks, auggie. You’re the best!

@Seelix Since you asked, here’s the Mayo Clinic’s Health Benefits Of Alcohol:

Moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits. It may:

* Reduce your risk of developing heart disease
* Reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack
* Possibly reduce your risk of strokes, particularly ischemic strokes
* Lower your risk of gallstones
* Possibly reduce your risk of diabetes.
It goes on to warn that not everybody will necessarily experience these benefits.

@Nullo – Thanks, but I was actually referring to the claim that each cigarette shortens your life by 10 minutes. The other jelly wrote her other post while I was composing mine.