Constipation After Quitting Smoking: Causes and Fixes

Quitting smoking can sometimes cause constipation and other intestinal difficulties. Along with constipation, nausea and gas are symptoms of withdrawal from tobacco products.

Fortunately, digestive issues usually resolve themselves in a matter of weeks. While they are unpleasant, don’t let the discomforts derail your quit program.

In addition to nicotine withdrawal, it is also possible that other changes you may have made since quitting tobacco are contributing to the constipation that you’re experiencing.

Symptoms of Constipation After Quitting Smoking

Signs of constipation include infrequent bowel movements that occur less than two to three times per week. Other common symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain and discomfort
• Bloated belly
• Bloody stool
• Hard stool
• Pain while using the bathroom
• Straining while passing stool

You may also experience other intestinal problems when quitting smoking, including feelings of nausea or gas that are related to nicotine withdrawal.

Causes of Constipation When Quitting Smoking

There are a number of different factors that can play a role in causing constipation when you are quitting smoking. These include nicotine withdrawal and other changes in your diet, activity, and stress levels.

Nicotine Withdrawal

Nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes that makes quitting so challenging. It also leads to withdrawal symptoms when you stop smoking, including constipation.

Because nicotine affects the small bowel and colon, your body needs to adjust when levels of the substance suddenly decrease or disappear.

If constipation persists, it may be due to other factors such as medication side effects, changes in diet, stress, or activity levels.

Quit Aids

Two prescription quit aid medications list nausea and constipation as side effects: Chantix (varenicline) and Zyban (bupropion).

Research has found that taking varenicline for longer than six weeks was associated with adverse gastrointestinal effects including constipation, flatulence, and nausea. If you are using one of these, check in with your doctor for advice on how to proceed.

Changes in Diet

It is not unusual to experience dramatic changes in what you eat when you first quit smoking. Many people turn to food to bridge the gap between the hand-to-mouth activity that smoking was, as well as to use food for comfort when cigarette cravings hit.

Often, the foods that you choose might leave your daily diet less than balanced. This can then lead to digestive disturbances. Take a good look at what you’ve been eating since you quit smoking.

Increased Stress

Leaving cigarettes behind will eventually bring more peace to your life than you had as a smoker. But smoking cessation may increase the stress and anxiety you feel in the short term.

Emotional stress can have physical effects on your body, including digestion. If this strikes a chord with you, try incorporating some tension-tamers into your daily routine.

A few minutes of meditation when you wake up, deep breathing when stress bubbles up during the day, and a hot bath or time with a good book before bed will help you keep stress at bay.

Changes in Activity

Smoking cessation throws life out of whack for many people, both physically and psychologically. You might feel tired and cranky, and often, less active than normal.

While this is fine and to be expected, less exercise than what you are accustomed to, along with some or all of the other issues listed above, can be a significant contributor to constipation.

If you haven’t been active recently, be sure to check in with a healthcare provider before starting a new exercise regimen.

Relief for Constipation After Quitting Smoking

If you are experiencing constipation related to quitting smoking, there are some ways you can find relief. Steps you can take include:

• Making sure you are consuming enough fiber
• Getting regular physical exercise
• Drinking plenty of water
• Avoiding foods that contribute to constipation, such as fried foods, dairy, and red meat

Other options that may help relieve constipation include over-the-counter fiber supplements and laxatives or prescription medications.

Before taking any of those, talk to a healthcare provider, particularly if: you are using a quit aid, you have other medical conditions, or your constipation is severe. If any symptoms of intestinal pain persist or increase over time, don’t hesitate to contact a doctor for a check-up.