Diarrhea
 

Does alcohol do something to the digestive system that causes severe diarrhea? My AH has suffered for over 3 months with massive diarrhea and inability to eat. This has occurred during and following a multi-month binge. For you medical personnel out there, he has been diagnosed with c-diff, but has not been hospitalized nor received any antibiotics recently. Could the alcohol be causing the diarrhea? He has been treated for the c-diff, and has tested negative, but the diarrhea continues. Thanks.

Mine didn't have any known medical problems, and he ate well (too well) but he did have awful diarrhea every day. I guessed it was just the massive amount of liquid he took in every day finding its way out.

Yours has med issue tho so I'm not sure it's just a drunk thing.

i have a girlfriend whose hubby is late stage alcoholic, and she said he hasn't had a solid bowel movement in 2 years.

he drinks 6 beers as soon as he wakes up, goes to work, gets off at 3:30 and heads straight for home where he drinks shots of whiskey and beer until he passes out at 6pm. he sleeps until about 2am...and then drinks 6 more beers, sleeps till 7am...and starts all over again. his belly is really swollen looking, and his arms and legs are long and spidery looking. he used to be a gorgeous man.

anyway, he has the scoots all the time.

Alcohol effects all body systems and I think diarrhea is a very common problem. It is good reason to make an appt with a medical doctor. Chronic diarrhea can be symptom of many things. Some serious. If he won't go, call Your MD to report all the symptoms by phone to get an opinion. What's he eating, how much, how often? Hoew long has the diarrhea been going on? What is the character if his bowel movements. Are they urgent? Are they liquid or formed? How many a day? He needs some testing and some lab work, Chronic diarrhea messes up important electrolytes. They may ask for a specimen and that could be dropped off to be tested for bacteria and blood content.

Hello mtmama!

Is your husband concerned about it?

Considering the fact that he has rectal incontinence and the diarrhea is splattered everywhere and he has to wear Depends, I would say it has gotten his attention! He is so sick that he doesn't even drink vodka .... and barely smokes. And, he doesn't eat 200-300 calories a day. He spends most of the time in bed or in the bathroom. He finally went to an urgent care center today and was re-tested for c-diff.....and they redid some blood work. No results yet....He is a retired Dr. so is very reluctant to 'seek' medical care. After all, he can treat himself!!!

My AH had problems with diarrhea daily while he was drinking. Once he started drinking food became un-important.

He has been sober now about 80 days. while he was in treatment they talked to him about about eating a balanced diet.

He is eating now more than I have ever seen him eat. Never liked sweets before but has ice cream every night, loves cookies, candy etc.

He still has some diarrhea but overall it has gotten much better since he quit drinking.

I have heard many people bring this up so it seems to be related but I wouldn't take chances - I would check with the doctor.

mtmama, there's all kinds of nasty stuff that alcohol can cause to the bowels. Most of it is easily cured, and it's easy to diagnose too. Most definetly he must see a doctor, and soon. Clearly it's not going to clear up on it's own or it would have in just a few days.

Mike :)

Oh yeah, I always had it. I was never incontinent, but I was close. I always thought it was IBS, or stress. It get's so bad during withdraw that it dehydrates you also. It's very uncomfortable.

The poor diet doesn't help either.

The good news is that it goes away with abstinence. As do the anxiety, stress and depression.

The sugar is replacing what he's no longer getting from the alcohol (converts to sugar). Some alcoholics I know have also eliminated sugar from their diets and some AA meetings in my area don't offer them any longer.

The diarrhea could have many causes. If the pancreas has been affected, it would be common.

There is a lot of good reading out there on the physiological effects of alcohol abuse. I was amazed that even the deep hip pain AH suffered from for years was probably due to his drinking. Reading it all really helped me understand so much.

Was just talking with my son yesterday about different beers.

Just the brand of beer alone was enough to cause such a problem.

Schlitz that beer that gives the....

Bacteria is what causes the hopps and malts or what ever the base is for the type of alcoholic substance to break down into the finished produced.
The bacterial soup gets filtered and we drink the end result. (after it gets treated by other methods as well.)
So just the drink itself can cause such.
Still it isn't something you want going on for a long time.
A Dr check up would be a good idea all the same.

It could be his pancreas isnt working properly. If the digestive enzymes that the pancreas makes arent working right then food cannot be digested properly and it could cause problems. If someone is drinking and not eating they will get D too cuz there is nothing to absorb anything. He should get it checked cuz dehydration is fatal is not taken care of. Good luck

Oh, yeah, this was a BIG problem with AH. He had it almost every single day. It was gross. We would have to stop on car trips so he could traipse down out of site and go. More than once he's lost it somewhat while dressed, but there is one incident in particular that stands out in my mind. I was getting ready to go to church in another town (where I live now), and he decided he wanted to go to town with me. His friend was with us (I don't remember the details of why), but I was in a hurry to leave so I wouldn't be late for church. We finally got to the car, still late, and then that's when he s**t himself, fully dressed. It was sick and so very sad too. He laughed it off....he ate too many spicy foods he said. We were waiting in the car, and he called from his cell phone, yelled at me to bring him some new boxers, jeans, socks, and shoes. I said no, and he yelled at me again. Finally I took it to him, and it was just gross. Ugh, it pains me to remember that. :(

It's no infection if your constantly tested for c.diff., others, it's simply over acidity cause by constant abuse to the stomach lining, this also happens with, pills, antibiotics, coffee, over eating...etc. I deal with stomach problems not so severe but not cause over a long time period. I suffered kidney stones then a violent kidney infection, in which they prescribed me an I.V. Strength antibiotic in pill form, it completely stripped my stomach of all its lining, in under 2 weeks, I immediately had all these symptoms plus severe pain...I was tested numerous times for everything under the sun but...nothing.colonoscopy...but nothing.After about my 16th e.r. Visit due to pain and rectal bleeding, among severe pressure, diarrhea...I could go on...one doctor finally told me(the smart young one) said the only thing that is wrong with me is I'm completely raw on the inside and the only way to fix that was to go "back to basics" is exactly what he said, treat my stomach as if I was a new born. Just enough to fill my stomach for meals, lots of fluids(WATER) soft foods,no spicy or acidic foods, no dairy, basically follow the c.diff. Diet.... I can go on but I'm sure you get it.

I take numerous vitamins a day....the basics for stomach lining...fish oil, 2000 mg of vit. D(great for colon health) folic acid, zinc, glutamine(find a small dose) stomach enzymes, align probiotic, sea buckthorn oil(find plantANDberry combination), and ginger. With those at a constant for at least 15 days should somewhat fix the problem. Or at least get you on the mend...I recommend for the first week/10 days(if you plan on doing a longer "treatment" as I like to call it) take Prilosec OTC over the counter. Or maalox.

That's what I've done and its helped me, aqquired through various doctors different opinions and suggestions. I AM NOT A DOCTOR.

Your going to completely discredit what I've said now....I'm only 20. I've experienced more than any of you can imagine. This is my own personal remedy, I take these everyday.


I AM NOT A DOCTOR.

My friends and I used to discuss this all the time.

After a night of heavy drinking - When we wake up, we get the runs from hell.

It's totally normal.

Hello Hvk, Welcome to SR!

I'm so glad you found a plan that has helped you. I hope that anyone who has a loved one or family member dealing with this will encourage them see their own doctor to determine the best course of action.

As a general reminder:
It is always advisable to consult a medical professional if you are concerned about any health problem you may be having.

Please have him go to the Dr and get a colonoscopy. I am a RA since 2009 when I was diagnosised with colon cancer, I blame it on 6 years of drinking and smoking. My only symptom was diarrhea, explosive and immediate if I put anything except alcohol in my mouth. Having 8.5 cm of your colon removed will stop you drinking in a hurry. Please, Please get him to a Dr.

Defenitly a doctor is needed. When I stop for weeks I usually return to normal "Experiences"

Some people say "a floater" is the first spiritual awakening.

My exabf has had the same physical symptoms. His bowel movements havent been right for at least six months if not longer. He too has a swollen belly and spidery arms.

The good news is that he just recently checked into rehab. I went to visit him on sunday and he said the bowel movements are not normal but getting better.