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Is alcohol a complete no-no?

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Posted 6/12/2008 1:29 AM (GMT 0)
I am newly diagnosed with mild colitis (3 months ago). I take Asacol 400mg 2x a day. Just wondering if anyone can tolerate alcohol (specifically beer or wine). If you do drink alcohol with colitis would it affect you the next day or would it take awhile? Something I would hate to give up!! Thanks
Posted 6/12/2008 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
I personally don't drink beer or wine (can't stand either of them) but I do enjoy a Bacardi Razz malt liquor or a strawberry margarita from time to time and usually have no problems. If I go out and have a few drinks I might have some loose stools the next day or even some bleeding, but I also have moderate/severe UC so it might be a lot different since yours is a mild case. Some people say they can't drink beer at all or it makes them gassy, but just try it and see. Maybe if you're going to go out and have some drinks you could take some immodium advanced (the kind with gas relief as well)... My stomach was bothering me the night of my friends birthday party so I drank a shot of Pepto, took two Immodiums and had no problems even after drinking a rum and coke, two margaritas, and a jager bomb, haha.

Anyway, the most important thing to remember is: Moderation is Key.
Posted 6/12/2008 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
I have an occasional drink (maybe once or twice a month). I have never been a big drinker. I know my family doctor said it was O.K. but not too much. The same with caffiene. I can tolerate it. I know it probably is worse for some people. I would ask your doctor or call the nurse. Some things affect people differently. I'm guessing that your colon would probably rather not have the alcohol. I know it is hard to give things up, maybe you could just cut back to one drink and see. Good luck to you, Bellski
Posted 6/12/2008 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
since ive been in remission i drink one or two times a week, it does have some effect but not that bad...i usually just take a few extra probiotics the next day and im fine.  when i was flaring alcohol would set me back a lot.  it makes sense because your gut is inflammed to a much larger extent when you are flaring versus when you are in remission.  i would wait until you achieve a nice remission before indulging in alcohol but maybe you can drink in moderation, wine and clear alcohols typically but not beer.  beer has yeast and other things that can cause havoc in your gut when it is inflammed because your gut flora is out of wack.

Posted 6/12/2008 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Kimeeee,

Red wine is okay as well as white but very dry with a low sugar content. I would stay away from Beer or other yeasty, malty drinks or anything with alot of sugar as this will cause a flare up for sure. For more info I would suggest you read Breaking the Vicious Cycle on foods allowed and drinks allowed with colitis.
Posted 6/12/2008 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on imuran and remicade and colozal along with 2.5 prednisone. i can handle a night of 3-4 drinks pretty easily. i try and stay away from liquor.
Posted 6/12/2008 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
You guys are all sooo sweet to reply to my questions. I really appreciate it!!!!
Posted 6/12/2008 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Check out my post Colitis symptom free for a year and counting for more information and your more than welcome. This is a fantastic site here with alot of great people helping each other out.
Posted 6/12/2008 1:00 PM (GMT 0)
For me, even half a beer will have me doubled over in gasto pain.  A glass of wine two or three times a week is fine, either white or red.  I drink about one mixed drink per year and I've never had a problem.

Posted 6/12/2008 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
I must mention this again. I got UC from an all night beer drinking benge. My Doc or probably youall wont believe me, but I got D the next day and it got worse and worse and BAM i got UC. And to this day i can't handle beer. But when I am in remission I can drink some vodka mixed with low sugar juices and it doesn't cause much trouble.
Posted 6/12/2008 2:03 PM (GMT 0)

While I am having a flare up I really cant even drink one beer, but when I am in remission I remember I can drink about one night every other week. My body seems to tolerate that but anything more could cause loose stools and a lot of gas next day lol. Not a good feeling. I don’t know but beer seems to kick by butt worse then hard liquor, must be the yeast or something.

Posted 6/12/2008 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
check your meds, consult your Dr., listen to your body, moderation.

I can drink any type of liquor w/out any problems, beer, hard cider, wine, margarita's, mixed drinks, hard alcohol.  I'll be trying to make mojito's again, I bought the wrong kind of mixer last time........

Just like some ppl can tolerate caffeine, I cannot most of the time, it is all trial and error.

Posted 6/12/2008 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
everyone is different, I think most can drink, you just have to figure out what you can in can't tolerate.

For example I can't tolerate draft beer.
Posted 6/12/2008 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I drink once in a while...(lately about once a week drinking kind of a lot). I drink beer, wine and mixed drinks. It doesn't seem to upset my UC a whole lot. Even before I got UC my BMs would be weird the day after drinking heavily (more of them, some D or loose stools). Sometimes, it does seem to make me have more BMs now, but it doesn't make me start bleeding or anything like that. I would not drink if I was in a bad flare though. It's different for everyone.
Posted 6/12/2008 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
avoid anything with carbination! beer will ruin my life personally. when i was first diagnosed with colitis i was 19 so i was by far in no mood to quit partying. (all bad) I would drink a lot of things that weren't too sugary and mostly try to just drink vodka in shots. i always felt a little sick the next day but not sick enough to not drink again the next weekend. i know its really bad. but at that age i wasn't going to let my disease stop me from being 19 and irresponsible. i don't drink in the slightest anymore but that's because i'm flaring pretty bad at the moment. but i think a drink a week, like white wine or something would be fine. just see what your body can handle.
Posted 6/13/2008 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Beth is right... and I would simply add that everyone is different. It is really just about figuring out what works for you. For me, I can't handle wine. It is actually the only food/beverage that bothers me. Beer and hard liquor, though, present no issues for me at all (well, none other than the normal hangover issues!).

This reminds me... I haven't had a drink since before I became pregnant. It is time for a margarita!
Posted 6/13/2008 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
For me its all moderation. Even with severe UC, I can have "a" beer, or "a" wine. I just can't have more then 1 or 2.

If I go and drink too much, I pay a rather hefty price for it in the coming days.
Posted 6/13/2008 7:50 AM (GMT 0)
try to keep in mind that you can't live without a liver....never binge drink!!!
Moderation is definitely the way to go.

If it doesn't agree with you...don't push it.

DO NOT drink while on meds that state that warning.

q
Posted 6/13/2008 9:00 AM (GMT 0)
I think this is all very sensible advice. No real need for abstinence but as Quincy has said, moderation is important... your liver needs love too! I guess its just a case of finding what types of alcohol suit you and sticking to those


Posted 6/13/2008 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
I drink regularly and don't have any issues.
Posted 6/13/2008 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have 1-2 glasses of wine with dinner on the weekends and haven't had any issues with my UC.

I'm a bit hesitant to try beer after reading threads on here.
Posted 6/13/2008 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
i think alcohol had alot to do with putting me in the mild/moderate flare i've been in for the past few years. it wasn't until this past year that i feel like i started to slowly get better, now that i rarely even have a drink. the latter part of college really put a hurting on me, but it never got so bad that i wouldn't go out again. i'm hoping that if i can get this under control i'll be able to go out for a drink or two without any problems. definitely no more binge drinking for me though.
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