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Alcohol and Flaring

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/6/2013 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
I'm a pretty heavy drinker and have been for the past 20 years. I don't get smashed, but I put down 3 drinks a night without a problem.

I've had diagnosed UC for the past 3 years and went into remission for 18 months using Remicade. Started to flare again and started on Humira along with Asacol, Pred (25mg) and Canasa.

Nothing is working. Typically I wake up with blood, mucus, and gas which goes away after I take my morning meds. Then it's just diarrhea until 3 pm. I'm fine the rest of the day/night. I typically eat a very light breakfast (toast), maybe have a protein drink for lunch if I workout, and then have a dinner with my drinks (wine typically).

I've stopped drinking for a while to see if anything would improve and it hasn't. I stopped for 12 weeks and no changes. Still have exactly the same symptoms.

Recently though I have had GERD and a naseaus feeling when I poop. My GI is sending me to another doctor in Wake Forest for a second opinion.

Any advice from you guys? Anything that I'm missing? Just want some input as I have been flaring since May which was broguht on by stress I think.
Posted 9/6/2013 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Stress is a big factor. I was under intense stress at the time I came down with UC.
Posted 9/6/2013 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
I quit drinking this last time around too.  When I did drink,  I noticed blood in the morning.  I stopped drinking and then the blood was gone.  Since a full blown flare I stopped drinking completely.   I think I may have stopped drinking a little too late!  I think it had something to do with flare too!

I think it will be interesting to see what people say about alcohol and UC.    Good luck!

Posted 9/6/2013 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
THe blood and mucus are less when I don't drink. Also depends on what I drink. Beer is a no go for sure! As is Tequila. Wine seems ok as does whiskey.
Posted 9/6/2013 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
Alcohol in moderation doesn't seem to impact my uc. I have a beer every other night or so, and it there is no noticeable difference in my bms the next morning; with or without booze. So if alcohol doesn't bother you, then sweet enjoy the occasional drink (it can take the edge off, lower stress and whatnot). 3 drinks a night is a bit much though, whether you have uc or not you might want to reduce it some; if you can just for your general health. I mean a lot of the uc meds do hit your liver, and you're hitting your liver pretty hard with 3 drinks a night.
Posted 9/6/2013 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
When drinking it up try go for vodka. Crystal clear and theoretically better on the gut what wine, wine cooler, and even beer. I've had huge difference before, although not so much anymore.
Posted 9/6/2013 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
I've noticed that vodka doesn't bother me too much - if i drink it with ice or lemon juice - but if it's drank with something sugary it's over! Dry wine is okay too. I was bummed when I thought I couldnt drink anymore but from time to time it seems just fine :)
Posted 9/6/2013 7:31 PM (GMT 0)
I don't find that alcohol bothers my UC, but I also didn't try drinking anything when I was flaring -- it just didn't sound good at all. However, it's very, very, very rare that I'd have three drinks in one night anymore. I think that's maybe happened once or twice since I was diagnosed. Now, if I drink, it's generally just one drink.

And I completely agre with iPoop that three drinks a night, every night isn't good for your general health at all.
Posted 9/6/2013 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
For me, alcohol is like lettuce: when I'm flaring, it'll make my symptoms temporarily worse but has no bearing on whether or not I get into remission or get sicker.

If you're on 6MP or similar drugs, you shouldn't drink much/at all. I think that it interferes with liver regeneration in response to tissue damage from drinking too much (still waiting for an explanation from my doc).
Posted 9/6/2013 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Alcohol doesn't affect everyone the same way. I believe I am one who helped bring about my flare by drinking too much alcohol. It wasn't so much that I was drinking a lot at any one time, but that I was drinking so often - several days a week - that I damaged my colon/put the bacterial balance out of whack/ whatever - and ended up flaring. I discontinued alcohol for some months and, along with massive amounts of REST, believe that is what permitted my colon to heal.

Now that I am remission I drink much less frequently than before but when I do, I have no problems.
Posted 9/7/2013 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
My post would read exactly like Serenity's above.

I was also doing the three drinks every night (I was really getting into the habit) and bam...major flare.

I do blame the alcohol and quit it entirely at the time. This was about 2 months ago I started flaring. I'm just now starting to pull out of of but am going to tread very lightly in the alcohol area. I disagree with Vodka, Whiskey, and any of the hard liquors. Wine and beer are actually considered "foods" and have a history of being notoriously healthy - IN MODERATION!! That really means quit after two...and then eat something!
Posted 9/7/2013 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Wine and beer are actually considered "foods" and have a history of being notoriously healthy - IN MODERATION!!

Not for me, or my gut I should say. Wine and beer are the worst for my gut, vodka in small amount isn't a problem but I have a real problem of what to mix with the vodka because fruit juices including citrus cause symptoms. Tonic water has stuff in it also no good for me (I read labels obsessively). Sigh, I'm just not a vodka rocks girl.

More and more states are talking about legalizing you-know-what. Hope it happens in my life time, although probably have to move because Flori-duh would be #50 in the year 2099.

Oh yeah--have to add this. The reason people starting drinking ale/beer is the water wasn't safe to drink in the olden times. Safer to drink water that had been boiled/brewed. People drank a LOT of ale/beer on a daily basis but it wasn't that strong. Children drank it too for the same reason, safety. The good old days of parenthood. Here, drink your ale and be quiet.

Post Edited (imagardener2) : 9/7/2013 1:46:15 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/8/2013 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
imgardner....do you think the priests ever get a buzz off of the wine....awwwwwhhhmmmm..... nevermind! smhair
Posted 9/9/2013 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Ive had a bit of gin the past few night, didnt seem to make things worse.s
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