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My faith in beer

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/19/2015 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Beer?

Ok, ok, I know I'm going to get slammed about how any alcohol is "bad for the gut" and "irritates the colon" but hear me out.

It seems when I drink in moderation (2-3 beers) in the evening I do really, really well! I went through many years avoiding alcohol, being miserable, and not getting any better. Also being miserable because I couldn't drink any beer!! (I'm sure most guys could relate to that!)

I'm actually very stable now and enjoy the evening beers.

I'm sure I'll get the "if I go anywhere near alcohol I'm a mess..." response, but sometimes I don't think intestinal issues (e.g. diarrhea, cramps) are related to alcohol entirely. I believe it is other factors.

I'm just saying this because when I'm in the best of health I'm usually drinking beer, working out...and eating whatever.

John
Posted 4/19/2015 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
John,

I agree with you - although I don't think alcohol does anything to help the gut, I also believe that a lot of other factors come into play. I enjoy a little wine here and there - as long as I don't make it an every day thing I do just fine. That is, unless I have a bunch of stress happening at the same time - that is trouble for me. But I think that would be the case even if I wasn't drinking. :) As long as you feel good, that's the best assessment!
Posted 4/19/2015 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I drink 3-4 nights a week. Usually no more than 2 drinks, max 3. I've experimented a lot - beer, wine, cider, spirits. Even went cold turkey for a month. My UC symptoms stayed the same throughout. No better, no worse. I did however also drink two bottles of red wine one stupid night and the next day I was completely f---ed.
Posted 4/19/2015 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
Aww....Kiwi. Reading that made my tummy rumble.
Posted 4/19/2015 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
My dad would have to agree with you. He is a heavy drinker (loves beer) and smoker and has been in UC remission for almost 27 years. He has the worst diet I have ever seen and takes zero UC meds.
Posted 4/19/2015 4:14 AM (GMT 0)
Probably cause he smokes, keeping him in remission.
Posted 4/19/2015 10:44 AM (GMT 0)
arizonahiker - i support you with all my heart :)
Posted 4/19/2015 10:44 AM (GMT 0)
arizonahiker - i support you with all my heart :)
Posted 4/19/2015 10:46 AM (GMT 0)
P.S. this double posting wasn't meant to strengthen my support, it was coincidental :)
Posted 4/19/2015 11:19 AM (GMT 0)
A glass of dry white wine is like an Immodium on my gut and the next day no problems, red wine is a killer and gut does not like beer either. Vodka is OK but finding a mixer that is gut-approved is a problem (no fruit juice, tonic, citrus, etc).
Posted 4/19/2015 11:41 AM (GMT 0)
I'll drink to that John (i usually have a beer on each weekend day). If I didn't have such a winter-belly I'd have a beer a night.
Posted 4/19/2015 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
I'm the same as Ima. But unless I overindulge, which I don't do normally, my gut is neither worse nor better. I also gave up drinking for a while with no improvement to my gut. So now I may have a drink or 2 on the weekdays. When I was on 6mp I was an almost nonexistent drinker in fear of making things harder on my liver.
Posted 4/19/2015 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
Alcohol suppresses the immune system, so I typically have a "better" day after a night of a few drinks
Posted 4/19/2015 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes alcohol bothers my colon a little, but it did before I had UC too. My family calls it the beer s**ts lol. Just makes me poop more :)
Posted 4/19/2015 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
I don't drink beer blech but hubby who doesn't have UC drinks plenty of it and like mcfarl said will go more the next day.

I drink wine (not red blech) and don't have a problem. Hard alcohol doesn't seem to bother me either.

Everyone can be different.
Posted 4/20/2015 11:39 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, okay I was a little nervous about going back to see what the responses were gonna say so I'm very surprised! The "anti-alcohol" group must be avoiding this! LOL

I did notice some people agreed that other alcohol (e.g. red wine) just isn't the same and I'd have to agree. I'm also thinking that the effect of alcohol relaxing the body and mind for a bit is physiologically beneficial, and may help?!

Knowing when you need to stop is important and for me, it's usually because I get hungry and then I don't want to drink anymore, so I just eat!
Posted 4/20/2015 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
beer has been ok for me as long as i'm not in a major flare and rice beer seems to be the mildest on the gut.
Posted 4/21/2015 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, red wine is killer for me. I think I have a heavy sulfite intolerance. I know they make sulfite free red wine but I've never found it. But red wines in general not only kill my gut but I get bad migraines from it too. The same goes for beer - I also have a problem with malt beverages.

When I do drink, I almost always stick with the vodkas. I mix it with Squirt (heh! That name just cracks me up! Lol) Or I mix raspberry vodka with pink lemonade.
Posted 4/21/2015 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
Sherry - When you drink red wine is it typically from California? I know a lot of people who have problems with domestic red wines, but wines from France or Italy give them no problems at all. I forget what it is about the domestic wines, how they make it or something they put in it I can't remember, but it gives lots of people problems. One lady I know breaks out in hives if she drinks California reds, but a bottle from France (even if it's a cheaper wine) poses no problems. My brother gets migraines from California reds too.
Posted 4/21/2015 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
I have to have a drink otherwise I feel like I have nothing much to look forward to (having stopped smoking) and so I drink GF beer which actually sounds terrible, but it's not, it's delicious!! and I also like to have a nice glass of chilled Chardonnay sometimes....yummy!
Posted 4/21/2015 4:35 AM (GMT 0)
Samantha have you ever had Woodchuck? I love it and it's gluten free. Very yummy.
Posted 4/21/2015 6:44 AM (GMT 0)
how much wood would a woodchuck chuck
Posted 4/21/2015 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
I can drink a glass of wine or two with no problems. But beer is a problem probably because it contains gluten. However, there is one brand of beer that doesn't cause me problems for some reason, Corona.
Posted 4/21/2015 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Caitie, that is good to know. I didn't know there was a difference! But yes I think the majority of the wines I tried are from CA. Oh! I just remembered a good wine - cherry wine :) This wine is so very good and has zero effect on my gut.
Posted 4/21/2015 9:18 PM (GMT 0)

mcfarl73 said...
Samantha have you ever had Woodchuck? I love it and it's gluten free. Very yummy.

I had to Google Woodchuck, I have never heard of it!! or tasted it, my problem is that unlike you good people that have lots of choices, for me it's difficult to get anything out of the ordinary where I live (Costa Rica) and so I feel thankful that at least I can buy GF beer (one choice) having said that, I will definitely make a note of that, and take a look the next time I go shopping...Thanks!.
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