Alcohol abuse and GI problems (connection?)

[LonelyTraveler]

Hi

This is my second time around with alcohol after quitting for a year and a half. I drank a case of beer every day for almost two years until I finally quit cold turkey. This time around, I've been drinking and chain-smoking for about nine months. Anyway, so there's my "story". I also suffer from GERD, IBS and other stomach problems. Recently, I quit drinking and smoking altogether but I have had this very uncomfortable bloated feeling since yesterday and was wondering if alcohol (or lack thereof) could cause that. It feels like I just eight a 7-course meal and went back for seconds and thirds and yet all I had was a very small dinner this evening. I know when I drank, my stomach would always be on fire and I'd have lots of gas, diarrhea and other uncomfortable feelings. Could this be a leftover symptom from the alcohol or something I ate?. Here's what I've eaten since I quit drinking...


YESTERDAY:
1) Coffee.
2) Chicken and sausage gumbo over rice (2 helpings). I felt bloated and uncomfortable after eating this so maybe that's when this whole thing started.
3) A large bowl of popcorn that evening.

TODAY:
1) Coffee.
2) Gravy over mashed potatoes (two helpings but the second helping was quite small). I also had some asparagus.

My room mate says that popcorn can bloat you because it's hard to digest but I've never seemed to have a problem with it before.

Anyway, I guess that's about allI can tell you. Thank's for any help I can get on this and have a nice day.

- Regards, LT

[kim4074]

Could be a little of both I think the food might have flared up your IBS. Alcohol affects every organ in your body. I have a cousin who is an alcholic and is now in the hospital because of inteston infection. Many things can flare up IBS are you on meds for that? They will help there is Zelnorm that has helped others I know. Might need to research IBS and alcohol it could flair it up. Not a dr of course but I have seen this before. Kim

[feelbad]

This could all be caused by your already Dxed conditions.But just in case,I would suggest you make an appt with your doc for a full physical just to have all of your body sytems checked out.I am pretty certain here that given your past drinking history,there is a good chance that you probably also have some level of actual liver injury.have you ever had an ultrasound done on your liver?any actual hepatic labs done?

you may just be dealing with the "after effects" of long term alcohol abuse,it does take its toll on many body sytem functions and certain body organs,especially related to the GI tract.Just make that appt with your doc to have things checked out.good luck,Marcia

[LonelyTraveler]

Thank's so much for the replies . I'm on day 2 now but between the withdrawl/cravings from booze and the withdrawl/cravings from cigs, my entire body is racked with aches and pains and my guts are in knots. I hate this!!. The only "vices" I have to keep me from going completely crazy are coffee and nicotine gum. I feel like I have cancer going all through me - that's how achey and bad I feel. Is this normal with alcohol/cig withdrawl??. I know if I go back to drinking/smoking, my probs will only get worse but I don't exactly feel good even without cigs and booze. What a catch-22 situation!.

- Regards, LT

[feelbad]

Trying to "kick" two addictions at once is kinda tough,even one at a time is rough,maybe you should try and hold off onthe cigs til you feel a bit better.that nicotine gum can make you feel pretty darn sick too.I tried it once way back when and I had to stop after like the third miserable day using it,it not only made me feel sick,it also gave me actual sores in my mouth just because it was so incredibly harsh.

I still think making that appt for the check up with your doc and some testing done is a really really good idea.maybe ther IS another reason for all of what you are currently feeling and considering your past alcohol use,well,there are certain effects on the liver that you do need to find out about.also,i really would mabe consider waiting on the Cig WD.this is just causing alot more stress right now than i think you may be able to actually handle.this would tend to increse your liklyhood of a relapse,and you definitely don't want that.

going off the cigs is really a great and healthy choice for you,but maybe just maybe trying to do both is not the best idea for right now,you know?getting and staying sober and taking care of possible health issues should be the only big things you should be concentrating on right now.then,once you feel a bit better and a little more "in control" of things,start working on the cig WD.you just need to really bring that stress level down to a minimum for right now in order to maintain your sobriety.you are just asking alot of yourself that may just not be possible right now.just take it slow for now and don't be so hard on yourself.you are alreaydoing yourself the best possible thing by stopping the alcohol.the cigs will go all in due time.

but make that doc appt.soon.take care and hang in there,things will get better.marcia