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alcohol and constipation relief.......????

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 7/9/2006 1:56 PM (GMT -6)
hi guys,

i've never been diagnosed with ibs, but i do pop in here every now and then for advice as i suffer from constipation. what has been weirding me out over the past few months is that my constipation seems to be relieved when i drink a lot of alcohol. i'm not a big drinker at all, but on the occasions where i've had about 4 or 5 drinks, i become regular and have normal, soft stools! then about 2 days later its back to constipation. i went to mexico for my honeymoon recently, and with the daily coronas and banana daquiris, i was in constipation-free heaven for a whole week! lol...

now i realize that taking up drinking as a hobby is not the way to cure my constipation, and i try to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day (8 cups), but that never seems to make a difference. laxatives or stool softeners never seem to work either, only the alcohol drinking! any theories on why this is? i'd hate to have to become an alcoholic just to relieve the pain and discomfort of constipation, lol.........

Posted 7/9/2006 2:59 PM (GMT -6)
maybe it just upsets your tummy enough to loosen you up? sounds like something I should try; breakfast never sounded so good! :) yp
Posted 7/10/2006 7:42 AM (GMT -6)
well i don't feel sick or anything, i really have no idea! i know alcohol has diuretic properties, but wouldn't it make more sense that a diuretic would make the constipation worse? i just don't get it! maybe i should start drinking a glass of wine or two a night and see what happens... its good for your heart anyways ;)
Posted 7/10/2006 10:00 AM (GMT -6)
My fiance was just reading an article that as much as 6 glasses of wine a day was good for men (did nothing to help women, though), but they were really quick to not recommend anyone drink so much, even if it is good for your heart, lol.

If it works, it works. If I were you, I'd break out some red wine and figure out how many glasses a day I need to stay regular and divide those up as much as possible during the course of the day. After all, you don't want to be drunk regularly. If you aren't getting yourself buzzed all the time, then I don't see that you should develop a dependency on it. And spacing your drinks out will make it easier on your liver. If you need more than two glasses a day, you might want to talk to your doctor about doing this long term and schedule yourself for liver tests ever so many years, but generally you have to be a boozer for years and years before you damage your liver. And if you aren't an addictive person by nature, then the liklihood you get addicted is very, very slim. Like I said, so long as you're not drinking it in order to change your mood, then it shouldn't affect you or your ability to stop it at any time. And if a few glasses makes you regular for a few days, then just have them every few days, as needed.

Have you tried apple juice or grape juice any? They can both make diarrhea worse in people who have it, so they may make you more regular. Just be careful that you don't get gas from the apple juice.
Posted 7/10/2006 12:24 PM (GMT -6)
thanks for the advice keriamon :) i'll see how the 1-2 glasses of wine per night thing goes over the next week. i have not tried apple or grape juice, i will try that as well!! :)
Posted 7/10/2006 12:53 PM (GMT -6)
Be careful with the apple! It has been known to cause gas (especially in IBSers).
Keep us posted.
Posted 7/10/2006 1:15 PM (GMT -6)
Hi All,  Six glasses of wine a day..  Holy cow!!!  I would be crapfaced!!  no pun intended!! lol  Hey what ever works...  If I knew that drinking would cure my IBS I would be doin it everyday..  But drinking for me makes it worse...  Maybe the alcohol loosens up all the crap..  Hey have one for me!!!!  Take care  

Posted 7/10/2006 2:25 PM (GMT -6)
Just please be careful... alcohol alone can be a good thing in moderation ONLY on your doctor's okay and mixing it with other meds can be very dangerous, even on your liver. The alcohol in lieu of the meds that you may or may not take if it helps you better might be an idea if ok'd by your doc. OK, OFF THE SOAP BOX NOW. :)
Posted 7/11/2006 8:53 AM (GMT -6)
Yup, I know :) The only med I take is Klonopin as needed, and I am very very good at never taking that when I've had alcohol. So no worries :)
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