Lots of blood in toilet, runny stools, usually after alcohol

MarcyPlace · Newbie Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

I drink heavily several times per week. Usually 5 to 9 shots of high proof hard liquor. The next day I have really runny stools several times a day. Like 5 or 6 times per day. Lately, within, the last 5 months or so, there's a lot of blood when I use the restroom. Not in my stool, but in the toilet water itself. If I just sit there, blood will drip out. There is no pain whatsoever. Not during the day, not when I use the restroom. Just runny stools and alot of blood. Bright, red, fresh-looking blood.

Does anybody have any idea if this is connected with my alcohol comsumption? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

pseudonim · Site Admin Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 488

Hey,

It sounds like internal hemorrhoids. If the blood is bright red and not dark in color and come afterwards, it's very possible that you have hemorrhoids. It's an enlarged or swollen blood vessel in your anus. It can be cured with several methods.

Please read our articles regarding hemorrhoids, it could help you a lot:
http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Hemorrhoids__Best_methods_to_cure_hemorrhoids_a24_f25.html
http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/Hemorrhoidectomy__Preparation_and_Recovery_a27_f25.html

Anyway, colon polyps are also a possibility, so if you keep bleeding every time you get bowel movement, I suggest you to visit an gastroenterologist to determine exact diagnosis and prescribe you therapy and treatment.

Hope this helps!

Pseud0

MarcyPlace · Newbie Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

Thank you for your reply. That eases my mind quite a bit. I'll definately be looking into it.

Thanks again.

healthrelated · Newbie Joined: 27 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

Marcy,

Don't take this too lightly. I went into the hospital ten years ago (25yrs of age) related to my drinking. I had similar symptoms, but the onset was sudden (48 hours later). I was also throwing up what looked like black coffee grounds (old blood sitting in my stomach). When my blood wasn't exiting my stomach fast enough, it was then passing through my rectum (referred to by the doctors as "rapid transit". It was a BRIGHT but DEEP red, (ie. fresh, new blood). Of course, there was lots more of it than what you described.

At first, no one could figure out why I was bleeding from both ends. They were guessing SEVERE stomach ulcers, but were still baffled. I never mentioned my alcohol intake because I would not believe this was the 'cause, as I am more of a binge drinker. (Don't drink regularly, but when I do... watch out! I weigh only 108 pounds and would out-drink much heavier people than me. Sounded pretty cool, but it was killing me. I would never throw up or get hang overs either. That alcohol had to be absorbing into my body and causing damage over time, or I would be the first to claim immortality from the effects of my stupidity.)

When I went to the ER, I briefly passed out. The doctors first drained the excess blood out of my stomach. Then, they moved me to a room where they added new blood to my body in order to replace my loss of it. I don't remember exactly how much I lost, but I know it was ALOT. They stuck needles in me throughout the night to take blood samples that tracked how the new blood was adapting to my own. Finally, I had an endoscopy performed the next day so that the specialist could get an inside look as to what was going on. Answer: The alcohol caused a churning reaction in my stomach that was so intense it caused a tear where the esophagus meets the stomach, which of course led to profuse bleeding!

AND THE ONLY MILD TO MODERATE PAIN I EVER FELT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS (BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER) WAS IN THE ER FROM THE TUBE THAT WENT THROUGH MY NOSE, DOWN MY THROAT AND INTO MY STOMACH IN ORDER TO DRAIN THE EXCESS BLOOD. AND I DIDN'T EVEN FEEL THAT UNTIL ABOUT 12-24 HOURS AFTERWARD. WHY? SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE WAS A LITTLE SORNESS/BRUISING CAUSED BY MY SWALLOWING DOWN ON THE TUBE. WHOOPTEE DOO!

I COULDN'T BELIEVE I COULD'VE DIED SO EASILY AND WITH WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE NO PAIN! (It didn't seem quite as pathetic as Nicholas Cage in "Leaving Las Vegas". His drama seemed long and drawn out, and for many it can be. My body and I have always seemed to be "it's all or nothing!". Intensity with a "crash and burn" might fit the bill as a better personal critique.)

Anyhow, be careful and try to cut back on your alcohol intake if you can. The doctors say, "You would do well to never have another drink again". What? You mean for the rest of my life? Yeah, I know! EVEN WHEN we drinkers know that clean and sober is the way to go, it feels damn near impossible and many times more painful than almost dying!

Good Luck! (I've improved GREATLY, but ten years later I still don't find that I've succeded in learning my lesson ENTIRELY.)

P.S. Hemorrhoid - a PAINFUL swelling of a vein in the region of the anus, often with bleeding. (Webster's Dictionary)

healthrelated · Newbie Joined: 27 Aug 2006 Posts: 2

"There is no pain whatsoever. Not during the day, not when I use the restroom. Just runny stools and alot of blood. Bright, red, fresh-looking blood."

Marcy,

The more I think about your words, the more urgent I think it is that you get checked ASAP. At the very least, cut back majorly, if not entirely on the alcohol until you can in to see your doctor! You did say "alot of blood", and internal hemmorhoids should not be causing overly excessive bleeding, especially if your stools are runny.

Hemorrhoids may result from straining to move stool. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and anal intercourse.

Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid.

Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing stomach contents to reflux back up into the esophagus.

WHEN THE LES RELAXES, IT CAUSES THE CONTRACTIONS THAT OCCUR WITH SWALLOWING TO BECOME ERRATIC. (THIS IS WHAT LED TO THE TEAR IN MY ESOPHAGUS & STOMACH WHICH LED TO THE PROFUSE BLEEDING. IT THEN TRIED TO EXIT MY BODY ANY WAY IT COULD! YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE ALL THAT BLOOD REMAIN IN YOUR STOMACH. IT'S GOTTA GO SOMEWHERE. OUT ONE END OR THE OTHER!)

Alcohol makes the esophagus more sensitive to stomach acid.

Alcohol can also lead to the development of peptic ulcers and interfere with the healing of ulcers already present. (Obviously, ulcers bleed as well.)

Have you already been checked by a doctor? IF NOT, PLEASE DO! Mention alcohol and erratic contractions of the LES. Your doctor SHOULD be well aware of this being a likely scenario for a heavy drinker. It's only a matter of time before excessive drinking catches up with you. It's convincing us drinkers that drinking IS the problem. We often struggle with the denial of it even past a couple of bleeding hemmorages!

I'm not trying to scare you or sound too preachy, but had I slept through what was going on with me, I could have very well died in my sleep. AND THAT'S NO LIE! It's only because my body was rejecting the excess blood loss with such force that I sought help in time.

Guest · Guest

Hemorrhoids can occur without pain, it all depends on where it is and how often it gets irritated. Hemorrhoids can be attached to arteries which in turn cause excessive bleeding. YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST GET A COLONOSCOPY, you want to be certain it is not cancer.

Guest · Guest

I don't drink liquor but I too have the red colored water.
I can drink all weekend and one or two days I have the bright red water.My husband got upset and told his mother and she said I had "bloody piles" I had no idea what it was.I figured I had Ulcers.There isn;t any pain except trying to "poo" and the burning.But I've had it for 2 years now and just thought I would look it up. lol
Glad to see I'm not alone.

Guest · Guest

Why did you almost die? Blood loss?
JM

Guest · Guest

FYI I recently took my fiancé to the ER after a night of binge drinking (three 40 oz of Bud Ice). The next day he threw up all day long and my evening throwing up lots of blood. By the time we got to the ER he looked dead - eyes sunken in, weird skin color. When they pumped his stomach there was a little bit of blood in the cannister at first, to which the nurse commented it was alot of blood... it ended up being 20 times that. His ulcers were cauterized to stop the bleeding. He had NO blood in his stool. His kidneys had SHUT DOWN due to loss of blood and fluid. He had NO SYMPTOMS prior to this day other than an occasional sick feeling in the morning after drinking. He was hospitalized four days. He was very near death. Don't kid yourself. Drinking tears your digestive system up. And you can have ulcers without pain. Bleeding ulcers.

Lots of blood in toilet, runny stools, usually after alcohol

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