Esophageal Varices due to Alcohol Use

[Intense]

Hey everyone,


Was curious if any other people get this. It's painful any time I eat or drink fluids, and when trying to take pills I'm gagging. Also noticed today that my stool was black. I do drink a lot of alcohol probably around 6-12 shots of vodka every night. So I'm thinking I have this condition now.. Anyone else have the same? and what you did to overcome it? Stop drinking obviously..

 

[DixiChik]

PLEASE see your doctor, as you could possibly have intestinal bleeding (black stool). This could be very serious if left untreated. Don't risk it.

 

[Moreaux]

Please see a doctor and get an immediate referral to a gastrointerologist. Do not self diagnose, there are many serious conditions that can cause hear symptoms, and this could be life threatening. This is not something you can afford to wait on, if need be go to the emergency room.

I am familiar with that condition and it's horrifically painful, but you may have other things going on. I was a heavy drinker averaging 24 beers a night for several years. I eventually switched to hard liquor because I could not physically drink or contain the number of beers I needed to get drunk. I chronically had swallowing issues, stomach pain, vomitting blood, black tarry stools, etc. The hard liquor was eating me from he inside out, and eventually I suffered severe internal bleeding. I always ignored the symptoms and blamed it on my drinking and that stuff was irritated. I was partially correct, it was definately irritated, I had a steady bleeding ulcer, open wounds on my esophagus from constant vomitting and then drinking liquor, I had severe intestinal issues where they would stop moving at times and I would become obstructed, which lead to wounds on my intestines, but I was always too drunk to really notice the bowel problems so it became severe. I colon was rupturing, and my stomach was pretty close perforation. The alcohol numbed the physical pain so I had little biofeedback to indicate I was in serious trouble. Had I waited a day longer I would have died, and I only went to the emergency room because my family was concerned about the bleeding. I was actually bleeding significant amounts but was not aware of the amount because I was constipated, and noticed my stool was back but did not realize much of it was blood because I only glanced before flushing. I ignored the fever because I was drunk and was always warm when I drank.

The point that I am trying to make is that your judgement is clouded because of booze - go get checked out by a professional ASAP!!! Do not ignore it or minimize it because of booze - booze may have caused it but that doesn't change the situation. Regardless, stopping drinking is definitely a good choice as you are destroying your body. Please let us know what you decide to do and how it goes. Good luck!

 

[neversickanymore]

I would see a Dr asap and also start taking an acid reducer on a regular basis until your throat sysmtoms have cleared.

 

[Jabberwocky]

<<<hugs>>>

 

[Intense]

Please see a doctor and get an immediate referral to a gastrointerologist. Do not self diagnose, there are many serious conditions that can cause hear symptoms, and this could be life threatening. This is not something you can afford to wait on, if need be go to the emergency room.

I am familiar with that condition and it's horrifically painful, but you may have other things going on. I was a heavy drinker averaging 24 beers a night for several years. I eventually switched to hard liquor because I could not physically drink or contain the number of beers I needed to get drunk. I chronically had swallowing issues, stomach pain, vomitting blood, black tarry stools, etc. The hard liquor was eating me from he inside out, and eventually I suffered severe internal bleeding. I always ignored the symptoms and blamed it on my drinking and that stuff was irritated. I was partially correct, it was definately irritated, I had a steady bleeding ulcer, open wounds on my esophagus from constant vomitting and then drinking liquor, I had severe intestinal issues where they would stop moving at times and I would become obstructed, which lead to wounds on my intestines, but I was always too drunk to really notice the bowel problems so it became severe. I colon was rupturing, and my stomach was pretty close perforation. The alcohol numbed the physical pain so I had little biofeedback to indicate I was in serious trouble. Had I waited a day longer I would have died, and I only went to the emergency room because my family was concerned about the bleeding. I was actually bleeding significant amounts but was not aware of the amount because I was constipated, and noticed my stool was back but did not realize much of it was blood because I only glanced before flushing. I ignored the fever because I was drunk and was always warm when I drank.

The point that I am trying to make is that your judgement is clouded because of booze - go get checked out by a professional ASAP!!! Do not ignore it or minimize it because of booze - booze may have caused it but that doesn't change the situation. Regardless, stopping drinking is definitely a good choice as you are destroying your body. Please let us know what you decide to do and how it goes. Good luck!

Makes my case seem mild. That's awful man.. Glad you came out of it.




To everyone else thank you! I did end up seeing a doctor and he prescribed me a throat numbing agent which numbs it pretty good so I was able to get about a gallon of water in yesterday, plus some electrolytes, and food.

The black stools ceased, so maybe I got lucky this time? Definitely a wake up call though. I have abused steroids in the past when I was bodybuilding so my liver was a major concern. I need to get back in the gym and away from alcohol.

 

[Moreaux]

So glad you went to the doctor and it's not more serious! I have been thinking about you. Yeah, getting off the booze is probably a good idea

A few years ago I watched a close friend die a slow painful alcoholic death and it really made me reexamine my lifestyle. He was 39 and had late stage metastize esophageal cancer. I took him to his chemo and radiation treatments. He had a feeding tube. I watched him lose his hair and weight. Eventually they removed most of his stomach and portions of his esophagus. They then removed other cancerous tissues, and then some lymph nodes. He had horrible pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis. Doctors were constantly doing damage control, removing parts and pieces. He was in constant pain and lost the desire to live when he found out he would most likely never eat again. He was a frequent flyer in rehab, and even while getting treatment continued to drink and use mdpv. I can't judge his use up to the end, he was miserable and scared, and didn't really hve a support system as most of his family no longer wanted anything to do with him. He died a few days after his 40th birthday.

Watching him suffer was painful on some many levels, and it absolutely woke me up with my drinking. I went to rehab and now have over two years sober. I think you had a good wake up call, I just wanted to share this to illustrate it can be so much worse. I wish you the best!