[Jeanne]

I am a 17 year sufferer. One of those that knows without a doubt, my psychologial state, and hormones play a huge role in my disease. I also have never been able to pin down food irritants...and I have tried every way I know to do so.Alcohol is always listed in the "irritants". Do some of you more informed than me, know why this is so? I understand that it is fermented, etc....but I love a glass of wine or two. It is one of those things that I have never noticed to upset my system or give me D...but with up to 72 hours to figure this out..who knows? AND, I have gone up to a month without any alcohol and didn't notice any difference at all.What is the reality of alcohol contributing to D?

 

[Kathleen M.]

Caffiene and alcohol are noted for causing diarrhea in a fair number of people, even people without IBS. The nerves in the body are effected by these compounds just as the nerves in your head are. The digestive process is controlled by a very complex and vast neural network, so psychotropic compounds often have GI effects. For example opium based narcotics are noted for causing constipation.As with everything else regarding IBS, your mileage may vary. Some people cannot tolerate any alcohol and some people can handle small amounts and some people may be unaffected. In general, IBSers seem to get diarrhea from alcohol at doses that do not normally effect the general population, with some people being very sensitive to it.I can have a glass or two of wine or a bottle or two of beer without problems. I haven't tried more than that since I got severe IBS as my stomach has never tolerated alcohol well. I don't get diarrhea but Drink #3 comes right back up shortly after it went down (the all right everybody out!! no not that way!! the way you came in!! phenomenon) and my judgement after two drinks is generally not impared to the point I will drink the third one

.Cutting out alcohol is a reasonable thing to try, but if it makes no differnce then there is no particular reason you have to stop drinking.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[zigmissus]

Grape juice can have a laxative effect, so I wonder if this is why wine gives you D? For myself, however, I haven't found this to be the case. In fact, one glass of wine helps calm my IBS D attack, although it just postpones it--the cramping and D always return the next day.