Rectal Bleeding from alcohol

[kali13]

My brother-in-law, 24 years old is a severe alcoholic.  He has been drinking heavily for the past week (beer, hard liquor,) and recently he has no control over his bowel movements and has bleeding.  Could this be happening because of his liver?  He has already been in the hospital for this same situation and has gone to AA meetings and the doctor let him know if he continued his drinking, he wouldn't live past 30 because his liver was that of a 50 year old man.  He refuses to go the hospital, and I have made a 911 phone call to take him to the hospital, but his blood pressure was fine and they couldn't force him to go.  I don't know what else to do.  I need advice!!

[lurker]

If he's having bright red blood, it's a bleed from the lower part of his GI tract, usually hemorrhoids or polyps and not likely related to his drinking - not saying it's doesn't need to be looked at, but it isn't from alcohol.  If he's having black tarry stools, that is a sign that he's bleeding in his stomach and that is definitely from his drinking.  If that's the case, he definitely needs help soon.  You can't force him to get healthcare - you can only suggest it.  Alcoholics and addicts don't listen to the voice of reason - if we did, we wouldn't be alcoholic and addicted.

[samisls88]

My father is a heavy alcoholic and opiate abuser. When I was 16 I woke up to a loud thump against the bathroom door, my father had passed out and hit the bathroom door. My mom and I finally got the bathroom door open to find my dad passed out on the bathroom floor. There was a huge amount of blood on the bathroom floor and we couldn't figure out where it was coming from. We finally managed to get him in the bedroom and sat him on the bed, he passed out about four more times and we realized that where he was sitting on the bed was covered with blood, he had been bleeding from his rectum. The ambulance finally showed up and took him to the hospital. Every time he went to the bathroom all he passed was blood. By the time they finally got him a room he had lost about 12 units of blood and recieved 12 units of blood. They finally figured that he had diverticulitis which was helped along by the alcohol abuse. He had to have 2/3 of his colon removed. You may have no symptoms at first, or even until it actually happens. I would try to get him to go to the doctor and have them run some tests on his liver. But he has to want to help himself. Tell him how much everyone loves him and that you all want to see him get better, Just be there for him.