My boyfriend throws up blood

[qtwitaboot32]

this question isn't for me, but for my boyfriend.  last night when i was with him he threw up a lot, and he told me that he was throwing up blood.  he's always had stomach problems (acid reflux or whatever it's called) but he said he'd never done that before.  i'm really worried.  i looked up some stuff about it on the web, and got a lot of info on ulcers.  he's only 19, but i guess it's possible.  i'd just like to know what i should do, and if it's serious enough for him to go to the doctor.  he's pretty stubborn and i need a really good reason to get him to go in to the doctor.  along with his stomach problems, he does drink quite often and when he threw up blood it had been after drinking a lot of alcohol.  does this have anything to do with it?  what should i tell him and how serious is it?  thanks to anyone who can help.

-jennie

[GLL]

My younger brother partied through high school. During college he had major stomach pains and started to throw up. He saw something and screamed for me. He was 24 and he told me that he had an ulcer but he said he never seen that before (best described like coffee grounds). I said he smoked too much and was coughing up his lungs as a joke but I'm worried about him. He hasn't been the same. His ulcer isn't bad since he hardly has stomach problems except once in a blue moon(especially after a night of extensive drinking). He says it happens when he's stressing out. I know certain things give him stomach problems especially when on an empty stomach. This site has given me a lot of info. I originally came here for my moms liver problems but seen this by chance. I know of a 24 year old with a heart attack and he looked normal. I'm not shocked anymore when I hear about out of the ordinary situations. I feel this helps other people who are scared and just want to know what the heck is going on! Thank all of you who put anything down. Best of luck.

[JackieG]

I can't give you alot of details, but my sister worked with a relatively young, and apparently healthy guy who developed a bleeding ulcer  and did not seek medical attention for several weeks. By the time he did, his condition was so serious that the hospital was unable to save his life. This happened about 5 years ago.

I assume that it is not common, but I also doubt that his is the only time that has happened.

[JackieG]

Actually, ulcers CAN be life threatening. I know of a person who dies rather abruptly from a bleeding stomach ulcer. I'm sure that's not the usual outcome, but they should not be taken lightly.

These days, h. pylori bacteria is generally considered the cause of most gastric ulcers, rather than stress, and h. pylori can be treated with antibiotics.

I agree with you completely about alcohol and smoking as aggravating factors, and think your advice about dietary changes is also sound.

[IrishKaz]

ive been on anti biotics for h.plori twice and it didnt wrk - not in itself anyways - there are contributin factors to an ulcer and agitation/stress really is one - u can feel it in the pit of ur stomach, its even recognised in alternative treatments such as reki that ur energy can get "stuck" in ur stomach.  Didnt kno i could die from my ulcer, nobody informed me...mayb u cud give some more info.

[IrishKaz]

ur boyfriends story is exactly the same as mine.  im only 19 and threw up blood a few weeks ago after drinkin alcohol.  As a previous comment pointed out u must check if its bright red and frothy r like coffee grounds.  However id say it was congealed blood and hes probably like me and has an ulcer, its not life threatening its just a pain in the *** - he should give up alcohol definitely and theres a diet he should pretty much stick to.  His doc can refer him to a hospital to get a camera to have a look at his stomach because if its bleedin then its prob big and hes prob had it for a few years.  Its caused by stress (mayb hes an agitated person) and i think excessive alcohol intake.  smokin also does not help, its a cause, slows healing and cause recurrence.  hope hes ok and im sure he'll love the new diet!!

[qtwitaboot32]

does anyone know. . could it just be from what he drank?  he hasn't thrown up at all since that night and right before he threw up the blood he did take a shot of bacardi 151, which is 151 proof and i can imagine that it burns like hell.  could the be the reason?

[DougPoison]

Make sure your boyfriend gets help ASAP!!!  I'm 25 years old, and last year I almost died from internal bleeding.  I kept thinking I was just sick with something else and not taking it seriously.  That is something to always take serious; so, be aggressive!  God bless.

[qtwitaboot32]

thanks so much for the help.  i printed off this page to give to him.  maybe scaring him is the only way to get him to do anything about it.  i know i'm scared about it now!!  i care about him a lot, and i really appreciate all of your help!

[JackieG]

Hi Jennie:

If your boyfriend really is throwing up blood, he obviously should see a doctor. Ask him what it looked like. I know, seems like a strange quaestion, but ask anyway. If it was blood and it was coming from his stomach (from a bleeding ulcer, for instance), then it will have looked like coffee grounds. Blood in the stomach coagulates when it mixes with stomach acid.

If, on the other hand, it looked bright red and wet, it would not be coming from his stomach. It could, however, be coming from his esophagus. A severe enough case of GERD (acid reflux) can cause a raw and bleeding esophagus.

In either case, your boyfriend should not be drinking alcohol at all. Alcohol weakens the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (the "LES"). A strong, properly functioning LES is what will prevent reflux and the damage that it causes. You mentioned that your boyfriend is stubborn, and I know at 19 we all think we will love forever, but the fact of the matter is that long-term reflux can and does lead to esophageal cancer ("EC"). Depending on the stage at diagnosis, EC has only between a 5% and a 15% cure rate ("Cure rate" being defined as living at five years after diagnosis and still being cancer free).

Your boyfriend is obviously young enough that he can avoid going down that track with lifestyle and dietary changes. However, the first step should be seeing a doctor, who should send him to a gastroenerologist for an endoscopy. He can't be happy with a lifestyle that leads to vomiting blood (I can't imagine he feels fine physically), and without lifestyle changes, he faces only more serious and painful symptoms. Shake him awake while you can and there is time to change the outcome he is headed for.

Best of Luck,
Chicken Soup

[ozark]

He needs to go to the emergency room...this is a serious problem...vomiting blood could be life threatening!

[AnneB7800]

Jennie,
I am not an expert on these issues, but anytime someone throws up blood it can be dangerous.  Alcohol may have played a part, but he needs to contact his doctor soon.
Anne