What might case bruising and bleeding in someone attempting alcohol de-tox?

Question

My friends husband has drunk heavily for over 40 years and has had a strong warning from his GP. He is trying to de-tox himself and has cut back to 3 pints of beer a day (instead of his preveious 10-15). However, he is suddely getting bruises all over his body and his wife has noticed blood on the sheets in the morning and they cannot work out where from. He refuses to go to the doctor about it and neither me of my friend can find anything on the net because we don't really know what we are looking for. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Sorry, at first I missunderstood the question and believed that you were his wife.  That is why the rest of my answer may not seem to make sense.  You are a wonderful,supportive, and truely empathetic friend.  I am just not sure how much say you have in this situation.  I wrote this part after re-reading the question and realizing who wrote it.  I hope I am helpful to you, your friend, and her husband.

He needs to be sent to an ER.  men are stubborn, if he will not go then call an ambulance.  I remember taking care of my grandfather, he had congestive heart failure and one night he could not get any oxygen at all, and still using his only bit of strength told me not to call the hospital.  You have to do it anyway.  He needs you.  He is in the process of detox which causes immense pain and suffering both physically, and emotionally.  He may not even be in the proper mindset to make this decision.   The only benefit of which is that if he refuses to be taken in an ambulance you have a much better chance of them deeming him mentally unstable,  (I am not saying that he is, I do not know the man.   It would just be very difficult to be in such pain, and remember anything you are doing is to benefit him.)  Have you ever heard the expression in reference to a child "you have to love them enough to let them hate you"?  Right now you husband needs to be mothered.  If he won't do it for himself, tell him to do it for you, and if you have any then your children.  Tell him how much you need him and how important he is to you.  Now keep in mind,  he is in the process of detox.  He will most likely say some very hurtful things that he does not mean.  You have to just remember that it is the detox talking in those instances not him.  Your husband has such incredible endurance,motivion and willpower to go through something like this.  That alone shows how much he loves you, he obviously enjoyed his alcohol, so he most likely gave it up to stay there for you.  At home detox is usually not recomended, because at any form of a hospital or rehab clinic they give intervenous nutrition to prevent dehydration, malnutrition,vomiting, reduce physical and mental discomfort.  They are also experienced in knowing iany complications that may occur.  If he does not want to go to "full on rehab"  Tell him that they have places where they simply take you through the 28 hour detoxification process and then you leave.  At this point althrough his symptoms seem severe.  He most likely still has what are knows as "minor withdrawl symptoms", due to the fact that he still have a reasonable blood alcohol level.

  Now keeping in mind that I am in no way a medical proffessional, here are some idea I have of what it could be, I do not mewan to offend you, but during detox people that never have in the past have been known to self-mutilate.  It comes as in instinct because doing so releases endorphines which relieve pain, and give in some people a slight "high".  It ios more than possible he has no recollection of the event.  It could also be caused by a liver problem from the alcohol.  Now there is also a chance that the condition has nothing to do with alcoholism.  Something he was told by his doctor obviously scared him into changing how much he values his health.  he may have been having symptoms all along he just did not for lack of a better term, cared enough to do anything about them.  Keep in mind that alcohol also numbs both the mind and body.  So he may not have been able to feel these symptoms until now.  There are thousands of disease that cause these symptoms.  There is no point in me posting them all. My true opinion is that he needs to be medically evaluating immediatly, to make sure that he is not suffering enternal bleeding.  Also keep in mind that alcholism was caused by something, if he does not receive emoitional help,from a proffessional at something such as an outpatient center,rehab,addicition therapy or AA, it is very likely that he will slip, as strong as his willpower may be.  He would obviously not want to repeat the detoxification process.  Besides having to go through it again, each time it is done it becomes harder, and carries more risks, such as seizuring.  I do not wish to tell you any diseases that could cause these symptoms because it would have no use, except frightening you.  However, the only one that I will mention is that he be tested for hemolytic anemia.  Strictly because, it is very important to receive treatment, and your husbands symptoms fit the description.  It will also be hard to diagnose based on symptoms, because many of them are common symptoms of detox, These are some of the main symptoms; Chills, Fatigue,Pale skin color ,Shortness of breath, Rapid heart rate, Yellow skin color (jaundice),Dark urine, and an Enlarged spleen. Also, in most forms of alcohol there is gluten, a gluten intolerance or celiac disease could cause his symptoms.  Most doctors are cmpletly ignoranct to the condition, (the

Answer 2

Bruising is Internal Bleeding he needs to see his doctor could be his liver.He needs to stop drinking  immediately

Answer 3

It is possible that this could be caused by the alcohol itself. Alcohol is a blood thinner. If he is taking aspirin on top of drinking the beer that could worsen this. There is also a condition called Chronic Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation or Chronic DIC. This condition can cause bruising and slight bleeding from any o*****e. It sounds like he should be seen by a doctor. Alcohol withdrawal can be deadly itself, without any other issues going on. Be extremely vigilant in watching for delirium tremors ( DTs), this could be a sign that he is about to get into a serious health crisis. It would be likely to see seizures at this point and he may not be able to recover. If these things do occur I STRONGLY suggest that an ambulance be called. I wish you luck...