Alcoholism can put a person at risk for many life-threatening diseases including those affecting the liver, heart, and pancreas.  But what about the common cold, a sinus infection, or strep throat.  What’s that like for someone with alcoholism?  I have a cold today, and I got curious.  Here’s what I found out.

Fluids Flush Out Toxins and Alcohol Dehydrates

Doctors always push fluids, fluids, and more fluids when your body is dealing with an infection.  Fluids help flush out the germs, keep your mucus flowing to prevent congestion, and generally support the germ-fighting activity of your white blood cells. 

Well, what if you are drinking all kinds of hard alcohol or a 12-pack of beer every day?  Alcohol dehydrates you, so medical professionals often recommend that you avoid alcohol when you have a cold or the flu.  If you are already drinking an excessive amount, your body is “in the hole” when it comes to fluid balance. 

Alcohol Limits White Blood Cells Abilities

Alcohol in large amounts also limits the ability of white blood cells to fully fight an infection.  Also, drinking lots of alcohol takes the place of nutritious food.  This decreases a person’s nutritional intake over time, depriving the body of vitamins and minerals needed to build a healthy functional immune system.  Nothing, not even the best vitamin supplements, can replace the nutritional value of healthy food.  With all this, the alcoholic’s body is always a few steps behind when a germ invades.

When your body spends a lot of resources and energy flushing all the alcohol out of your body, it has little left to deal with germs waiting to get in.  Like a castle left with just a few guards at the main entrance, infection can easily get established.

Brown Bottle Flu And The Common Cold Bad Combination

You know how awful you feel when you have a bad cold or the flu - headache, fever or chills, achy muscles, stuffy head, raw throat, fatigue.  Now think about a hangover - headache, achy muscles, upset stomach, fatigue.  Hmm….no wonder a hangover is often called the “brown bottle flu”.  Can you even imagine how it feels to have both of these going on at the same time?

Some people may try using the excuse that drinking helps prevent colds and illness.  Well, having a small amount of alcohol helps the body to relax.  Stress and chronic muscle tension can weaken a person’s immune system  But in this case, more is not better.  The damage from excessive alcohol completely overshadows any benefits from increased relaxation.

Alcohol Rehab For a Healthy Immune System

A person with alcoholism needs alcohol rehab for many reasons.  Obviously, stopping the consumption of large amounts of alcohol is the first step.  When all the problems have persist and gotten worse, keeping the toxins out of the system will have the greatest first impact. 

Alcohol rehab is also a place for people to regain and nourish their physical health.  No doubt they have experienced more infections and illnesses than most other people.  They need time to learn healthy eating habits, exercise routines, and to strengthen their immune system.  Going to alcohol rehab is the best way for an alcoholic to get a strong immune system.

Natalie Cole is well known for her holiday songs and a memorable duet recorded with the voice of her father, Nat King Cole.  However, in more recent years she’s become more open about her past drug use, stint at drug rehab, and long-term health problems.  Hear about her recent hepatitis diagnosis and how her drug addiction put her at risk.

Natalie Cole Had Early Drug Addiction History

Natalie Cole is the oldest daughter of famed jazz and big band singer Nat King Cole.  She began her own singing career in the mid 1970’s with several albums and even a Grammy award in 1976.  By the early 1980’s she had developed a serious drug problem, including LSD, crack cocaine, and heroin.  She eventually entered drug rehab in 1983 for her addictions. 

For many years, her health seemed to be in good shape.  However, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in July of 2008.  She began anti-viral treatment, to which her body responded much like chemotherapy.  Apparently, the virus sat inactive in her body for over twenty five years.  This kind of long-term inactivity is fairly common for hepatitis.

Natalie Cole Did Drug Rehab Got Hepatitis C Years Later

Thankfully, Natalie had long ago gone into recovery for her drug addiction.   She did not continue to damage her health with more years of drug use.  It’s not clear what triggered Natalie’s symptoms to arise.  The delicate balance between the virus and the immune system eventually trips off the symptoms, causing abnormal liver blood tests and sometimes liver damage.

Natalie has also been undergoing kidney dialysis, which is apparently unrelated to the hepatitis.  She is reportedly still doing dialysis and has taken it on the road to resume her performing schedule.  Overall, her response to the hepatitis medication was good.  There is no cure, but she has a good chance of a full recovery from this flare-up.

Know Your Risk For Hepatitis C Get Tested

Hepatitis can be contracted in several different ways including being born to a mother with Hepatitis C, accidentally getting pricked with a needle contaminated by infected blood (the Hep C virus), blood transfusions before 1992 that had undetected Hepatitis viruses, and getting a tattoo with infected equiptment.  Natalie says she most likely got the Hepatitis C virus from sharing infected needles when she used heroin regularly.

Heroin, cocaine, and meth are a few of the addictive drugs that commonly get injected with needles.  Drug addicts sharing needles absolutely have a risk for passing and contracting the Hepatitis C virus.  Of course, it’s most important to get to drug rehab and stop your active drug use immediately.  If you have been to drug rehab in the past, you have probably done the single most healthy thing possible for yourself.

Be aware of this silent enemy that could be lurking in your body.  If you have used a needle to inject drugs even once, even if it was a long time ago, you need to get tested.  And if you’ve injected drugs several times, you may have exposed yourself to the virus many times over.  Routine tests do not screen for Hepatitis C - you must specifically ask for a Hepatitis C blood test.

Hoping For The Best With Natalie Coles Hepatitis Treatment

Hopefully, Natalie’s Hepatitis C treatment continues to keep her well.  She is well-loved and seems to be moving forward in her life.  It’s great that she has allowed interviews and remained open about this subject.  As embarassing as it could be, her voice has improved awareness of Hepatitis C and its risk factors.

Every person with a drug or alcohol addiction has a unique experience.  Even so, there are many different signs and symptoms that can help you tell the difference between occasional use and drug addiction.  It helps to understand the behaviors and words of a drug addict.  Look especially for ways they accommodate their drug use, the effect on their body, and how their priorities seem to change.

Watch For Signs of Addiction and Get All The Facts

If think someone has an addiction, it’s good to have a clear idea of the problem before you approach them about getting drug treatment.  They are likely to be in denial, minimize the problem, and say you are attacking them.  You’re confused and caught off guard, they walk away with the last word.  Game over. 

You might have better luck taking note of the different ways their life has change specifically related to their drug use.  You probably already know what’s wrong, but a calm organized approach with solid evidence will be a more compelling argument than random acts of nagging.  Here are two important symptoms to look for.

Physical Withdrawal Symptoms

Along with a higher tolerance comes withdrawal symptoms.  When the body gets so used to having a high amount of drugs or alcohol going through the system, it can show some pretty strong reactions when it leaves the body. 

This is essentially what a hangover is - a reaction to the alcohol leaving the body.  Just having a hangover isn’t a sign of addiction.  Some people’s bodies have strong reactions to even one or two drinks (which doesn’t indicate addiction).  But if you almost always have hangovers and ”brown bottle flu” days after heavy drinking or drugging, you are certainly on your way to a problem. 

Easily addictive drugs like methamphetamine or opioids like herion can produce serious withdrawal symptoms.  Addicts can feel indigestion, nerve-wracking pain, severe headaches, and tremors.  Anyone with a drug or alcohol problem and these withdrawal symptoms needs to be evaluated at a drug treatment center.

Increased Tolerance For Higher Amounts of Drugs and Alcohol

When you drink occasionally and moderately, it doesn’t take much for your body to get a “buzz” or tipsy feeling.  As long as you don’t drink frequently, your tolerance will generally stay fairly low.  Weight and gender can affect it, but not nearly as much as how frequently and how much you use.  The same is true for drugs like cocaine, marijuana, heroin, prescription medication, etc. 

Once you start using more and using more frequently, your body needs more to give you the same sensation.  When someone drinks a 12 pack of beer or has several hits of heroin and says they don’t feel much, they have an enormous tolerance.  That is definitely not normal.

Serious Addiction Symptoms Signal Time For Drug Treatment

Drug addiction is not always easy to identify, especially if the addict is very secretive or isolates a lot.  However, anyone with physical withdrawal symptoms and increased tolerance is likely to have a drug addiction.  They need drug treatment of some kind right away.  Drug rehab centers can help address not only the physical symptoms but also the mental aspects of drug addiction.  Look for more posts describing other signs and symptoms of drug addiction.

Denial is the shield of emotional protection surrounding a drug and alcohol addict.  They need this protection in order to continue using.  If they absorbed the truth of their habit and the damage it has been doing, they would have tremendous emotional pain and internal conflict.  Denial allows them to keep self medicating and unfortunately, keep people at bay who would like them to go to drug treatment and get clean.  Do you recognize any of these people in your life?

The Wife Who Just Doesn’t Want To Believe Her Husband Is a Drug Addict

Not my husband, he’s not one of those drugged out junkie types.  He spends a lot of time with friends and he works late.  Besides, he has a lot of headaches and late nights because of work.  He works so hard for us, he deserves to have fun with his friends.  He couldn’t take drugs and do all that.

The Stressed Office Worker Who Does Happy Hour Almost Every Day

Look, I go out with my friends after work to let go of work.  It’s like a nightmare all day long, and I just can’t wait for that first drink.  You know, just to relax.  And sometimes I stay longer just to be with my friends all night.  Evryone at the office does it anyway.  You’d go to happy hour every day too if you worked at my office.

The Woman With Odd Pains A Defensive Attitude And A Lot Of Hard Alcohol

Yeah, so I drink every day - who’s counting?  I’ve had this pain in my side for the last two years.  I don’t know what it is, and I’m not letting some doctor dig around in there tell me I have cancer.  Plus I’m always feeling sore after work.  Why don’t you have my life and tell me if I can’t have this whenever I want??

The Teen Who Tries To Minimize Drug and Alcohol Use

Really, if you think what I do is bad you need to talk to about twenty other people who are much worse.  Yeah, I mean I’m going out there to that party place out of town, but it’s only once a week.  I get drunk, so what?  I smoke a little weed - who doesn’t?  That’s normal high school stuff anyway.  My teacher told me once that kids who drink and get high a lot can get sent off to drug rehab or something.  Yeah - losers who have real loser problems. 

The College Guy Who Uses Nearly Any Excuse To Drink

Hey, it’s a hot afternoon out here on the deck.  Of course I’m cracking a beer open, why not?  I’m not working today, the game’s on, and the cooler’s full.  We have some party for the alumni guys tonight.  I mean it’s just having a drink talking to some old guys for a while.  Then after they go, some of the guys who graduated last year and the year before - we’ll all hit the bars together.  Gettin’ wasted all weekend - cool with me.

Breaking Through Drug Addiction Denial Is Worth The Challenge

Overcoming someone’s drug addiction denial (or your own) is a huge first barrier.  If you can break through that, you have a much greater chance of getting this person to a drug rehab center or enrolled in some form of drug treatment.  It can take a lot of patience, persistence, and calm to make it happen.  But it’s worth it to see someone damaged by drugs and alcohol finally take their first step towards recovery by going to drug rehab.

Sarah, a fictitious 9 year old girl who’s mom went to drug rehab a few weeks ago for prescription drug addiction

Mommys Secret With Taking Too Much Medicine

My mom didn’t tell us this, but she’s been taking some bad drugs for a long time.  She had these actually to help her because she was in a car accident, and she couldn’t walk for a while, and her back hurt pretty bad.  She kept saying that her back was sore and she took her medicine for a long time.  Except we didn’t know she was taking way too much and it was hurting her body.

I miss my mom now, because she’s been gone for a few weeks and I’m used to having her around.  But actually, really I’ve been missing her for a long time.  Because she’s acted kind of sick ever since she had the accident.  Some parts of her have gotten better, but she’s still just been pretty sad and crabby.  Like she’s here, but she’s kind of not here. 

She can’t do stuff with us because her back is always sore, or she’s in her room sleeping.  Or she just wants us to leave her alone.  Then she cries because she knows she’s not with us very much.  I don’t like it when she feels so bad, but I get sad because she’s like somebody else all the time.  She’s my mom but she’s not my mom.  I miss my mom from before she had the accident. 

Drug Rehab Is Where Mom Needs to Be

Daddy says that she’s at a place called drug rehab.  I didn’t know what this drug rehab thing was before.  But he says this is a place that will help her stop taking her medicine so she can think better and not feel so sad.  I didn’t know medicine could make you feel worse, because she had it to help her.  But I guess she started wanting her medicine more than anything else. 

He knows I miss her, and he does too.  I really really wish she didn’t have to go away to get better.  I wish she could be here in our town so I could see her every day.  But Daddy keeps saying that this drug rehab place is the best thing for her now, and after she’s there she can be with us again.  And she will be better.  I think about her all the time, and I don’t know really what she’s doing all day.  But she did write a letter to me to say that she loves me and can’t wait to be home.  And I keep that letter in my backpack every day. 

My Favorite Day Mom Home From Drug Rehab

My favorite day ever will be when she can be back home with me and Daddy.  I just hope she doesn’t ever ever take that medicine again or go back to that drug rehab place for so long.  I don’t want to keep crying about her anymore.  I love her and I want her back like before her accident, not the sad mom I had after the accident.  I can’t wait to hug her again.