So this all started AFTER your flu vaccine?

Rapid onset is not common with alcohol induced PN....a long history such as yours would have warning signs I would think before things fell apart the way they are now.
But rapid onset may come from a toxin, drug, or vaccine.

You really need the magnesium lotion. Much may be revealed when you start using it.

A positive Tinel's sign suggests compression. Either too tight socks, or too tightly lacing shoes over the instep.

I have Tinel's on both feet still, and wrists. If I twist my hand a certain way or try to lift a heavy object, or open a jar, I can get a shooting pain in my thumb, index and middle finger.
I wear carpal tunnel braces to bed sometimes, but do not need them usually during the day.

Supplements take a while to get going. And stopping the alcohol may cause a rough patch until your metabolism changes in the way your liver processes food. (The liver processes alcohol a special way which lowers blood sugars and prevents spikes).
People who quit drinking often have sugar cravings until this metabolism changes accordingly.