Lily, I'm sorry to read that you're having this problem. I hope it can fixed soon so that you're returning to good health fast. It'd be very rare I would have thought to be diagnosed with beriberi these days unless living in certain parts of the world.

Aren't there different types of beriberi and the different types affect different parts of the body? I also think that alcoholism can involve symptoms of beriberi and if treated those symptoms can get better almost immediately if treated correctly... Anyone know about this? mrsd?

My father had beriberi from being POW in Burma and starved for nearly 4 years. His physical condition improved somewhat once the war was over and he got back home to a proper diet but some symptoms persisted all of his life. I guess it depends on the type of damage that the beriberi has caused initially.

I'd suggest you also post over on the Gluten Sensitivity/Celiac Disease board here http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13

I would have thought in this day and age that prompt treatment for beriberi would turn things around for the better in a very short time. I'm no doctor, but if I had been diagnosed with beriberi myself, I'd be in the doctor's office demanding the fastest and safest way of getting the thiamine back into my body. I'd also look at my diet. If you can't eat unrefined grains or meat, bulk up your diet on other thiamine containing foods... green leafy vegies etc.. Don't eat anything in it with thiaminases. Some fish contain thiaminase.

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/...hiaminase.html