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Drinking Beer & Alcohol After being diagnosed with NON-ALCOHOLIC Neuropathy

Can you still drink a few Beers/Drinks after you’ve been diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy?

Are you familiar with this scenario?…

So, there you are – at a holiday party or some other social event. You sit there, ignoring your pains and trying to get in the mood for celebrations. You see friends and family having their usual drinks and you’re tempted to join in the fun – but can you?

Sure, you’ve never been an alcoholic, perhaps not even a regular drinker, but you’re sad and feel left out this night. You know a few drinks will lighten your mood, but does having PN forbid you from ever drinking again? Will you ever be able to enjoy a little buzz with your friends or family again?

First off, we all know that drinking any alcohol is bad for Neuropathy. Still, many of us, including myself, find it hard not to have a few drinks on the weekend. (About 5 or 6 Lite beers in my case)

But how much alcohol can be tolerated before it becomes damaging?

Is it different for each person?

Does it matter what kind of beer, wine or liquor you drink?

I was once even told by a doctor that since my PN was NOT from Alcoholic Neuropathy, that it didn’t much matter what I drank. This I knew through common sense was pure horse-crap. …Astounding what some doctors will tell you, isn’t it?

I’ve gotten many different answers on this so far, and I will post my own experiences along with some links and others opinions I’ve gotten from other PN sufferers.

This is a thread I hope will collect lots of new info and opinions, as it’s one that many people seem confused over – including myself. But here are a few more questions to start this off:

Is Alcoholic Neuropathy the same as Diabetic Neuropathy or other Drug/Toxic Neuropathies?


What in Alcohol causes PN? --Toxicity to nerves or lack of B vitamins?

One doctor claims PN from alcoholism comes from the lack of B vitamins and NOT the toxicity from the alcohol itself, while another claims it’s both. Many lab researchers still debate this issue.

For people who have PN, but NOT the alcoholic type, will taking B vitamins and other supplements such as A-L carnitine help protect your nerves when drinking light or socially?

Some say this is true; pointing out that these supplements help protect nerves from certain cancer drugs and other toxins, and thus conclude it will do the same, as long as we don’t “Over-do-it” on the drinks. Can this actually be true?

Some claim that drinking lightly and doing so in a paced time frame is the trick. Does this sound logical?


I hope you all weigh in on these thoughts, so we can get a better understanding of alcohol and how it effects our lives…good or bad.

If you have PN and have been drinking a few beers/drinks from time to time, I'd like to hear about your experiences.

I'm sure we could all benefit from some down-to-earth genuine talk about having a few drinks after being diagnosed with PN (Not Alcoholic PN) I mean. As long as you’re honest about it, we can all benefit in some way or another.