I have come across the term "Coasting" with respect to Neuropathy.

This describes the experience of symptom progression before gradual improvement after the cessation of alcohol. This is known as coasting and is encountered in other toxic neuropathies.


Alcoholic neuropathy: possible mechanisms and future treatment possibilities - PMC.

This paper uses the term in the opening paragraph and offers excellent insights in supplementation.

Regrettably, I am a long time drinker, and fear that I probably brought this on myself. I have been drinking fairly regularly for about three decades, about 1-3 beers nearly every night. After noticing the numbness, I cut back and eventually quit over the month of August. Been alcohol free since Sept. 1. In spite of this, these numbness/tingling symptoms are getting worse and I've become an insomniac.

Appreciate any advice. Thank you all![/QUOTE]


Good morning Bat,

I too have alcohol induced peripheral neuropathy and I am here to tell you one thing that happens with this condition. Against all expectations, after ceasing alcohol, Peripheral Neuropathy symptoms get worse. That's right, it gets worse before it gets better. But it will get better. Stick with it. I don't understand the mechanism. Perhaps alcohol has an anaesthetic effect? Things improve, slowly. The symptoms reduce. For me, my symptoms peaked at about 7-8 weeks after ceasing alcohol.

Pain, tingling and numbness are disconcerting, anxiety producing symptoms however they are great motivators when the inevitable wish of a beer comes to mind.

After a while I realised that my symptoms were not actually the end of the world I thought they were. They were actually trivial and instead of looking for them, I became bored by them. I naturally shut them off. Its easy to do this engrossed in a book or a film or a conversation.

Of course your sleeping patterns are disrupted, but that will soon right itself. Don't despair. I think you're able to buy melatonin over the counter in the USA. Consider that as a short term solution.

Anyway, I wish you well. Let us know of your progress.

Atty

Thank you Caroline 2 for the encouragements and sources. I will check them out.

Hang in there to Oldbat. I am 38 and is is bad shape because of my alcohol abuse. i drank on the heavy side for 5 years and now have muscle wasting and weakness all over my body and is very fatigued and weak now so bummer. Does anyone have something simiar to me or know someone with advanced nerve damage from drinking? it would be nice to form a support group. But anyways Oldbat just keep away from the drinking and maybe take some b vitamins and try to stay positive.

Welcome Tony3838.

Welcome, Tony3838!

Hey Tony,

I have alcohol induced PN and if I can help at all please let me know.

Best wishes,

Atty

hi atticus,

i have been reading and reading on this forum about alcohol neuropathy and keep coming back to your comments and your knowledge about it. i’ve been scared to write anything, but today, the tingling and pins and needles are so distracting, i decided to reach out.
my symptoms started about a month ago. tingling in both feet and hands, occasional numbness on bottom of feet, toes, and fingers, sharp electrical like stabbing sometimes when i walk on bottom of foot, only lasts a quick second, feels like my toes are crammed in shoes like there’s something there, feels like i’m stepping on a rock or pebble when nothing is there. i can walk no problem, my hands and fingers are mobile, i have strength in legs, feet, hands and arms. but the pins and needles feeling throughout my body and the constant tingling in feet, legs, arms and hands is scaring me. i went to the doctor 3 months ago for a routine blood work, my triglycerides were pretty high at close to 400 ( i am small and weigh about 42kg) so the doctor advised me to cut bad carbs. which meant no white bread, pasta, sugar, alcohol, etc. my last drink was 11/25/21 (thanksgiving day). i thought i was a social drinker but i have read otherwise. i have had at least 2 glasses of wine every night for the last decade. on weekends and parties, i would have more… maybe 3 glasses and sometimes a shot of something.
i think it was way over the daily or weekly limit especially for my small build. my symptoms of neuropathy did not start till about a month ago. never had any symptoms except for my 2 small toes going numb maybe once a month or so. did not think anything about it since feeling would come back after half hour or so. my full on neuropathy symptoms started roughly 2 months after ceasing alcohol. and it’s rapidly getting worse. it’s like i’m having a new symptom that appear daily. sometimes i feel great, and have no symptoms for several hours, then it comes back and it reminds me. i am not debilitated, i can walk and do daily things, but the feelings of pins and needles, numbness, and sharp stabbing like pain is not normal.

i have taken your and mrs d’s advice and started the following with some extras i have already been taking for years…

womens multi vitamin
stress b complex
methylb12 1000mcg (started yesterday)
benfotiamine 150mg with 300mg ala (started yesterday)
vitamin c 1000mg
fish oil 1000mg
probiotic
turmeric 1000mg
milk thistle 500mg
digestive enzymes
vitamin e 400iu
vitamin d3 2000iu,

my question is, do the symptoms really get worse before it gets better? why didn’t i have any of these symptoms post ceasing alcohol?
i am scared and really need to know it will get better. i have read you saying distract by reading and watching tv, i have been doing that and it really helps. but sometimes when the tingling is constant, i can’t help worrying and my anxiety kicks in. thank you very much for reading. you and mrs d have been tremendous help.

sacred49

Welcome scared 49.

thank you!
i wonder if atticus will read my post? i didn’t know how to reply to one of his posts so he would see. i was only able to reply to the thread.