Hi coopster

"The strange thing for me is that I can go weeks without a drop, and then for some unknown reason, BANG! I'm on a three week binge."

I can relate to this. I still get urges to drink though far less often than in the early years of being sober. I don't try to analyse the urges; rather I use the "one day at a time" approach.

By that I mean that I say to myself "Tomorrow you can get smashed out of your mind. Not today though. Today you will be sober.".

I repeat that the next day and the next day and the next day..., until the urges fade (which they do).

Maybe something along these lines might work for you too?

I've not had a drop now for 6 days, not much of an achievement I know, but then again I don't really consider myself to be trying. I don't even want a drink. But I know that at some point, some invisible switch in my head will tell me it's OK to go and buy a bottle of red. This would be fine, except that once the red is gone, I'll be out for another bottle. Maybe not the first time, but certainly further down the line, when I have convinced myself that I'm in control. Good on you for your progress so far mate. Keep up the good (if hard) work.:D

Yep, having "a drink" is not in my vocabulary either!

Well put, Icehouse, don't put a date on it. No point in it.

When the urge hits, just make believe alcohol, in all it's form, doesn't exist. Try to find some other way to satisfy your urge. Works for me.

If your neuropathy is caused from drinking it will disappear, it did for me and I drank for over 20 years. :winky:

I keep a 2L bottle of Sierra Mist in the fridge. If I get that urge, I just take a couple swigs (out of the bottle) and the hit of carbonation, followed by a good burp, will kill any desire I had :D

Seriously, it's the bubbly fix that works for me.....

1522 days sober.

Well, we are under a "State of Emergency" here in VA with Joaquin on our doorstep....should make for an interesting weekend :)

Well, I am back on regular vitamins (I slacked off for a month) and I could feel the difference with tighter muscles, sporadic twitches and feeling a bit more run-down.

But, I learned a lesson, I think, and will remain vigilant.

That's a beginning. Good luck. :winky:

Substitution
 

I developed a more than substantial level of Alcohol PN, the culmination of 50 (yes 50! age 16 - 66) years of daily substantial consumption. Unfortunately, I was what I consider to be the worst form of alcoholic, in that I was fully functional--earning constant praise and even advancement at whatever endeavor somebody was able to coax me out of my innate laziness to undertake. I would walk past a project completed 6 months earlier with colleagues who would stop, smile, and say "man, I don't even know how you you even began to figure this one out." I would simply smile and give a theatrical shrug, all the time acknowledging to myself not a hint of memory about any involvement at all in it.

It was largely because of this that I found no reason to live in denial. I was making a sufficient living to cover financial obligations and attending to my family's needs and comforts, so I was drinking this constant volume simply because that's what I enjoyed. No other reason. However when the gradual, but constant debilitating and degenerative affects became unbearable, and my GP and friend of 25 years finally put it to me after years of repeated attempts at my quitting, he finally laid it on the line.

"Continue as you are going at your age and I guarantee your death within 2 years. I am not going to advise you further, nor will you ask me for additional treatment in this matter as it is your decision alone. I'm writing you a prescription for a 10 day regimen of Librium to avoid cold-turkey seizures. Take it and stop immediately or die."

Well, that was roughly 7 - 8 months ago, and the glass of fresh squeezed OJ with the healthy splash of vodka accompaniment I'd consumed right BEFORE I drove to that particular appointment, suddenly became the final drink of my life.

Over the years I've taken many occasional cold-turkey clean-out month or 2 breaks and the first few days to a week can be pretty rough--then gradually less severe as the days go by. I never "back-slid" as I'd always intended to resume consumption after the brief hiatus. There was never any cutting-back, as that involved too much inner conflict. It was either drink or not, period.

I'll share this will all out there contemplating quitting cold-turkey: The aid of Librium makes all the difference in the world as to the shakes, the urges,the re-establishment of restful sleep patterns, etc. Take that to the bank from a man of more than a little experience.

Now comes the reason for my posting this as a reply to the above by mrsD. I am 66 years old and in my life I never have had a "sweet tooth", but though there has been NOT A SINGLE craving for a drink, there developed an immediate insatiable one for sweets--particularly chocolate! In fact it was 12:30 PM when I read mrsD's warning while polishing off my second ice cream cone of the day.

Believe me, mrsD, thanks again for rubbing my nose in what should have been obvious from the onset. We live on the NJ coast and are currently under hurricane watch due to approaching Joaquine and have been bombarded by local media to stock up on essentials in a most timely fashion. So this morning after seeing my 13 year old to the school bus, rushed right over to Foodtown as I am almost out of cones.

Better call Doc for another scripp for Librium.

Same thing for me....for 30+ years I could take or leave sweets \ chocolate but now I crave dark chocolate and frequently find myself at the artisan chocolate shop across the street from my work :D:p

Nothing wrong with that. :D Just don't go overboard. :p

Adding an Additional Battle
 

Yeah, Icehouse & Wiix,

If anyone in my life had ever tried to tell me there would someday come a time when I was marking the days since my last Hershey's dark..........

One Two, One Two. This is not a test. But 1212 days for me.

So after all this time you STILL lead with 311 days. Bah! ;)

Not doing well pain wise - in fact a serious setback. No idea where it comes from, apart from stress. No drinking, healthy diet, supplements, lots of sun, no smoking, no benzos, and still. :confused: Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised, PN is an ever changing condition.

I was quite disheartened, and went (how on topic!) into a sugar binge. Soda, cake, chocolate, pie, fries,you name it. It didn't even make PN matters worse. Oh well, I'll snap out of that one in a week or so, but a relapse into junk food is the lesser of two "evils" I suppose. The good news probably is that I didn't even think about/consider alcohol (only just realized that while typing); the only visions I had was of apple pie with loads of creme on top.

Currently starting amitriptyline again (went to the doc of course for that) to be able to take a rest on the Zaldiar (tramadol) for a while so that it starts working again for me.

So, not really good news, but I have to stay honest.

Honesty makes this thread work , seems to me, thanks for the superb post, Wide-O, although I wish you were feeling better, and have confidence you will soon. As you note, this stuff is ever changing. I haven't been doing that well either, and look forward to that day when we have all kicked PN's rear! On a different forum, a few folks were singing the praises of Cymbalta, I thought I might check with my doc on that one. Have you (or anyone else) tried it or heard of it being used? As for alcohol, I never think of the stuff either. I doubt I would even like it.

Cymbalta scares the crap outta me, but that is based on the 45 minute blurb in a monotone voice regarding side effects. But, I look forward to seeing how others react to it....

Cymbalta
 

I tried Cymbalta and gave up on it quick because of sexual side effects. I know the are a lot of side effects, but most have the potential to go away after your body adjusts. Some, like sexual side effects have a tendency to not go away and therefore Cymbalta won't work. It can be very effective for nerve pain and is probably worth a shot. My doctor got me to try it by saying that if it does cause problems, just stop and it will be out of your system in a day.

mmj
 

Since we have a few posts on meds, I can report that my state has approved MMJ for several illnesses. A few weeks ago, the Medical Advisory Board recommended that diabetic and peripheral neuropathy be added to the list of approved ailments. Our Governor ignored the advise cause basically he is clueless, but it's no secret that one can try the stuff. I was really surprised to see that it really did help. I thought it was just a bunch of old hippies and young stoners looking for a buzz, but that appears to not be the case at all, not at all. It is no cure all, but it helps. ....not endorsing, just reporting.

We talked about Cymbalta, and my doc is not in favor of it (nor Lyrica etc.). In her experience - anecdotal, yes, but it seems to confirm studies - they don't really help and cost a lot of money. She has quite a few patients who have PN, and she really follows up on what seems to work or not. However: quite a few of her PN patients are alcoholics who frequently relapse, which makes it much harder to judge the medication given.

Amitriptyline is dirt cheap, has well known/understood side-effects, and sometimes helps (none of these pills work for everybody). Given that I'm also experiencing a slight depression (but it's a chicken/egg thing: does the PN get worse because of it, or did the PN relapse cause it?) it seems like a good option to try.

I think there's no shame in discussing marijuana for pain medication - especially if it has been legalized or condoned in your area. Truth is, it's not a miracle drug: for me it didn't do anything. I tried it, bought some high CBD content weed, used it in a vaporizer, really wanted it to work, and ... it just didn't do anything for me - this after several tries. But I'm sure it works for many others, and it can only be a good thing to have many options.

I will ask my Doc about amitriptyline. I sorta have the same opinion your doc has, Wide-O, from reading comments about all these drugs. (lyrica,etc). Their effectiveness sure seems spotty , at best. A couple of them apparently cause a lot of weight gain, the last thing I need. I took amitriptyline (brand name Elavil) for depression many years staring in the late '70s. It worked well for that, but I replaced it with prozac when it came out. (Incidentally, I wouldn't be the first person to tell ya that prozac seems to increase alcohol consumption. No one ever forced booze down my throat, but beer + SSRI's in some folks = Party!) I have been skeptical of amitriptyline for PN but you are right, it is dirt cheap and , at least in my case, very well tolerated. It made me a biz drowsy so I just took it at night.

There's loads of information in the PN section, but IIRC there even was a law suit that determined Lyrica could not be sold officially for PN. Also, it never worked better than placebo.

Can be the case for amitriptyline as well, but not for everyone, and I didn't notice it in the short time I took it a few years ago.

Yeah, Elavil (over here mostly Redomex) is now "old school" indeed, but as I'm suffering a mild depression right now it seemed like a very good choice. So far it surely does seem to take the edge off, but it doesn't work as well as tramadol (yet?). Still, I need to build up the amitriptyline and phase out the tramadol for a while before I can really comment. That way I can take a rest from tramadol and restart it with more effect.

Exactly the same here. I tried it in 2013 for about 8 weeks, but at the same time I had started my diet and suddenly felt a lot better even before building up the Elavil (easier to type... :D ) so I quickly went off it again with the consent of the rheumatologist. But this time I hope it does the double function (pain/depression).

Drowsy for sure, but that may go away. (tramadol knocked me out at first, now I hardly feel it) I have a long working version for bedtime (25mg) and a faster/shorter acting 10mg version. Doc told me to play with that to keep the pain in check, but not go beyond 80mg as that wouldn't be effective for PN anymore (max daily dose is 150mg).

BTW, just found the receipt: $1.60 for both 25mg and 10mg together. :D

Lyrica is certainly the choice of my nuerologist. I am on 450 mg / day which is a lot. I went down to 300 to see what would happen and could hardly walk. However, I have complained that after 2 years sober I don't feel like it's any better so maybe it's time to have a talk with my doctor. Especially after what I see here.

I am also curious if anyone uses opioids like hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc given our history with alcohol abuse? I was told it could trigger something and make you more susceptible to a relapse. I don't know, all I know is I hurt, a lot. I also have back issues separate from PN that requires physical therapy weekly. I have associated pain with alcohol and that is a huge deterrent for me.

BTW, lyrics does make you hungry. You can eat and never feel full. It's been a struggle with lack of exercise and medication side effects to not gain weight. Weight gain is the last thing my feet need!

I take Tramadol, Okone1, not really a true opioid, some call it a synthetic narcotic. There is some disagreement about what it actually is and how addictive , but I wouldn't hesitate trying it. It makes me moody (as you might have read in another post) and I would prefer not to use it. Abusing it is the farthest thing from my mind. But it does provide relief. ...further, I am sick of this stuff as well, I am ready to try some meds, just don't know what. I wish abstinence worked better. Sometimes you will see posts to the effect "most people who suffer from alcohol related neuropathy recover", I would sure like to believe that, but I have my doubts. There is the 1984 study , a very small one, that shows 7 of 10 former drinkers recovered to normal or near normal nerve conduction scores etc when tested. I have never found that study replicated, but I have found studies that failed to find any improvement at all. Other times, of course, we see people post on here and elsewhere that they personally recovered from the symptoms. So, as some scientist put it, "results are highly variable and new treatments are sorely needed." ..Amen.

Marijuana
 

My own experiences of smoking weed have been nothing short of horrifying. I get MASSIVELY paranoid, I cannot sleep, and when, on the odd occasion I can, I have the strangest dreams. My own GP, (Doc), put me on Citalopram for a while, I felt like I was in a cartoon, I felt surreal, like I did'nt really exist. Weird. Is Amytrptiline also anti-depressant?

Yes iit is, one of the older ones

Inviting your advice, thoughts, recommendations, etc.
 

I have a doctors appointment next week and plan to get his advice on what I should do next in my struggle with PN. I don't know if it's the weather (seems unlikely) or what, but my symptoms are really interfering with my Quality of Life, to say the least. This is the worst it has been since I went to the doc in Jan. 2013. It has gradually become more bothersome the entire time with a rather rapid decline in the last 6 months. I plan to ask about Lyrica, Neurontin, Amitriptyline, Cymbalta, electric stimulation, and most of the stuff mentioned on here. In short, I am looking for any advice on treatments or protocols of any kind that some of you may have had some success with lately that I might not know about. Or, if you have just heard of something but have no experience with it, let me know that as well. Mrs. D? Wide O? IceHouse? Any and all, if you have any thoughts they will be greatly appreciated. I haven't had any alcohol save my flirtation with it in July and August of 2014, so that wouldn't be contributing to this bothersome decline, I wouldn't think.

Sorry to hear that newstown. As you know I have a very similar episode lately. I'm glad to say the amitryptiline seems to work as I am now on 1/3rd of the tramadol dose I was on, yet am feeling less pain. I hope to get off completely and only take ami for a while so that the tramadol will become effective again.

BTW I don't think your short flirtation with alcohol last year has any effect today. PN just seems to have a mind of its own. I'd suggest to keep on trying different things to see what gives you the best quality of life. I know that's not very useful, but it's the best I can do.

PS: I'm on 1234 - not the musical countdown, but number of days sober. ;) Despite the PN setback I'm still feeling very comfortable living without alcohol, and see no reason to change that anytime soon.

1234 Go! Good for you Wide O and thanks for the words of wisdom. Sounds like the ami is really doing the job, I am definitely going to check on that. Gosh that's good that you can cut back on the tramadol based on something as cheap (and reliable, apparently) as amitriptyline. Here's to hoping I have a similar experience! Thanks again for the ideas.

New Here
 

Hi Everyone, I spent last night reading all 55 pages of this thread and I have to admit I teared up after reading the inspirational stories on here. It was so awesome to see the improvement and those who are living awesome lives. I have quit drinking--10 days--but I have done it before --even 3 years, but always went back. After this I know that I know that I know that I never want to drink again.
I have pins and needles in my hands and feet. My doctor says it is from Potassium deficiency after doing bloodwork and gave me Potassium supplements. While the prickling has improved, I know that it is from alcoholic neuropathy.
I am really scared because I know that the symptoms can get much worse so I am going to get Mrs.D's nutrition program started today. We have a really good homeopath here who sells high quality vitamins that I used when I had gastritis.
I also have severe OCD (which is a lot of why I drank because it helped me feel normal) so my thinking is very catastrophic and I keep seeing myself bedridden and dying from liver disease (because in my mind if my nerves have deteriorated like this then my liver must be gone!--but thanks to you folks I have seen that this is not always the case). It is just hard being positive since I've always catastrophised things--like when I got gastritis I was convinced I had stomach cancer--you get the idea...SOOO coming on here and reading how it is not all gloom and doom and how much progress you all have made and that you don't let yourself spend all day in bed has been so inspirational. I have been staying in bed the past 4 days because when I get up and start moving around I feel the prickling and it makes me start having a panic attack. Thanks!

1553 days sober. But, that is not as numerically cool as Wide-O and his 1234!!

I am fine, so I will move on to bunnyluv and just say a BIG "Welcome" from this group of messed up, broken, beat down, picked up and dysfunctional anonymous folks here in this slot of internet stuff....

We bounce ideas off each other and then gripe when things are not perfect, but that makes us good at what we do. We get it. We understand. We keep moving on....

Come with us...

If you are OCD , Bunniluv, I must have it too, if I stub my toe, I assume amputation will be required, all aches and pains are a sure sign of incurable terminal illness in my head. I think you have found the right thread, welcome aboard.

Thanks so much for the welcome! News town , when I was reading your posts I did think you sounded like you think how I think at times-- Some doctors have called it somaform (?) disorder or call it hypochondria , but it is included in OCD -- I've had other irrational thoughts that cause intense anxiety over the years. It's horrible, but I think the horrible part is the negative anxious mental ruminations affect us physically. I think the mind is so powerful because I can make symptoms happen by believing something is wrong---I just wish I could use that same brain power to heal myself! I watched that video that I think as posted by Mrs.D about the power of the mind to heal vs. conventional medicine and it is definitely worth watching. I listen to healing meditations and they do calm my anxiety. A calm positive mind is so important for healing.

Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk

Well, I wish my peripheral neuropathy WAS from hypochondria there, Bunnyluv, but yes, the role of the mind is very important. Have you had a nerve conduction test and the Emg , etc? That would help clear up, perhaps, if your symptoms are truly from alcohol abuse or are psychosomatic.

Hi, I hope I didn't make it sound like I thought your PN is psychosomatic:o
I know that you are suffering miserably from what you've written--I'm just saying when our thoughts turn to the worst possible scenario then it just makes symptoms feel worse and hard to believe it will get better. It's the old "What If?" monster: what if I never get better, what if this or that?
No I have not had a nerve condition test, but I know my symptoms are not all in my head because they started BEFORE I had heard about PN.....I never knew about it until I started having the pins and needles. However, if I had read about it then I would believe that I was making myself feel pain (although not this intense). I-- like you --wish that this was all anxiety based!

I would recommend you get the nerve test if you can, that will help you narrow your focus a bit I think.

777 days
 

Not trying to one up, but I looked at my counter and had no idea I had a cool number. 777 days!!

I went to a pain Doctor yesterday and he wants me to try nucyenta. has anyone tried it? Ill read up on it some more. I have seen some people across my travels on the internet that did like it for nerve pain.

Either way, I am not going to drink. That's the one thing I can control and that's nice.

Short update: almost tramadol free (at 1/9th of dose) and the amitriptyline works much better than expected, which is great. Needed to buy new dose today which set me back $2.00 (still makes me giggle). No side effects so far.

Okone1, 777 days is awesome and not just because it is a cool number - well done!

I have never been on Nucynta but you might find the information here helpful when talking things through with your doctor; http://www.drugs.com/nucynta.html .

All the best.

1582 days sober.

My doctor put me back on Alpha-Lipoic Acid and has me doing exercises to help with my "nerve damage". So far I can't tell a difference....SMH.

I will reiterate that I do NOT have any pain whatsoever, but I still walk with a bit of a gait and still get tired if I stand still too long. But, after 4 years of sobriety, I can honestly say that quitting drinking was the best thing I have done for my mind, soul and body....

Icehouse, 1582 days sober is a great achievement - well done :).

Hi
I was diagnosed with PN but my Neurologist does not know what the cause is. All my blood work came back normal except for his nerve testing. Horrible pins and needles and burning in my feet on Gapapentin, with little relief. I have kept drinking since my diagnosis 6 months ago...sigh and have been a heavy drinker for 35 years.



Today will be my third day sober I know its not a lot but one day at a time. I had horrible pins and needles last night which were worse than I ever has before but I WILL NOT DRINK AGAIN NO MATTER WHAT.

I look at it as my body healing , and I pray to God that its not too late for me God Bless