Is Costco open yet? Mmmm.

For me it was a double one. I could not drink alcohol unless it was sweet. I would panic if I would have enough whisky but not enough coke. I just couldn't down it - even the finest single malts. One, two glasses at the most. With coke however...

Same for beer: the only beer I could drink was a very sweet type trappist. Also: gin or wodka tasted horrible unless there was fruit juice with it. I was a lousy alcoholic.

The moment I quit the need for sugar became ridiculous. I ended that spiral by controlling my insulin levels, which - after a while - removes the craving for sugar.

It probably explains why I still "crave" sugar from time to time, but don't "crave" alcohol. I'm probably very lucky.

[QUOTE=W I ended that spiral by controlling my insulin levels, which - after a while - removes the craving for sugar.



Yes it does Wide O, just takes a couple weeks.

Hi all, I've been reading all of your posts with great interest and admiration.

The reason I am posting is because I am unsure if alcohol is the cause of the symptoms that I have, and like others on here, I have been trying to search for an alternative cause. This is not because I desperately want to drink alcohol again (although a beer from time to time would be nice..) but because I am afraid that it may be something rather more serious.

My symptoms are/have been: sore muscles on soles of feet, burning shins, numb ring finger, aching finger joints, GI problems (including acid reflux), sore fingertips, fine muscle twitches in feet and hands, muscular twitches elsewhere on body, tingling and itchy forearms, odd feeling knees....I think that's it..

The above are not constant and do start/stop/reduce but they never go away permanently. My Father was diagnosed with Alcoholic PN 5 years ago after some serious binge drinking and he hasn't made a full recovery. However he is now mobile and doesn't use a stick to walk.

My drinking habits were different to his. I have drank every day for the last 7/8 years, around a bottle of wine at a time -- sometimes topped up with a few beers too. Sometimes at weekends it would be more than this but that was the average I guess. During this time and before it too, I have been very active. I run 2/3 times a week and cycle 1/2 time p/w too - I wonder if this is why my symptoms haven't been as bad as some?

Anyway I've rambled a lot but the bottom line is - I'm sick of damaging myself with alcohol and I have now quit with the intention of never drinking again. This is my 10th day.

It would be great if anyone has any comments or further questions on the above as it may help me to deal with this thing...

Thanks for reading and I wish everyone well with their challenges.

Welcome aboard Riddler. If you have read my posts you know that I have not exactly experienced a straight line improvement of my PN in sobriety. I've been sober 5 months, not a drop, and fortunately mine was diagnosed as "mild", but despite initial improvement, I am really not much better off than I was a year ago. It is a long process, and if you haven't been to a doctor and had nerve conduction studies and so on, I recommend you look into that. You still may not know for sure if your PN is alcohol related, but at least you will know what the available science has to say about it. I am not at all sure they got mine right, but I am not diabetic, and I have been a heavy drinker for many years, so if it is not alcohol, then I am pretty much on a goose chase because it could be completely idiopathic. Personally, I think it is most likely the alcohol, and it is just going to take some time to see real improvement. Hang in there. Others on here have had better results, and hopefully you will too.

Welcome TheRiddler, the first thing you should do is go see your primary care doctor, a blood test can help narrow down the reason for your symptoms. From the blood test on your doctor will narrow down and recommend a neurologist if it is indeed a form of PN.

Just some word of advice, it takes a long time to get an appointment with most neurologists, so it's better to do so as soon as you can. It took me a little over two months to get an appointment with a neurologist. So it's important to start the process of finding out the reason for all your symptoms.

I hope your symptoms aren't related to PN, but if it is, you've come to the right place, the people on this thread are not only a great resource, but a great inspiration to continue to be abstinent from alcohol. I've just surpassed the year mark of being sober and I credit that to everyone on this forum.

Congrats! I love to see the one year mark passed as that is the hardest part. It really does get easier and time goes by.

I volunteer at place that sees MANY alcoholics and addicts. Relapse is common and sobriety is not to be taken for granted.

Keep up the good work and I am proud of you!!!

Bottom line is you are either an alcoholic or not. If you can go a few days and not even think about it, or just have one glass of wine then you are most likely good. Of course, abstinence is the best way if there is any question at all.

Give it a go!

Hi all and thanks for your responses.

To update; I've not had a drop of booze and it's now been over two weeks. The cravings have dramatically lessened and I feel slightly less irritable. However, symptomatically, things have not changed. To be honest, I didn't expect light-speed miracles but I was hoping...

I've been to see the doc (on everyone's advice-thanks guys) and she has taken bloods and has also referred me to a neurologist. I'm glad that I've got the ball rolling but I'm absolutely terrified of what they may find. Things going through my confused mind are: peripheral neuropathy, MS and, worse still MND.

I'm doing my best to stay positive though and hopefully all of this is just a spot of alcohol withdrawal symptoms....

Keep the faith guys.

MND?