Great job Icehouse! So happy for you. This is an interesting moment to post this, as I avoided providing an 8 month, 240 day report yesterday because I didn't want to discourage anyone. I have no improvement at all, actually. I do have periods where the PN is less bothersome, and I believe I am getting better, but this soon reverts to baseline or worse, and overall, I am much more numb, tingly, and tired that when I quit drinking completely last August. I was diagnosed Jan. 2013.

So you might think: Why is he posting this? Actually, it is to be encouraging, as odd as that may appear. We need to keep in mind that however well informed this thread is, we are a collection of well meaning anecdotes and no one should necessarily judge their progress or lack of it by others, but rather, take heed and learn what you can and stick to it. I am actually optimistic based on what I know about the reversal of alcoholic PN, and IceHouse has a lot more days sober than me, and I think he is a lot younger, which can't hurt in most cases. I am retiring at the end of this month, and as happy as I am about that, it also causes some stress as it is a major life change and undoubtedly contributes to my tiredness and perhaps aggravates my PN. At least I believe some think stress can do that.

So Go Icehouse!! But if you ain't Icehouse yet, you Go Too!!

Um, thanks!

For what its worth, I was near 500 days sober before I ditched my cane and really started to improve. And it was not until LAST WEEK that I was able to hike a mountain (albeit slowly) and actually do something this strenuous.

I will be 41 this summer, so I am not that far behind.

This is not an overnight thing, and there were days where I thought I would never see more improvement, but go stale.

Time, vitamins to keep the body happy, exercise in moderation and abstinence is my formula.

Keep up the optimism Newstown!!

I appreciate your post Newstown. It's your truth and I don't think it will deter or discourage anyone from their own progress.

Thank you for sharing the good the bad and the ugly that is PN.

Well I think IceHouse got the point, and all this is difficult to get straight on a forum, I didn't mean to detract from his progress, that would be silly!! I was just saying that it seems sometimes people hang in the shadows here and occasionally post, and it doesn't seem like they are making a lot of progress. I was just trying to point out that ya need to hang in there. And as IceHouse points out, he didn't even get rid of his cane until sober 500 days.

Nuances are difficult to maneuver when just exchanging written word.

Yep, this is a race where no ones wins, and no one loses. We are all in the same boat here and no matter how minuscule the improvement is, it is a good thing.

What people may gather is hope. Hope drives people to better themselves and by watching the progress of ALL of us here, it can be attained.

I get what newstown is saying, and don't see it as if he meant something negative at all.

I'm having a couple of rough weeks myself right now. Nowhere near the pain I felt in the mornings when I still drank (and could numb later on with the alcohol), but still pretty annoying.

It is what it is. It could be a setback, it could be progress. We'll see.

One thing I know is that - apart from everything else complete abstinence has brought me - that if this would have happened when I still drank, I would feel incredibly frustrated and angry with myself. That's totally ignoring how far I have come in the PN department, because it would probably had gotten much much worse by now (if I still would have been alive...)

Not trying to defend or sell anything here, I had and now again have my share of pain, but I am still so incredibly glad that I'm now at (starts up app...) 662 days sober, coming up to 2 years June 13th.

So, massively well done on day 240 too! That is proper commitment and the right way to go, even if (or especially if) you have not experienced any symptom improvement. But when you are having a rough moment, just think of how much worse it could be right now when it comes to PN alone.

We may struggle a bit from time to time, but we sure as heck are doing the right thing here.

Yes Wide O, thanks for clarifying my thinking. ;) I didn't mean to discourage anyone away from sobriety!!! I feel great. And actually, I have probably improved more than I realize because it is a slow, gradual thing and I tend to get accustomed to whatever is happening on a day to day basis. Plus, I am inpatient, whiny, spoiled, and I want my treats now!!!!

Have a great one.

Reactions to alcohol
 

So I have posted on the PN forum before and scan this thread once in awhile. You see I am a 40 year old woman who was training for a marathon 2 1/2 years ago and not a care in the world-rarely saw a doctor. Today I am sitting here in bed barely able to dress and go pick my kids up fom school.

My doctors have diagnosed me with everything from B6 toxicity, to mercury poisoning, the dreaded idiopathic PN, Sjogrens Syndrome, etc. IVig did not help, gabepentin made me feel drunk, homeopathic routes have not been effective, steroids and plaquenil for Sjogrens made me crazy, and so on. I am underweight and have been a restrictive eater for years. I also consumed about 3 glasses of wine nightly. None of my doctors seemed to think this had anything to do with my condition but I quit drinking anyway to be safe. Every once in awhile I have a little something when out celebrating but I have lost the interest in it. I was an alcohol abuser before the neuropathy .. but giving it up was not too difficult.

My hours of research online led me to anorexia neuropathy. I went to an eating disorder specialist who confirmed that I am indeed what she terms an anorexic. So I am on a plan to gain weight and it was progressing despite some refeeding syndrome issues like constipation, gas, fatigue.

I was feeling good last week and my hubby convinced me to try one drink Friday. I felt great the next day and had a drink at dinner again on Tuesday with family and friends. I felt fine Wednesday. But yesterday I felt sick to my stomach, the pain in my legs was ten times worse, non-stop diarrhea and now today the pain, fatigue and nausea are so bad I am useless and in bed.

For those of you who have tried to have a sip (or is that even possible with alcoholism?) what happens over the next few days?? Icehouse you mentioned having a beer reverts you back weeks-can you tell me what happens? I am scared that this is it and I have put all my gains in jeopardy. The pain has never been like this nor the fatigue. I could have a stomach bug on top of it but it seems too much of a coincidence??? Will this pass if it was caused by the alcohol? And if that is indeed the cause why the delayed reaction?

Btw I apologize to Mrs D who did provide evidence months ago that complete abstinence is one of the keys to healing nerves. I am always trying to test the waters it seems.

Also I hope my post did not upset any of you who have done so well staying sober for so long. It actually is hard for anyone to abstain from so many of the things that harm our bodies but in the moment we always think it won't happen to us... we will not get sik, we can quit anytime we want, etc etc. Your accomplishments in getting healthy and seeing improvements are an inspiration.

To be honest, I don't recall saying that, as I have been alcohol free since August 2, 2011 and have not "tested" the waters. BUT, what I do know from helping others like me (alcoholics) is that when we relapse the drinking problem can become worse. And, that is one of the problems. People think that time can cure alcoholism, and is a very minute percentate it can, but NOT in my case. And I dont care to try it out either :p

So, in my opinion, having one drink should not kick up the PN symptoms that you mentioned. But, we are all unique. I would try abstaining for a long period of time and see how it goes. If you don't have an issue with booze then try it again.

BUT, if you have any inkling at all that you are alcoholic then its best to leave it alone.

Good luck and keep posting here please!