Haven't checked in a while, job has been keeping me more than busy. However...drum roll please...

6 months this week! And ever so proud of myself.

Next up...quitting these stupid cigarettes. Wide-O, do I remember correctly that your PN got significantly better once you quit smoking (how's that going by the way?). I seem to remember that from a thread I found somewhere, or should I take it from your latest post here that maybe that was a good spell for you. Our symptoms are somewhat similar, so I'm following your progress with interest.

My PN, sadly has gotten worse, whether it's the winter, or the fact that supposedly it gets worse before it gets better, or...SMOKING...or all three. I don't know. But the pins and needles have left my feet and taken up residence in my hands and while it's not debilitating, it's certainly is frustrating and depressing. Advil doesn't seem to do much, I'm on Gabapentin (for alcohol cravings and in a lower dose than is usually prescribed for neuropathic pain from what I understand, so I guess it makes sense that it's not doing much).

But hey, I'm sober and working again, that's more than I can say for myself six months ago. So life ain't so bad...

On the positive side health wise my blood sugar is under much better control and my BP has dropped considerably, I've lost 60lbs so far too.

For the life of me, pbwithpn, I can not find the study summary where the "worse before it gets better" aspect was described in very good detail. The gist of it was that a process is in place where the axons and the myelin sheath around the nerves continue to degrade for a time even tho a person has quit drinking. Then, the improvement becomes noticeable. I am just over 6 months myself and actually feel , in some ways, more symptoms than I did when I first quit. Fortunately, none of them are major and I feel great overall by not drinking. The few studies that have been done well show that pn caused by alcohol abuse has a very good chance of reversing, but the studies I have seen usually refer to people who have quit for a couple of years at least. So hang in there, I am, and I think good things are gonna happen.

Hey PB! It was a good spell unfortunately. PN is something that goes up & down, but overall it's getting better. I was able to jump up and down lately, and my goal is still to be able to slam dunk again in the foreseeable future.

The smoking stop first went great and then I got seriously depressed and stopped sleeping. After 30 days I went to my GP, and she said that maybe I was doing too many things at a time (with quitting the booze and losing weight etc). She did not want me to take pills. But I didn't want to go back to smoking and settled for vaping. It's still an addiction, but a much less dangerous one, so that's what it is for now.

I have days without any pain at all, and that makes the days when pain comes back (again, in much milder form, but still...) potentially depressing. However, I just take it on the chin and move on. Relapse isn't even an option anymore, it's weird to feel free of that baggage.

So it's day 620, with 2 years and after that 1000 days just around the corner.

And you are doing great too - it will get better eventually. Although I can't promise you - depending on your height - that you'll ever be able to slam dunk again.

Alright, enough! All of this good news is just making me sick!

KIDDING!!!

Even though you are all just words on my screen, I am proud of each of you for the positive changes in your habits, lifestyles and thinking. This is a mild form of accountability here in this forum and I NEED to post here ever 30 days with my sobriety count. I do it for myself first, then for you.

Wide-O, I am close to my 1K mark...I know I will make it!!

And I have no dreams of slam dunking anything at the moment.

You know, I think you will! Pretty sure about it actually, as far as I can judge that bunch a words on my screen.

Shortypants!

(just to be clear: I was talking basketball there OK! )