Hello,

I am new to this forum, but not a stranger to forums, so I hope that I can get some feedback on my situation.

I am an alcoholic, currently 201 days sober, and I feel great. I have been drinking pretty much daily for 20+ years. BUT, here is the thing, about 2 years ago I was drinking very heavily, triggered mostly by losing my job,a divorce and then moving to a different state to escape. A gallon a day was not uncommon and I slowly started to lose feeling in my legs (numbness, weakness). I brushed it off. I continued to drink and I got to the point where I could not walk on my own. I put myself in a wheelchair.

6 months later I wound up in jail after a binge. Well, 87 days ala the state and then 3 months in a hostel, I am back on my own.

So, I am now walking with a cane and am quite mobile, but I am not near what people call 'normal'. My legs are still "weak" and if I walk on my own I have trouble with balance and my legs feel "heavy" at times.

This all points to Alcoholic Neuropathy and unfortunately I fit the symptoms.

SO, to my point, and question. I am NOT looking for sympathy, I am looking to better my life. I have been taking B12 for about 3 months and I dont know if its helped or not. The one Doctor I visited was no help at all, he claimed it was low potassium.

So, I came across this forum and also a product called 'Neuropathy Support Formula'......

Does anybody have any REAL words to say about it? Does it help a drunk (albeit sober) like me get back to some normality?

Are there any other tips or tricks that may benefit me in some way?

Thanks for any help,

Icehouse

OK....found a thread on the 'NSF' product......

Still would like some info as it pertains to alcoholism though....

The Benfotiamine is the most helpful for the people who cannot tolerate alcohol, or who drink heavily. B1 is the cofactor used in alcohol metabolism and safe clearance from the body. High levels of alcohol are poisonous, and damaging.

Being in jail I would expect poor diet too.
Drinking heavily for a long time, leads to vitamin deficiencies in most people. That is why alcohol withdrawal treatments often include a B-complex.

Benfotiamine is a special better form of B1 thiamine.

My objections are that with the formula you ask about are:
1) they don't instruct you to take on an empty stomach which you should.

2) it is a fixed combo which you cannot change doses of the individual ingredients to meet your own needs.

3) it is expensive. If it works you cannot determine which ingredient is being the most helpful for YOU. Each person is different and you may not need all that is in there.

Most people with alcoholic neuropathies recover after they stop drinking. You have to however, provide a good diet, high in nutrients and antioxidants to see improvements. Eating junk food or high sugar high starch fast food, will not heal you up and provide success. People who are avoiding alcohol because of previous heavy use tend to
crave sugar and carbs...to keep the same blood sugar levels.
Chocolate is often substituted for alcohol. But donuts, and cookies can also be tempting. You have to watch that.

Thanks mrsD..

I think I will spend a little time researching the ingredients of the NSF product and then combing through all the info I can find of the individual ingredients and then trying to determine what has worked for others similiar to me.

As far as diet, fortunately for me, I am not a sweet eater at all. I do like the occasional chocolate bar but its a take it or leave it issue for me.

I do eat well and walk a couple miles a day when its nice out. But, I am looking for a vitamin supplement to replenish and\or rebuild the 'stuff' I have lost over years of drinking.

No where to go but up from here...

Do you know your A1C levels? This is a predictor to determine
if you need help with blood sugars during the day.

R-lipoic acid is very effective (and not in the supplement you asked about in the best form). If you have some beginning
diabetic issues, R-lipoic STABILIZED form (also called NaRALA)
can help. Take one an empty stomach. 2mos supply at one a day.
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-S...9848484&sr=1-1


But for you and the drinking history, I'd do at least 300mg of Benfotiamine daily to start. This helps with the thiamine problem. 2 mos supply at 2 a day.
http://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-B...9848441&sr=1-2

A good Bcomplex to start is easy to find.
This is one:
http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formula...9848314&sr=8-1
This one is affordable, has methylB12, and a good formula 50 to 100 days supply

You can also take a generic Centrum Senior for savings too.
That has all the other vits and minerals without iron.

That is the nucleus for alcohol induced neuropathy. Your diet should have EFAs in it --omega-3's from salmon and flax, canola oil, walnuts. Some smart foods have Omega-3's added as well as some eggs now. Some almonds for magnesium,
and this is a good start for you.

You can leave off the R-lipoic until you see how the rest work, in a month or two. You can add it in later if you like.
This is the typical diet given to recovering alcohol excessive users.

Amazon has free shipping for $25 which is the lowest I've seen yet for quality supplements. I am buying most of mine now there as well.

No, I don't....but I will look into it as Diabetes does run in my family but I don't have the "normal" symptoms....

I have saved the list of vitamins you mentioned in my amazon wish list...thanks for the info, you have been great so far mrsD!!

I have thought about the Bcomplex vitamins when I started taking the B12, so thats a definite on my list.

Hey! What are you trying to say? I am only 38!!

I will still keep doing some research but this is a great start...I am a total noob to vitamins and such, never taken much in my entire life, I dont even take aspirin!

So, thanks again.....I will let the board know what I purchase and the results....

Ok, update. I did some more research and ran the info past a RN friend of mine too and I bought the following for an initial testing.

Centrum Men Under 50, Multivitamin, 200-Count Bottle
Doctor's Best Benfotiamine (150 mg), Vegetable Capsules, 120-Count
Jarrow Formulations Jarrow B-right Complex, 100 Capsules

As posted here and with a second opinion, it is a good start to getting myself back on track - healthwise - from what is considered Alcoholic Neuropathy.....

I will post weekly reports on if the above make a difference in my daily well-being. I have not bought the R-Lipoic yet, but I will add that if needed.

Merci!

Wondering how you are doing Icehouse. Care to tell us how you are doing here a year later?

I would, but its been fairly well documented in the last 5 pages...I kinda hijacked this thread on page one I think

But, without tooting my own horn, I think I am doing pretty damn good considering....

I am still pretty excited I can walk again!!

Read through this whole thread from page 1-6.....it shows the monthly progress in steps....

20 months or 608 days of sobriety. Easy? No. Worth it? Yes.

Hardly ever use the cane anymore, still not 100% but time will bring that along. I am going to post a picture of something that I never thought I would never be able to do again. I was far from the high scorer, but I bowled two games before I decided to take a rest

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