Hi everyone, I'm new to these forums, and I'm a friend of a lady (39 yrs old) that has 4 beautiful children, but has severely abused alcohol for some time and just within the last year has developed and been diagnosed with "Peripheal Neuropathy" ..... To try and give you this story in a nutshell ....

She's always drank - no big deal - I realize we 'all' (or not all - but you know ) - drink - but the extent of what she has going on is absolutely amazingly sad ...

Tiff would always drink in the evenings with her husband - and their drink is "Brandy and Sprite" .... I've known her since 2006 so I've been to her home many times and had a few drinks with her. What I always was puzzled by is that for 'both' of their cases - they would drink ALL EVENING until bedtime (a red flag for me). She did not work - her husband did work.

At any rate - over the next few years I noticed that she would begin drinking 'earlier' in the day -- i.e., when I'd speak to her from my work - (say it would be 10AM or 11AM) - she'd say, "oh I'm just sitting here havin' a brandy ....." - again not wanting to pass judgement on anyone but YIKES ..

The drinking then moved into when the kids left for school at 7AM - she hit the bottle, continued all day, until her husband came home, and continued with him throughout the evening.

Suddenly, (almost overnite) she began having pain in her feet, legs, hands, face ... pain and numbness ... 'tingling' ... etc., - we all know the symptoms of neuropathy ... and then her vision went - she always wore a strong prescrption - but she suddenly got to where she cant see - not close, not far, glasses on, glasses off - EVERYTHING is blurry.

Then she went on all the lovely pain meds like Vicodin, extreme amounts of tylenol (coupled with the drinking remember) - and then the hallucinations all started .... within a few weeks - she was in a 'rolling office chair' at home and would have to be rolled around because she litterally could not walk - EVERYTHING hurt -- but she never stopped drinking.

After a few months, they came to a University of Chicago hospital, which upon initial examination many different 'teams' of doctors told her directly (because of course she admitted to drinking - but not as heavily as she does) - they told her you are 100% done with alcohol. Your liver is damaged (which that can repair) - and the extent of the PN is a result of alcohol abuse. They did a number of other tests such as an EMG, checked her eyes, did even a spinal tap ... Spinal tap showed *normal* (as far as MS, ALS, etc etc) - however they say she has severe central nervous system damage.

They decided to take her OFF narcotic drugs and she's treated with Tramadol, Neruontin, a number of vitamins, and cymbalta (has 2 suicide attemps under her belt) ....

Her blood tests reveal 'large' red blood cells which apparently is indicitive of alcohol abuse - but KEEP IN MIND - I was there for *ALL* the doctor visits and *ALL* what they said - and when she was in a different test - I was 100% honest with them about her extensive alcohol history - it was only then that her husband spoke up and agreed with me.

Obviously - they told her *YOU CANNOT DRINK* - and her husband said he would quit too ... (cuz she demanded he did ... she said, "Well I guess we'll both stop drinkin ....." --

They came to my house - I cleared it 100% out of alcohol for NO temptations - (they were supposed to stay 2 nites with me) - that night we all happily drank water and pop -- the next day when I ventured off to work - and they "promised" me they were staying -- I got (of course) the phone call that they were going to head home ...... of course for the kids ya know .... and then her husband told me the first thing she asked when I left for work was, "Does she have any brandy ???" -- he retorted with "You cannot drink" ... she of course - was less than enthused.

In the couple months of these new meds, she continues to drink from AM to PM (per her husband directly telling me) - which keep in mind - they NEVER emptied out their home from the liquor - and I'm not saying it's fair to the husband who 'thinks' he doesnt have any problems from it - but still if you love someone - you need to get rid of it - but that was never the case - she demanded liquor or she'd kill herself.

Liquor won.

She's again drinking tremendously, the symptoms are all still there, she uses a walker, takes the meds, has lost her vision to the point where she just cannot see - everything is blurry - and she *THINKS* to this day that this is *SOMETHING* that the drs can cure and it's *NOT* caused from alcohol.

I just need to vent - I'm sorry - but I need to vent. I dont know what else to do or say - but it's scary . I do like to drink - I may not drink every single day - but I 'may' have a drink or two a day - and I 100% DO NOT drink until my head hits the pillow - I love my pop too much for that (*and we all know you need water every now and then*) ... but I feel like I'm at wits end.

She's suicidal because she says she wants things to go back to normal - and I honestly dont think they will. The drs told her "IF" she gives up alcohol her condition CAN GET BETTER and her vision CAN RETURN - but I'm believing that may not be possible - either way - she's NOT going to give up drinking - so I just dont know what to do .....

Sorry for the long rant - but I know there are alot of great people here that may want to hear and learn from this story or offer advice ... anything ... just need to get it out there and off my chest ...

I'm sorry for you. You are a true friend to care about her. I went down this road with my aunt. Did many of the same things. I had to learn I couldn't make her stop the bourbon. She went thru a detox several times before it clicked and gave it up. Then she got pancreatic cancer. From the booze? Don't know.

Good luck.

She may not have alcoholic P/N. Drs are quick to label especially when you say ' I drink a bottle a day of brandy"

All my firends and most people I know are classified as alcoholics, everyone lies when doc asks how much do you drink we all only have a few glasses of red right? we are ozzies and drank 10 schooners a night and more on weekends yet Im the only one that i know from 100's that cant wear shoes

However she should stop drinking if only because of the meds, they put extra stress on the liver and kidneys. Even if she has just a glass or to a night until she adjusts. Im pretty sure her blurry vision is from the meds a lot of us get it bad. Thought i was going blind on 450 mg lyrica until I stopped.

I think she needs to detox at a center for her problem. She's got to get away and be under 24/7 supervision until she detoxes. Many have to go thru detox more than once, because we can 'fall off the wagon' very easily-and often do. But the program will eventually get thru,......or she will suffer many medical and emotional consequences.
As a friend, you should stress her need to 'go away' and detox.
It may be that she needs an intervention specialist before she can accept the fact that she abuses alcohol severely. I am not a proponent of A.A., but that is also an alternative. But acceptance of the fact she needs help, is the first - and a very important step.

Hi. I am sorry about your friend. I have a few friends who battled alcohol and it is a daily struggle but is possible to get to a healthy place. Your friend is facing things between the depression which sounds severe,the pain,and alcohol that she is going to need the help of a program either in or outpatient.

As a friend you can only do so much. The person who is struggling needs to find it within to get help and do what ever it takes to recover. Could you suggest to her that you are concerned and for her to look into a treatment program?

I am not sure with alcohol but at Cleveland Clinic pain program there were some people who used drugs and not the rx kind but also had chronic pain conditions. They worked with them in recovery from that,plus their pain condition,and different types of therapy such as individual,group,PT etc. I think a few had went inpatient before they came to get medically stable. I would think there are other programs that could help that may be similar.

You are a good friend and I hope your friend gets to a better place