bit. I was diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy in Nov. 2011. My neurologist at that time told me to stop drinking entirely. He said that, I believe, because he thought it possible that the alcohol might be causing it, but he did not know. It was considered idiopathic. A skin biopsy in Nov. 2011did confirm, however, that I had SFN though. So, on 1/6/12, I quit drinking...last drink I had to date was 1/5/12. In November 2012, one year after my diagnosis, I had another skin biopsy which showed that my small fiber neuropathy had gotten moderately worse over the one year. At that point, the neurologist said that he did not think that it was likely that my neuropathy related to alcohol as he believed the nerves would have showed some level of regeneration over the time that I had quit; not gotten worse. Basically, he lifted his outright ban on my drinking and said that he thought it o.k. to engage in "light" drinking, i.e., a beer or so a night on average or a couple of beers on a weekend night if I wanted to. Again, this was in Nov. 2012. Today is 7/6/13 and I still have not had a drink in a year and a half although I have thought several times about how my weekend nights might be enriched by having a couple of beers on those nights. I almost view it as it would be a something to look forward to type of thing along with a hour to hour and a half of pleasure of having a couple of drinks. However, I think I flat out have just been scared to start back. I kind of tell myself that one of these days maybe I will start back lightly again, but I'm not ready to do it just yet because I'm afraid to even though the neurologist has given me the "green light" on more than one occasion. If I read about some study that said definitively that two drinks or less per occasion would not worsen neuropathy, there's not a doubt in my mind I'd have two beers on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, but I've yet to see such a study.

Bottom line, I'd like to start back (only lightly), but I'm just still afraid to.

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PN is so different in each one of us, it's hard to tell what is permissible. Certainly my PN was not caused by drinking alcohol, but Cipro damaged my nerves, so taking anything that may cause additional nerve damage is not wise. The key is moderation and moderation can be different for all of us -though it often is a thin line indeed.

But I feel I can't stop drinking outright. Though I could stop drinking for long periods of time, I found that my over-all quality of life dropped big time. I won't lie about that.

I screwed up this 4th of July weekend. I drank about 4 lite beers 3 nights in a row. Actually, I didn't notice anything worsening, as I did when I drank the Bacardi. ( I have no idea why?) In fact, I felt quite well, even days afterward.

But I learned quite a bit: 1 was that after 4 beers, I don't need to drink anymore, as even 4 lite beers gets me buzzed enough for the whole night.

I'm also doing a lot of things to possibly hinder alcoholic nerve damage, such as taking extra B vitamins (B12 & B1) as well my usual ALA and Carnitine, too. These vitamins have some nerve "protection" factors in them.

Eating in between beers also helps, as well as how long you take to drink them.

Another thing I do, is drink water, both in between beers, and afterwards. This helps me rid myself of lingering alcohol. Oddly, this does not ruin my buzz either. And to top that off, I drink beer on ice, which waters it down and helps me to drink more slowly.

So that said, I'm certainly NOT drinking in an "ordinary" fashion.

On average, I drink about 4-5 lite beers per weekend (meaning 4 to 5 beers in one Friday or Saturday)night It's very, very rare that I drink for 3 days in a row like I did this 4th weekend.

I screwed up because, I slipped from my personal goal of drinking no more than 3 beers in one weekend. For me, it's harder than I thought during the holidays.

With alcohol, certain types and what it is mixed with, have various effects on various people. I think it's different for each one of us. Some can tolerate distilled liquors better than beers, some the opposite. Some of us can drink more without flareups, while some cannot.

Most researchers themselves do not know, or even agree, whether it is the lapse in vitamins that cause alcoholic nerve damage or simply the toxic numbing effects from it. They're also split on how much alcohol one needs to drink to actually take effect on the nerves in a "Toxic" way.

I'm going to make a new thread about Spirituality and Quality of Life with PN, which in some odd sense concerns me drinking beer. Meaning, ever since I got PN, I have been given a choice: I could live a longer life, depriving myself of life's simple pleasures - but this would be a miserable life to live. At least in my experience, as I had done this before.

Or I could partake in moderation, things like eating an ice cream with my granddaughter, or having a few beers on the weekend, and other things that help me personally enhance my quality of life. In conclusion, I'd rather live a shorter life with a better quality of Life, rather than live a longer life, deprived and depressed.

I will discus this further in my new thread. "Spirituality & Quality of Life with Neuropathy"

Interesting topic. I learned a valuable lesson for myself this past weekend. I rarely consume any alcohol. I have chemo-induced PN. After contracting PN I found that I could not drink vodka, gin, things that are ingredients in mixed drinks, but assumed some white wine wouldn't be much of a bother. Turns out I was so wrong. I have avoided all alcohol, including wine, for ages. This past weekend we hosted some family who drink lots of wine and I thought it should be fine to have some with dinner one night. NOT GOOD. Yesterday and today I am in big flare-up. Haven't had a flare-up in months. I am curious as to how long it will last. I have been feeling so great for so long I could kick myself for assuming that something had changes.

My hubby insists it couldn't be that. I read to him that there is a delay action with dietary things and he gets it now..and I get it even better!
Lesson learned. No more for me - it's just not worth the pain.

Sometimes Vitamin B1 will shorten these events. This has to
do with aldehydes in the wine, from fermentation, as well as the aldehydes generated from metabolizing the alcohol.

100mg 3 times a day may help.

I think there must be something to this. On my beer drinking days, I take 2 100mg B1 vitamins before drinking and later, 2 more afterward. Perhaps this helps me in some way as well.

I also take an extra B12 500mcg Methycobalamin, too.

We each have different tolerances, but this "seems" to hinder the bad effects of alcohol for me.