I have chemo induced peripheral neuropathy going on 6 years. I have worked hard to ease the symptoms - nutrition, supplements, good sleep, therapy (to learn how to better handle stress), rehabilitative yoga, etc. I am feeling much better in the last few months. I finally found a huge flare up trigger for me - wine. I knew that the other alcohols - gin, vodka, etc., really bothered me so gave them up years ago. If I have even one glass of wine, I am in flare up for weeks. Since I cannot stand to be in flare up, I have given it up. It all depends on what you are willing to tolerate. And I no longer wish to tolerate the onslaught of a flare up with the extra pain, muscle weakness, stiffness, exhaustion, etc. I have found I can enjoy myself without drinking.

Okay so this cannot be a coincidence! I saw a new neurologist on Thursday who said an occasional glass of wine should not cause any problems. So, that night at dinner with friends I had one glass-and did not even finish it.

The next day I did not really feel any different except for gas and constipation, and a bloated stomach. By dinnertime, I was able to eat no problems. At the time I chalked it up to bad sushi. Today I feel like I have the flu and have not gotten out of bed. My feet and legs are tingling and I feel very nauseous. Not to mention my face is a severely bloated and I must be retaining fluids as my weight has gone up 5 lbs overnight.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am also on lizness and had to take a full dose yesterday to get rid of the constipation. This resulted in watery diarrhea. But I have had that happen in the past and not felt this awful!

Sorry to belabor the point again. I obviously cannot tolerate alcohol anymore. But what I want to know is if anyone else gets sick like this two days after having any kind of alcohol and what does it mean? My liver tests have always come back normal....same with all my vitamin levels...

Thanks again!

Just a thought. It seems that it still could all be from the bad sushi and not the wine.

I wish that was the case, but the other ladies with me feel fine. Two of them had some indigestion the next morning but then no problems. It just seems like too much of a coincidence.

Just wish someone could tell me that they experienced the same thing after only one serving of alcohol...and if they are better now? I keep asking hoping there is someone out there who can relate and explain it. Other times I have a bad flare and like the other posters say, there is no rational explanation. It would seem to me that it would have to be more than a little alcohol to make one this sick, but if the damage has already been done and this is alcoholic neuropathy, then would any alcohol at all make one this sick 2-3 days after ingestion?

My previous posts are obsessed with this question instead of just abstaining. After 7 months of no alcohol, however, I thought I would be in a better state. Since this was not happening, I thought what the hell why not?!

It is getting to the point where nothing seems enjoyable any more and that is a bad place to be. It is not so much a "mental" state of depression as just a feeling of what is there to look forward to that does not wear me out or make me obsess about what I am no longer comfortable doing? I cannot have a social drink, my exercise habits are becoming more and more limited, my appetite is decreasing steadily as the constipation becomes worse, and I am just so cold and tired all the time. Social events revolve around activities like sports (i.e. tennis, gym, etc.), running, eating out, happy hours and the like. I am sure my husband, family and circle of friends do not want to hear my complaints so I am turning to this forum not for sympathy but just to hear I am not alone and there is hope for a somewhat more normal and happy life

I have read Mrs. D post's on eating, vitamins and exercise and will be more vigilant about her suggestions. It sounds like some of you have had luck there.

To be honest I had the same initial reaction. As much as I know that alcohol consumption can seriously hurt when you have PN, and that it's probably best for most of us to be very careful with it, I tend to think that in this case it wasn't the culprit. Or not the sole one.

That said, it could be that you have become really allergic to either the alcohol or to one of the elements in wine.

I am so sorry to hear of your battle. Thank you so much for your reply. So, it does sound like a small amount of alcohol can be enough of a trigger to activate a long term flare. So frustrating but you are right-so not worth it!!

Anything else you have found really sets you off? I still do not know what caused my neuropathy but it is helpful to hear what to avoid even if it is different in each case...

I don't drink but on a special occasion but I can tell you since I now have PN I can not drink at all.

My mom and I had a drink while she came to visit one night, before the drink was finished ohmylanta was my feet in a horrid flare. So to prove myself right, I had another drink a week later, less strong, a strawberry daquiri, and again bad flare.

I can't and wont drink alcohol now.