It's a weird but very pleasant surprise. I haven't paid any attention to my field of expertise (IT consulting, programming, design, UX etc etc) since the day I went off to rehab 7.5 years ago. My last program I wrote back then was a counter to see how long I was smoke & cig free, how much money it saved me, and then I never looked at it again.


Sure, I had some catching up to do (reading mostly), but it was amazing how quickly it all came back, and in the mean time I've finished a few smaller projects to great success, leading to more projects as well.


I honestly thought 57 was way too old to start again, especially in such a fast moving field, after such a long hiatus (and after battling an addiction). But the skills to navigate those fields are still there, are still just as valid, and being a house-man for 7 years has given me new energy in some weird way, like I only took an extended brain-vacation to load up the batteries.


ANd it's not just the money (I earned as much in one month (November) as I normally do in 10 months), it's also the realisation that recovery is an ongoing thing, and somehow this feels like the final stage of really getting back on the horse, and dealing with the PN as just a slight disadvantage instead of it being the center of my world.



So yeah, I'm pretty stoked.

Hey all thank you so much for your thoughtful replies.

Sorry for being a ghost, I’ve just been extremely anxious., but I’m back now!

I have a few questions that I hope you great people can answer:

As my initial symptoms that I thought was PN (which was my hands and legs "falling asleep" at night) disappeared when I was sober and hasn’t returned. Does that mean I healed from it?

And in saying that, my new symptoms of tingling in my left hand’s pinkie and ring finger, along with tingling on the palmar side of my hand under this, along with elbow pain on the same arm (which I fractured as a child and had operated on as a teen), only started two weeks into sobriety.

(Health anxiety makes me very vigilant to how my body’s feeling, so I would have know about it when I was drinking.)

So I’m wondering if since these symptoms appeared when I was two weeks sober, while the other symptoms I had disappeared in sobriety, that it may be unrelated and something to do with an ulnar nerve injury, or my health anxiety going mad?

As I can still do everything as normal. I just have these tingles and elbow pain.

I also want to get a clear diagnosis. As my doctor did some strength and reflex tests in her office which she said was normal, so she wants me to come back in six weeks if symptoms don’t improve.

However, my brain can’t handle the wait, so I’m going to return next week. So I’d like to know what to ask for to get a diagnosis. A referral to a neurologist? Or certain tests? As my biggest mental problem is "not knowing" if I’m imaging PN or I have it.

Thanks again, and really hope to get your thoughts on the above. As my brain is killing me more than the symptoms.

Whoa! They changed the look! Nifty!

I had some tests done at the local rehab place and they were essentially nerve tests. They pricked my hands and feet with sharp tools and measured something or other....I was not 100% but passable.

I remember, all so well, the numbness and tingling in my pinky and ring fingers. The tingling (like my legs fell asleep) in my lower legs was almost constant for about a year and that was one of the reasons I resorted to a wheelchair.

BUT, it does go away and I would not get too worked up about it. Laying off the alcohol, proper nutrition and vitamins and TIME will help you feel better.

I promise.

I am 8.5ish years sober now and I can assure you that things CAN get better!

Did they? vbulletinlook.JPG

(yes they did, but you can change that look at the bottom of the page, left hand corner)

But yeah, what he said. Although I'm only just over 7.5 years sober at this point, it's the same message we have been giving over the years now: cleaning up our act works. Even if not everything will get back to 100%, it will become a side-issue.

Try to take control of the health anxiety, and convert the fear into action.

Great message. Love the "convert fear into action".

I see a common thread forming here. I am also an IT guy (but now I work in housing) with a B. Sc. in programming and design. I still do IT work at my current job but it't mostly networking and trouble shooting

Hey grifter, I am no expert at all, certainly not as knowledgeable as others on here, but I am going through something similar so thought I would share my experience.

I too am a hypochondriac, and it causes me much anxiety. Mine all started about 9 months ago, I noticed being a bit shaky, some back pain, and legs more sore than normal from minimal exercise. I didn't think much of it and kept going about my business (ie drinking fairly heavy - 3 or 4 times a week). Then about 4 months after a bender with a college buddy I started noticing being more shaky and tingling all over my body. The tingling only lasted like a day, but would come and go, started getting some fasciculations in my calves mostly, but randomly as well in other parts of my body. So I shut the booze down mostly, maybe a few glasses of wine with dinner here and there and decided to consult a neurologist.

I went in and he gave me a full neuro exam which is basically testing for all all of your senses, touch, pain, temperature. Then they do strength tests on all of your limbs as I think some more serious disorders begin with weakness in the limbs. Then you walk down the hallway normal, on your heels and toes, the doctor is looking at your gait, again to assess any other potential neurological issues. Since they found nothing wrong in the physical exam they sent me for an EMG test.

An EMG basically tests nerve function, and is really 2 parts, the EMG and an NCS. The NCS is a nerve conduction study where they put electrodes on your arms and legs and shock you a bit to test the speed the electricity is moving through your nerves. The EMG part is a bit more uncomfortable as they put accupuncture like needles in your muscles and have you flex and read the electricity in your muscles. Both tests are looking for any deterioration in nerve function which alocohol neuropathy generally causes, but is sometimes hard to detect.

In my case, he said based on my EMG, and because my symptoms were not textbook for neuropathy (ie pain/tingling in toes/feet, that moved to my legs and hands), he said just to monitor any progression and come back in 6 months to 1 year. We went back and forth a good bit about alcohol, etc and all he said was take it easy on the alcohol as it can cause long term damage and other issues, but he didn't think my current issues are alcohol related. Apparently there are tons of benign reasons for all of these symptoms, very frustrating.

Further, about a month ago I started getting a twitch in my right ring finger. Interestingly my legs feel much better, but hands and arms are worse. I emailed my doctor as I was nervous about more serious neuro disorders and he said not to worry that something like that, again, can be caused by many benign things, but if it would make me feel better to come back in for another physical exam. I might do that next month for piece of mind.

Another thing, I had shingles 3 months ago, and viruses like that can cause these neuropathic symptoms apparently.

Sorry for the long response, but hopefully it gives you some idea of the process. Unfortunately all of these things are super hard to diagnose, but if you find a good neurologist that you like and can talk to, they can be very helpful in helping you find the cause for your issues, or at least put your mind more at ease. I am still freaking out I have something way more serious (probably unnecessarily), but it is nice to have a dr that listens and responds to my paranoia.

Hope that helps.

That's awesome! I am in IT as well. I am a PM/BA/Tech Lead supporting Salesforce.com implementations. I started as developer way back over 15 years ago and moved out of coding but still work with developers on a daily basis. I have some work to do with getting back to some more hands on work with Salesforce, not coding but configuration. I stepped away from that kind of stuff about 10 years ago, and then got put on a **** project doing PM work that I had no control over and it lasted 4 years. I enjoy the Salesforce.com space, currently working on landing a full-time roll which will allow for partial remote work. It's nice to be able to stay home a few days a week, and my wife and I can travel often (she's a flight attendant so I have benefits). So being able to work from anywhere is a big plus when you can take 4 day trips here and there.

It's awesome that you are getting back into it, especially if it's fulfilling.

3075 days sober

Well, it was quite the year, 2019 that is. Bought and sold an 1880 house, promotion at work, got married, and traveled to 3 different Countries for pleasure!

We break ground on our new house (with a mountain view) in a couple weeks and I am starting up another "recovery" group here in Virginia.

Here is to 2020! <clinks glass of soda>

But, overall I feel great, I still have sporadic bouts with balance and I am still thinking about that whole running thing. My wife runs often and I think I may have to succumb to peer-pressure soon....yikes!

Tell her one of the key things you learned about staying sober is completely resisting peer pressure!


Sounds like 2019 was a good one though, and HNY, may this year be at least as good.