Just a quick note for those of you who’ve developed and kept this thread going over the years; you’ve probably helped countless folks suffering with this who never even post. You’ve done a lot of good.

I’ve read every post. A web search for alcoholic neuropathy brings up this thread and will continue to be a great resource for years to come.

Thank you all.

hi guys im looking to see if anyone has experienced anything like im experiencing

Im 38 and have been a fairly heavy drinker for a while now... it was getting out of hand but I didn't really think to do anything about it until recently. About December time I noticed after a heavy few days drinking id get extremely itchy hands. The itch felt like it was inside my hand almost as if I couldn't find it. accompanying this id also get a sort of pain feeling if I tried, for instance, opening a door handle or something. I went to the doctor who did blood test and said everything came back normal and not to worry... this Mae me feel better about it so stupidly I continued hitting the drink... the itching feeling has now kind of subsided but now im getting numbness in my hands - mostly smallest finger and sometimes thumbs but it varies from day to day. also sometimes my thumbs feel kinda like they are gonna cramp when using them... its not consistent and it does vary in severity at different times... after another few days of drinking about a few weeks ago I started to feel what I can only describe as a cramping feeling in my neck/lower jaw... this cramping feeling is now the main feeling im having and my hands seem to be getting marginally better... does this sound like alcohol neuropathy?? I also occasionally have a very mild sensation/kinda numbness of sorts in my knee area mostly on my left leg..

again these symptoms all seem to vary and yesterday I actually felt not to bad but today my neck feels twitchy and cramp again

Ive quit the drink and been off it for 4 weeks today.. ive been eating lots of fruit and veg and taking vitamin supplements to try and get my body back in order but with symptoms persisting im getting slightly anxious

can anyone help..


gus x

Hi Gus,

I'm a new member too and I had similar symptoms to you at first. It could be alcoholic neuropathy, but I can only speculate. My only advice is to REMAIN TEETOTAL until you have a definite diagnosis. The most important supplements are in my layman's humble opinion are Benfotiamine, the fat soluble version of B1, meaning we can store it in our livers. B12. Folic Acid. Vitamin E. Alpha Lipoic Acid. Acetyl L-Carnitine. Turmeric. Cod Liver Oil. I started with my research here on this site and read what are I consider the legendary contributions of Mrs D and especially Icehouse. I have been moved to tears by this man's story. I suggest you read his early posts today.

With respect to your jaw, I do not know if is related to PN. I doubt it. I suspect Bruxism or teeth clenching.This can cause jaw and neck pain/ache. Do you get parietal lobe headaches, pains down the side of your head above your ears? You're clearly stressed by your symptoms and these are stressful times. I also suffer from Bruxism and I have worked out my own stretches to relax my jaw. Its a combination of the following, tilting your head and turning your face and wiggling your relaxed shoulders. The relief at least for me is wonderful. If you can get a neck, jaw, shoulder head massage, go for it.

I hope this helps. Seek a medical opinion for your symptoms. Please share your progress

Atticus

Hey, thanks Atticus!

Icehouse, did you forget to check in? (5/2)


Day 8745531 here. Thudnesday I think. Time is a blur.



But in all seriousness, 2884 days. Had a bad few months, with lots of pain, but now that I finally got off my chair and am doing garden work again, the pain has subsided. It's a pattern really: after a few days of hard work my feet get less sensitive. No idea how it works, but glad it does!


Hope you are all doing OK.

Holy crap! I did

3200 days sober today

30 days from close on my new house with a mountain view. Still working at the office and the COVID has barely touched my little town. I miss eating out at restaurants!

I am building a small gym at the house so I can keep the leg strengthening up and maybe, just maybe, I will get back to that "running" thing I have been blabbing about for years...snort.

Ice out!

My Introduction.

Day 97 (in the Sobriety House. Whenever I think of days passed, I can only think of the UK edition of Big Brother and that Geordie* Accent.)

I am 56 and have drunk heavily all my adult life, but only at weekends having at least 3-4 sometimes 5 days per week with no alcohol. I ate a low carb diet and and look in good shape for my age, if you ignore the red nose. I basically practised the Tim Ferris 4 Hour Body Diet, with minimal high intensity home gym, but instead of a cheat day I had a cheat weekend. I thought those sober days would save me, if I didn't think too long.

I got into a destructive relationship with a beautiful woman, that I knew was wrong and our drinking got worse and worse, but only privately in the comfort of our own homes. It was our secret. I led a double life.

When you are mid 50s and have a nose that is a danger to low flying aircraft, and you are having fun, you tell yourself this is your last chance to live a little, this will be your last beautiful girlfriend. So you ignore the hangovers and the need to drink pints of water ( with decaff green tea!) all week just to function. You ignore the health consequences because they only affect other people. You put off the future, for now.

Anyway, we broke up in December, cancelled our long holiday in January, and how did I cope? I pretty much got hammered every day for a month, like some tragic hero Krusty the Clown.

In late December, early January I started noticing numb toes. Then suddenly, mid January after a long walk the previous day, something happened to my right leg, I couldn't walk properly, my right ankle could not support itself. I needed an ankle support. I put this down to an old running injury. Then my hands began to tingle, and arms and legs all pretty rapidly.

I began to research my symptoms online, I had never heard of alcoholic PN, but that was the most likely explanation. Or kidney disease or worse.

I had blood tests with the GP in February, by this time I was loaded with all the supplements Mrs D had suggested and had stopped drinking. The blood tests showed normal liver and kidney function and good vitamin levels, slightly raised cholesterol. He referred me to a Neurologist. And because of Lockdown I still await my appointment.

Since then my symptoms have deteriorated and I get painful shooting pains in my arms and legs and groin. There maybe an Auto Immune element as I have history of mild CFS and mild Colitis.

Giving up alcohol was surprisingly easy, I missed it at first. The first Friday nights and Saturdays were the hardest, especially at birthday parties etc. Now I see alcohol as a poison and I don't actually want to drink.











*North East England/Newcastle area