[mike spencer]

Hi everyone, I'm a 51 yr. old male. I have neuropathy due to chronic alcoholism. Some months ago I fell while drunk & damaged the nerves in my rt. shoulder. This injury & the neuropathy has made my dominant rt. arm almost useless. I have very little feeling in my rt. hand & my feet are numb. The docters haven't been very supportive. I don't know what to do. I just came out of rehab & have been sober 35 days. Could supplements help my neuropathy ? I'm desperate. Thank you, Mike

[dahlek]

We all come here by various routes and yours sounds painful to boot! I'm glad that you are able to keep things straight for so long, but it's gonna take a very long TIME to help your nerves to heal.
It also sounds [and I am no doctor by any means!] as if your shoulder/arm injury is being well, ignored from what you are saying? I don't know if or what insurance you have, but if you do? Go get a second opinion and quickly...the sooner the better. ASK about the possibility of physical therapy to help you regain some use of that arm/shoulder/hand. The sooner you get that to 'work' in any fashion, the better it is for you and also to help you keep things together for the long term. An orthopedic specialist would be my own personal choice in this aspect.
I suggest that you check out the 'threads' called 'Stickies' at the top of the forum page and read and learn as much as you can about neuropathy. Understanding what all is going on with those nerves, and then, what you as a mere human, and not a doctor, can do to help you get yourself in a place to heal is key to getting some parts of your life back. Supplements can and do help, BUT, they take a very long time to work...damage done in seconds can take months or years to heal. Don't be discouraged tho. Yes, it takes time, but it's time well spent.
I am sure that others will post soon as well about their experiences. Each of us comes to this from a totally different set of circumstances but, we all learn from each other and count on most folks being totally honest and candid about their issues. Be cool about it all and you will find that you are stronger than you ever thought you could be! - j

[nide44]

I too, have alcoholic neuropathy.
Good work on being sober for as long as you have.
I've never joined AA, went cold turkey and stayed off 100% for 5 years.
Now I take a drink occasionally, but have found that I suffer for it.
The PN flares up-so PN & alcohol are a bad mix, if you want to recuperate.
Supplements are very important, as the alcohol has depleted your normal levels, drastically.
B12-methylcobalamin, (not cyanocobalamin) sublingual- is effective at 1000-5000 mcg/day. Vit C, folates (folic acid), ALA (RLA), CoQ10, Omega 3,6,9 Fish Oil, and a few others you'll hear spoken of, on this forum.
Lots of sleep-at least 6-8 hrs a nite.
And meds. That will be a search for the right combination to best serve your needs. Many here are taking Neurontin or Lyrica along with a pain killer, like Ultram.
You and your neurologist will have to do trial & error until you find your 'cocktail'.
It will take a long time to see results with supplements -months or years.
The meds should help in the short haul.

[pabb]

yes, congrats....one.day.at.a.time......include benfotiamine in your supplement list.....and get that second opinion......NOW!

[Westie]

Originally Posted by pabb

yes, congrats....one.day.at.a.time......include benfotiamine in your supplement list.....and get that second opinion......NOW!

I'm newly diagnosed with small fibre neuropathy caused by alcohol. I cut right back a long while ago, but now realise I need to stop drinking altogether.

Although the stickies are very helpful I'm not sure what to add to my current methyl B12, B50, vite, vit D, fish oil.

Benfotiamine seems to be worth considering but how much should one take as rough guideline ?

And while I can understand the potential benefits of ALA, acetyl l carnitine and think I should start taking these I'm not sure whether if its worth taking CQ 10 as well - can anyone enlighten me about its potential benefits of this ?

Its a bit difficult knowing where to spend your money, you can't put a value on health but these supplements aren't cheap !

[Indybizgal]

Originally Posted by mike spencer

Hi everyone, I'm a 51 yr. old male. I have neuropathy due to chronic alcoholism. Some months ago I fell while drunk & damaged the nerves in my rt. shoulder. This injury & the neuropathy has made my dominant rt. arm almost useless. I have very little feeling in my rt. hand & my feet are numb. The docters haven't been very supportive. I don't know what to do. I just came out of rehab & have been sober 35 days. Could supplements help my neuropathy ? I'm desperate. Thank you, Mike

Hi Mike, Congradulations on 35 days!!!!! I am 18years clean and sober. Went through Fairbanks Hosp. I have chronic pain from neuropathy,degenative disc disease and have had neck surgery. Titanium and cadaver bone in 3,4 and 5. Arthritus in various body parts. Have been to pain management, and all sorts of therapy. Found Tramadol to be good for pain. Amazing relief for many years !!!! Now pain is worse so Doc added Lyrica. My very first day after am and pm dose.....Amazing relief....Amazing...... However, you must be careful as alcohlic in recovery not to abuse it....They told me to watch it.

Have you tried ice and heat ? Massage? Physical therapy?
If Doc is not supportive.....Change Docs...You need a Doc to communicate with that understands your pain...

Indybizgal

[dahlek]

keep your brain together! Post more and I can send you PM's w/lots of good info.
IN the meantime? Just remember that it's not the alcohol per-se that is going to ease your pain? Just the opposite.
Healing nerves takes a very long time... Sometimes if damage isn't too bad some of it comes back in several months...other times it can truly take years!
I've an immune related neuropathy which I've had for five years...At times I can see and 'feel' improvements, other times not. Still others some set-backs. This is what life is about tho.
ANYTHING that can kill nerves I avoid. Anything that can help them I embrace.
Look into the advice others have given you and pick and choose what you feel you need. If it were me tho...I'd still get a separate opinion on that shoulder tho? Some PT judiciously applied could do wonders! I know that I would NOT be walking were it not for PT! Make up your own mind, read learn and ask questions. Do not be shy or afraid that anything is a silly question. No such thing as a silly question here! Hang in there and be smart! - j

[mrsD]

Originally Posted by nide44

I too, have alcoholic neuropathy.
Good work on being sober for as long as you have.
I've never joined AA, went cold turkey and stayed off 100% for 5 years.
Now I take a drink occasionally, but have found that I suffer for it.
The PN flares up-so PN & alcohol are a bad mix, if you want to recuperate.
Supplements are very important, as the alcohol has depleted your normal levels, drastically.
B12-methylcobalamin, (not cyanocobalamin) sublingual- is effective at 1000-5000 mcg/day. Vit C, folates (folic acid), ALA (RLA), CoQ10, Omega 3,6,9 Fish Oil, and a few others you'll hear spoken of, on this forum.
Lots of sleep-at least 6-8 hrs a nite.
And meds. That will be a search for the right combination to best serve your needs. Many here are taking Neurontin or Lyrica along with a pain killer, like Ultram.
You and your neurologist will have to do trial & error until you find your 'cocktail'.
It will take a long time to see results with supplements -months or years.
The meds should help in the short haul.

All people with alcohol induced PN should try Thiamine in high doses for a couple of months. Alcohol is metabolised by a dehydrogenase system that uses thiamine as a cofactor.
Thiamine deficiency is common in alcoholics and takes a long time to heal. Often doctors give B-complex to recovering patients as well.

Benfotiamine is a better version, less commonly known, and recently lowered in price. If you Google it you will find alot of information on it.
For thiamine B1 (commonly found in any drugstore and very inexpensive) you need at least 300mg a day in divided doses.

For benfotiamine (usually purchased online at better outlets like www.iherb.com ) 300mg a day to start, and when improvement sets in, may reduce to 150mg a day.

The other things Bob mentioned are good too, but don't forget that Thiamine is #1 for alcohol related PNs.

Fish oil, and B12/folate/B6 are needed to heal nerves as well.
That shoulder injury qualifies for those.

[MelodyL]

Hi Mike:

I just wanted to congratulate you for being sober for 35 days. That's terrific.

I take Methyl B-12 (5000 each morning sub lingually). It really REALLY helped with my neuropathy. I get mine on iherb.com.

Best of luck.
Keep strong. I know it's hard.

Melody

[jakatak]

My PN is also a result of 30 years of drinking. Lyrica has been a God send for me. No Lyrica.....burning, aching feet. No shoes feel good....no socks...everything is too tight. Now.....with the right dosage, I just deal with the numbness. I can deal with this.....it is so much better than those horrible symptoms. Make sure you get a complete blood workup. Alcohol is supposed to strip so much from your system, I continue to be slightly anemic....and there is no reason for it. I can only assume that the years of heavy drinking did something to my body. Even though I have no B vitamin deficiencies.