Alcohol induced neuropathy
 

I have small fiber neuropathy and my docs are trying to determine whether the cause is alcohol or impaired glucose tolerance. For three years I drank two and sometimes three glasses of red wine a day. Is this enough to cause neuropathy does anyone know? Also, are there any members of this forum who have recovered from ETOH-induced neuropathy? If so, how long did it take?

If people believe alcohol is a culprit, a trial of thiamine B1 may be helpful. Some people have dehydrogenase enzyme errors, which allow aldehydes to build up in the body.(poor alcohol metabolism)

There is a more efficient form of thiamine now, called Benfotiamine. It has been used in PN for many years now and has come down in price. Typically 300mg a day to start, and you may reduce to 150mg after some progress if it works.
Many of us use iherb.com for our supplements. Benfotiamine is typically not available in stores locally.
example:
http://www.iherb.com/Doctor-s-Best-B...e-Caps/42?at=0


The plain old thiamine is less expensive, but it is eliminated from the body quickly. 300mg a day in divided doses, may show you some improvement. Try this for a month and see what happens. You should feel some improvement to clue you to continue.

two drinks a day also
 

could 2 drinks of light beer make my feet burn like this really!I hope I'm in the right place to post this as i'm new.But your message got me wondering if this could be part of my foot problem.

It could depending on your genetics. Some people do not metabolize alcohol well.

Some people with PN can have occasional drinks, and other can't...it is all very personally determined in the body.

Nice info mrsD, thanks.

Alcohol is exactly the reason I am here. I have developed slight numbness in the front of my feet and numbness along the area that the Ulnar nerve deals with.

I have since stopped drinking and I am awaiting my methycobalmin arriving so that I can start taking it with bonfotiamine on Monday.

I will keep this thread posted on my results. :)

Well I am back 7 weeks later, and what an improvement! :eek:

When I last saw the 'hand specialist' they wanted to see if they could rush me into surgery because very soon I would not be able to make a fist. :eek:

I had never even thought of this (I am a lover not a fighter! :D) and it took ages for me to make a VERY weak fist. When I managed to make it, my medial nerve screamed out in agony. :(

Well last night I tried again... holey moley - what a change! :eek: Straight into a tight fist you could hit a punch bag with, (and my wee pinky finger moved with all the rest into a tight ball)

My medial nerve didn't even blink an eye! :hug:

Tomorrow I have been invited to answer questions at the 'The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh' as well! Scary stuff!

Long may it continue... more updates along the way! w00tage. :wink:

I know I have hijacked this thread, would you like me to start a separate one?

Quick update, if this gives anyone a bit more hope....

Since the last post the fingers in my left hand are now starting to straighten on their own and the feeling is coming back.

My right that was completely numb down one side but now has COMPLETELY regenerated it's nerves and it 100% good as new! :eek:

I couldn't believe it, bear in mind I have had no surgery to either arm yet!

Methycobalamin and Benfotiamine are miracle workers. I have to stay away from alcohol though as that reverses all the good progress in the blink of an eye.

The long and short of it is that I was pretty depressed about it originally, but now I feel feel positive and I am not just going to lye down and take a beating.

Keep positive folks and have faith in your bodies ability to heal. :sunchair:

Hello,

I am new to this forum, but not a stranger to forums, so I hope that I can get some feedback on my situation.

I am an alcoholic, currently 201 days sober, and I feel great. I have been drinking pretty much daily for 20+ years. BUT, here is the thing, about 2 years ago I was drinking very heavily, triggered mostly by losing my job,a divorce and then moving to a different state to escape. A gallon a day was not uncommon and I slowly started to lose feeling in my legs (numbness, weakness). I brushed it off. I continued to drink and I got to the point where I could not walk on my own. I put myself in a wheelchair.

6 months later I wound up in jail after a binge. Well, 87 days ala the state and then 3 months in a hostel, I am back on my own.

So, I am now walking with a cane and am quite mobile, but I am not near what people call 'normal'. My legs are still "weak" and if I walk on my own I have trouble with balance and my legs feel "heavy" at times.

This all points to Alcoholic Neuropathy and unfortunately I fit the symptoms.

SO, to my point, and question. I am NOT looking for sympathy, I am looking to better my life. I have been taking B12 for about 3 months and I dont know if its helped or not. The one Doctor I visited was no help at all, he claimed it was low potassium.

So, I came across this forum and also a product called 'Neuropathy Support Formula'......

Does anybody have any REAL words to say about it? Does it help a drunk (albeit sober) like me get back to some normality?

Are there any other tips or tricks that may benefit me in some way?

Thanks for any help,

Icehouse

OK....found a thread on the 'NSF' product......

Still would like some info as it pertains to alcoholism though....

The Benfotiamine is the most helpful for the people who cannot tolerate alcohol, or who drink heavily. B1 is the cofactor used in alcohol metabolism and safe clearance from the body. High levels of alcohol are poisonous, and damaging.

Being in jail I would expect poor diet too.
Drinking heavily for a long time, leads to vitamin deficiencies in most people. That is why alcohol withdrawal treatments often include a B-complex.

Benfotiamine is a special better form of B1 thiamine.

My objections are that with the formula you ask about are:
1) they don't instruct you to take on an empty stomach which you should.

2) it is a fixed combo which you cannot change doses of the individual ingredients to meet your own needs.

3) it is expensive. If it works you cannot determine which ingredient is being the most helpful for YOU. Each person is different and you may not need all that is in there.

Most people with alcoholic neuropathies recover after they stop drinking. You have to however, provide a good diet, high in nutrients and antioxidants to see improvements. Eating junk food or high sugar high starch fast food, will not heal you up and provide success. People who are avoiding alcohol because of previous heavy use tend to
crave sugar and carbs...to keep the same blood sugar levels.
Chocolate is often substituted for alcohol. But donuts, and cookies can also be tempting. You have to watch that.