alcohol abuse causing neuropathy
 

I read that one of the 5 top cause of neuropathy is alcohol abuse. I drank alcoholic for 8 years and quit @ 31years of age. 5 years I started having severe feet pain, 4 years later I went to neuro and she told me it was small fiber neuropathy. After I quit @ 31 years old I went to Alcoholic Anonymous and still a member in good standing with 20 years soberity and I met so many people but never met anyone with small fiber neuropathy. Sometimes I really feel very guilty due to it may be the cause and this was put on by my sins. Can anyone relate and help me through this guilt.

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

Once a doctor knows about a drinking history, they typically label you and do not look further. A delay in onset, does not really seem likely to me.

Most treatments for alcoholism restore vit B balance. When that happens, the neuropathy usually goes away. Alcoholics often have nutritional deficiencies which may cause the PN in the first place. Alcoholics who eat well often don't develop PN at all.

Start off now, with a B12 test, and Vit D test to see if you are low.
Get the numbers and report them here, as doctors use outdated lab ranges which are low, and call them "normal".

Also get a long version Glucose Tolerance Test to see if you have impaired glucose tolerance. This can be quite difficult to tag and often people have it with normal fasting morning glucose results. As the process continues, PN develops slowly over years and may eventually lead to Type II diabetes.

You need to live in the present to help yourself now. Being assertive and your own advocate will get you much farther, than accepting a historical diagnosis which may not be 100% your cause of PN.

I see in your profile you list back pain... as a problem too. Back issues can give neuropathy sensations in the legs/feet...so do have that taken care of too.

You shouldn't feel guilty, never heard of alcoholic neuropathy myself until i got it , neither did you? It was bizarre 30 years of drinking and my liver perfect, inc readable but true. But they labelled me with it although could be anything as mrs D says. just easy to say oh you drank that much? you have alcoholic P/N. Im positive it was from a chronic virus and 5 days of the deadly end of high fever. they pumped a lot of antibiotics into me and 1 month later numb soles.
early days I controlled the pain with alcohol and still the best pain killer but doesnt help long term.
Unless one has diabetes a diagnosis is like throwing darts.

A person who suspects alcohol is a culprit in their neuropathy needs to learn about Vitamin B1 (thiamine).

Here is my post about it:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post653193-4.html

Benfotiamine
 

I have small fiber neuropathy. I have had it for the last five years, and have been seriously battling it for about two years now. For alcoholic neuropathy, I highly suggest investing in some Benfotiamine, which is a fat soluble version of B1. I have a lot of information on this topic and will be happy to share. There are treatment plans that work, which include electrical stimulus, supplements, exercise, gluten free diet, compression socks at night, elevating the feet for 15 minutes a couple of times a day (this releases all of the old toxic blood at the feet back to the organs to purify), oxygen therapy, and extreme whole food nutrition and organic supplements. I have tried everything from Atralgia, to Yoga, to vasodilators, to Neurontin-Cymbalta-Lyrica. I have found the natural approach is the only thing that I have seen results with. I am finally feeling like I am turning the curve. I would be happy to discuss this topic with anybody. Thank you.

I too, was labeled with AN when the neuro found out I had been a musician and played in bars for over 25 yrs- and drank alcohol.

Finally I was self medicating my unknown PN with alcohol (due to a PCP who was clueless, and thought my pain was in my head and discounted me & had me treated as a psycho) and wound up in the hospital with a pancreas problem. My pain preceded my alcoholic over-indulgence.

I always was well fed and never had any imbalances because of improper diet, but went on a severe B12 treatment after being finally diagnosed with PN, while I was in that hospital.
But the monnicker sticks, and its in my file as the cause of my PN- while I seriously disagree with the file.

I've been known to disagree with docs and have fired a few who weren't flexible enough to see my point of view. I've agreed to have it noted that we both agree to disagree, but to have a doc sit on a high horse and expect his word to be the word of God - and final- sees the back of my trousers going out the door.....forever! (and I don't mind if the door hits me in my 'keyster' in my rush to be on the way out). He gets no more of my money (or my insurance $$).

Don't be guilty about it.

Just treat it and try to make the symptoms reduce to a point where its livable and your life is as normal as possible.
But future use of booze in any amounts, can affect PN 'flares' and cause permanent deterioration of nerve sheath myelin.