Originally Posted by
Bakdfw32 
Hello,
Ive read some post were folks mention this, but cant seem to find any direct post with details. My dr. said about half the folks who are heavy drinkers for 10 years plus develop alcoholic neuropathy.
Question is does anyone have it, have things worsened or bettered after stopping alcohol, what are the symptom's, buzzing feet, burning shins, sore toes, burning hands.
I cant say I've stopped drinking, but have cut back over 90% in 2012 - but still neuropathy and if anything its worse, (symptons started in Mar 2011). I read nerve damage is permanent, but may improve. Mine seems to worsen. Ive been taking supplements for the year too.
To complicate things, I have a pinched nerve in neck and tendonits in my feet, but who knows what is over pain is over lapping.
Am I allowed to ask if anyone can share experience with this, that would be great (1 to 1 is fine if allowed). Its seems post are only about the actual issue, but would like to hear how things are years after, better, worse, the same.
thx, bak
Yeah, I have this Bak. I wish they'd taught us about this in school... I was on the lookout for liver failure and this one kind of came out of left field.
I had it in my hands and arms first. It worried me because it was tingly and numb all the time and I work with my hands so I went to my doctor about it right away. It took til I had it in my right foot before they linked it to alcohol (my doc knew about that too). In my foot I had a weird feeling inside it and a couple of times I lost all feeling from the knee down for like half an hour or so. That was weird. Then I lost some movement in my foot. It came and went but I was walking funny all the time.
When the neurologist told me I had to quit I was shocked, even though I was trying to give up anyway, or said I was. He said I was young enough (31) to reverse the symptoms, which confused me because I thought nerve damage was permanent.
Anyway, when I eventually quit the numbness and tingling in my hands went pretty quickly, weeks even. That was such a relief. The leg took longer to get better but it is now. I
think I walk completely normally again, even though I can still feel something weird about my leg (burning crampy feeling really). I'm happy about that though. If that's all the damage drinking did to me (touch wood) then I'm lucky.
I'd really recommend quitting drinking completely Bak... Mine didn't start clearing up til after that, even though I had cut down some before. And I have heard horror stories of people having to have legs amputated because of alcoholic neuropathy. It can get a lot worse.
Anyway, welcome to SR and hope you find the help you need
x