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@dbeshears1

@bluesky222 - Just another example of how unsure Neurologists are in understanding causes and symptoms of PN. I have shared just about possible idea I’ve had with the Neurologists I’ve had from the different states I’ve lived in over the 7 years I’ve had this idiopathic thing. Anything from chemical exposures throughout my career to possible poor drinking water in vacation rentals to eating a lot of seafood. I even asked to be tested for arsenic poisoning since there were no good explanations. When I have suggested any types of my beer/wine consumption over the years, they’ve ruled it out because I did NOT have gradual or worsening symptoms over a period of time. They said the numbness & tingling usually presented awhile then would gradually get worse to varying degrees as time goes on. I guess also because blood suggested no vitamin or nutritional deficiencies that usually go with extraordinary alcohol use, and probably other symptoms. They also are unable to know for sure if an infection I had at the time my PN hit me had anything to do with it. My point is that there are a only a few causes of PN that doctors seem to be sure about in diagnosing, and for the other causes, doctors seem to be grasping at straws like we are. I finally got to @njed state of focusing on how we can improve or maintain the hand we’ve been dealt vs wasting valuable energy on trying to figure it out ourselves since trained Neurologists aren’t able to even get consensus on what we might think are the simplest things. They seem to agree that once you know you have PN, that alcohol won’t help it, so I’ve chosen to avoid it altogether now. I can’t say it helped anything since it had been awhile since my PN hit that I had a glass, but don’t want to test to see if having one now might make me worse. I’m going with Ed’s idea that we probably got it from chasing mosquito spraying trucks in our youth 🙂

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Replies to "@bluesky222 - Just another example of how unsure Neurologists are in understanding causes and symptoms of..."

Ha ha. I like that theory about mosquito spray trucks. How about my vice - eating some sort of milk chocolate every single day for at least 40 years? Oops, that doesn’t explain why my sister, who cooks every day, eats tons of fresh vegetables, and hasn’t had fast food in years, also has this neuropathy. So I think I’ll stick to my chocolate treat.

Debbie, to clarify: Your neurologist said alcoholic neuropathy would come on gradually, over a period of time, and worsen? I've had two neurologists say alcoholic neuropathy comes on quickly. Thanks for your comments to just accept it and move on with my energies. You are correct!

" I’m going with Ed’s idea that we probably got it from chasing mosquito spraying trucks in our youth 🙂"

Is that what causes it? I didn't know that. But what about me? I grew up in the Bronx. I don't recall us ever spraying for mosquitos. I wonder if it could have been all the pepperoni pizza. Or a boyhood of jostling on the NY subway? That could have been it, too. I think I'll call my neurologist and ask: Was it the pizza or the subway? What do you think, Doc? What's your best guess? 🙂 (Debbie, thanks for the midday laugh!)