Alcohol Neuropathy???

Hello @purplewillow, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I think it would be hard for anyone to go through the loss of family and friends like you did and not be affected. I have idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy and used to drink alcohol but I quit once I was diagnosed because it can cause nerve damage. I have not heard that stopping drinking of alcohol would suddenly cause the neuropathy symptoms. The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy has some information on alcohol and neuropathy here: https://www.foundationforpn.org/what-is-peripheral-neuropathy/causes/alcohol/

I'm by no means an expert and have no medical training but the withdrawal symptoms you are describing don't sound like typical alcohol withdrawal. Mayo Clinic has some information here that describes alcohol withdrawal symptoms: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alcohol-use-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20369243

I'm tagging our moderator @lisalucier to see if we can move your post to another discussion on the same topic here where you can meet other members discussing neuropathy and alcohol:

> Groups > Neuropathy > Small fiber peripheral neuropathy and alcohol
-- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/small-fiber-peripheral-neuropathy-and-alcohol/

It's understandable that you are nervous about having damaged nerves but the good thing is that you are actively seeking help and learning as much as you can about your condition. Have you thought about checking back with your doctor and explaining your fears to see if you can get your appointment moved up?

Thank you so much for your reply. I have emailed my doctor and told them how frustrating it is to have to wait so long for an appointment. I didn't get a reply. I think it's time for me to find another primary care doctor. I did ask for a referral to see a neurologist and that also is a least a two month wait, however, in the meantime, being here is so helpful! I am exercising, stretching and eating real healthy. I am slowing weaning myself off wine. Once that is out of my system, I'll have a better idea of the pain, I don't have as much pain when I have wine. Bless you!

I don't know if it's allowed to exchange numbers and share experience's? But' I'm really struggling and feeling a lot of uncertainty about it too. Mandy

I don't know where to begin to keep this concise. I have small fiber neuropathy, pain, pins and needles all over my body, lack of balance and coordination, and I believe (although I need to confirm with a new EMG), it's now large fiber too. It's slowly but surely progressive.

I'm 44. It started when I was 22. Burning pain first felt when stretching hamstrings, muscle cramps and twitching. Severe change in lifestyle, from a super active outdoor person to hardly being able to do anything without paying a large consequence...you know the deal. It has since spread to my feet, my arms, and hands, pretty much everywhere.

I have been tested for pretty much every possible cause (at least that was known of 10 years ago) and no answers. A Cleveland Clinic neurologist, possibly because they couldn't find another cause, possibly because I told them I am a craft brewer and enjoy drinking, has suggested that it is actually from the drinking. I felt defensive, that this was both a cop-out as to their lack of ability to find a cause, and also they wanted to take away my creative passion and one of my only remaining sources of relaxation and relief.

But...I tried going 3 months with no drinking at that time, around 2013, and didn't feel any better. My drinking was never at alcoholism levels. Not even close, although I did have some time when I was young, like most people, when my friend group was partying a bit hard, and drinking hard some nights. And my neuropathy did start shortly after I turned 21 (although to be honest we were drinking a couple years before that). None of my friends at the same partying level had any signs of neuropathy or any other health issues, though.

Because my alcohol break wasn't that long, I was always left with a doubt as to whether I had given it long enough to have an effect. And because, over the years, I actually did slide a bit into dependency (using alcohol as self-medication for pain, anxiety, and depression), I decided to take another, longer break in 2022. I was going for 1 year. After 8 months, I felt not 1% better. At this point, I felt like I had learned what I had set out to learn, that alcohol probably was not the cause, and that stopping completely was only punishing myself unduly. I started consuming some alcohol again, and so far I have done great at keeping it at a healthy level that I don't even think a doctor would blink at. 1-2 servings of alcohol (as defined by the medical community )a night, maybe 3 once a week, and at least a few nights a week where I drink no alcohol. That seems pretty reasonable to me.

I'm still looking for an answer for this. A few days ago I read this link which lists some symptoms of neuropathy caused by alcohol. Some of them sound eerily like mine. https://www.foundationforpn.org/causes/alcohol/
Specifically, not to get gross, but incontinence (leaking urine or having trouble peeing) and diarrhea (I'd categorize it more as loose stool). I don't have nausea or vomiting, never did, because I wasn't ever drinking that highly. But it's sending me back down a rabbit hole of rumination that maybe for some reason, I'm just way more susceptible to alcohol damaging my nerves than other people are.

That's the only way it could be from alcohol. If I were like, 2-3 times more easily damaged by it than other people. But hey, maybe that is actually possible. Sounds at least plausible.

I'm still looking for a definitive cause. I have a new round of neurology consultations, and I'm going to go back over every single possible cause, including any newly identified autoimmune or genetic indicators. But I'm still left wondering about alcohol.

Here are my questions, if anyone can help shed light on alcohol and neuropathy:
-Those 2 specific symptoms of incontinence I mentioned: Are those actually specific to alcohol-caused neuropathy? Are any other folks whose neuropathy is from other known sources having those issues?
-Is there any way to prove or disprove that neuropathy is from alcohol? It is driving me nuts that it remains such a huge question mark.
-Is there anything scientific to suggest that some people may have nerves that are highly susceptible to alcohol damage? I feel that my neuropathy can ONLY be from alcohol if I'm some sort of special case. I'm just not drinking that much. I don't want to give it up if I don't have to. I want to know, like actually know, what my neuropathy is from.

Thanks for your time if you read this far.

I don't know where to begin to keep this concise. I have small fiber neuropathy, pain, pins and needles all over my body, lack of balance and coordination, and I believe (although I need to confirm with a new EMG), it's now large fiber too. It's slowly but surely progressive.

I'm 44. It started when I was 22. Burning pain first felt when stretching hamstrings, muscle cramps and twitching. Severe change in lifestyle, from a super active outdoor person to hardly being able to do anything without paying a large consequence...you know the deal. It has since spread to my feet, my arms, and hands, pretty much everywhere.

I have been tested for pretty much every possible cause (at least that was known of 10 years ago) and no answers. A Cleveland Clinic neurologist, possibly because they couldn't find another cause, possibly because I told them I am a craft brewer and enjoy drinking, has suggested that it is actually from the drinking. I felt defensive, that this was both a cop-out as to their lack of ability to find a cause, and also they wanted to take away my creative passion and one of my only remaining sources of relaxation and relief.

But...I tried going 3 months with no drinking at that time, around 2013, and didn't feel any better. My drinking was never at alcoholism levels. Not even close, although I did have some time when I was young, like most people, when my friend group was partying a bit hard, and drinking hard some nights. And my neuropathy did start shortly after I turned 21 (although to be honest we were drinking a couple years before that). None of my friends at the same partying level had any signs of neuropathy or any other health issues, though.

Because my alcohol break wasn't that long, I was always left with a doubt as to whether I had given it long enough to have an effect. And because, over the years, I actually did slide a bit into dependency (using alcohol as self-medication for pain, anxiety, and depression), I decided to take another, longer break in 2022. I was going for 1 year. After 8 months, I felt not 1% better. At this point, I felt like I had learned what I had set out to learn, that alcohol probably was not the cause, and that stopping completely was only punishing myself unduly. I started consuming some alcohol again, and so far I have done great at keeping it at a healthy level that I don't even think a doctor would blink at. 1-2 servings of alcohol (as defined by the medical community )a night, maybe 3 once a week, and at least a few nights a week where I drink no alcohol. That seems pretty reasonable to me.

I'm still looking for an answer for this. A few days ago I read this link which lists some symptoms of neuropathy caused by alcohol. Some of them sound eerily like mine. https://www.foundationforpn.org/causes/alcohol/
Specifically, not to get gross, but incontinence (leaking urine or having trouble peeing) and diarrhea (I'd categorize it more as loose stool). I don't have nausea or vomiting, never did, because I wasn't ever drinking that highly. But it's sending me back down a rabbit hole of rumination that maybe for some reason, I'm just way more susceptible to alcohol damaging my nerves than other people are.

That's the only way it could be from alcohol. If I were like, 2-3 times more easily damaged by it than other people. But hey, maybe that is actually possible. Sounds at least plausible.

I'm still looking for a definitive cause. I have a new round of neurology consultations, and I'm going to go back over every single possible cause, including any newly identified autoimmune or genetic indicators. But I'm still left wondering about alcohol.

Here are my questions, if anyone can help shed light on alcohol and neuropathy:
-Those 2 specific symptoms of incontinence I mentioned: Are those actually specific to alcohol-caused neuropathy? Are any other folks whose neuropathy is from other known sources having those issues?
-Is there any way to prove or disprove that neuropathy is from alcohol? It is driving me nuts that it remains such a huge question mark.
-Is there anything scientific to suggest that some people may have nerves that are highly susceptible to alcohol damage? I feel that my neuropathy can ONLY be from alcohol if I'm some sort of special case. I'm just not drinking that much. I don't want to give it up if I don't have to. I want to know, like actually know, what my neuropathy is from.

Thanks for your time if you read this far.

Have your B-12 levels been checked? I personally have wondered the same thing. I am in my early 50's, fit, and do not typically drink during the week (unless a special occasion), but was having more than the recommended 1-2 drinks on most weekend days while watching games or out with friends (mostly light beer over several hours and always with food and lots of water before bed). I know many people who drink a whole lot more with no issues. For 4 months I have had common symptoms of neuropathy (have not been officially diagnosed yet), but I do not have incontinence. My B-12 levels were low and have improved significantly after taking supplements, but the symptoms persist. I have cut my weekend alcohol intake in half or more, am limiting caffeine, and focusing on more healthy eating habits without banning anything. I did ask my neurologist about this and she sort of discounted alcohol as the cause, but I have not had any testing to confirm this. She is leaving the area and I see a new doctor next week. I work hard and exercise during the week and enjoy social interaction with family and friends at meals, games, concerts, and breweries on the weekends . I have such anxiety over my symptoms that having a drink or 2 helps me to relax a bit and feel normal, yet I constantly worry about progression. I understand your feelings and empathize.