A good friend and fellow boozehound of mine recently quit drinking after noticing that she was beginning to feel a numbness in her extremities. From what she recounted, she awoke after a particularly heaving drinking night and felt like she had lost sensation in her left foot. Her baby toe felt numb, and overall her circulation in that area of her body felt abnormal. It really concerned her because she is not diabetic or anything, and the numbness has persisted after 14 days off booze.
I don't know what to tell her, as I've never experienced such symptoms, although if I had to speculate based on my first-hand knowledge of her alcohol consumption patterns, perhaps she is suffering from a thiamine deficiency? She, of course, is worried that it might be full-blown neuropathy due to chronic alcohol abuse, but is afraid to go to the doctor.
So basically, if anyone has had these symptoms, and in particular, if anyone has had them where they've subsided after continued abstinence from alcohol, any information would be greatly appreciated.
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