Alcohol to deaden pain!

[Pinsandneedles]

Hi all, does anyone here struggle with alcohol now that they are in constant pain when they never had a 'drink' problem when they were pain free?? I have had severe systemic neuropathy for the past 8 years and as most of you know PN is very hard to treat pain wise. I have tried most medications but frequently find myself resorting to some form of alcohol just to try to numb my brain from feeling the pain - very frightening for both me and my family.

Have tried to talk this through with my GP (in UK) but she just says don't mix the pain meds and the alcohol - does this mean it's ok to drink myself into oblivion if I don't take the pain meds?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes, like all of us I guess, I just don't want to be here/awake for just a little while. Coping with kids, husband and all that entails is hard enough when you're not in pain. I fear though that my husband does not understand - hey neither do I. Any suggestions?
Thanks

[Nana4&cntn]

Pinsandneedles,

I don't understand why you are not receiving medication. I have never believed alcohol is the answer to anything. If you are taking ANY type of medication you should not drink. I do understand the need to relieve pain, but booze is never the answer. Your children deserve better. You need to see your doctor and explain all the meds you have taken and get them to give you something for the pain. I have PN and Lyrica has worked wonders, where Neurontin never helped, I also take Keppra. I hope you will stay away from the alcohol, as it is very easy to become an alcoholic. I was raised in an alcholic household and it is horrible. I also married one. I also have a dear friend who has battled with Alcoholism and the toll it takes on the human body and soul. Please do not drink to relieve the pain it is a trap and can be deadly.

[Mark N]

I understand the problem you are having. The answer though is to get adequate pain relief as you shouldn't be drinking with the meds. As tough as it is to deal with PN there are meds that will work but your doctor and you may have to work at finding the one that is right for you.

You need to take a serious look at yourself to see if you are becoming addicted to alcohol. The goal should be pain relief but if it becomes oblivion then addiction is a concern. I am not saying you are addicted because I understand what you mean by just wanting to get away from the pain.

Push your doctor for better pain relief. The squeaky wheel gets the grease so you will have to make some noise. I hope you get the pain relief you should have and that you deserve to have.

[Kira]

It sounds like you really need better pain management, and I'm sorry that you're not getting it and that it is so bad that you are looking for any relief you can find. I can hear in your post how desperate you are to get relief from the pain, even if it is only temporary.

One thing you should know is that alcohol can actually cause peripheral neuropathy. Even if that isn't the original cause of your peripheral neuropathy... I would think that additional damage from alcohol would only make your PN symptoms worse.

I really hope that you can get connected with a good doctor soon, so that you can get safe relief from the PN pain.

[ErinENj]

I have to say, I'm the complete opposite. I don't drink anymore, with the exception of the occassional Smirnoff Ice Triple Black (Yep, I'll only drink that). And that occassional is maybe two or three of the single serve bottles a year. I used to drink a lot. Before this, I was your typical college student. I drank every weekend for the most part. But it was drinking that helped push me towards the down-hill slope I am on today with my back. I was completely bombed one night at a fraternity house and fell on some very poorly designed stairs. I went straight up and landed somewhere near 3-5 steps below where I slipped. The impact was hard enough to put a right angle into my tailbone; still don't know how I managed not to break it. Guess it was all the padding it had to cushion the fall. Up to when my CP started, that was the worst pain I could ever imagine, and still remains the only time I have ever vomited from either drinking or pain, or both. I went from wasted to sober in a nano-second, and that was before I started throwing up. Thankfully, an epidural worked magic on it, and I only get twinges now and then, but it still shakes me up whenever I even consider getting drunk.

That and the big red warning label on all my meds that say "Do not drink with this medication" or "Consuming alcohol could lead to death." I figure they're trying to tell me something. So I avoid it, but when I really feel like I just need a drink, like after a really bad day or week, I'll have one. Just one, and it's enough for me. And I'm a complete lightweight anymore to where two of them gets me seriously buzzed (I used to be able to drink vodka like water without even feeling it).

I really agree with everyone else. If it is to the point where you are being pushed to drinking regularly, your meds aren't working. Talk to your doctor solely about the meds not working. When she says "don't drink with these medications" I'd ask her if there is anything else that could be done to decrease the pain with the medicaitons, because as they stand currently, they aren't working. It may even be that if they're working, you won't feel the slightest urge to drink. And if that's true, say that. Explain it to her, and if she refuses to understand what you're saying, move on. I think you might be better off with a pain specialist anyway, if you can find one, so if she won't listen and comprehend, find another doctor to meet with and get the opinion of. GPs are historically bad with pain management because they really don't have the specialized training to know how to prescribe these medications and how to treat pain conditions, so it's probable that she has no clue what she's doing, nothing against her, just may be that she doesn't have the training for it. You may be better off elsewhere. I definately think that it's something to look in to. And would be well worth it.

And I strongly advise not to drink on these meds. Adding alcohol can and probably will, strengthen the depressive effect of these pain meds - sounds okay for a moment, but that depressive effect could be so magnified that it depresses your nervous system to the point where it is so relaxed, you stop breathing and your heart stops beating. All it could take is a drop of liquor. You never know how your body will react to it. So I really don't think it's a chance worth taking, but that's just my opinion.