How to know the warning signs of drinking too much with CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth) disease.

I'm a forty-seven years young and I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. It's more popularly known as CMT & it is a form of Muscular Dystrophy. Today, there are approximately 150,000 Americans that suffer from CMT. Many CMT patients, like other Americans, enjoy a drink every now & then. Little do they know, that alcohol & CMT don't mix. I personally like to have a drink every once in awhile, even though I have CMT. "Why do I drink?" you may ask. Two reasons: first I enjoy drinking. Second, I wanted to socially "fit" in with the crowd, & drinking is still an acceptable form of socializing in America. However, a person with CMT, the effects of alcohol within the body are four times greater, than those who don't have CMT. Here are some tips, that I have taught myself, to learn when I have had to much to drink. Before you read these tips, please consult your doctor about your particular form of CMT, to see if these tips can apply to you, since all CMT cases are not the same. With your doctor's advice, I hope these tips help you in managing your CMT.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Listen to your body and what it is telling you
• Consult with a physician about your case
• Always drink responsibly and if you are going to drink have a designated driver with you.

1. My hands and feet are weak to begin with because of the breaking down of the nerves and muscles that control the movement of my arms and legs. When I drink too much that problem becomes amplified so that they don't function as well when I use them.

2. I know that my personal drinking limit has been reached when my hands start to shake more prominently. So much so that I can't hold my own glass anymore.

3. Another sign that I have reached my drinking limit is when my feet & legs become so heavy, they become numb. So numb, that it feels that both my legs & feet, feel as though they are separated from my body.

4. For me personally when I have two drinks, to relax, my hands and feet respond with a warm feeling that ends with my hands getting tingly. However, if I have a third drink, my arms and legs become numb, so numb that I can not lift them up. The feeling gets so sever that they feel like they are not attached to my body. So as you can read, CMT just amplifies all of the typical experiences that a non-CMT sufferer would face if they drank too much.

Tips & Warnings

• Drink one drink a month.
• See doctor for approval before you begin to drink.

Resources

• CMT National Website

[pearlyvictoria]

on 12/3/2008 Helpful information.

[IcyCucky]

on 5/16/2008 Great advise on listening to your body. Sometimes, we tend to push far over the limit.