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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DanielJ on March 4, 2005, at 20:54:16
I have often been on this forum regarding my son and his medications and symptoms but this is about me a 65 year old male with.. well no problems?
I decided my tinnitis could be caused by caffiene as well as other problems too. A 2 cup of coffee and a 20 oz coke in the afternoon guy, it should be easy right? I did OK until the third day began. I went to the bank in the morning and because the drive up ATM was being worked on I flipped out, yelling at the workmen to put a sign in front of the bank. I went to the post office to mail 2 packages an found the line was about 10 people long. I began to get furious again, and as the line progressed I got worse. To make a long story shorter psychosis was setting in and I spent the rest of the day in some kind of fugue state.
The next day, loaded up on coffee and coke, life began to look rosier again. Today I am back to normal and have admitted to myself that I need caffiene every day. Is it a drug? I think so.
Posted by alexandra_k on March 5, 2005, at 3:15:54
In reply to Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 4, 2005, at 20:54:16
I drink a lot of caffenated drinks. Probably doesn't help with my anxiety... Have you thought about gradually reducing your intake rather than trying to go cold turkey?
Posted by celticmom on March 5, 2005, at 8:32:44
In reply to Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 4, 2005, at 20:54:16
Yup, my DH gets splitting headaches every time he goes w/o caffeine. I think the best way to do it is gradually like alexandra suggested. Maybe start by reducing your coffee intake to one cup a day for a week. Then switching to a decaf soda in the afternoon for another week. Etc. When you are down to one cup of coffee, you could start mixing decaf with non-decaf coffee. I would think if you do it gradually enough, your body shouldn't go into withdrawal.
I don't get headaches, I just become too tired to function if I don't have my tea every day. Back in college I gave up coffee and basically slept an entire summer away.
Posted by shoebox on March 5, 2005, at 9:06:11
In reply to Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 4, 2005, at 20:54:16
Is it a drug?
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You've been given some good advice about weaning youself off, and you really ought to do it, even though it's a real bear. The trick is to go very very slowly. Good luck--I know those caffeine headaches all too well. You might even want to pop a Tylenol (or whatever) first thing, to ward off any possible headache. It makes it a lot less awful.
Posted by DanielJ on March 5, 2005, at 10:42:59
In reply to Re: Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!! » DanielJ, posted by shoebox on March 5, 2005, at 9:06:11
I guess there is more to it than that. I believe over the years caffiene has provided me with a medication of sorts that has helped me control my temper and has eased mental confusion and anxiety.
Everyone is different, and often I have found that I respond differently to various medications than others do. The side effects of it seem to be some hearing loss and some sensory deterioration but doesn't just about every drug available have some side effects. I have heard stories of caffiene withdrawal in which many have terrible headaches. That is not my problem, I am dealing with anger, confusion and psychotic symptoms. I think I will stick with caffiene.
Posted by Phillipa on March 5, 2005, at 16:03:00
In reply to Re: Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 5, 2005, at 10:42:59
I'd stick with the caffeine. I just read that a few cups of coffee a day really helps with concentration. So enjoy! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by alexandra_k on March 6, 2005, at 1:28:42
In reply to Re: Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 5, 2005, at 10:42:59
> I believe over the years caffiene has provided me with a medication of sorts that has helped me control my temper and has eased mental confusion and anxiety.
It may have done for a time...
> The side effects of it seem to be some hearing loss and some sensory deterioration but doesn't just about every drug available have some side effects.
Hmm. Thats not too nice. It may be caffine...
>I am dealing with anger, confusion and psychotic symptoms.
Caffine may be helping you out with those symptoms, they may be worse without caffine...
On the other hand those symptoms might be produced (now though maybe not in the past) by caffine withdrawal.You could find out by gradually reducing your caffine intake and keeping an eye on how you feel.
Posted by Wildflower on March 7, 2005, at 9:40:28
In reply to Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!!, posted by DanielJ on March 4, 2005, at 20:54:16
IT IS A DRUG!!! It's also one heck of a drug to stop "taking".
My pdoc told me that I need to cut back to one 8oz cup of a caffeinated drink per day. I tried this Friday and I was a miserable mess -- headache, witchy as can be. It's really, really hard for me to do without.
By Saturday afternoon, I was back to diet coke. I'm supposed to go back to the doc in two weeks but I can't tell her about the caffiene.
Posted by Shame on March 7, 2005, at 10:05:19
In reply to Re: Give up caffiene ... easy Wrong!!!! » DanielJ, posted by Wildflower on March 7, 2005, at 9:40:28
Im they type that needs something that I feel is MY vice. Since I dont smoke or drink, I figure coffee is a better way to go than smack. If I dont get my caffiene fix, I turn into a terrible person who has rampant bouts of sleepyness and raging headaches. Is anyone else able to "feel" the "edges" of their depression? It's like something that lives in me, and when I get a caffiene headache it seems to live in this area.Or maybe its a tumor. Whatever works.
This is the end of the thread.
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