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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 21 of 21. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Stryker88 on January 28, 2004, at 7:19:39
Being dependent on Coffee is causing me alot of problems. I wish I could go throughout the day without coffee and feel energized. My addictive personality and past problems with substance abuse i.e. "marijuana, booze, meth, and others", hence I am 7 years sober, coffee in the morning, in the afternoon, at lunch, and driving home from work is tougher to quit than the other drugs. I am at the point were I have not gone through a whole day without drinking coffee for almost 9 years, that is alot of cups of coffee and I am tired of it, and it seems impossible to quit.
Posted by Sooshi on January 28, 2004, at 9:26:52
In reply to My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Stryker88 on January 28, 2004, at 7:19:39
I hear ya. I don't drink quite that much, but became addicted 4 years ago after the birth of my second child, who didn't sleep for the first 2 years of her life, I swear. Now, without the 2 huge mugs of extremely strong coffee and the intense buzz I get from it, I don't know how I make it through the day. For me, the buzz pretty much lasts all day, and I don't need to drink any more for the rest of the day (it sort of sets off a small mania off for me...I'm BPII). Maybe it reacts with some of my meds.
What have your attempts been at cutting down? And what were the effects of that? I haven't even tried....
Posted by Karen_kay on January 28, 2004, at 20:23:33
In reply to Re: My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Sooshi on January 28, 2004, at 9:26:52
I wish I could help. I have a problem as well. I drink at least 2 pots a day, plus the cups I buy at gas stations, coffee houses, ect... One thing that helped me for a while was to buy a smaller pot while at home. And get a water filter, so I was more tempted to drink water. But, that only worked for a while. I'm pathetic. I even bring coffee with me while I grocery shop. :( If you learn anything, let me know, ok?
Posted by Jai Narayan on January 28, 2004, at 21:08:24
In reply to Re: My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Karen_kay on January 28, 2004, at 20:23:33
I have been addicted to coffee most of my life and thought I could never give it up but recently I have. Since Dec. 27, 2003 I have had only 3 cups of de-caf. Now that is a micacle. I will probably go back but I have held the coffee demon at bay. The truth be known I get bloated with coffee....also I become another person....much too hyper.
so I am taking a rest and actually enjoying it.
Posted by 64Bowtie on January 29, 2004, at 18:01:52
In reply to My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Stryker88 on January 28, 2004, at 7:19:39
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on January 30, 2004, at 12:12:12
In reply to My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Stryker88 on January 28, 2004, at 7:19:39
Have you tried caffeine pills?
Posted by 64Bowtie on January 30, 2004, at 17:02:59
In reply to Re: My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Miss Honeychurch on January 30, 2004, at 12:12:12
> Have you tried caffeine pills?
Ya' mean there's a "Starbuck's" pill?
Let's see... do Vivirin and No-doz count?
jitterin' Rod
Posted by Karen_kay on January 31, 2004, at 13:21:57
In reply to Re: My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!! » Miss Honeychurch, posted by 64Bowtie on January 30, 2004, at 17:02:59
I started taking caffein pills when I was 15. Then I went up to "gas station speed", which is anything containing ephedrine. I got hooked, taking between 10 and 15 pills a day! Oh no! Bad news. I took them for roughly 5 years. Luckily, I don't take them anymore. Well, occasionally, if I have to pull an allnighter for finals. My sister is still addicted to those pills, but the FDA is banning the products. I remember I went to California once and they didn't sell them anywhere. I had a rough time... But, I learned to bring them with me if I left town.
Posted by noa on January 31, 2004, at 14:43:21
In reply to My Coffee Addiction Is a Problem!!!!!!, posted by Stryker88 on January 28, 2004, at 7:19:39
I've had the on-again, off-again caffeine addiction problem, too, although at the moment, it seems like I am stable on a pattern of having coffee most mornings but not all, and once in a while a second cup mid day. This is unusual for me to be in this pattern, because for years, when I have been in addicted mode, I had to have the coffee every day, or would experience withdrawal.
It started, I believe, when I had fatigue from all of the following: hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, and 'atypical' depression. Treating all three helped so that I didn't need as much caffeine. It had gotten so bad that I would need more and more strong coffee throughout the day, just to stay awake.
Then, once I was treated for the thyroid, apnea and depression, I would stay off the caffeine thing unless I was doing some major driving on long trips. But this would get me addicted again, and I'd go a few months and then have to detox again.
The past year or so, I've been taking one coffee each morning--but by one coffee, I mean any thing from about 9 oz to 20 oz, because, as you know, the way coffee is sold these days, a "cup" is more like a quart! Also, once in a while, if I feel sluggish at work, I'll have a small cup at lunch as well. What is surprising is that lately, I can skip some days without much difficulty, or substitute tea, which has some caffeine, but not has much, and for me, for some reason, the caffeine in tea doesn't absorb as well.
But I think I probably should not be drinking regular coffee because some of my medications cause sleep and muscle tension problems and I think the caffeine makes it worse. Coffee is also very acidic for the stomach.
When I have kicked the habit, I either go cold turkey out of necessity--I miss a few days due to being holed up at home over the weekend and am out of coffee at home---and then just grit my teeth through the fatigue and headaches for about 8 to ten days, or I use a systematic reduction in caffeine as follows---
1. choose a consistent size cup--I'll use the example of a 16 oz cup
2. fill it with 12 oz regular and 4 oz. decaf
3. drink this combo each day for a week
4. week 2--8 oz regular, 8 oz. decaf
5. week 3--4 oz regular, 12 oz decaf
6. week 4--if you're ready to drink all decaf, go for it, but if not, make it about 2 oz regular and 14 oz decaf.For me, the temptation to go back to caffeine is strong. I am not drawn to being addicted to anything that sedates, only to things that make me alert!
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on January 31, 2004, at 17:24:53
In reply to Oh no! Not pills!, posted by Karen_kay on January 31, 2004, at 13:21:57
You know after I wrote that, I thought that maybe popping pills wouldn't be such a good idea!
Posted by Karen_kay on January 31, 2004, at 19:04:21
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! » Karen_kay, posted by Miss Honeychurch on January 31, 2004, at 17:24:53
I just called my sister to tease her because they banned ephedrine. She said she would start taking dayquil instead. I almost laughed until I realized she was serious. That stuff is addictive. Then, once you take it, you have to start taking sleeping pills to get to sleep. My old man used to say, "Do you want to die like Elvis?" He didn't like me taking pills all the time, and I used to be a pill head. I'm not anymore. Thank goodness. Well, thank me :)
Posted by Stryker88 on February 1, 2004, at 9:00:10
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! » Miss Honeychurch, posted by Karen_kay on January 31, 2004, at 19:04:21
My advice on the Ephedrine thing is maybe go buy a huge stock pile before they take them off the shelves. I see alot of Ephedrine at gas stations etc. maybe just go in and say I will buy the rest of this from you!! As far as the caffeine goes, I feel the same way about tea that it does not absorb as well as coffee and coffee is the only thing that gives me the fuel I need. I always drink a ton of water right after having coffeee 1)to flush it out 2) to hydrate myself 3) to cool down my boiling hot stomach after drinking boiling hot coffee. Quiet honestly, I can;t even turn on my computer to log on until I have had a coffee, because it does not seem interesting to me, like my attention does not last long enough. I am going to ask my Doc if maybe I have Attention Deficit Disorder.
Posted by Karen_kay on February 1, 2004, at 13:59:19
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills!, posted by Stryker88 on February 1, 2004, at 9:00:10
No No No!!! I am done with Ephedrine! And don't give my sister ideas about stocking up :) She needs to detox her system of the blasted stuff!
As for the coffee, I am barely able to fill my pot with water and crush the beans to make coffee in the morning. Aye aye aye! And I have to drink a full pot in the morning before I'm fully awake. If someone calls before I've had my coffee, the conversation is completely worthless. I too have always wondered if I have ADD, but I wonder if I have cancer, AIDS, tumors, ect... I'm a worrier. Does anyone have any adivice on how to slow down on coffee? I'll follow your advice on drinking water though. I do drink water, but only when it's in coffee...
Posted by Parisss on February 10, 2004, at 13:50:18
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! » Stryker88, posted by Karen_kay on February 1, 2004, at 13:59:19
WOW, I found/find this thread very interesting. I thought I was the only one concerned with the excess of my coffee intake.
I don't eat normally more that once a day, but I wake up and start the coffee pot going and don't put it to rest until I sleep. I drink almost all waking hours.
Here is the interesting part: It does not have any effect on me. I don't feel more alert. Wired? no. I just love coffee and that is my "food".
I know all that caffeine must be bad for me and the heartburn is the only complaint I have discovered. With all my meds (lamictal, wellbutrin xl, valium, trileptal, and xanax xl) I am sure that it has to be doing something ferocious to my body, I just have not seen it surface yet.
Caffeine does not keep me awake or promote my energy level. Strange?
Posted by Stryker88 on February 10, 2004, at 16:27:43
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills!, posted by Parisss on February 10, 2004, at 13:50:18
coffee boosts my energy, however it is followed with a huge "CRASH" and exhausted period
Posted by xtaticmuffin on February 12, 2004, at 12:53:57
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills!, posted by Stryker88 on February 10, 2004, at 16:27:43
Yikes, Pariss, lots of coffee with those anti-depressants is a scarey concept! It could be seriously damaging your stomach lining and even messing with your progesterone levels.
I searched online for this discussion. I need help kicking the caffiene too. Other medical advise I found said the best way to quit was cold turkey...at a time you don't need to function so well. It sounds like that may be my only option, as my teeth are staining and I've been sleeping a LOT more than usual. I'm gonna try that switching to tea. Will keep you all updated.
Posted by Stryker88 on February 13, 2004, at 5:42:37
In reply to Re:pills are bad Pariss, posted by xtaticmuffin on February 12, 2004, at 12:53:57
Well it has been two weeks since I started this thread I am on Effexor 150mg and I have not been able to cut back the caffeine at all I am on alot of caffeine all the time, this list may shock some but here is all the caffinated products I drink in the day, it just shows how serious of a caffeine head I am.
REMEMBER I AM ON EFFEXOR 150MG
Morning _ Tall Coffee
Mid Morning - Rockstar Energy Drink, or Monster
Break at work_ 1 12oz can of coke or pepsi
Lunchtime_more coffee or green tea
after work_ Tall coffee
plus I take 900-1000mg Ginseng
Posted by john constantine on February 17, 2004, at 15:43:05
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills!, posted by Stryker88 on February 1, 2004, at 9:00:10
Hello,
Ephedrine is really bad stuff. Its hard on your body and can leave with an icky chemical feel.
If you were into ephedrine and now you can't get it -- don't stock up or take huge doses of dayquil.
Go to your dr. or a psychiatrist and explain that you've been taking ephedrine and how much for years for depression and faigue or whatever and if you're lucky you just might walk out the door with a Ritalin rx. And Ritalin is a much more reliable stimulant, more effective and much safer.
This happened to me when I was a sophomore in college in '92. The stimulants are even more commonly prescribed nowadays.
There is a long-acting form of ritalin out now, Concerta. U just take it once per day. Also there is a new stimulant, Provigil.
Provigil is wonderful stuff. One dose lasts all day and it is not an amphetamine and doesn't have the amphetamine drawbacks.
Posted by Stryker88 on February 18, 2004, at 5:39:28
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! OH YES, posted by john constantine on February 17, 2004, at 15:43:05
I am curious about Ritalin, often I consume alot of coffee all day to help me be more at task and focused, well obviously it is not healthy, but Ritaling may be the answer to my concentration problem maybe huh, what do you think.
Posted by john constantine on February 18, 2004, at 17:25:55
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! OH YES, posted by Stryker88 on February 18, 2004, at 5:39:28
> I am curious about Ritalin, often I consume alot of coffee all day to help me be more at task and focused, well obviously it is not healthy, but Ritaling may be the answer to my concentration problem maybe huh, what do you think.
=-=-=-=-Works for alot of people...
Posted by CareBear04 on February 25, 2004, at 21:42:14
In reply to Re: Oh no! Not pills! OH YES, posted by john constantine on February 18, 2004, at 17:25:55
hey everyone,
i'm curious now about ephedrine (sp?). why did the FDA ban it? when is it being pulled off the shelves? is it still currently obtainable in most areas? i, too, drink lots of coffee and could use a stronger stimulant, though it doesn't sound like ephedrine is a very healthy alternative. thanks! cb
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