![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lindenblüte on November 13, 2006, at 21:32:51
First of all, I just wanted to tell you all that the following story is truly pathetic.
NO, I'm not on withdrawal from a psych med.
No, I'm not on withdrawal from an Rx med.
No, I'm not on withdrawal from a street drug, "substance" or whatnot
No, I'm not the loved one of someone struggling with a difficult withdrawal.
*************
I overdosed on caffeine yesterday. Yes, it's possible, and yes, it was VERY unpleasant. I've never gone quite that far before, but as someone prone to anxiety-- well this was truly nasty.
so, I made a decision. Less caffeine. No coffee.
typical day for me- 36 oz of coffee between the hours of 8am and 2pm. Drinking tea (mostly green, but some black) maybe 2 cups a day. Maybe even a diet cola, or an energy drink or something to replace a mug of coffee.
Today. 4 oz coffee this am, mixed with milk. it was so delicious. but then it was gone. :(
16 oz white tea, and maybe 24 oz green tea throughout the day. I make an infusion of whole leaves and add more hot water when necessary.
At lunch, I thought I was going to fall asleep. My whole body just wanted to NAP. I was craving caffeiene, sugar, ANYTHING to give me that anxious jittery feeling. Somehow managed to get some work done.
Then the headache started. since about 5pm. a dull, depressed headache, now on its way to a quasi migraine. I took my migraine medicine (naproxen Na "Aleve" 2 caplets.). It's only mildly better. barely tolerable.
and I feel like such a F*CKING LOSER. here I am, moaning my caffeine withdrawal, and it's my fault anyway, because I somehow managed to abuse freaking COFFEE??
It's considered not high on the abuse-potential, since the bad effects (nausea and jitters) kick in at fairly low doses. Somehow I kept on searching for the happy joy of the coffee cup, ignoring the fact that I could no longer plan my day without being enslaved to the mug. Had to have a plan for coffee withing 1 hour of waking or else the morning's productivity lost.
Oh, I've already started my moans. I might as well finish and get it off my chest. I feel like sh*t anyways. I increased my AD 3 weeks ago, and it makes me sleepier during the day. So I added coffee, where usually I only drink one coffee drink, or a black tea- and then it was 3,4,5,6,7 caffeine doses a day. bad bad bad.
pdoc gave me provigil, why did I abuse caffeine? Because caffeine is a happy-maker and provigil is just an awake-maker. Caffeine makes me think faster. It gives me that jitter of excitement/terror/heart disease that simulates what I know as "motivation".
crap. well. I'm just gonna take my sleepy meds and call it an evening.
I'm physiologically, psychologically and culturally dependant on coffee.
at least I drink green tea. that's tasty, but has never given me a "rush".
my anxiety was good today, though. I felt stillness in my chest. and no tremor in my hands. that was welcome.
headache pain index: from 1(tiniest perceptible headache) to 10(nausea, extreme light and sound sensitivity, want to decapitate myself pain)
from 6am-5pm was 1-3. from 5-10pm has been crescendoing. has plateaued at about a 6.5. I can barely type lucidly. forget editing, but at least I'm not bedridden. holding steady since I took medication.
forecast for tomorrow- partly sh*t*y.
10-day outlook- gradually increasing sunshine, unless threats of extreme T-storm materialize.your somewhat dessicated,
Lindenblossompetal
Posted by jules354 on November 13, 2006, at 22:42:10
In reply to I feel like such a loser., posted by Lindenblüte on November 13, 2006, at 21:32:51
my goodness, you're so not a loser! coffee is sublime esp when an AD is making you sleepy.
there are some alternatives that might trick you into thinking you're drinking something just as serious, though. green tea is good and all, but i don't find it intense enough when i'm craving coffee. have you tried yerba mate? it has a bitter taste that's really satisfying. teas with chicory are good substitutes too, esp. celestial seasonings' Roastaroma, which i can't believe doesn't contain caffeine. anything with strong flavor - the zingers, teas with hibiscus or spices, herbal chai - can be good, and you can keep varying your drinks too to fool your palate.
plus, caffeine withdrawal is serious and tough. using some medicinal herbs can help: nettle and ginseng especially. you might be able to find a formula at a health-food store.
hope this helps!
take care,
jules
Posted by Jost on November 13, 2006, at 22:53:16
In reply to I feel like such a loser., posted by Lindenblüte on November 13, 2006, at 21:32:51
Linden, you poor dear. I think you may have gone a bit overboard with the caffeine detox.
Maybe a slower withdrawal will mitigate symptoms of agony, angst, and dehydration. (Actually drinking more may help with the last-- although I wouldn't want you to become overly water-logged either).
You are not a loser. Possibly your goals in this caffeine reduction business are too extreme.
I'm sure that you will regain your composure once you've adjusted, or have realized that you do not have to go off caffeine completely because you overdosed, if that was the case.
I'm sorry about the headache. I hope it's better. Or at least will be better tomorrow.
:(((
Jost
Posted by Lindenblüte on November 14, 2006, at 8:30:59
In reply to Re: I feel like such a loser., posted by Jost on November 13, 2006, at 22:53:16
thank you Jules and Jost for your kind suggestions
It was SOOOO hard to get up this am, but here I am.
I think I can keep Yerba Mate under control. I have an abundant supply of this. The kind I have is pretty bitter, which makes it hard to keep on guzzling, like sweet milky coffee.
I have so much tea that I shouldn't even be tempted by coffee... and yet?
Kind of frightening, really. Despite a 4 oz cup of coffee and green tea ingested throughout the day yesterday, I still had caffeine withdrawal. That's kind of crazy.
I think perhaps this afternoon I will go and buy a coffee. 12 oz of decaf, and see how it makes me feel. If I can get happy happy feeling without the tremors, this might be a win-win.
At any rate, I calculated that I was ingesting at least 500mg of caffeine most days for the last month or so. 80% of that from coffee.
Oh well... all of you folks who have more self-control and are not as silly as I was to allow myself to build up so much tolerance to caffeine- Think of me when you wake up and smell the coffee :(
For today, I'll brew a pot of Mate, and then some green tea. I've already had my 3oz of coffee with skim milk.
Thank you for your kind thoughts
-Li
Posted by jules354 on November 14, 2006, at 12:06:54
In reply to Re: I feel like such a loser. » Jost, posted by Lindenblüte on November 14, 2006, at 8:30:59
Maybe you've already tried this, but one way I trick myself into drinking less coffee is to delay the experience a bit: wake up with tea and juice instead and save the coffee for later in the day as a special pick-me-up treat. EmergenC packets are also good for an energy boost early in the day.
Also, you may know this, but espresso usually has less caffeine than brewed coffee...
good luck!
jules
Posted by leo33 on December 9, 2006, at 11:22:19
In reply to I feel like such a loser., posted by Lindenblüte on November 13, 2006, at 21:32:51
Join the club. I found it interesting how you made sure to mention you were not in withdrawal from a drug, except the drug of caffeine. Caffeine was almost outlawed with marijuana in the beginning of the 20th century with all the other drugs. Not to get on your case but your post sounds exactly like a drug addict trying to get their fix. Every addict thinks their drug is OK and everyone else's drug of choice is wrong. Here in America, we are all drug addicts of one sort or another, even food can be a drug, as well as herbs. What makes you a loser in America is to be with out money, thats it. Although my post may sound negative to you, it is not meant to be. Just some realism of the American Society. Find what makes you happy if that is possible without some type of drug. We are here for you, as I am a loser too. I only wish I could find the drug that makes me as happy as caffeine does you. Take you withdrawals slowly and taper down as you have to do with any drug. Just realize that most things are technically a drug, i.e. chocolate. I understand how the hypocrisy of our society has you confused.
An interesting fact: when you exercise your body releases endorphins which is actually a stronger drug than morphine that produces a euphoria feeling. So there are people that are addicted to working out and then feel like s*** after they stop because the body is going the withdrawal of not having the endorphins.
Just another perspective, take care and be well.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Withdrawal | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.