Reintroducing Caffeine - Can Anyone Help Me?
#267515 - 06/04/06 09:19 AM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I was thinking maybe some of you guys might have some suggestions. Long story short, I don't follow the EFI diet because it was determined through trips to various doctors and trial and error that I don't have IBS but just very severe endometriosis that causes bowel problems. Now I know caffeine probably isn't great even in that situation...but I may really need it for the next few weeks.
As you know I've been looking for a new job, and I've got two very promising prospects but both start at 8:30AM, and I'm used to going to bed sometime around 4:00AM and getting up no earlier than 2:00PM! Yikes! Talk about an adjustment!
Anyways, I've been trying to scale back over the weekend but that's obviously a huge scaleback so I'm not where I want to be. I have to drive across the city and obviously be reasonably alert because I would be training, so I'm thinking I may have to reintroduce *some* caffeine. Now I would never go back to coffee...I do have GERD and I know that would be too hard on me. Same for pop or anything carbonated, that's a no-go. So I'm thinking tea (weak tea) would be the best way to go...what do you guys think. I haven't had an ounce of caffeine since I went cold-turkey somewhere around March/April 2004.
I should mention I still don't eat any red meat or consume any carbonated beverages or eat anything really high in fat, but other than that, anything goes.
Any advice would be great...I just want to be able to keep my head off my desk 
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I would definitly try it if I were you.. I'd say just slowly reintroduce it back into your system. Since you haven't had it it awhile, a little will go a long way. If possible, try it a few days before you'd have to get up at 8:30 to ensure that you avoid any adverse effects that may be possible. Try half a cup at first, and then maybe increase it a little bit more each day. To be honest, the little amount of caffeine in tea doesn't even effect me whatsoever.. but it might for you. You could also try eating some chocolate, if thats ok for you, because chocolate also has caffeine in it. You could reserve a few pieces in your purse for when you need a mid-day pick me up.
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Chocolate
#267528 - 06/04/06 11:03 AM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hey Ashley,
Thanks for answering I actually have been eating chocolate, not a lot because I'm watching my weight but I do eat a little...mostly in the form of Smarties ice cream. So I guess if I can tolerate that I can probably try a little tea. Or maybe even cappucinos (sp?) or something like that because I just can't take regular coffee.
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one thing is i'd recommend going with espresso drinks (lattes or cafe americano) rather than regular coffee - because those drinks are mostly milk or water, they've always bothered me less. i'd go with a latte rather than a cappucino because it has more milk, and thus more to buffer the coffee. i can handle one shot of espresso in a latte once in a while. at starbucks you can order drinks 'half-caf,' which means half decaf half regular. i'd start with a small one of that. good luck!
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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A couple of non-caffeine things to try:
B vitamins--I keep a stress formula in my desk. When I start feeling really fatigued, taking one usually does the trick.
Peppermints--Sucking on a piece of hard candy peppermint helps as well.
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Hey Kelly ... just as a warning, my endometriosis flares up pretty bad when I have too much caffeine (usually anything more than a 20-ounce soda). No GI distress, though.
To be honest, I don't think caffeine really works that well to help stay awake. When I was really tired at work and would give in and have some tea or a soda, it didn't help at all. The only thing that seemed to help was to get up and walk around. Oh, and severe pain. A long time ago I nodded off at work when holding a soldering iron. I've still got a scar on my finger from that ...
Good luck, I know it's tough when you just can't get the productive sleep you need. If caffeine does work for you, then good! (insert obligatory "caffeine is evil" warning here) If you aren't working yet, try giving it a trial run -- get up at 7:00 or whenever you'd normally get up to be at work at 8:30, slug down some tea or a latte or whatever, and see how well that works for you.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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I'm with jaime on this--expresso or latte drinks. Another option might me chai tea? Lately, I've been doing jasmine green tea (probably because it is hotter outside) & that's plenty to get me going. Also, it's really tummy-gentle.
Kate, IBS-D.
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