when you HAVE to have caffeine, in what form do you have it?

I tried that new Neuro white. Got hypo! Tea is fine. Coffee gives me migraines. I've never tried and energy drinks- except Neuro.

She (the p-doc) told me to stay away from caffeine pills. Go figure, I learned about them from another p-doc!

She said 2-3 shots a day - we were talking coffee. Last shot at 3PM at the latest so as not to interfere with sleep. Asked me if I get racing heart. I said no. I did not bring up the fact that I also drink black tea, in the morning + several cups throughout the day. In terms of sleep, I can drink a cup of strong tea and take a nap immediately. So I figure there is something about tea that just agrees with me so well. My p-doc friend said that all caffeine has to be counted to arrive at the right dosage, coffee and tea, but... heck, I am just gonna count coffee for now. Before she told me to limit to 2-3 shots a day, I was having 5 because I was taking double shots, e.g. double cappuccino. Do not do it anymore. Sleep better at night and do not fall asleep on the job - exactly what I wanted. I hope it lasts!!! I will try to have coffee in on a bipolar-friendly schedule, ie regularly, say 10-12:30-3. In terms of taste, it is not that I started wanting or enjoying coffee, but I got a little used to it. Especially latte - it is quite mellow.

Actually, I will bring up black tea next time... my p-doc is from India and the black tea tradition is certainly not foreign to her. She will understand me.

Thanks for all the responses.

Moved from another thread, posted by Genetic:

The similarity between being required to drink caffeine or alcohol is simply this: both are psycho-active drugs, both have side effects, some more serious for some than for others. Alcoholics cannot use alcohol if they wish to be in remission. Caffeine sensitive individuals cannot use caffeine if they wish to maintain avoidance of injury to themselves physically and psychologically. Both are addictive.

I do not read Jane Austen's novels. I did just finish the life of a saint, however.

You are seeking "a counteragent for the side effects" (sic)of drugs. Hampster, that's exactly what I have been trying to help caffeine sensitive people do for years. Some have successfully achieved that. I know that one of their techniques was the removal of caffeine and another aspect of it was the addition of more alkaline foods in the diet. What else they did to overcome their difficulties, I wouldn't know. But I can only assume that it was the omission of caffeine from their diet that played a significant role. It did for me, too, but then there are degrees of bipolar severity and again and again, what works for one won't work for another.

I understand clearly that you must have caffeine in order to remain alert on the job.

Your website doesn't open as it is posted. Other persons associated with Alcoholics Anonymous have a different take on the role of AA in remission of alcoholism. The
work which used to be called "The Big Book", now called "Alcoholics Anonymous" has a very touching personal view of the value of the 12-step recovery program from
doctors and patients who have used the program successfully in treating the illness.
Dr. Kathleen DesMaissons has also had real effectiveness in her work with alcoholic
remission.

Genetic

The website is the wiki article on the effectiveness of AA. You can read it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effecti...lics_Anonymous

If it does not open (it opens for me), let me know and I will paste the contents. I think the source being wikipedia, I am allowed to do that.

my ex was addicted to redbull and rockstar. I never thought much of it really. I drink a lot of diet coke and coffee (but I don't have a mood disorder nor do I take any medications that it might interfere with).

I never put it all together until I noticed it was odd he was drinking a redbull one night while also being on an ambien. I don't know if he is in denial or has no clue how much all his caffeiene and weed use could be cancelling out his somewhat true efforts on his medication.

Personally, if you are going to have caffeine I think coffee is the healthiest form (along with tea) due to the antioxidants. I just wouldn't load it up with other chemicals and sugars. I've read it is a myth that caffeine itself is actually bad for you (nor is coffee) however that is probably a very different story if you have a sensitivy to it, are on medication that interacts with it, or you area already somewhat wired naturally from an episode (I would guess...that stimulants are not a good idea if your brain is already keeping you up at night.)

I also think that coffee and tea are better because of their antioxidant content, thanks. Luckily for me, I do not need sugar in my coffee at all. I can drink straight espresso - not that I love it, no, but I can.

Interesting. Probably. I lived for many years without any caffeine except for that little amount found in chocolate, drinking just herbal tea. The "science" then said that caffeine was so bad, so bad, it made drinks anti-hydrating. A caffeinated drink did not count. If you believe it, then a guy in Iran sipping hot black cardamom tea all day during summer is not taking in any hydration. It is wondrous that he is surviving (and even more wondrous that his ancestors over the centuries were). Now we know that it is OK to drink tea and is even beneficial and yes, you are still getting hydration. We also know that it is beneficial to eat egg yolks, and weren't they completely banished at some point?

yes, I know!! Isn't it funny in the last ten years (or 20?) the US went from no fat, no caffeine, to ...well ok maybe the fat isn't so bad, stay away from carbs and drink that coffee!

I went to Europe in the late 1990's and witnessed a whole lot of cheese, whole milk, eggs, fat, etc. and beautiful people (and coffee and wine too...) and they rode their bikes everywhere. To me that was the first indication that whole foods are better (vs. no fat).

In the early 2000's I started the Atkins diet and lost weight (and I never drink sugared drinks except occasionally juice). I remember being very conflicted in my mind about it because of all the "science" we'd been subjected to for many years.

It is a bit sad how damaging that old science can stick with people even after it's long been ruled out, even by government agencies (I think they changed the food pyramid this year?)

It really makes you wonder about how far we have come ... 100 years ago I'm sure there was no (ethical or good) treatment for mental illness, at least not like there is now.

We can hold on to hope that drugs will improve, as will science. Hold out for a cure

But I'll stick with my coffee and eggs even if they invent a pill for that!

______________________________________________

I think your brother is right on this, Trippin2. Caffeine does put stress on the adrenal glands. I don't know whether the energy drinks have caffeine in them, but I'm guessing that they do.

Genetic

the energy drinks have A LOT of caffeine in them. More than coffee, more than soda.

Coffee, green tea, & more coffee!

More than soda yes but, not more than coffee. That's a common mistake but, if you actually read the caffeine content listed on the can, you'll see even the strongest energy drinks have less caffeine than a good cup of coffee. An energy drink usually has between 90 mg and 180 mg. A Venti medium roast from Starbucks? Closer to 400 mg.

It especially bothers me when people go on about Red Bull, that stuff is weak. It has 90 mg of caffeine per can! That's far less than a proper cup of coffee.

Dunkin Donuts Iced coffee. I try to stay away from the turbo ice though.

I rarely HAVE to have it, but when I do, I get a bottle of Vanilla Starbucks Frap, or a McDonald's Mocha Frappe.

I have some good news. A med change has reduced my sleeping hours at the same time making me more awake during the day. So I do not need so much caffeine anymore. I went from Trazodone to Temazepam as sleep aids. Also Depakote was reduced and Depakote causes grogginess. This is not a permanent solution because I would probably develop tolerance to Temazepam, but for now I am happy.

Coffee....or a Vivarin ( caffine pill ) ...

My doctor changed my dose, after I told her that I drink black tea. I explained that unlike coffee, black tea does not have a 'pick-me-up' effect on me - I can drink a cup of strong tea and take a nap afterwards. I drink tea for flavor, comfort and hydration, not to wake up. Still, she changed my dose - black tea (caffeinated in the morning), 2 cups of coffee during the day, no later than at 3PM, and decaffeinated black tea unlimited throughout the day.

I am doing really well on this regiment, on weekdays. On weekends, I do not drink coffee.

And I figured why straight coffee is better for you - the milk in coffee drinks hinders the absorption of antioxidants. Which is kind of a shame because I find espresso less palatable than latte. The situation is the same with tea - milk hinders the absorption of antioxidants while addition of lemon improves the absorption.

I LOVE Coke!!

I have to watch my caffeine intake though, I've been noticing I get shaky from it.. Especially if I have coffee and nothing to eat, its really bad then.

I get nauseated when I drink really strong tea and have nothing to eat. So I try to avoid it, to have breakfast with tea.

I am doing really well during weekdays, but I started having caffeine withdrawal migraines on weekends. It turns out, you cannot just shut off caffeine for the weekend - you will have repercussions. So now I will go to coffee shops on weekends for my dose of this drug .

I also started liking the taste of latte and decided that it is OK not to reap the full benefits of drinking coffee. Sure, black coffee would have been better, but I like latte. I get my antioxidants from tea, berries, chocolate, grapes, etc. - the world is not going to end if I do not drink espresso.

I drink 1-2 cups of coffee with flavored creamer and no sugar every morning. I don't really care for soda and I don't really drink tea anymore. I mostly drink water.

Hot Outside? ... Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino
Cold Outside? ... Starbucks Caramel Macchiato

Thank God it's so pricey ... It helps me to limit my intake ...

Sugars definitely interrupt my mood a LOT more than caffeine does. I'm down to one tiny spoonful of Truvia to 12 oz. of coffee! And of course a little flavoured creamer but that's minimal.

If anyone is interested in brewing their own iced coffee, this recipe is BY FAR the best:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2...t-iced-coffee/

My Neurologist made me cut my coffee/caffeine intake several years ago. It gave me migraines. I drink 1 cup of coffee every morning. If I need an energy boost I drink diet pepsi or eat some fruit. When my sugars are low I get to have a regular pepsi which is a treat for me.