[comicgeek007]

I haven't checked in in some time, but I'd like to say I'm doing much better. My pdoc did say that what I was experiencing starting Oct 21 was a mixed episode, so she upped my lamictal. I'm on 100mg now and doing much better. The episode stopped quickly and I haven't had another episode of any type since - I did have a really weird and uncharacteristic reaction to caffeine last night, though.

I don't drink caffeine normally, but I will occasionally go to the burger king on campus and get some coffee so I can finish working on something - typically falling asleep at 2am. However, when I had coffee last night, my heart started pounding and I felt like I had to gasp for breath and I started sweating a ton and shaking. On top of that, I was so nauseous it was ridiculous. I've had panic attacks before and it didn't feel like that. I didn't start to get worried until my thoughts started racing so bad I couldn't think and the weird feelings lasted for hours. Eventually I was able to sit still but I stayed up until five in the morning and woke up at 8 feeling totally refreshed and, in fact, still hyper and nauseous. It's midnight and I still don't feel tired. Haven't had any energy anything today.

One of my friends that I've told about my bipolar thinks that coffee may have spontaneously triggered an upswing. But I just feel optimistic. Still a bit stressed, especially with finals coming up, but optimistic things will be okay. I'm not excessively happy or anything like that. I don't know. I probably just feel good, but that coffee thing sure is weird.

[Alokin]

I am glad you are feeling better! However, it looks like you have found a trigger.

[comicgeek007]

Just a couple of weeks ago I had the same amount of caffeine and nothing happened? I don't know.

[nbritton]

Originally Posted by comicgeek007

Just a couple of weeks ago I had the same amount of caffeine and nothing happened? I don't know.

How do you know that? Not all coffee has the same amount of caffeine. The caffeine content can actually very widely depending on a number of factors, such as the type of beans, the roast, the amount used in brewing, the length of brewing, or even the temp of the water.

Caffeine is a powerful stimulate, the response you indicated is not at all out of the ordinary. I myself have to limit caffeine after dinner or it will keep me up all night too. The half life of caffeine is stated as 5 hours, so that means after 10 hours 1/4 of the caffeine is still in the body.

[Dsaldivar]

This happens to me sometimes also, but has happened more so when I was untreated for bipolar. The caffeine would trigger anxiety, panic attack and sometimes rage and racing thoughts. I also think the same can happen if you don't eat while drinking to much coffee, you can get low blood sugar and weird reactions will occur.

[~Christina]

Hey Comic

I am glad your doing much better , I had been wondering. Not all coffee is created equally. It will hit anyone BP or not differently at any given moment for no specific reason. I would just monitor you intake an see if it happens .. If it continues you may need to stop drinking it ( I know right? )

I am very happy to you around again !

[monochromatic]

I cut out caffeine because I had a few bad reactions.

I figure that anything that ups me up, will probably eventually bring me down, and thats just not worth it to me. sadly.

[Phoenix_1]

I had to cut out all coffee and caffeinated drinks for 4 years because they gave me panic attacks. Even now, I can't drink coffee or cola after lunch time because I get anxious and have insomnia.
Caffeine affects everyone differently. And every cup of coffee (unless you get it from the same source every time) has different amounts of caffeine in it.

[jesusplay]

**** happens.

Caffeine is a stimulant.

It can trigger panic/mania.

doesn't always.

[Alokin]

Originally Posted by comicgeek007

Just a couple of weeks ago I had the same amount of caffeine and nothing happened? I don't know.

I hear ya. I don't ALWAYS have problems with it, however, for unknown reasons sometimes I do. So I just steer clear.

[steelfang]

Since it wAs exam time you might have already felt anxious and the caffeine probably made it worse. I just had this same problem tonight which really sucks since caffeine used to make me euphoric. I had to drink and take a lot of zyprexa to come down from it...,