[lenjan]

I'm new to this stuff, so bear with me....but does anyone have trouble with caffeine? I've been trying to cut back on it, but had a couple of cups of coffee this afternoon and am feeling it. I've been pretty anxious the last couple days, but not particularly either "speeded up" or "way down," and I notice that I am both in spades right now. (I hate that!) The "speeded up" stuff had been diminishing, but, well, I won't tell you what I want to do right now to make it stop, but I need it to stop.

I've been getting plenty of sleep, even if I don't want to, so that shouldn't be affecting anything. And I haven't cut out caffeine entirely, just reduced how much I take in.



Candy

[biplol]

{{{Candy}}} I wish I could help you, but I'm not a big fan of caffeine. Actually I drink decaf coffee, the regular one just give me terrible headaches.
I hope you can find the "middle" in all this. I'm sure you are still pretty overwhelmed about the whole new dx, I'm here hon, anytime~

[lenjan]

Well, I've been back on the Risperdal about 3 weeks now, and I had begun to notice a TINY, tiny bit of improvement in how I was feeling. But this last week or so, I've been either bored or depressed (or both) enough to go to bed at some ridiculous hour, like 7:30 - 8 pm. I wake up at 6:30 a.m., barely in enough time to get to work, and I feel like I haven't slept in days -- absolutely exhausted and unrefreshed. The worst part of whatever this episode is has been the speeded-up feeling in my head that just makes me want to explode. It's the most uncomfortable I've ever been, and it slowly had been starting to settle down, and now it's back with a vengeance.

I see the pdoc again Feb. 14. I know meds take forever to work, but can anybody give me any hope, or am I just doomed to be batshite-crazy forever?

Candy

[Pughead]

Lately, I've been going over my "limit" for caffeine, but it doesn't seem to do anything. It doesn't matter how much sleep I get at night, I'm still tired during the day. And the caffeine doesn't seem to do much at all.

But, I've also had times where the caffeine makes me feel super speeded up.

Do you think the caffeine is speeding you up and then the hard part is the "crash" back down when the caffeine leaves your system?

[lenjan]

That could be it, yeah. I took the mania and depression quizzes this morning and scored higher on depression than on mania, which is about right (and a complete turnaround from a month ago). But throughout this manic episode I've had this feeling in my head -- hard to explain. Kind of like when you sip champagne and feel the bubbles explode in your mouth? I get that bubbly feeling in my head. That's what the caffeine brought back yesterday, and I still have it today. It hadn't gone away entirely, but since starting the new med it had lessened considerably. And now it's back full force.

I suppose it probably really doesn't have anything to do with anything, but it's soooooo uncomfortable and that's what I notice!



Candy

[onlymedid]

For me, I stopped caffeine all together for a bit. It really helped with everything. I had way less anxiety, no shakes, no headaches, more sleep, just overall feeling better. I only went back to it because I am on meds now that help to make anxiety better so caffeine doesn't do as much to me anymore.

[babs92]

For me caffeine makes me very anxious so I try and cut down as much as I can. But here in the UK and a nation of tea drinkers, I do like my tea!! Hardly ever have coffee. Hope you feel better soon Candybear.

[January]

(((((((( Candy ))))))))

Caffiene can really have a bad effect on BP if you don't have the meds to counteract it. Cutting back will help you with the "rushed" feeling in yourself. Also, no chocolate or red food dye.

Hugs,

Jan

[lenjan]

WAAAAAH, don't take away my chocolate!!! LOL

But you know what? I just got home from a cafe with my nephew. I had a mocha, and I am feeling it bigtime!

Man. What pleasures do I have left, without coffee and chocolate?!?!

[January]

I don't know. I'm in the same boat. I just had some delicious plain soda crackers.

Hugs,

Jan

[froggie2]

Hi cb . I love my coffee and chocolate. I started to wean myself off coffee awhile ago although I haven't been strict about it. What I have noticed is that as i have come off the coffee i really feel the shakes and anxiety when I do have it. I never noticed that before also I don't crave carbs as much.

click on garfield.

[undertheradar]

If I did not have double lattes and diet Rock Stars I would sleep all the time from my meds. The caffeine does not seem to stress me out, I DO.

[lenjan]

Oh dear.

So is even decaf off-limits? Because I had a couple cups tonight, and I feel like complete crap.

And maybe I should start another thread for this, but does lack of sleep affect it too?

I gotta say, I liked being plain-vanilla depressed a lot better. At least I understood it.

CB

Hi Candybear,
I don't know much about being bi-polar but I can tell you that caffeine effects me big time.
Watch out for Excederine and Midol and any other pain relieving medicines, they have caffeine in them, too.
You can switch to carob instead of having chocolate. It may be harder to find but it beats feeling all spazzed out on caffeine.
Hope you're doing well in your own apartment. (yippeee!)

[darkeyes]

Many good points here on bipolar and caffeine, but it's not always "black and white", bipolar or not, caffeine can have different to no effects on people, it can interfer with some meds.
It also can affect people in positive ways, it's really an individual's physical makeup that will determine one's reaction to the stuff. I, and many others in the world can actually drink a lot of coffee and feel hardly any stimulation, while others can have just about a spoon of it and they feel wired.
There are times when it will have a stimulant effect for me, and then just the opposite, so for me it's not a "definate" problem.
I guess it's like that old saying goes, about things in moderation . . .
Check with your doc, and rule out if it's interacting with your meds, or if you need any changes in your meds. sometimes dosages are more of a culprit than a simple thing like caffeine.

Make mine with a double-shot of espresso,please!

Take care

[Meta]

Hi Candybear,

I relate. Chocolate and caffeinated tea would be two of my 3 desert island foods if I had to choose. A med change this summer, made caffeine have all kinds of negative effects. I am now drinking tea with 4 decaffeinated teabag--with less it is tasteless to me, and that seems to be okay for me. When I've run out of decaf I have tried a cup with one reg teabag and and I feel hot and agitated. I think our body chemistry and functioning must change too with time. There was a time when I had two or three regular cups of tea before bedtime and slept like a baby. Obviously no more!

Meta

[lenjan]

I am bringing this back up because I still haven't figured this out!

It took 6 weeks or so, but finally got the mania under control. The last few weeks, though, I've been getting really depressed. Called pdoc, changed meds, go back tomorrow, thank god.

The last few days I have had a fair amount of coffee -- 2-3 cups a day. I am now both incredibly weepy and sad and incredibly speeded up (in a variety of manners!). Up to Thursday or so I wasn't manic at all! And now I feel it in a big way. I take the quizzes here once a week. Last Monday I scored a 5 on the mania quiz (meaning it was nonexistent) and today I scored a 24! (mild to moderate mania)

Is it really possible for 3 or 4 days of caffeine to throw you into a manic episode?!?!?

I gotta say -- this stuff blows. My sympathies to all who suffer from it. Plain-vanilla depressed is much, much easier, imo!

Candy

[darkeyes]

I don't know, I think caffeine can effect people differently, like there are some people more sensitive to caffeine than others, some people may not have as high sensitivity.
I've never had caffeine jitters, only when I was about 12 or 13 and started drinking coffee going onto larger amounts, after that, I think one's body gets slightly immuned to it, at least I seemed to over years, now reaching 50, I've noticed it can keep me awake and restless in bed if I drink coffee late in the afternoon or evening.
I never had that, only now in the past couple of years.
Maybe your body doesn't have much tolerance to it, and I wouldn't say "yes" or "no" as to if this is causing extra problems. It is a stimulant, so if a person is sensitive to caffeine, I can see it winding someone up.
(((((( candy )))))))) I'm sending you many heartfelt wishes for luck,patience,healing and innerpeace with this all.
Past few months I've been so lethargic, docs and pdocs feel it's mostly due to the Hashimoto's and the thyroid nodules, already developed 2 new ones and I'll be seen again by endocrinologist soon, another ultrasound and then needle aspiration of the nodules to rule out any cancer.
But this physical stuff can mimic or contribute to depression.
Sorry for my latest soapbox rantings on thyroid disease, but because it is so common, it may be worth having a physical and/or bloodwork just to rule out if this can be part of what you are experiencing. Hyperthyroidism can mimic bipolar hypomania to full mania. Hypothyroidism can mimic bipolar and uni-polar depression(s).
Please take care now, and let us know how things go.

DE

[lenjan]

DE, when I had my lithium level checked last week, pdoc also did thyroid tests. I'll get results when I see her tomorrow.

You know that commercial, "Depression hurts"? It really does. I can attest to that. It hurts physically as well as emotionally. But this mania business is the most uncomfortable I have ever been with a mental illness. I have been depressed to the point of being hospitalized for it, but I have NEVER felt as weird and creepy and yucky as I have so far with mania! BAH HUMBUG.

Candy

[darkeyes]

(((((((( CB )))))))))
Hang in there, I'll be rooting for you, dear bear.
Take care now,
DE

[froggie2]

Hi Candybear I can relate. I cut the coffee out slowly since Christmas. After awhile if I had a cup of coffee I would really notice the jitters and anxiety feelings. Also i started to notice that without coffee i didn't crave sugar or carbs as much if at all. I also started wtih a lot of crying, wimpering,suicidal thoughts and my doctor has put me on lithium.But how do we know it isn't connected to coffee withdrawal?

[bizi]

jsut wondered if you are taking any antidepressants...they can sometimes cause problems for folks like us. Any chance this could be the culprit?
I wish you well.
bizi

[DaveyJones]

Caffeine, like alcohol and all the drugs we wish we were REALLY taking (lol) is something we need to moderate, as bad as I hate it. We have enough trouble with the pharmaceuticals we take... addding other things just muddies the pond, I'm afraid. For example, are my hands shaking because I had an extra coke, or is it the lithium? That's a piddly example, but you get the idea.

I hope things get better for you soon, Candy. It sounds like your pdoc is on it... be patient, be strong. Things will get better.

DJ

[lenjan]

Yup, I am on an antidepressant, have been for years, as that was my original problem -- the manic stuff only appeared recently (as in, the last 6 months or less!).

My thyroid turned out to be fine, so that's not the culprit.

Pdoc upped both lithium and Effexor and I go back in two weeks, again -- I'm getting way too used to the two-week plan!

In the meantime, I'm physically sick as a dog, so at least that's taking my mind off my mental health...

[darkeyes]

((((((((( candybear )))))))))
I'm sending you "get well" wishes, and positive energies your way.