[Ozisl]

So I, for health and budget reasons, need to find a new source of caffeine. The caveat is that I really hate coffee, can't do soda. Also, the main problem is waking up... on my meds, I am really sedated for even a few hours after I technically wake up. I was on 40 mg of Adderall, which did... nothing... any suggestions?

[Blue_Bird]

How about tea?

[Ozisl]

I am oblivious to the world of teas

[H3rmit]

Matcha, delicious powdered green tea. Mix it in a chocolate protein drink in the morning and both the protein and tea kick will do you well. Heck, maybe even just a high protein drink in the a.m. would help you.

Caveat, matcha is often expensive, but the cheapest real matcha is grown in Japan, re-sold through China. We googled and found how to order it.

BTW what was your caffeine source if not coffee or soda?

[Yoda]

They make caffeine pills but you have to be very careful not to overdose and have seizures.

[Ozisl]

Seizures are really something I can't risk, already on gabapentin.

I am strongly leaning tea... guess I just have to taste a bunch to see what I like, then?

[Lexi232]

teas a good suggestion.. i have found instant nestle tea with a whole lot of white sugar makes it taste good.

there are other meds like vyvanse (im on), and others that also are stimulants.
if you're really senstive to caffiene, then even eating chocolate would work. but that's pretty much the most mildest for of a stimulant.

theres also energy gum, and energy supplements (along with energy things that has the caffiene of what one cup of coffee would have - usually found in the mixed powdered drinks and fruit drinks and stuff in a store .. called Mio Energy or something like that..i have it, but never tried it yet.. its supose to be green apple tasting, but there are others to choose from too, and it can make a lot, so its much cheaper than most energy drinks.)

[StressedMess]

Caffeine is not my friend anymore. I used to start my day by standing over the coffeemaker with my eyes closed until I drank at least 1 mug. Throughout the day I relied on high-caffeine citrus soda, augmented with sweet tea occasionally. And of course I stayed exhausted all day, and suffered horrible insomnia every night.

I'm on low dose Adderall for focus and concentration. Having more than one cup of coffee daily makes it seem like I forgot to take my meds. Water and regular meals and barely any caffeine rev me up.

My sister has narcolepsy and takes 90mg Adderall daily. Her neurologist told her to maximize the perk-up power she should drink a lot of water, take each dose with a small meal/big snack, and avoid sweets and soda and other refined sugars. He expressly told her that her high-caffeine citrus soda habit would essentially negate the effects of the meds.

Not saying you didn't have good results, just saying to maximize effectiveness you may need to avoid caffeine instead of loading up on it.

Good luck!

[Lexi232]

Originally Posted by StressedMess

My sister has narcolepsy and takes 90mg Adderall daily. Her neurologist told her to maximize the perk-up power she should drink a lot of water, take each dose with a small meal/big snack, and avoid sweets and soda and other refined sugars. He expressly told her that her high-caffeine citrus soda habit would essentially negate the effects of the meds.

That's a very good point! I didn't know that about sweets and soda tho.. lol normally my meals in the morning is riddled with Cinnamon donuts, or fruit gummies, or poptarts, or other types of junkfood and sugary stuff...
However, when i dont eat (what is more common with me), it gets released all at one time, and seems to leave me all "blah" for the remainder of the afternoon/night.

[StressedMess]

Originally Posted by Lexi232

That's a very good point! I didn't know that about sweets and soda tho.. lol normally my meals in the morning is riddled with Cinnamon donuts, or fruit gummies, or poptarts, or other types of junkfood and sugary stuff...
However, when i dont eat (what is more common with me), it gets released all at one time, and seems to leave me all "blah" for the remainder of the afternoon/night.

Yep! I have a strong addiction to sugar, soda, and junk food. I'm better these days but I still indulge. I can tell the difference on days I skip it (clearer and more focused) and when I indulge (lethargic and slow) so I have to make better choices.

I take instant release, morning and noon, and do okay until around 3:00. If I'm busy and eating/drinking well, it's easier to make it through the day. Boo hiss!

Still love pop tarts and chocolate, not gonna stop, but now have them on weekends when I can be lazy!

[NWgirl2013]

Tea is the cheapest way to get the caffeine bump. Black Tea has caffeine, Green Tea does not. Teas from China are super strong, & often have other things added in that might make you jittery, IMO. Herbal Teas are great as medicinal drinks but usually are not caffeinated. Don't bother with instant teas, they taste terrible and are expensive for what you get. A big box of tea should last quite awhile and doesn't cost much.
My personal favorites are English or Irish Breakfast, morning & afternoon. Be sure to get the water to boiling before you brew your tea. That's the best way to make it.

[elevatedsoul]

i have a couple questions;

i drink alot of caffeine too trying to increase my focus and energy levels (probably higher than 400mg a day)
i've been curious about trying stimulants for some time now but too nervous to ask about it and just been hoping they would offer it to me which they haven't

my pdoc just took me off wellbutrin yesterday which he prescribed to help give me energy and more positive outlook on life which never worked for neither

so my question is, would my team possibly let me try them if i ask? if so how do i go about asking without sounding like im trying to tell them how to do their job or a junkie? i've heard of people using stimulants from losing for a whole slew of reasons(1 of the other reasons i want to be put on stimulant is they put me back on zyprexa and im scared about gaining the weight back)
id like to stop drinking so much caffiene beacuse i know its not good for me... any information would be highly appreciated

sorry if im intruding on your post!
only seeking help, thanks a million

[nilufar]

Just like other people suggested already, tea would be a good idea.

I would also recommend orange juice and fruits in general, that's what works for me and it's also very healthy, but I'm not sure if it wouldn't cost much more than coffee in the end.

[RRex]

Green tea does have caffeine, but the content is low.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Personally, I would just avoid using caffeine to gain energy; you don't need it. Ordinarily, if you eat healthily, exercise, and sleep properly, you should have plenty of energy. That said, I know how doing these things can be challenging, but I urge you to fight for those things, because it's worth it.

I workout in the morning, which, oddly, gives me energy throughout the day; as another plus, it kicks my metabolism into gear for the rest of the day. (cardio and resistance in the morning) Through the days, I'll walk to places, take hour or more treks with a weighted rucksack, and occasionally use my hand grip and my pullup bar to kick my body into gear. Granted, it's an obsession, for me, but one that is paying off. You don't need to go to the gym (I do it all from home and outdoors) and the equipment isn't too pricey, subjectively speaking - exercise bikes, weight sets, protein shakes, and so on are the things that can cost quite a bit, though.

Ordinarily, you don't need a ton of sugary crap, nor do you need caffeine, IMO. I almost fell into the trap of thinking I needed energy drinks for energy and because I felt like they made me more confident or something; that was nonsense, of course, in hind-sight. I recommend that you stay away from those sugary energy drinks, too.

Hope that helps someone.

My first thought was no doze but like you said there is a seizure risk so I wonder how you would respond to Guarana. It is a natural caffeine supposedly from what I have read but regular xaffeine probably is too. There is a gum I order on Amazon.com called "Jolt", it has caffeine and a nice minty flavor. Apparantly it was created for military folks who also could not always drink coffee. Worth a looksee and might be better than pills or tea if you just can't warm up to it. Good luck.

[StressedMess]

Originally Posted by elevatedsoul

i have a couple questions;

i drink alot of caffeine too trying to increase my focus and energy levels (probably higher than 400mg a day)
i've been curious about trying stimulants for some time now but too nervous to ask about it and just been hoping they would offer it to me which they haven't

my pdoc just took me off wellbutrin yesterday which he prescribed to help give me energy and more positive outlook on life which never worked for neither

so my question is, would my team possibly let me try them if i ask? if so how do i go about asking without sounding like im trying to tell them how to do their job or a junkie? i've heard of people using stimulants from losing for a whole slew of reasons(1 of the other reasons i want to be put on stimulant is they put me back on zyprexa and im scared about gaining the weight back)
id like to stop drinking so much caffiene beacuse i know its not good for me... any information would be highly appreciated

sorry if im intruding on your post!
only seeking help, thanks a million

Well, you describe your symptoms, tired, wired, lethargic, scattered, impulsive, hyper focus, hyperactive, somnolent, or whatever your symptoms are. Ask what could be causing the symptoms (aka side-effects, an underlying medical condition, etc.) and how it can be treated.

You will be red-flagged for drug seeking behavior if you ask "please put me on a stimulant." And, if you're worried about weight gain as a side effect, ask for diet medicine not ADHD medicine.

Being honest with your treatment team is the only way to go.

Good luck!!

*edited to add: Prozac gave me energy to get my depressed in bed for 12 months up and around. It also reduced my appetite and I stopped mindlessly eating, a lifelong habit I wasn't even trying to break. My Adderall does not make me energetic or antsy or "up" in any way, it just slows the thoughts down in my brain so I can grab a memory as necessary, and reason through things. Prozac might be much better for you than a stimulant.

Originally Posted by Ozisl

I am oblivious to the world of teas

Wait, what!?!?!?

As a Brit I find this astounding