Posted January 07, 2008 08:44 AM
Does anyone out there relate to me? I suffer from anxiety in a huge way. I'm on medication, which I'm changing to a new med because this isn't working any longer. But this med I'm taking just takes off the bite. I have to remember back before medication and my anxiety put me in a ball in bed, shaking, terrified and couldn't function. But I feel my anxiety, and so that I'm able to function to take care of my babies, I take some Xanax and then I have to drink coffee to wake up from the Xanax. But I have to take the Xanax in order to be able to function because my anxiety paralyses my functioning. I've been in therapy for years and have read
Anxiety, Xanax and Coffee
-
Guest
I also take Xanax, but mainly to relieve my Burning Mouth Syndrome. I fall asleep and ususly non-functioning which adds to my depression. I try to keep awake with coffee, but that only adds to the anxiety which I believe increases the BMS. The BMS disables me and sleep is my only relief except for the pills I take during the day. I'm in a rut and can't get out. If anyone else has a remedy for BMS, please let me know. It's a chronic pain along with my major depression and anxiety. I've been told that I will most likely have to be on an anti-depress. the rest of my life. My case, it's runs in my family-passed on thru my father. Is is true that with major depression, medication will be a life-long ordeal? So, how much will the program help me?
Hi Tracy,
I read your posting and can relate to it. I took Xanax for a while and noticed that I woould get moody when it was wearing off. I only took one a day and refused to take another. I agree it did take the edge off and I was functioning better. I would drink several cups of coffee in the morning to wake up. I decided before ordering the program that I was going to get off Xanax, I guess I wanted to try it on my own because I didn't want to depend on meds. I also felt that my anxiety was going to still be there with the meds so I took myself off. I enrolled in the program in Novemeber and the program has helped tremendously. I reduced my caffeine and got off all caffeine the beginning of this week. What a difference being off caffeine. My anxiety has decreased, I am not on edge and I feel better. I didn't think I could get off the caffeine but I would rather give up the caffeine and help the anxiety. You would not believe the effect caffeine has on anxiety. I have nothing against taking meds, I guess I was strong enough to take myself off. It was hard at first, but I kept focused on getting rid of the anxiety, no matter what. If you can decrease your caffeine it will help. I drink decaf and I don't mind it. Believe me getting off caffeine was the best thing. I will do anything it takes to rid me of the horrible anxiety. I wish you the best
Sincerely
Gene
I read your posting and can relate to it. I took Xanax for a while and noticed that I woould get moody when it was wearing off. I only took one a day and refused to take another. I agree it did take the edge off and I was functioning better. I would drink several cups of coffee in the morning to wake up. I decided before ordering the program that I was going to get off Xanax, I guess I wanted to try it on my own because I didn't want to depend on meds. I also felt that my anxiety was going to still be there with the meds so I took myself off. I enrolled in the program in Novemeber and the program has helped tremendously. I reduced my caffeine and got off all caffeine the beginning of this week. What a difference being off caffeine. My anxiety has decreased, I am not on edge and I feel better. I didn't think I could get off the caffeine but I would rather give up the caffeine and help the anxiety. You would not believe the effect caffeine has on anxiety. I have nothing against taking meds, I guess I was strong enough to take myself off. It was hard at first, but I kept focused on getting rid of the anxiety, no matter what. If you can decrease your caffeine it will help. I drink decaf and I don't mind it. Believe me getting off caffeine was the best thing. I will do anything it takes to rid me of the horrible anxiety. I wish you the best
Sincerely
Gene
Originally posted by Tracy1:
Posted January 07, 2008 08:44 AM
Does anyone out there relate to me? I suffer from anxiety in a huge way. I'm on medication, which I'm changing to a new med because this isn't working any longer. But this med I'm taking just takes off the bite. I have to remember back before medication and my anxiety put me in a ball in bed, shaking, terrified and couldn't function. But I feel my anxiety, and so that I'm able to function to take care of my babies, I take some Xanax and then I have to drink coffee to wake up from the Xanax. But I have to take the Xanax in order to be able to function because my anxiety paralyses my functioning. I've been in therapy for years and have read
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
-
Guest
I'm with GeneJr. on this. I've been anxious ball of nerves all my life, self medicating and then medicating with Lexapro and Klonopin. Meanwhile, using caffeine to 'lift' me out of melancholy, boredom, and tiredness. Then I went into full blown depression this last fall. I ordered this program which told me to give up the caffeine. Me! I used to get cups of coffee when I was a child as a treat! Needless to say, I was as addicted to it as you can be, but I did it. Completely. I drink decaf tea and coffee only. I'm less anxious, less moody, more energetic, and have less trouble sticking to weight loss programs. It's tough in the beginning, but if I can do it, anyone can. I promise you will feel better. Maybe then, you could start cutting down on meds, and even go off at some point. This program is really working for me. Good luck.
-
Guest
i just recently gave up coffee chocolate and anything with caffeine its was hard because of the headaches that i had at first but then i noticed when i had to work 16 hour shifts, while all my co workers were downing cups of coffee i would drink juice and water my endurance to get through our 16 hour shifts was a whole lot better than everyone else that was drinking coffee. i have also noticed im not as snappy and i dont get headaches as much as i use to. i do miss chocolate tho it almosts brings a tear to my eye when i see it in the store and cant have it but its worth not feeling anxious. im so tense with this anxiety disorder that with coffee it impossible for me to do the relaxtion cd i think getting off of caffeine is part of recovery
-
Guest
hi Tracy,
can you split the Xanax so it doesn't make you drowsy (just takes the edge off?)?
also, i've never been a big coffee drinker, but i haven't been having as much chocolate lately, as a budget thing, and i notice a big difference for the better.
and don't tell them i said this, but my sister and mom have been drinking a lot more coffee lately and they have been a lot edgier. i know that's not scientific, but, it was really weird especially during the holidays.
can you split the Xanax so it doesn't make you drowsy (just takes the edge off?)?
also, i've never been a big coffee drinker, but i haven't been having as much chocolate lately, as a budget thing, and i notice a big difference for the better.
and don't tell them i said this, but my sister and mom have been drinking a lot more coffee lately and they have been a lot edgier. i know that's not scientific, but, it was really weird especially during the holidays.
-
Guest
-
Guest
Hi everyone,
I, too, drank coffee heavily (there's a shop right next to my work) and I was having serious anxiety issues. In the second week of the program I decided to cut coffee out of my diet (cold turkey, which you aren't supposed to do). For a week, I was a hurting unit.. but after a while, it got easier and I switched to "tricking myself" with decaf. It helps immensely! I don't have as much trouble sleeping at night, and at work I'm not so "go, go, go" all the time - that used to send my anxiety spinning out of control!
As far as the Xanax goes, Tracy, I would suggest taking half a pill, like MC Grace suggested. Once you have split it, don't resort to caffeine to wake you up. Get a juice or something that will increase your electrolites and give you more HEALTHY energy. Coffee, sadly, is a route to a disasterous day of anxiety.
P.S. I noticed that when I DID want a coffee because I had low energy, and I chose to get decaf, my body would still respond! I believe I have fully tricked my body into believing that it's still regular coffee, hehe. I guess it became such a habitual thing that my body, once tasting what MUST be real coffee, decided to wake itself up. It's a placebo effect!
I, too, drank coffee heavily (there's a shop right next to my work) and I was having serious anxiety issues. In the second week of the program I decided to cut coffee out of my diet (cold turkey, which you aren't supposed to do). For a week, I was a hurting unit.. but after a while, it got easier and I switched to "tricking myself" with decaf. It helps immensely! I don't have as much trouble sleeping at night, and at work I'm not so "go, go, go" all the time - that used to send my anxiety spinning out of control!
As far as the Xanax goes, Tracy, I would suggest taking half a pill, like MC Grace suggested. Once you have split it, don't resort to caffeine to wake you up. Get a juice or something that will increase your electrolites and give you more HEALTHY energy. Coffee, sadly, is a route to a disasterous day of anxiety.
P.S. I noticed that when I DID want a coffee because I had low energy, and I chose to get decaf, my body would still respond! I believe I have fully tricked my body into believing that it's still regular coffee, hehe. I guess it became such a habitual thing that my body, once tasting what MUST be real coffee, decided to wake itself up. It's a placebo effect!
-
Guest
My progress without caffeine
I have been off caffeine for almost 2 weeks now. I have noticed that I have more energy then I did before giving up caffeine. I have accomplished so many goals over the last couple of weeks. I don't find tasks to be as difficult as I did before the caffeine. Sometimes I will think about doing a task which sometimes brings on the "I don't feel like doing it thought"...but then I find myself just doing it without even realizing it. The more things I accomplish, the more I want to do. I did not get off caffeine cold turkey. I decreased it a little at a time. I did not have headaches, thank God. Hope all is doing well
I have been off caffeine for almost 2 weeks now. I have noticed that I have more energy then I did before giving up caffeine. I have accomplished so many goals over the last couple of weeks. I don't find tasks to be as difficult as I did before the caffeine. Sometimes I will think about doing a task which sometimes brings on the "I don't feel like doing it thought"...but then I find myself just doing it without even realizing it. The more things I accomplish, the more I want to do. I did not get off caffeine cold turkey. I decreased it a little at a time. I did not have headaches, thank God. Hope all is doing well