Does caffeine make your symptoms worse?

[3uph0riabunnyfac3]

I've been wondering about this for a while because almost all of us have horrible fatigue, which leads to caffeine consumption, does that lead to worsened symptoms for anyone else? My cog fog will get a lot worse, among other things. Any similar thoughts/experiences?

[Hawkeye]

Like most things "MS," I happen to be affected just the opposite of what you've experienced.

Coffee is important... almost a medicine... for me.

I try to keep my intake to 4 cups a day or so, but have used as many as 10 when the situation and the way I feel dictate it.

I have experienced no increase in symptoms even with higher use, and in fact refer to it as "thinking potion" when I need to feel a bit sharper or to fight fatigue.

It seems to me that MS is the most individual disease of anything in the world. We're all affected SO differently!

[mommyto3angels]

not for me

Maybe I'm just lucky but caffiene doesn't affect me at all. I't kinda sucks to tho but it doesn't even give me energy lol. The only thing that makes me feel nasty is enery drinks. I can drink the lil 5 hour energy shots occasionlly but the ones in a can yuck!!! I don't think it's the caffiene tho it's the aspertiene I stay away from that nasty ingredient. But it's the same things with diet sodas, I can't drink those either without feeling yucky.

Caffiene is my friend I drink coffee every morning and sodas I used to drink daily. Now I'm trying to live healthy so I'm laying off the sodas but still sneak them in occasionlly

[floatingurboat]

As a caffeine addict myself I thought it would be appropriate to respond here. Caffeine doesn't make most of my issues worse, but at the same time I have some bladder issues (problems voiding in a timely fashion) and it's really not so great for that, caffeine makes me have to pee all the time. Maybe if you feel like caffeine is making your symptoms worse than it might be a good idea to talk to your neurologist or your primary care doctor about fatigue medications? I cut way back on my caffeine intake for the reason listed above and my neurologist had to problem giving me provigil to help combat my fatigue. Vitamin B is also helpful with fatigue issues, though may not be enough which is my issue, I still take them but the real thing that helps is the provigil and the occasional cup of coffee. Hope you wake up soon!

~Elly

[there]

Nope, makes me feel better.

[KateA2]

yes, caffeine makes my symptoms 10x worse. I get heat flashes, palpitations, vertigo, exacerbated nerve pain, nauseated, etc. I stay AWAY from caffeine. If I'm tired I nap, even 15 minutes is like rain on a wilted lettuce!

I noticed I couldn't tolerate caffeine starting around age 30 (used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee or a few espressos/day).

Strangely enough, alcohol has a similar effect *wah!* I supposed if I really wanted to unwind I could always take my evening neurontin dose an hour or two earlier *EyeRoll* :O)

There is a fantastic teashop in town, where I buy wonderful herbal or decaf teas...I've even converted some of the die-hard coffeeheads at work to tippling a bit now and then.

[BlessedWyoMom]

I get it

Recently I began wondering whether my caffeine consumption (a bad combination of coffee & Diet Pepsi) is making me feel worse. For a while I wondered if it was the aspartame in the Diet Pepsi, so I shied away for it for a period of time and started drinking more coffee instead. I found that the coffee was worse, so that's why I also think that the caffeine might have something to do with it.

I deal with moderate anxiety, as well, and I think that the caffeine also increases my anxiety, so I guess I'm giving myself a double whammy when I drink too much caffeine.

[BlessedWyoMom]

Me, too!

I noticed I couldn't tolerate caffeine starting around age 30 (used to drink 3-4 cups of coffee or a few espressos/day).

Strangely enough, alcohol has a similar effect *wah!*

I am 34, so maybe part of it is related to whatever happens to our hormones as we enter our 30s.

Also, I cannot tolerate alcohol either. I'm not much of a drinker (at least not since college, anyway), but it's would be nice to have a cocktail or glass of wine every now and again without feeling terrible.

[Cat Mom]

Caffeine makes me shake really badly so gave it up, along with my beloved Diet Pepsi, 7 years ago. I don't like coffee, just tea.

On that note... the price of decaff tea is insane, at least twice the amount of regular tea! What's up with that?
Jen

[4boysmom]

Caffeine=lifesaver! for me anyway

[Quetseli]

It is so true that each of our MS experiences are so different! In my case, coffee is one of the keys to my daily treatment plan. Only coffee will work, not just any old caffeine. Any kind of soft drink never ever ever goes into my mouth. Here again, most people drink soda with no problem. It throws me almost immediately into a tailspin and the next day is exactly like or even worse than back in the days when I lived a lifestyle that included hangovers. Anyway, as far as coffee goes, I drink very strong espresso-like coffee every morning. My daily intake is about 6 cups by lunchtime, along with lots of water all day. This does not make me shaky, but seems to act as a catalyst for everything else to work together in harmony to give me the best health I can have. If we happen to run short of coffee, it becomes a total health emergency. I carry extra any time I travel just in case.

[there]

Of course, I should have added everything in moderation. I don't care for any carbonated beverages so don't get caffein there and I don't drink drip coffee, I just have a couple of espressos every day before noon and they make me feel better, just as a glas of wine aday does, but two do not.

[candycane]

Caffeine makes me feel better