Caffeine! Wow. Trying to self medicate.

[Tiddler]

Turns out my mum has been drinking a can of coke at bedtime every night for years.

No great surprise as I’m convinced she has it.

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[billd]

Give me a diet coke an hour before bed time, and I fall asleep easily. (I never get rested sleep, but DO sleep straight through.)

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[trashman]

I can drink coke or coffee at bed time .I guess I am one of the lucky ones, when its bedtime I crash. thats good and bad .once my meds where off I am done and I crash like a stone . I like to rise early like 5am so by 8 or 9 pm I am still up but I am more like a sombee.at that point its no fun.

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[resipsa]

30 mg Adderall in the morning but that stuff takes 2 hours to kick in. I usually need a really big coffee or a Rock Star to feel awake. The liturature I have read says the caffeine interfers with the action of the Adderall or Dexedrine. Must have been written by someone who doesn’t have ADD.

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[Anonymous]

Another problem using caffeine is the dosages and frequency you have to take it to work wears down your adrenal glands pretty fast having to pump out all the adrenaline all the time. Took a couple years of heavy caffeine use but it put me in a worse situation than when I started.

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[Robbo]

It doesn’t always work, but tonight I’m drinking a mix of Earl Grey and peppermint tea. Peppermint for the belly ache. With caffeine I call it “the boomerang affect”, the trick is to not drink too much, usually about 1/3 cup of really good strong French roast. I’m not sure the earl grey has enough caffeine in it. but I know if I get my but in bed while I’m still sleepy there’s hope I can sleep well. Getting that second wind sucks, maybe I’ll try just a few sips of the strong coffee if I can’t get to sleep later. Exercise is a great help too. I know that focusing too much on the fact that I have add symptoms can make them worse, kinda like I’m getting a complex and it’s just me manufacturing my own misery. I wish I could figure out why the heck I do that. Or if I actually do… zzzzzz Thinkin! that’s my main problem. I wish I had a off switch like Data from Star Trek next generation. Wouldn’t that be great? It would help if I had a wife to turn me back on in the morning though huh? Ayyy,

A lot of my problem is plain ol discipline I think. Whoops, I thinked didn’t I? Umm thunk?

Thanks! a lot gang, I’m through.

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[laddybug3]

I had two cans of pop. Normally it is caffeine free, but somehow it slipped into my cart. Tomorrow I will be moody as heck but tonight I will get a good night sleep.

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[munchkin]

Caffeine is not my friend anymore with Concerta – it never does what I think it’s going to do. If I drink it in the morning, I race past all my newly learned rituals like making sure to eat breakfast, and end up with a horribly unplanned – busy but not productive – day. If I drink it in the afternoon, it makes me want to fall asleep, if I drink it right when my meds are wearing off – I think it actually smooths things out a little Still messing around to figure that part out. Sad about my best friend coffee – can’t do it on a whim anymore… drink at my own peril! Oh well – the price kept going up anyway… and didn’t I hear that poor kids have to pick the beans instead of going to school? There, I feel a little better now

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[Robbo]

The psychiatrist I have talked to once told me “if the caffeine seems to be working the Ritalin will work better” I have to remember that caffeine is not medicine, and self mediation is risky business. I’m becoming more open minded about real medication the more I read. Self discipline definitely has it’s place, but all I’m saying about that is for me it’s important to not rely on any single or even just a small group of solutions. For now it’s much more reading than writing.

I too have had some toxic parenting. Most parents of adders probably got very frustrated (a little bit of an understatement, huh?). I don’t owe them anything at all, not even a defense for their mistakes. I choose to “honor my mother and father” because I love them. Regardless of how some of the hardwired problems in my head got there. 3 older brothers 3 older sisters, half a dozen toxic teachers through school, fighting my way through misdiagnoses etc. etc. The problems I have are MINE, I own them and if they’re gonna get solved it’s ME who needs to get help solving them. ATz why eYm here catz.

Surprise! I’m done writing. Imagine dat?

***grin***

P.S. I just remembered to say, coffee can sometimes make me way too bouncing off the wallish, that hasn’t happened in very long time, Hmm, can’t remember the last time actually. Before I got honest with me about adhd, I didn’t drink much coffee. I got belly problems. Caffeine can be really awful to withdraw from. Those headaches are Bad Bad,meen. Too short acting maybe. We all have different medication needs probably. Especially with a mixed bag diagnosis like a lot of us have.

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[Anonymous]

I find espresso much easier on the tummy than drip coffee. Less acid I think. One or two little shots of espresso in some nice hot frothed vanilla soy milk, yum!

I try not to drink too much coffee. Makes me sweaty and jittery and is a delightful laxative.

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[trashman]

I love self mediacating . drinking tim hortons and smoking pot in the old days I would ,have..

been drinking beer instead. but is ok . now it would just put me to sleep. I think I an losing my mind.

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[Anonymous]

Wow….Pete P…….your back……Wooohoooo!!!! Missed ya, or we were posting on different threads……?????

Sorry to brake-in but when I saw Mr Puma….well………just had too!!!

Toofat

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[Anonymous]

Caffeine never gave me the jitters and kind of worked as a calming influence for me. But, I hate the headache I get if I’m withdrawing so I do my best to not drink it too often. Since I’ve started the Adderall I’m avoiding it for the most part. The problem is that I love very sweet and creamed coffee. It tastes so good, and smelling it makes me want some.

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[Anonymous]

sadly i agree about teh red bull i was hooked on those things and before i even realized or even considered adhd i called it my happy…sane drink…it made everything clearer but sadly it isnt healthy….it calmed me down but it did other bad effects on my health….most disagree with adderall and other stimulants but are they really wanting someone to self medicate with the red bull wear their heart out, smoke cigs or other things, or shoot up things……sadly some doctors believe this but as a healthcare personel i believe the lowest dose of the stimulant needed is the best versus someone doing things worse than FDA approved….yes they are bad but compared to the OTC counterparts….think otherwise. wish you the best and hope all goes well with your MD.

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[Anonymous]

Shammers49 as you know, for some folks benefits out weight the risks for stimulant meds………I don’t use meds myself but I have, when I was working…high pressure, high demand occupation. Mr Natural now,but………..”what ever gets you through the night”!!!

Toofat

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[Author]

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