Sorry if it's a silly question, but is it the coffee or the caffeine?

Can you still have some green tea or does that give you tummy troubles too?

Hi Lara!

I officially authorize you to say "I told you so!" because you asked about reflux and I said, oh no, can't be that, no way, or something... lol. Well, jury's out on whether it explains all the fizziness and prickliness and mouth and eye tearing... but imho it could be the indirect cause. It is definitely present however! (It turns out, it explains other, unrelated symptoms that I definitely have -- chest pain, cough.)

It's coffee and caffeine, both but the caffeine is a big culprit. I'm still looking into how bad decaf actually is, but I'm not too interested in drinking decaf by itself anyway, unless we can find a really good brand. Half-caf still tastes relatively normal to me. If I have to cut out all of the regular coffee, I'll drink something different.

My best guess is that green tea is ok.... when I feel like having it I suppose I'll find out. I am not having it often enough at the moment to worry about it though.

In terms of other beverages, there are many I can have, but coffee is the one I'll miss. Eventually, if I find I can't have it at all, I'll definitely miss tea as well. Coffee is the biggie right now because I literally "use" it like drug.

When I get into a tea mode, I'll drink tea, say in the affternoon and no coffee. However, if I need a caffeine fix then, I will drink A BOATLOAD of tea.. and I can't exactly do that any more, either. With green tea, it would take rivers of it to get that much caffeine.... lol.

Good to see you. I was going to PM you to invite you to tell me I told you so, LOL.

waves

Interesting.

I had a hiatus hernia diaphragm repair way back when I was 27. I had a faulty valve at the bottom of my oesophagus where it meets the stomach. Main symptom of many was reflux.

That's maybe why I thought of reflux with your other problems.

I drank dandelion tea for years. Most people I know can't stand it, but I don't mind the fact it tastes a little like coffee and it's nutty.

I tend to live on the cliff face of anxiety, always have, so I am pretty careful how much caffeine I consume.

I loathe the taste of green tea for some reason but occasionally I drink it. That may be because I drank copious amounts of "proper" green tea when on trips to Japan years and years ago. I can still taste the earthy pungent aroma just thinking about it.

I drink 2 cups of coffee every morning. No caffeine after 10am. Strict rules I set myself.
I tend to wake up and start reading medical journals so I need the coffee for that.

I love tea. I buy a very good local tea that's low in tannin and caffeine and I have one of those mid afternoon. Sometimes I replace my morning coffee with tea but use something stronger, like a breakfast tea or an earl grey or something nice.

If I stop the coffee altogether I get headaches. That was my thought about you in the beginning and if you can substitute one of the coffees for green tea so that you don't end up getting withdrawal headache.

You don't sound as if you drink much though. I've heard of people who consume 10 or more a day. yikes.

another thought... I wonder if it's the Tannin that is the problem for you. Just thinking.

Lara,

Oh my, so you've had some adventures! Does the reflux still act up then, do you have to take medication from time to time or watch your diet?

Dandelion tea, huh? I'll have a look see if I can find it... If I find I MUST do without coffee. (I'm hoping it won't come to that! )

I do get withdrawal headaches if I stop suddenly, but not if I stop slowly. Have you tried stopping slowly? Not saying you should stop... by all means enjoy your coffee if you can!

That was funny about your hating green tea but drinking it now and then... memories of Japan perhaps, lol! I do enjoy green tea, but admittedly I've never been to Japan! Do you like the green tea served in restaurants (eg Chinese)?

Black tea-wise, we normally keep English Breakfast. We used to get Orange Pekoe, but we've had some trouble with tea, since Twinings changed where they get it from -- it tastes sort of funny now... or just blander. We get specific store brands that somewhat resemble the "old" Twinings. We can't get a lot of name-brand teas here (I'm not in a tea-drinking country, lol), and the off-brands pretty much only make English Breakfast. Other kinds are hard to find, so good thing we like English Breakfast!

I quite like Earl Grey but I prefer having a little milk in my tea.

2 cups of coffee a day is not much, no, but I need to get back to that, and hopefully reduce to 1 cup for a while. Lately it's been upwards of 4 cups a day, which is really a bit much regardless of reflux. When my sleep is off and I have to stay awake for an appointment or whatever reason, I easily consume 6 or 7 cups. I make it medium strength but I use a large mug, easily over 150-200 mg caffeine per "cup". It's quite a bit. I don't know what I'll do to manage acute sleep deprivation without caffeine.

waves

Waves,



I have a stupid question.
Would something along the lines of No-Doze help in some regards?



There might be some good brands.

[/QUOTE]
Coffee is the biggie right now because I literally "use" it like drug. [/QUOTE]

O.K.
Now I get it. You have explained this before but because I do not drink coffee I remember the point and then am reminded.

For a good drug, you need to get one of those guys to 'script you some Adderall or Ritalin, or the new (too expensive for me) Vyvanse.

This way you can still one or two (full or half) cups of coffee a day and get something for the caffeine effect.

(I am talking aloud here so as to re-understand.)

Mari

Lara,

You'rr a right about dandelion tea -- not delicious . I thought that people only drink it for the diuretic effect.

Hubby has learned about what happens when one discontinues coffee suddenly. Lately he has been checking with me about his close to one coffee a day routine. If he forgets to drink it, I remind him.


Re green tea: I find some awful and some lovely.
For me, the brand matters.
The same goes with white tea -- although I bought one that is only so so because it was cheap and organic.

GOod question about the Tannin because I am wondering also if something else is going on.

M

Waves,

Keep trucking and holding on (don't know how one can do both but you get my point).

Mari

Ideal....

if the problem isn't the caffeine. I find conflicting data on this, but recommendations are to stay away from all caffeinated bevs, so I'm thinking caffeine has something to do with it.

NO-Doz is I believe 100mg caffeine per pill. I ate a whole pack of it one night in college,, on top of several 20-oz coffees. I was falling asleep still, but walking like a stick figure, in stiff, jerky movements. I was glad when that wore off. Not a posittive chemical enhancement.

Then I have the problem of, do they have caffeine pills here. I have to ask at the pharmacy but I am too embarrassed. Next time I go out I'll see if I can find a pharmacy I never have to go to again... where I can ask.

Yes. I don't know if the folks will go for that. I hope not to have to go there myself.


Hmmm, we best not get into my idea of a good drug, lol.

As far as the psycch drugs, no respectable doc will rx them on an "as needed for sleep deprivation" basis.

Let's just hope I can tolerate a couple cups of coffee. And the sleep deprivation... well... cross that bridge when I come to it. Might just have to choke down a lot of antacids and indulge on the coffee!

Nope. No problems whatsoever regarding the reflux. The problem was purely mechanical. Once the valve was fixed and the diaphragm tightened up all was fine. [sounds a bit like a car tune-up lol]. It was a massive operation back then though. ugh. These days it would have been done with keyhole surgery.

I need it to function at 5am
If a doctor told me not to drink my 2 two little cups per day I'd stop but I love the smell, the taste and the effect.

I drink it but don't love it.
I don't mind it with vegetarian sushi rolls, but I do drink it with a strange look on my face.

My daughter uses one called "steamed green tea". It isn't too bitter.
It's about the only one I can enjoy a little bit.


There is a White Tea. I remember buying it once. It was very pale. I didn't mind it but I prefer a full bodied black tea.

There are specialist tea stores now. You can go along and get a mix if you like or just buy a little bag. Black Caravan, Orange Pekoe (which I love) and also herbal blends with hibiscus and all sorts of other things. Sooo expensive though!

My daughter has a paradoxical response to coffee. It makes her sleepy.
Green tea does not. She studies most of day and depending on the time of year, day and night, so she finds the green tea helpful during her slumps which are often.

Thanks, and yes.