I gathered that... so how does one get past that.

My fear is that I will end up on a years long course, of complaining to GPs. Not that that would be a problem, but in the meantime my general health is getting worse. I have already put on 5 kilos since this started, because I can't exercise, anymore.

OK, it is some time since I posted in this thread. 5 months on I still do not have a confirmed diagnosis. However I have been able to get my GP to prescribe Mestinon on a trial basis. The effect is dramatic.

But this thread is Mestinon vs Caffeine. Whilst these are subjective, and personal results I can know give some answers.

200mg caffeine tablet, claimed to be equivalent to 1 large strong cup of coffee.
CI effect is about the same as 5mg Mestinon.

I am now on 30mg Mestinon every 4 hours. To reach that level of effect with caffeine alone I would have been taking more than the reccommended daily dose, every 4 hours. Clearly that would have caused serious side effects.

But at least we now know... 200mg caffeine is approx equivalent in CI effect to 5mg Mestinon.

Mike,

I make a coffee drink with Almond Milk. I use a handful of Ghirardelli Classic White Chips, 12 ounces of Vanilla Almond Milk, and two table spoons of Nescafe Clasico Dark Roast instant coffee crystals. I blend in the Vitamix.

I usually poor into a glass and put the mixture in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes. You can also use more or less Ghirardelli chips to make it more or less sweet.

-Mark-

I just love the old fashioned cup of coffee.
Mike

No, JJ, we don't know!

You can't say that your experiment will work with all MGers. We are all "variable" given how MG is. To measure a constant against a variable doesn't work.

http://www.apelslice.com/books/97806...id4636650.html

You have to take into consideration all constants and variables (i.e., varying strengths of coffee). Even then, you'd have to involve a large group of MGers to test that theory.

I'm glad Mestinon is working for you.

I like my coffee organic, black, and hot. Simple and yummy.

Annie

I love coffee and I drink it every day. It does seem to help me feel better.

The issue with using it instead of mestinon for me is that caffeine crosses the blood/brain barrier whereas mestinon does not to any appreciable degree. If I try to drink coffee late at night, I won't sleep at all. Mestinon helps me breathe during my sleep.

A smattering of articles on what caffeine does.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20164568

http://worldofcaffeine.com/caffeine-...otransmitters/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7154859

http://www.news-medical.net/health/C...rmacology.aspx

And an article on why they are still arguing over whether Mestinon crosses the BBB (particularly the hypothalamus). But, of course, we aren't mice.

http://www.jmedcbr.org/issue_0601/Cool/Cool_10_08.html

Lots of variables can probably effect both.

Annie

Hi Annie,

I did state; Though perhaps I should have been clearer about that.

Having made that proviso, I still think that my subjective and personal results are interesting. I would welcome other people testing this, BUT, there are very few people who would be in a situation where such a test was possible or advisable.

What is also, I think, interesting is that, I am now on 30mg Mestinon every 4 hours... that works fine. By my estimation to have a similar effect purely with caffeine, would require 1200mg. That would be in one dose a daily overdose. Repeating that would cause serious side effects, possibly fatal.

It also suggests that the effect of a cup of coffee is relatively small, and should not have a vast effect on MGers.