[juliejayne]

Since I am not yet diagnosed, I have no access to Mestinon. However I do know that Caffeine has helped me in the past.

So my question is, can anyone say what the Mestinon/Caffeine equivalence is. I see people reporting 60mg Mestinon 3-5 times per day.

Caffeine pills are 200mg. Can anyone say what that would equate to in Mestinon?

[pingpongman]

I just drink a lot of coffee. It really helps me.
Mike

[juliejayne]

The trouble with drinking coffee, is that you never know how much caffeine you are getting from one cup to the next. Different coffees, different brewing methodology etc etc. Even when you make it yourself it can vary from cup to cup.

And most people add sugar and milk.. absolutely not good for you, whether you have MG or not!

[limpy]

I used to drink extra coffee in the afternoons before I knew what was wrong. It eventually was not enough to pep me up. The problem with a lot of caffeine, for me anyway, is that it produces the jitters and can make the heart race, a very uncomfortable feeling for me.

[juliejayne]

Quite correct Limpy. It took me all day to drink enough espresso to get the jitters, but it does happen and some people are more sensitive than others.

[southblues]

I would be very cautious about caffeine pills. You can overdose and kill yourself with them. A good cup of coffee is a great thing though.

[juliejayne]

Due to my history in the industry, I cannot drink coffee anymore. I am used to Fresh roasted, quality coffee, and the rubbish that is served or sold just gives me a bad stomach.

Caffeine pills on the other hand are precise. The recommended max dosage is 5 x 200mg, and I do not intend to get back to that level, as I find that reducing the dosage causes me withdrawl symptoms. Still 1 or 2 a day gives me just enough energy to get to the shops and back.

[drpdhmr]

This is an apples and oranges comparison in that caffeine will certainly give you an energy boost, but Mestinon is used to improve muscle strength and works by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine in your body that is needed for normal muscle function.

Personally, I use both!

[juliejayne]

Caffeine works in the same way as Mestinon, so you should always be careful adding caffeine to your existing meds.

[bny806]

I gotta have my caffine in the morning... LEMS is high on my list of diagnosis, and I get IVIG for it.. Too much caffine can make me jittery, and therefore feel weaker (just like an adrenaline surge will make me oddly weak and unable to do much for 15 minutes).. but as long as I am smart about it then it makes me feel a ton better!