Giving up/reducing coffee intake
 

Hi.

I am supposed to give up coffee due to GI problems. Probably I should give it up for good, but at least until symptoms subside.

I am SOO not up for it. :(:rolleyes: I am a TOTAL coffee addict! And I make no apology for that... I just don't want to give it up! I'm addicted to the taste, but I'm especially, and in a big way, addicted to the caffeine.
------------------------

I am not willing to go cold-turkey on the caffeine. (Actually, I tried... it isn't happening. :()
I know, I'm a total wuss. :( I do want to get well, but wow. Losing my coffee feels like I'm losing the air I breathe. :eek:
------------------------

So, anyway, as of today, I will be doing half-caf coffee. (I will make it with half decaf and half regular -- I use instant so I can vary proportions on the fly.) The intent is to make it weaker and weaker, and finally stop drinking it -- if necessary. I don't like decaf, but half-caf is drinkable... this can be a bridge.

I wanted a place where I could keep track of what I am doing with it, and any thoughts on the process... maybe even symptoms or the lack of them.

Thought welcome.

waves

I forget, is caffiene a trigger for your migraines?

No. Nothing to do with that.

I hear you Waves. I don't do everything a doctor tells me to do. I'll listen,and make the choice,or compromise,or flat out not do it.

The way I look at it is a doctor is just another person. He,or she is making a educated guess,but they could be wrong,or partially wrong.

A doctor telling you to stop drinking coffee is pretty drastic. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Yes, that is what I do, too. :) We have to think for ourselves... and in the end it is our bodies. IN this case, I'm kind of aware that I need to intervene on the coffee, but it is going to very hard for me. I've had to do it before... it is always very hard.
Yep, it feels reeeeeeally drastic! :D:eek:

It is documented that caffeinated coffee is supposed to be bad for people with reflux, but I think I tolerate it better than most. A few years back I had a problem where I couldn't tolerate lots of foods (caused pain). Coffee regular strength bothered me a little but 'weak' coffee felt ok. My stomach healed -- I was able to resume eating all foods -- so my watered down coffee must have been ok.

So yes, he could be "partially wrong" here -- I hope. He said that the no-no foods vary from one person to another, but that coffee is a no-no for all. Hmmm... methinks perhaps it less bad for some than for others? Mehopes! :D I might be overly optimistic because I dont' want to let go of it. We will see how I fare with reduced/weaker coffee, like the last time.

It if I get used to less caffeine, it will be easier to stop if I need to. Lately I've been drinking tons of it, up to 4-5 cups a day. That's too much anyway. I am a true addict when it comes to caffeine. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the support, Steve. :) :hug::hug:

I figure I need some goals.

Working current goals are to:

1. consume no more than 2 cups per day of caffeinated coffee of the strength I've been using. (Later will reduce to 1 cup)

2. consume said amounts 'diluted' into multiple cups of half-calf or 1/3-caf coffee, rather than all at once.

-------------------------------
Today is Day #2 of 28, of the PPI medication.

So far I've had one cup of half-caf. Am about to make another, which will bring my caffeinated total to 1 cup out of 2 allowed.

-------------------------------
While I'm cutting down, in order to minimize the impact on my stomach, I am mostly taking my coffee without sugar (I still use milk if drunk hot). I don't want to make this a rule, so I can have a sweet cup every now and then, but will be careful with those.

waves

Waves,


He was pretty emphatic about how coffee does this to all. I wonder if he is right. I mean we are supposed to believe statements like that.
Well.


Your coffee plan is good.


You love coffee.
Will you miss it?

Mari

Kind of. He was too black-and-white about it, considering he said foods are "personal" -- some are easily as aggravating as coffee (eg citrus). He wasn't that emphatic in the sense that he was not even going to go there at all. He was done with me, after prescribing a gastroscopy and PPI. I asked about diet and specifically brought up coffee! So all his comments on coffee and food were in response. He didn't actually say to give up coffee, either.... which I may have miscommunicated here. That's more my own reasoning. The doc just indicated that it was bad for this kind of issue, in every case, across the board.

The stats do say coffee increases reflux. The dietary recommendations mostly say to limit coffee and alcohol, along with certain types of foods. Citrus, tomatoes are probably about as personal as coffee (high impact). For me they are probably even worse, honestly. 1 plan even said max one drink (alcohol) per day. Well, geez, for alcohol, we are only supposed to have that much anyway! I haven't seen suggestions for limiting the coffee, but less than 1 cup would be omitting, not limiting.

Common sense applies. The "limits" need to be personalized... down to zero if one notices symptoms at low consumption.

I have symptoms. I hadn't realized it, but I do. They need to be controlled. If I could cut coffee right out, yes, I would do that, because it really would be the best (safest) thing, and fastest way to get better. Not based on what doctor says... it's a known aggravant. I know from personal experience, too.

Limiting consumption, I do feel a bit restrained at 1 cup a day. I will feel limited in not being able to use caffeine as a drug/stimulant, to stay awake, basically.

If I have to give it up completely for any length of time -- oh yes, I will miss it, big time. Air I breathe, like I said.

waves

I apologize...
 

I apologize if this (or something else I said) was misleading. I believe I have given the impression that I'm following doctors orders re: the coffee. Not the case.

The doctor did not order me to give up coffee, nor even reduce it, nothing. Sorry if I caused confusion by relating his stance on coffee/caffeine.

I am aware that coffee, among other things, aggravates the health problem I have. I am making several dietary changes to get better fastter. I started the limitations/changes when the doctor gave me the PPI. Getting the medicine was an additional motivator for me. I want to facilitate the therapeutic effects of the medicine. This is only sensible.

None of these changes are particularly agreable to me, but all are manageable. Limiting coffee, on the other hand, is excruciatingly hard. Hence the thread.

waves

Coffee log -- 6/19
 

I drank two other cups of half-caf today (one when I woke up :rolleyes: in the afternoon, one after dinner). So, I've hit my quota for today. Assuming I don't drink any more (not a given, by any means :rolleyes:) I will not have exceeded the current limit. I will try to be good. ;)

I didn't eat ice-cream tonight. That was good. :)

waves

:o 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. :D

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. :o

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. :D

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! :o)

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! :D 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 :rolleyes: 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

I messed up the quotes. Too hard to fix. Will take me all night.
 

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. :o[/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. :eek: 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. :rolleyes: 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. :D

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

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

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

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! :o

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. :wink:

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. :hug::hug: :D

Wow. I wonder if they will offer me surgery. I have to have a gastroscopy. I guess from that they will tell me if it's a mechanical problem or what.

My sentiments exactly, minus the 5 am (whatever time I get up, I need it to function). :D

LOL. :D

I wonder what they do to it. I suppose it's processsed differently.

Oh gosh, I thought White Tea or Emperor's Tea was a type of green tea... I'm seeing that it isn't. Yes, I actually treat green tea as a completely different beverage to black tea. If I'm in the mood for the one, the other wouldn't do.
There is a tea house here which does this... but yes... very expensive... not doable. I don't think there are too many. Not a tea country and all. I'm sure I can probably find some asian/Chinese markets because there is a high Chinese population.

That is VERY strange! I wonder why... must be one of the other chemicals, or else she has that responsee to high dose caffeine. I believe apart from there being much less caffeine in green tea, it is also absorbed very gradually because of the high phenol concentration. Coffee also has other substances though, which might contribute to her reaction, if it's not strictly a quantitative thing.

waves

This could very well be. I take tea quite strong -- I like it that way, but there would be a lot of tannins. If I've the slightest bit of upset it makes it worse. In the morning on an empty stomach (no upset), it can make me nauseous. Coffee never makes me nauseous, and often will settle a slightly-upset stomach, or mild stomach congestion.

I haven't really had stomach symtpoms with this reflux thing, so far anyway, so I'm not sure yet how much tea vs coffee or other things are ok, and how much not. I shall test and observe. ;)

waves

http://www.healthline.com/health/gerd/coffee-tea

Coffee vs. Tea for GERD
Written by Robin Madell | Published on June 30, 2012
Medically Reviewed by George Krucik, MD

[lots of info. in the "Article Sources" at the end.
Click on show all]


http://www.healthline.com/health/gerd/triggers
Track your Triggers

Waves I get heartburn if I don't take a anti-acid medication in the morning. Right now I take equate Lansoprazole from Wal-Mart. It's a 24 hour acid reducer.

I looked up caffeine patches. They are probably to expensive,and may not be what you are looking for. I came up with CaffeDerm patches(300 Mg) over 18 hour duration(7 patches) Probably to expensive. Then I saw"Spot on energy"(65 Mg per patch).

I have heart burn that might be acid reflux. When it goes up to the top of my stomach,I cough. Pepcid Complete(One tablet from)a(One Hundred Tablet bottle)) gets rid of heart burn for me when it flares. One tablet works. I've tried the Alka-Seltzer Fruit Chews,but the Pepcid Complete works better for me. I also sometimes take the Alka-Seltzer that dissolves in water. That works better sometimes in some cases. Sometimes Sea Salt Premium crackers(Nabisco)help with stomach problems.

If it turns into Diarrhea,:eek::blush::Sinking:I take generic Imodium from Sams Club. There are 350 caplets in one bottle. It's called Loperamide hydrochloride tablets(2 Mg) There are a lot in the bottle. Imodium brand name is to expensive.

I've had a lifetime with stomach,and intestinal irritation due to anxiety,and medications. BF:o:hug::hug::hug:

Thanks very much, Lara! :) I am still going through these... have to go out very soon, so have only looked at the first two so far. The top one, albeit a small study (N=7) was relevant to me:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10563539Their conclusion does not accurately reflect their results. Their results report a difference between GORD(GERD) and healthy subjects in regard to coffee taken fasting. This is highly relevant to me, because I drink most of my coffee on an empty stomach.

This type of medicine called a Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI). The doc gave me one, in a high dosage -- esomeprazole (Nexium in the US).

Perhaps too expensive and possibly not available to me, but what an excellent idea!!!!! Patches shouldn't affect the stomach! I will look into it. :)

Yeah, I don't get the heart burn. I cough after I eat. I've had occasional episodes of chest pain in the past few months that seemed respiratory or muscular but are almost surely explained by reflux. I'm just now realizing that I have a very very mild version of the same kind of pain, chronically. I also notice just slightly when I swallow, at times. :eek:

I am sorry, Steve.

It does sound like you could have reflux. Given you've had it for some time, it might be good to ask your doctor about a gastroscopy? Usually patients with GERD are given this test, periodically. It is a preventive measure, because chronic reflux can have some serious complications. The complications do not produce symptoms, so gastroscopy is the only way you'd know before things get tooo serious. :o


:hug::hug:
waves

I am about to embark on my second cup of coffee -- half-caf -- for the day. :rolleyes:

.... on an empty stomach, mind you.

Then I will go pick up the CAT results.

waves

It is hard to do these things when one needs help to get moving with aids like coffee. Good luck.

M

Cat is clear: my sinuses are fine. Good for the sinuses. Bad for the overall situation.

So it's the nerves wreaking havoc....... possibly because they are having havoc wreaked upon them by something else, such as the reflux problem perhaps.

I have to work hard to get the reflux symptoms controlled. If the nerve sensitivities are a consequence, they should subside... I can hope, anyway.

:o

Oh.
Good new bad news on the results.

You did accomplish something. That is very good news.

M

Coffee report Friday 6/20
 

Well. I drank 3 cups of half-caf, and then got tired of it and had 2/3 cup full caf, slightly weak. (TOTAL: Just slightly over my current allowance of 2 cups. Not even 2-1/3, more like 2 and a smidgeon.)

BUT.

A few hours later, I had a hankerin' (and gave in to it)....

............for a cup of tea. :D

I am not good at this. I am a bad patient.

But you know what. The half-caf didn't seem to hurt me, but I had it when I had some sx active... first awake, soon after eating lunch and dinner, so hard to say if it contributed or not. I had the full-caf when I was symptom free, and nothing happened, no symptoms. I even tried inhaling forcefully to test if I had the mild chest pain. Nope! Zero, zip, zilch, nada, nuttin man!

The tea effect was obfuscated by my brushing my teeth right after, which always causes a lot of throat-clearing. I'll just have to have another cup of tea another time and see. :D

waves

When I brush my teeth,I sometimes end up coughing,and if it gets bad enough It sometimes sets off the gagging reflex,which causes my sinuses to drain in the back of my throat for a hour,or two. If this happens I end up perspiring. :Noooo::Sigh::Hum: I feel like I'm the only person in the world that it happens to. I have to wait until the right time to brush,and floss my teeth before bed,or I won't be able to sleep afterwards. If I brush,and floss my teeth without a reaction,my throat is better off for a period of time.

I've never heard of anyone having this kind of problem that I just wrote down. It's been better recently because I've slowed my life down. I think that it's a combination of things.

Sorry for getting off the topic. My throat is very sensitive. BF:hug::hug::hug:

green tea is supposed to be so good for us, do you ever drink it?
bizi

I do, I do, I like green tea
But it shall not replace my regular coffee
Nor even supplant my cup of black tea
These are apples, oranges, and figs to me.

Steve, please talk to your doctor
 

It sounds like brushing irritates your pharynx... a lot... somehow.

I have a few ideas perhaps....

1. Brushing method -- If you brush your tongue and mouth in general (it's good hygiene to do so), you might be be:

---- brushing too far back
---- brushing too hard
---- accidentally touching the more delicate upper parts of the pharynx.

2. Toothpaste -- You might be reacting to your toothpaste. I find the strongly mentholated ones give me a heavier reaction. Try different quality brands and see if a milder-tasting one is easier on you. I personally used to use Crest over there. I think it tasted mildish, but I don't really remember the different tastes now of the US brands. We have mostly different brands here. Here I use Colgate Total (can't get Crest). I remember that I preferred Crest to Colgate over there. YMMV.

3. Chronic irritation due to reflux -- Do please talk to your doctor about the reflux and possibly a gastroscopy. You might only have the heartburn when it's worse -- ie. you might have the problem sometimes without obvious symtpoms. Chronic reflux irritates the pharynx and cause irritation all the way to the base of the tongue. If these tissues are chronically irritated, they will be muuch more reactive to any stimulus, including normal brushing, acceptable toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.

----------------------------
I'm sure you're not the only person to whom this happens. I think the breaking out into a sweat is probably an anxiety reaction when the symptoms are bad, but the other symptoms all sound like irritation. :hug::hug::hug:

waves

21/6 Saturday -- new plan and log
 

Old Plan:

New Plan:

1. consume no more than 2 cups per day of caffeinated coffee of the strength I've been using.

2. Observe symtpoms so as later to evaluate effect and possible need for further reduction.

3. Any caffeine concentration allowed (any strength and decaf dilution ooptional) -- this re-allows espresso but I if I have it I will take care to observe my reaction.

---------------------------------

Coffee log, so far, today:

2/3 cup coffee, full-caf.

waves

O.K., Waves,

Are you trying to limit variables so the observations will be useful?
I am not clear on the difference between the old plan and the new plan.
Anyway, have a good day with this.

M

From regular doctors,to allergy doctors,they do not comprehend. They cannot seem to get it. They do not understand. No one at anytime seems to comprehend the deepness of this issue. I've given up on having this understood. They don't get it,but it's a real problem for me. I've never heard anyone say that they have the same thing. It just launches misunderstandings,and I guess that they think that it's a mild problem,or that I'm exaggerating. I'm not. It's a very serious problem,and I guess that no one will ever understand. It may be irritated by my mental health issues,or maybe that's a part of it. I sure don't know.

When I was getting help with my allergy shots,the insurance companies brought a end to them. Then the medication that helped me with allergies was stopped being made,and I'm trying to figure out how to help myself with these over the counter medications.

I think that my throat,down to my lungs is a very sensitive(Supersensitive)area. I started having these problems when I was about twenty. It affects my ears to. They get congested at the same time. Then they start to pop,and get better after a while. My chest gets conjested,but I cough it out until the episode calms down.

Saltine crackers help me with my throat,and has helped with these attacks.
If I am having a allergy attack in the car,I steam up the windows,so I have to roll down the windows in the Winter until the whatever subsides. I use to get red circles of redness on my face,and neck. Sometimes there would be red areas on my chest. That went away when I stopped drinking alcohol.

Thanks for caring. It's another problem that I have that I,and no one understands. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Lifting constraints, which ends up allowing more variables. I think I need to be convinced it is bad for me before I am motivated enough to quit/reduce.
Pretty much I just removed the "dilution rule"Old:
New:
New plan also adds the "observe what happens" which I was doing regardless, but it's important so should I wrote it up. It is something I am better at, than the limits. :o

I did crappy today. Totally off the rails with the limitations.

I hit my coffee quota before midday. Then got really fed up with things at one point and then mad att my mother. Had a beer -- very BADD and ugh I even had a hard time drinking it. :o:rolleyes: Now having more coffee... very undiluted. :o

I am not sure if the gabapentin is actually helping or not. Right now at 900mgg it doesn't seem to. I am going back to 1200mg which seemed to help... then then we'll seee. Might have been a coincidental drop in sx before. :o

waves

Waves,

The "observe" part was what I saw.
Thanks for explaining that you want to observe better.
I understand that observing is easier than limiting.

'Sorry that you are so uncomfortable. You are going through a lot of work to figure out what is going on.

Gabapentin can work -- but mostly I feel that we use it only because there is nothing else and, except for the sleep/fog/or whatever, the side effects are tolerable.

Good luck. I hope that your night goes well for you.

M