i've dealt with my fair share of condescending doctors--like the one who told me "just don't walk when it hurts," thanks doc!--but in the case of the dietary changes i'm trying out, it was fellow RSDers who recommended the change. i'm tackling my RSD in a number of ways, and i thought this one was worth a try. worst possible side effect? i get a little healthier anyway.
thanks everyone for joining the conversation!

I saw a holistic doctor through my many regular ones who suggested this a long with many other dietary and supplement changes. I currently see a nutritionits but for seperate issues but am hoping it will help with this too. The thoughts I have around diet in whole is that it will take time to see any changes and I know for myself I get frustrated. I am trying though and also with the thought that it may help to prevent other problems as I feel my immune system since I have developed rsd with infections so on is bad. Year ago before I developed this I cut out caffeine and at first I felt horrid from my body being so used to it but after a month or so I felt more energetic,calmers,better sleep/digestion.

I've been a moderate to heavy coffee drinker since I was 17. I use it to pace my day and be most alert at the times I choose. I would periodically quit drinking coffee for three to eight days just to see if it was having any deliterious effects. It was always very easy to kick the habit and just involved a slight brief headache in the middle of the second day. I could never really identify any effects other than the diuretic effect and the way drinking coffee makes me very slow to awaken in the morning. Without coffee I'm at about full steam in five minutes but with it I'm on my second cup before the grogginess goes away.

On the advice of my doctor I quit it again when I got the RSD but again I could tell no real difference and took it up again. This might have been a big mistake because now I can't quit. I get panic attacks instead of a headache when I try.

I still use it to pace my day but I no longer have much option when I drink it as everything is habit now while trying to avoid triggers. Since I have to drink it at set times there's just no point in drinking it at all. ...And waking up in the morning takes 20 minutes.