Caffeine is evil? | Arthritis Information

Ugh. I haven't had a soda with caffeine in almost a year now. I drank 2 pepsi's today..........and now I feel TERRIBLE. My neck suddenly cramped up, I have a migraine, I'm sick to my stomach, and I swear.......my SINUSES are acting up!! I haven't had sinus problems in AGES!

How much of this can I blame on the caffeine??? Am I nuts? LoL

about 98%

Is that how crazy I am, or how much I can blame on the sodas? Caffeine is DIVINE, not evil! Addictive and most certainly not good for you, but DEFINITELY not evil!Allergic to caffiene?! How DARE You!!Is it possible though? My throat even feels....nasty and thick.....UGH

OH OH AND AND AND I swelled up out of nowhere. Explain that.

HUMMMM never heard of anyone being allergic but I guess it's possible.... Why did you drink it when you hate it so bad?? You just said you only drink water

I prefer the study that says caffine has it's good benefits. Gotta have my coffee and sundrop.

I do only drink water. But I was CRAVING Pepsi. I haven't craved it in almost a year now. I thought, aww one time, I'll indulge. Pshaw.

NEVER AGAIN! >.<
You sure its not the large amounts of additives and e numbers and sweeteners etc in the pepsi, rather than the caffeine thats having a bad effect on you? I have no idea, but it SUCKS either way. I was blaming the caffeine, because of the MASSIVE headache I got. I know when I used to drink soda all the time, if I didn't drink it, I'd get a headache. I just assumed.... I think the caffine is probably responsible for the headache, especially since you haven't had it for a while. But I'm not sure about the neck, stomach, and sinuses...sounds like you might be coming down with something. :(I really hope not, but I guess we'll see tomorrow........ It could be the caffeine but not likely. Research has and continues to indicate that caffeine is beneficial to those of us dealing with RA.

Take my coffee again from me and it takes a Huge Syringe of demerol to kick the headache. However, I don't drink more than a 12-pack of soda a year and never a whole can or I would get as sick as anybody having the flu.

My mom becomes really icky feeling when she has caffeine. Sorry for the graphics but she gets tummy pain, the runs, etc. I know my skin is breaking out because I've been drinking Diet Mountain Dew every day. I'm sure it's related. I wouldn't doubt it's related, Katie. Drink lots and lots of wa wa and rest. Hopefully this will pass quickly.

Hugs,

Jen

Hi, caffeine is surely a mixed bag. You get such a lift from it , but then I tend to get some real down feelings afterwards (in an hour or so?) not sure how this works. I can't drink a lot but I seem to want more and more onece I start drinking it? also strange. LyndaI don't care if it's evil, it's my only vice and I can't get enough...... just kidding, I do drink about 3 to 4 cups a day though. Janie.

Katie,

I've never had that from coffee or soda. It could be the sweeteners that are in it or even the caffeine where it's been so long since you've had one. Sorry to hear you're feeling so icky.

I think I've become dependent on caffeine and I feel really bad if I don't get it. I usually drink at least 3 cups of coffee to get me going in the morning. Mom-in-law usually walks around all day long with a cup of coffee in hand. I loves my coffee, but not that well!

I love caffeine, but the sugars in pops are what i can't have, makes me feel really sick too. But a starbucks nonfat sugar-free caramel macchiato(sp?) heaven!! lol

I think the sugar is pure evil.

The doctor I am seeing told me NO C.A.T.S.

Caffeine, Alcohol, Trans Fats or Sugar. I am off of sugar and trans fats. It's the morning cup of Joe and my wine on the weekends I am having a hard time with.

It's the sugar for sure. When I have no sugars (low carb) I feel so much better. My energy level is through the roof. I'm now back on no sugar (a few fruit carbs) and I already feel better and it's only been 3 days. Caffeine is a mixed blessing for some people. For me it's a blessing and I consume my fair share. Lindy

It was diet Pepsi too!

Well by the time I got home last night I was MISERABLE. I popped a flexeril for my neck, which was barely moving and waited to see what happened. As usual, it knocked me out. This AM I feel much better but my sinuses are a little off.

Maybe I am starting to get something?? I dunno. I know I'm not having another soda agian. *ever*

If you want to do a little experiment, you could try coffee and if you react the same way you know for sure its the caffeine.

I wouldn't blame you for not wanting to try it though if theres a risk it may make you feel worse! Hope you recover quickly

Well I got to thinking about it, and I drink sweet tea - wouldn't that have caffeine too? I don't drink a lot of it, I have one glass every night. It's my bed time drink, so I never thought about it having caffeine, I figured that if it did it would be keeping me up at night. But I can't sleep without it now. But it's TEA, doesn't all tea have caffeine?

Would sodas have MORE? Or maybe it is the sugars in the soda?

Yeah, I think it does, unless you get it decaf. I don't even know if you can get it that way. I get a headache if I don't drink caffine. Does that mean I'm addicited?

Yep, I believe so!!

So it if was the sugars in the Pepsi, why don't the sugars in the SWEET tea bother me?????

It's all so confusing. I should re-name this thread to "Sodas are evil"

Maybe it wasn't the pepsi at all...............Fake sugars in diet things are even worse for some people then regular sugar. Try googling aspertaime (sp?) and you should find terrible stories. Its kinda crazy. Yeah I've heard of stuff about it......but I drank diet sodas for *so* long without any problems. It just threw me off to have 2, and feel so MESSED UP. Shew.

Heres what it says in wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

I think if caffeine had been discovered in a laboratory and some big pharma had a patent on it, it would probably be one of the top selling drugs of all time. It is used for newborns with breathing problems; it is helpful for asthma; it is a great analgesic, especially in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen; studies have shown that it may be useful in the prevention of parkinson's and altzheimer's; it helps make the workday just a bit more bearable. Imagine if Merck or Pfizer had a monopoly on caffeine!

P.S. I worked for years in a big pharma, so I can talk trash about them I hope you feel better

It my also interest you to know that I cannot eat canned soup. I get SOOOOO sick eating them.....but I love 'em....LOL

[QUOTE=arriscolwell]

So Jas, is it your opinion that it's probably the sugars and additives in the soda?

It my also interest you to know that I cannot eat canned soup. I get SOOOOO sick eating them.....but I love 'em....LOL

[/QUOTE]

Honestly, who the hell knows? Some people have had psychotic breaks from reality after taking ibuprofen. Anyone can react to anything. Maybe it was the artificial sweetner. Maybe you've caught a bug. Hopefully, whatever it is will work its way out of your system soon!

I also worked at Nutrasweet for a while - those people practically bathed in the stuff. Swore it was harmless (except for those born with PKU who couldn't metabolize one of the amino acids in it). On the other hand, I've had friends who swear that Nutrasweet/aspartame causes them to have headaches, acne, colitis, palpitations, you name it. Like I said, I think damn near anything can cause an adverse reaction in someone.

LoL thanks. I feel so much safer in life now.

I'm kidding! I know what you mean though. Well, screw sodas!!!

I bought some water the other day that has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. It's actually really good.....but leaves an after taste in my mouth I don't really dig. No sugar though.

I've gotten to where I don't drink much soda at all. Love some tea and coffee though. Both with loads of sugar!

That's what I was thinking about my sweet tea too, Lovie. So maybe its some of the additives? I wonder if canned soup and soda share anything in common? Aside from both making me sick!

I'd gotten to where I was eating fast food everyday for lunch and it snuck up on my this last year. After I hit 35 I can't eat the junk I use to and still stay thin. The soup is an easy; alternative.

Both canned soup and sodas are high in sodium. Sodium increases inflammation. The diet Pepsi only had 35 mg of Sodium, I don't think that's it.

[QUOTE=arriscolwell]Yeah I've heard of stuff about it......but I drank diet sodas for *so* long without any problems. It just threw me off to have 2, and feel so MESSED UP. Shew.[/QUOTE]

Maybe since you haven't been drinking diet soda in a while your body re-adapted. This is how they tested food sensitivities on me. I stopped eating the offending food. Then when I tried to eat it a month later I got some of the same symptoms you are had... thick feeling in my throat, sinus problems, joint pain and swelling of my joints. And the joint issues stuck around for up to 3 days after I cheated.

Maybe an allergy specialist could identify the problem ingredient?

[QUOTE=karin1013]Both canned soup and sodas are high in sodium. Sodium increases inflammation. [/QUOTE]

According to the 15 empty Coke cans on/under my desk (no, NOT all from one day!!!) regular Coke has 50mg sodium per can. I can't vouch for any other soda, as I only drink Coke or water.

Many of the canned soups are high in sodium (some as much as 1000mg per serving, with a can holding 2 servings!!!), but if you check the labels you can usually find a lower-sodium soup.

I've never heard that sodium increases inflammation - do you have any more information on that? I'm curious. (yes, I know, being a geek

To paraphrase an old song..."If loving coffee is wrong, I don't want to be right!" Gotta have my daily brew!