Am I a severe case ? Does anyone else feel like this ?

[[S_...]]

Hi guys i know ive heard to becareful with caffeine because it ramps up anxiety but last night I tried few sips of and felt like I was high on LSD and not just normal anxiety ! How can I have such a severe reaction when I'm 8 months out. Most people on here drink coffee without a problem and some people just  have normal anxiety with it. Does that mean I will never be able to drink coffee ?

[[Pi...]]

I’m almost 24 months out and decided to have my first glass of wine with my meal.  Mistake.

i could only finish 1/2 a glass and felt like i had 5 glasses of wine.  I was really tipsy.

i don’t know if this changes but no wine for me.

 

[[S_...]]

@[Pi...] hi pickle yes they say alchohol works similar to benzos but can u tolerate coffee ? Why can't I still tolerate it ? I can drink black tea just fine but not coffee is my brain damage severe ?

[[PE...]]

5 hours ago, [[S...] said:

@[Pi...] hi pickle yes they say alchohol works similar to benzos but can u tolerate coffee ? Why can't I still tolerate it ? I can drink black tea just fine but not coffee is my brain damage severe ?

It's completely normal to be sensitive to coffee. I did had some anxiety when i just tried like 5 months ago but my nassua and headache got better so i thought it was worth some anxiety. It disappeared though. 

Edited July 6 by [PE...]

[[Js...]]

8 hours ago, [[S...] said:

Hi guys i know ive heard to becareful with caffeine because it ramps up anxiety but last night I tried few sips of and felt like I was high on LSD and not just normal anxiety ! How can I have such a severe reaction when I'm 8 months out. Most people on here drink coffee without a problem and some people just  have normal anxiety with it. Does that mean I will never be able to drink coffee ?

Pre benzo I was a coffee addict, drinking 5 or 6 16oz a day- just for the taste as caffeine loses its effect after so many cups. On benzos, I could drink twice that amount.

Post benzo, I am very careful with my intake. I buy cold brew and just drink 2 or 4 oz in the morning and no more, mainly to quell my addiction and move my bowels.

On days I have waves, I feel heightened anxiety (usually days where my pinky sticks out when typing).

Days I have windows I don't feel it.

Everyone is different when it comes to anxiety. There are people that never take benzos but cannot drink coffee at all. 

You can drink decaf, it has roughly 3% caffeine if it is truly decaf (be careful at coffee shops, the decaf is usually old or employees accidentally give regular)

I think when you start small or low, you start to build your tolerance. I also think the day when you consider yourself truly healed, you will be able to revisit coffee with confidence. To get there, it would be wise to gradually take sips per day, rather than drink a cup.

[[OD...]]

I'm similar with the over-sensitivity to just about everything. Two years out and even a small sip of decaf will give me heart palpitations and a host of symptoms, even one drop of a childrens liquid multi vitamin gives me severe mood swings etc.

It's actually one of the worse side effects for me, as I have low testosterone and have been on TRT for about a decade, but I can't tolerate it now so aside from the benzo withdrawal I'm having to deal with the crushing fatigue of untreated low testosterone. Hopefully in time we can tolerate things again.

Pre-benzo withdrawal I would drink a giant energy drink before bed and fall asleep no problem.

Edited July 6 by [OD...]

[[Re...]]

The reaction I am having to specific agents surprises me aswell, I see your confusion. 

It might take a while until this sensitivity to stimulants eases in withdrawal. I used to love coffee, too (I actually drank coffee the whole day with energy drinks... ), like many of the members who took psychiatric medications. Most of us after a "problematic cessation" do not tolerate any kind of stimulants (nicotine, caffeine or similar, etc.) 

But I truly believe this is not a measure of our recovery or functionality, recovery happens nevertheless. We might have to watch out for hidden added caffeine in a soda for a while...and this will resolve eventually, too. 

People going through withdrawal experience how much these agents actually affect the body like almost no other group I believe. These consequential dietary changes (healthy diet, less artificial food, no stimulants) will be extremely beneficial after recovery as well. 

Congratulations for being 8 months off! Just hang in there @[S_...]!