WinterSown Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 I have vertigo which I control with low-dose diazepam as needed. If I take a valium, I just want to go lay down. If I drink a cup of coffee I feel awake but still foggy. But if I take a pill with the coffee, instead of the two cancelling each other out, the brain fog vanishes faster and stays away longer. A few of my doctors are laying a minor, unhappy-face guilt trip on me for the coffee (probably rightly so) but coffee works. Is there anything with less caffeine I can substitute for the coffee that will boost the valium in the same way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyGirls Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 We do the same thing! And, actually, their old neurologist and cardiologist are using caffeine in a lot of different ways and didn't discount the idea! We started doing the coffee thing (it's the caffeine actually) a few years ago when the girls were allowed to have coffee (gotta love Starbucks!) and discovered that the caffeine helped the vertigo some (in addition to the diazepam or lorazepam). I used to get a lot of migraines and I always treated them with a healty dose of caffeine...vasoconstrictor action. So, we started treating the vertigo the same way. Their vertigo has actually gotten worse in the last couple of years as the rest of their symptoms have increased. Still haven't found the exact cause of it, but my guess is the dysautonomia along with their Ehlers Danlos and cervical/craniocervical instability. A very complex population, those of us with Dysautonomia/POTS, EDS, MCAS. If you don't have any problems with the caffeine increasing your bp or hr too much, why would it be bad for you when all you are experiencing is relief? We actually buy straight caffeine (not coffee) from this place online so that we can add a few drops to things other than coffee or sodas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCP Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 I avoid caffeine at all costs, as with having anything related to the nervous system, it stimulates it and makes it buzz. This is especially noticeable with neuropathic pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterSown Posted July 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 It's a daily choice for me when my different specialists give different opinions. The colorectal surgeon doesn't want me to touch a drop, the cardiologist has no problem as long as I limit my intake, and Cushings/Chiari Institute has a help-yourself Keurig Counter because coffee makes everything better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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