maryfw Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I have been so tired and fatigued. Now taking ambien to sleep but still waking up through the night. I want to be on provigal but have to wait to see the sleep specialist in March. I have noticed through reading posts that provigil is a stimulant so this morning I thought, what the yeck. It has helped some.....will see later today if I have a backlash from it. mary ps...........It was gooooooooooooood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I do coffee too. I just finished my first cup of the morning. I usually have two cups and it does help me. On an extra bad day I take a Provigil also. But Provigil is too expensive to do daily, so coffee is my stimulant of choice. It gives me a boost, but doesn't keep me awake in the afternoon if I need a nap. Hope it works for you.Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Hoping to get a script for provigil but in the meantime,,,,got to do what I got to do to stay awake enough to keep my job and function. mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Hot tea is my drug of choice. I don't know if it's the Lyrica or the POTS (or a combination) that makes me so tired. But the shot of caffeine really helps. I haven't noticed that it makes me jittery or anything, so what the heck.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Well, I hope your TITLE does not mislead newbies. MANY of us with very low AM B/P need COFFEE in the AM to stand up.I drink two mugs in the morning (Coffee maker says 4 cups but only if your mugs are thimbles! )a little coffee is fine, as needed. All the DRUG STIMULANTS are similar or much stronger. I use coffee.I would love daily access to Midodrine (brand name) but can't afford it, no drug program for it and the generics I tried stinks.I sometimes mix decaf coffee with regular coffee to get it into my system slowly. I NEVER drink coffee past 2pm except on super draggy days and I might make a cup in the afternoon.My insomnia is so bad I can have NO CAFFEINE ever and be awake until 4AM but I digress.anyway, hope you get your medicine soon but there IS NO RULE about coffee across the board. My ANS doc ok's it as to many...least in the AM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Like Sophia, I must have caffeine in the am in order to be functional. I can't have anything with caffeine, though, after about 12 or 1 because it then makes me too awake when it's time for me to be sleeping at 10 or 11pm.Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Coffee... I gotta have my 2 cups a morning or I will be flat all day. I call it part of my medicinal routine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P SUDIK Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I miss coffee sooooooo much,I drink decaf now,never thought I would.Does the reg. coffee give any of you tachycardia? Thanks Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted January 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Didnt mean to imply that it was a "rule" for everyone. Just a figure of speech so forgive me if I caused any confusion but my doctor has told me no caffiene at all so for me I was breaking my treatment regiment as ordered by my doc. I did not know that so many others use coffee in the morning but it sure is good to know that I am not the only one and that it is helpful to some. That is why I love this forum, I ask or comment and others tell me that is works for them or not and give great advice. One thing about email etc is that often people can misinterpret tone or intent, so we do the best we can to be clear but sometimes we miss the mark. Thanks to allmary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 MUST have my coffee to come alive!My blood pressure is so low and I need to get warm hydration with a little kick.I refer to my brew lovingly as "The Nectar of The Goddess" Physician approved and no tachy from my brew.(I don't have any after that morning ritual thou)tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I drink coffee "as needed" but before 7pm. If that doesn't help, I go for lots of sugar. Between the two- its always helps.Anyone else do sugar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 sweeets help me and CHOCOLATE definately!! Especially a piece of dark chocolate.I don't overdo the sweets and watch the glycemic index..but I have poor appetite and eating some chocolate or some cookies now and then help keep me going and from getting scrawny looking in my face.I have reached 'that age'.Sweets or chocolate before I use the treadmill can help IMMENSELY to get me thru a workout. Many many years ago I used one Ding Dong to get me thru a workout. Just like the woman on THE CLOSER loves to eat! Last night I made a batch of Oatmeal cookies but need to hit the treadmill and chocolate sounds good right now. Course eating a carb based diet is never good and I use common sense.Yea, we could do threads on protein helping, coffee (especially when AM BP is 84/46 !! GOTTA have the coffee.) But I can't handle eating anything until around 2pm.Those little wrapped Dove Dark Chocolates are MEDICINAL for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Yes to sugar in moderation. Isn't sugar one of the four basic food groups? I think since I graze on healthy, balanced, easy to digest foods every two hours, at least one of those mini meals should be an oatmeal cookie or a buttercream iced cupcake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldicedance Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Before I retired, I always had a cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning on the way to work. I couldn't leave home without it.Lois Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 I can't function without coffee either but it does dehydrate me. You wake up in a dehydrated state, especially in the winter with all the dry air sucking the moisture from you. You lose allot of water through respiration (I don't remember the percentage). So waking up and chugging coffee helps for a little but always left me in worst shape a couple hours later. I developed a new routine of drinking a liter of water in the morning as soon as I get up and waiting about 20 or 30 minutes for coffee. Sometimes the wait is painful but it has really improved my symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 TearoseYES to sweets being one of the food groups!! I love buttercream icing...haven't had it in years as the kind I make is not always great so I make frosting with Almond extract and vanialla. An old bakery years ago made TERRIFIC buttercream icing. It was not TOO SWEET which is my gripe with many 'commercial bakery cakes' which thankfully, I never eat...make my own cake so I know what's in it...and when lazy, a Wacky cake (no eggs, no dairy) And a quick semi sweet chocolate frosting with Hersheys cocoa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Darren...the way I have dealt with the am dehydration is to just take a small drink of water at my nightstand, make the journey to the kitchen and brew two scoops of ground coffee to the water line eight yes "8" line on the coffee maker.It takes me from 1-1/2 to 2 hours to drink the "Nectar" and so I am both hydrating and getting the bp up with a smidge of caffeine. It is a win win situation for me.Maybe you could also make a weaker brew?Sophia...please invite me next time you make your wacky cake with yummy icing! I am smiling just thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 To make sure that I don't get dehydrated I actually drink a tall glass of Gatorade first thing when I wake up. Then I eat my fruit, and then I drink my coffee. All of that is usually done before getting out of bed. Gatorade and coffee is a very helpful combo for me in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 It was funny b/c when I first read this I too was breaking the rules (for myself) and drinking a Frappachino! It was good too! And pretty much the main reason for getting it was I knew I was going to have to continue to be functional (brain) through at least 10:00 tonight to do work after being up since 5:30. Also, I had to clean etc. So, yah I made it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Okay, I think there is something wrong with me here.... I get sicker from coffee, dark chocolate, any type of stimulant... like very shaky and even more weaker than what I already feel. Am I missing something here.... - Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 No tammy your not missing anything pots is just a big bucket of irony. You can't sleep but your tired all the time. Can't tolerate exercise but if you don't exercise it makes it worse. The same with coffee or any stimulant. It can help kick the fatigue but it can also make you go tachycardia. It all comes down to a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. For most people the sympathetic and para-sympathetic pathways are in check (fight or flight vs. sit and relax, digest food). One is more active than the other for "normal" people. However for POTS they are constantly fighting each other and both are trying to be active at the same time and it varies hour by hour. So while coffee can help kick the fatigue it can also make you tachy, dizzy, nauseated and of course dehydrated. Tearose, I can't go without my strong coffee its just one of those things I should part with but I'm too hard headed to do it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Just a note, I do not use caffeine all day to 'help fatigue'. I use it in the morning when BP is in basement.Also I take DDAVP so do not suffer the dehydration aspects of coffee since DDAVP helps the body to retain sodium and fluids.i DO know some POTS people that can drink caffeine all day. NO WAY could I !!I can't handle STIMULANT DRUGS AT ALL except midodrine on certain occassions...but it does not cross the BBB so does not give me the jitters...but a pot of coffee w/caffeine would.I do the gatorade in AM before coffee in hot weather but my bedroom is 60 in the AM when the weather is bitter and windy.....and I need hot COFFEE.Also exercise or over exertion, even early in the day, worsens my PRE Existing insomnia...some of us make NO sense...do NOT worry what helps or hurts one does different things.Some folks can relax for bed after hot tea, bath, reading...I was studied by sleep doc and then for free because I was such an ODD case...course that was years ago and 20 years ago, insomnia was my first symptom AFTER the horrible fatigue. long storyIf this ANS were easy to figure out, we'd all be fixed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg Tired Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 My first doctor forbade any coffee or cola. But I slowly got worse and worse. I finally decided (before anyone figured out what was going on) that I would rather just drop dead of overdoing caffeine as slowly melt into the ground. So I went back to drinking my coffee - and Coke if I need one. NOW I have better doctors and they say if it works - don't mess with it!So, it won't work for everybody - but for some of us it is - What was that?? Oh yeah - "Nectar of the Godess"!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 DawgIts' called common sense. In massive doses, stimulants don't work for me...but in small doses, INDEED medicine. And a couple friens that I have that drink coffee all day, hey, if they dont get the jitters and it works for them, the heck with it.AFTER ALL coffee is just a stimulant in FOOD FORM! And add cream and you slow down the jumping of caffeine into the blood stream. A pill can just go Kaboom when it gets in our system. And my ANS doc TOTALLY got my one Chocolate Ding Dong years ago, used to help my workouts! Maybe I should try that again as I have struggled to work out lately, lol.Guess what's different...I never eat before I work out due to lack of appetite but I bet I could stomach a little Ding Dong or whatever those round chocolate cakes are called!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyMom46 Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Tammy - I'm in the minority that can't do the caffeine either. I'm allergic to it. So I have to settle for the taste of coffee (and none of the benefits) by drinking decaf. I haven't had coffee, tea, chocolate in over 15 years. I do take Midodrine daily. It doesn't give me a "charge" when I take it, but if I forget a dose, I sure notice the effect of not having it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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