Has anyone quit caffeine because they thought it caused seizures?

[forward2007]

#1) How hard was it to quit? Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question.

#2) How much caffeine were you consuming?

#3) How much of a difference in your # of seizures did it make and how soon did you notice? Did anyone have them stop all together?

[RobinN]

I have been consuming a pot a day. Not all cups get drunk but it was a lot, along with 1/2 and 1/2. It was a habit that I wanted to break. Recently I ate at a Chinese Restaurant and had a serious reaction to the food. I believe it was chemical rather than bacterial.

Since then I have not had the urge to drink coffee. I felt so bad from the chemical reaction that I don't know what was caffeine withdrawal and what was the food sensitivities. I got past it. Having done this before, I suggest you wait until there is a time where you can curl up if you need to. A weekend where you have nothing planned.
I also suggest that you have a good juicing regimen going, so that you can give your cells good vitamins and minerals to draw from.

I don't have seizures, but I had a history of migraines. I know for a fact that caffeine can draw magnesium from your body. So the deficiency needs to be replaced. My migraines improved by supplementing magnesium.

[Chris515]

I quit caffeine when I heard that it could cause seizures.

1. It wasn't hard to quit for me. When I switched to decaf I had headaches for a few days but it soon passed.

2. I was having one or two cups of coffee a day plus an occasional soda.

3. My seizure patterns are more random than anything else so it's hard for me to say how it would have decreased my seizures. But I'm sure the caffeine didn't help so going off of it is a good thing.

[Nakamova]

I was never a big coffee drinker, but I found the few times I did (especially Starbucks coffee, which can be higher in caffeine) I got migraines. So I avoid coffee for the most part. I have no problem drinking caffeinated tea or sodas though.

[seizingbeauty]

QUIT COFFEE!!!! NOOOOO!!! Just kidding! I'm down to 1-2 cups a day
I was a pot a day minimum drinker for at least 15 years. I noticed that if I didn't have coffee in my system by 11am I had a vile headache, Caffeine shakes, the whole nine yards. I had to cut down slowly over many months.
It hasn't seems to effect my seizures any though.

[Cinnabar]

I used to be a big coffee drinker way back when I worked in advertising. It seemed everyone consumed seven cups a day.

Somewhere along the line I kept it to two then one. I have poor taste buds and one day drank de-caf thinking it was caffeinated. Within two hours I had the worst headache of my life. Realizing what happened, I got some caffeine in my system and presto the headache went away. I then realized it was a powerful drug and stopped at one cup.

Now, on the weekend my partner brings in coffee and bun. I devour the delicious bun and wind up having just sips of coffee which is more than enough for me now.

In lue of what I said, if you're a moderate to heavy coffee drinker I would cut back slowly. Those headaches area a b**ch!

Here's to green tea!

[Rae1889]

quitting caffeine was the hardest thing ever.

I still drink it. granted not as much. i'm down to about 3-4 cups a day. (coffee, tea, soda and chocolates all with caffeine) as opposed to 10-12 a day.

It was so hard. I couldnt sleep or eat. always had a headache and was so grumpy. yes i think i noticed a decrease, but only afrter i added the gluten free and my meds were higher, so i doubt it was just the caffiene alone

[epileric]

I've never had a hard time overcoming the physical addiction of coffee. It'd only take me a couple of days to overcome that, but recently I've noticed that my addiction lies in the fact that I just love the taste of it. I only have 1 cup a day (occasionally 2) but it's soooo good.

[seizingbeauty]

I miss coffee!!!

[RobinN]

Yes it is sooo good Eric. So are a lot of chemically processed foods.
One should never be addicted to anything. IMHO

For me, I was asking my daughter and others to live a clean, whole food lifestyle, and I was not honest with myself when it came to caffeine. I don't want to "need" it to get going in the morning, even if it is just the ritual. I also wanted to eliminate the cream, and see if it made improvements in my health as well.

[tam bam]

I quit coffee about six months ago when I found after drinking a half a cup would trigger a seizure for me. It is strange though because I can drink other caffeine beverages and I am fine. It is just the darn coffee. I sure do miss it though. I tried it again about a month ago (very little just to see what would happen and my theory held true. I had a seizure but then again I have the seizures anyway so I should just enjoy my coffee).

tam bam

[Crystal11]

I usually have one to two cups of coffee day, sometimes nothing. I usually will have a coke every other day- something nothing for a few days.
I know that for migraines- caffine will help constrict the blood vessels in the brain- which can reduce pain- this is most likely why they use it in migraine meds- also it speeds up the process of the medicine going to the pain.

But in people with Epilepsy- its a good idea to leave those vessels open- meaning not to use caffine which can restrict them. We need all the blood we can get going to our brains and let it do it's thing.
Problem for me is, that I have both Epilepsy and Migraines- but try to limit the amount of caffine I have a day.
I sort of made it a habbit to drink coffee each morning, I rarely have more than two cups in a day.
Anyway- I am trying to cut down on how much I have- but I did a no-no today at Sam's club and bought 32 can pacakge of Pepsi for $8.66- so I have to be CAREFUL since I have it in the house. But my twin is worse than me with the coke addiction though lol.
She will get a migraine from not having it at all- or at least a severe headache.

With any withdraw from something- do it slowly and don't get frustrated if you have troubles.
Also, I have never heard caffine causing someone to have a seizure- you might ask your neurologist about it though- since I am obviously not one.
LOL I don't think they want a deaf-blind neurologist LOL ! hehehehe

Take care, be safe-
Crystal

[gigi]

Will give up my coffee when they pry my cold dead fingers off my mug.
Seriously, I am a two cupper in the morning, and that is my limit.
Not tolerated in the p.m., will interrupt my sleep.

[Bernard]

My wife had to quit because after keeping a seizure diary (calendar really), it became so obvious that she was having seizures within 24 hours every single time she ate some chocolate or had a soda or (caffeinated) tea. She is very sensitive to it.

Once she realized the connection, quitting was easy. Tonic clonic seizures aren't worth it.

[seizingbeauty]

Chocolate versus T/C's ? thats a tough one! I've given up most of my coffee, and Pepsi but to take my chocolate I don't know I just don't know

[knothing]

1. 3 days of massive headaches and then maintaining the discipline to stay away. Chocolate is all the caffeine I have and even then it is such a small amount it does not matter.
2. 3-5 cups of something with caffeine per day.
3. The caffeine did not affect the seizure but it did create issues with the seizure meds. My meds make me hyper and caffeine just made me go over the top so much that I spent a night in the hospital.

[Cinnabar]

Is coffee worth it?!

[forward2007]

My problem was I would go to Starbuck's every day. I would get a Frappicinno which would have 115mg of caffeine. I think on two occasions over the years the caffeine played a role in causing a seizure. It probably lowered the quality of my sleep which no doubt lowers the seizure threshold.

For anyone who is interested, here is the website to Starbucks that lists the caffeine content to all of their drinks.

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_beverages.asp

[Cint]

I also go to Starbucks nearly every day to meet up with friends and where I go, they serve decaf as well as sugar-free.

I started having seizures years ago, long before I drank caffeinated drinks, so I don't think caffeine plays a role in seizures for me. Some days, I need caffeine just to keep me going, but I do limit it to 3, maybe 4, cups a day. It does make me hyper if I drink any more.

[dfwtexas]

I am a big coffee drinker and do not think it affects me. However I had an energy drink that really did a number on me, so I do not drink them anymore