# Caffeine, Anxiety and IBS



## ira (Jun 26, 2003)

Hello:I have posted some about this on the IBS-C Forum. But I was hoping to hear some views on this from the pespective of anxiety management.I have used a very strong cup of coffee upon waking for quite a number of years now. The major purpose of this being to induce a series of bowel movements. It used to work quite well most of the time. I did this in conjunction with psyllium fiber powder, 3 tbsps/daily.I also found that without that one cup, I would remain in a fog. Can't really do much till I have it. Furthermore, the "withdrawal symptoms" would kick in rather quickly.I have recently found that this "caffeine jolt" no longer makes those bowel movements go as smoothly and completely as it used to. I am left with an uncomfortable sense of incomplete evacuation. I also suspect that even this one cup of coffee might be contributing --in part-- to both the insomnia of the following night---and to the jitteriness throughout the day. It may well be keeping the anxiety level higher than it already is. While at the same time, it is "contributing" less than it used to in the way of relieving the IBS-C. Perhaps even worsening it?I have tried some of the suggestions given on the IBS-C BB. Such as switching to Flaxseed Fiber, discontinuing fiber intake altogether, and/or switching to half decaf. Although reasonable, these attempts haven't worked for me.I thought it might be worth posting about this issue to the Anxiety Management BB because of the role I think caffeine might be playing in my anxiety disorder. I was also thinking that people here might have more experience in trying to get off the "caffeine fix" and finding more efficient ways to "get things going".I should add that although that first one strong cup is the only caffeine intake of the day for me, *I use coffee very much like a drug or medication* . I find it has an antidepressant as well as an analgesic quality. I have a rather poor tolerance for most medications. So I was happy that coffee served these functions. This would be all well and good, except that this "medication"--seems to be losing its effectiveness for me, especially as far as relieving constipation goes.I've learned that this happens with many "medications", be they prescription drugs or drugs consumed as foods. They sometimes gradually lose their effectiveness over time. *I find I need to use more of it to get the same effect. As expected, this tends to make the resulting "jitters" worse.* Anyone have any suggestions as to how to approach this dilemma?-Ira


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

I have no suggestions, but my mom does the same thing. She drinks her coffee in the morning as a laxative. My father told me she started having C problems when she was pregnant with me (29 yrs ago). But to her it is not much of a deal because she sips her coffee and she is ready for the day. (It also prevents her from migraines, which I guess is a sign of addiction.)I cannot have coffee as it gives me D, one of the few foods I leave out of my diet. On the other hand I have lots of Coke.


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## DENNISHASIBSC (Aug 16, 2003)

i have social anxiety, generalized anxiety. and about the caffeine, I stopped taking it all together. And then I forget that caffeine is in tea, and I drank two Sobe Green Teas and I felt really awful all day and really high strung. Stay away from the caffeine.


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