# caffine questions



## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

A couple of years ago I switched from drinking coffee to tea, but I'm finding it very hard on my stomach. Today I bought decafe perked coffee.Most of us have some kind of stomach problems so I'm wondering if the decafe coffee will bother me as much or more than the tea. Is it the caffine we can't tolerate or is it something about perked coffee, would decafe instant coffee be better? Am I making any sense at all?--BRAIN FOG--I was wondering what experiences others have had in adjusting their caffine/coffee/tea intake. I also get desperatly ill when I drink hot choclate(water based). I want a comforting hot drink that won't make me want to personally remove my own stomach, something more than water. I'd appreciate any advice on the subject.LoriAnn


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Lori Ann, I love coffee, but it doesn't agree with me, so I drink 2 coffees a year. I never thought about the caffeine aspect of it. I thought it was the double cream & double sugar I like in my coffee. I usually end feeling sick the next day. I know glutton for punishment. I can stomach tea a bit better. Do you like herbal teas? I like chammomile/honey tea. My sister brought some back from her trip to England. Best smelling & tasting herbal tea I've ever drank. A friend of mine drinks coffee made of chickory. I wonder if that would be easier on your tummy. I tend to stick to water, orange juice or watered down cranberry juice.


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi Weener,I do have about a dozen types of herbal teas, but my stomach can't tolerate them either, problem is many include mint or cinnomon,I even tried to grow my own herbs so I could make my own without the extras, but I'm a failure at growing things, so that didn't work out- and pure juices are a no-no for the acid reflux, but I'd love to have a glass of pure orange juice- there are so many things I miss.I've used non-dairy coffee whitener for years, even in my baking, and I don't use sugar in my tea, but I have to have it with coffee, like you, I prefer mine creamy and sweet. I didn't do so well on the decafe perked coffee yesterday, but I was crampy before I drank it, so it might have happened anyway, so I'm giving it another shot today. I slept until 11:30 this morning! I NEVER sleep so late, its probably from helping my husband shovel the 6 foot deep snow we got so he could reach the car and go to work, I'm sore all over, but I was glad of the fresh air & excercise. Its been storming every other day for the past 5 weeks, and more is on the way. We have so much snow there isn't any place left to put it. Yuck-I long for spring.


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## ilovehockey (May 30, 2001)

Decaf is just as acidic as caffeinated coffee. So if it's the acid that causes your problem, decaf won't be any better. I don't think it matters whether the decaf is brewed or instant. There is a brand of decaf (I can't remember the name) that has reduced acidity, but I don't think it tastes very good.


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Lori Ann, just thought about something else you might try. Boiling fresh ginger root and adding a little honey to the liquid. I think ginger is suppose to be quite soothing on the tummy. It's probably something you have to get use to. I also have reflux, but have it under control right now. But yes you are right about the juices. Do you elevate the head of your bed to help with the reflux? I have my headboard elevated about 4 inches and definitely no satin sheets. I might slip out of the bed during the night and they would never find me. I hope you don't get as much snow as you did last year. YIKES!!! We've had a fairly mild winter in Ontario. The last couple of days have gotten real cold, but by tomorrow we will be back to seasonal temps. All the ski lodges and ice fishing businesses are praying for snow and cold. I just heard on the news that they caught that guy who abducted his daugther in Truro, N.S. I think he left Toronto last week and was heading for the east coast. Someone spotted him driving towards New Brunswick. How is your body feeling after all that shovelling. I did the same thing the other day, but with a snow scoop (it's much easier I can use my tummy to push the scoop). I find that taking a warm bath in epsom salts after any strenous work helps. I think it was a massage therapist who told me that. Helps release some of the lactic acid and toxins in our muscles.


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hey Weener,Truro is our nearest major centre, and I think its pathetic that you hear news about it before I do, talk about being cut off from the rest of the world! I've had such a rough time of it the past two months I guess I've been cocooning myself against the world. As for the snow, we already have more than last year, thanks to Mondays storm, and I am hurting from head to toe, but its not terrible, just painful, we couldn't use a push shovel because the snow was already so deep that there was nowhere to put it except on top of five foot drifts. I noticed tonight that the town brought in a huge snowblower to try to increase the width of the road. I've never seen it like this, they can't even clear the sidewalks, it has nowhere to go and they are predicting another major storm on Friday. Maybe your ski lodges would ship some up via CN Rail -we do still have CN Rail don't we







.I had forgotten about the epsom salts, my parents swore by it for a cure-all, but I haven't bought any for years, I'll have to look into it. I do raise the head of my bed, I started that about 6 weeks ago. As for the ginger, I add a piece of root to steeping tea, or a tiny pinch of ground to tea, but its best for nausea, excellent for pregnancy but its kind of hard on the reflux though. Hope you get that warmer weather


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi hockey,Thanks for the input, I've done well today on the decafe, so maybe it is the caffine thats bothering me so much, but its only been one good day, so its too early to say for sure, but my stomach does seem better, at least for the moment. I think I tried that low acid stuff, it tasted like burnt molassas, I didn't like it







Whats your favorite team? I use to be a big hockey fan, but when they split up Gretsky, Messier, and Coffee I lost interest, best play offs I ever saw was their last year together, when the Edmonton Oilers took the Flyers, they sure went out with a bang!.


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Hi LoriAnn.I'm trying to catch up a little with the board and read this post. For some people it's the acid content of the coffee. For others it's the caffeine in it. Caffeine is a stimulant and it "stimulates" the nervous system; which may make some people jittery or hyper, others complain of over active bladders or bowels, etc. I'm not a real big coffee drinker, but I do have it occassionally and love the smell of it! It doesn't seem to bother me as long as I stick to the decaffeinated kind.Gosh, all that snow! Keep it up there, please!!!! Here in Wisconsin, we've had a very mild winter. Much like Weener's area in Canada. But the eastern part of the U.S. has been bombarded with snowstorms and ice storms, etc. Not good. And then with all the snow, comes the big thaw in Spring and then there's floods. It seems to runs in cycles every so many years per area of the country.Please take it easy with all the shoveling you have to do. With so much snow and snow piles getting so high, it makes it difficult and dangerous for any human being, healthy or not, to shovel away at the accumulation.Take care.Karen


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## Mio (Dec 19, 1999)

Hi all,have you tried Rooibos? It taste pretty much like tea, but it has no caffine in it. Iï¿½m a tea-drinker myself and I donï¿½t drink coffee because my stomach problems. As for snow...here were I live in Sweden it has rained for a month! Iï¿½m not kiddin, every single day! Some rivers are in flood and communities along rivers are scared right now.../Mio


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi Fiesty & MioIts been snowing here all day, so far we added 6 to 8 more inches and its still comming down.The plows came in last night and pushed huge mounds into our yards, its about 15 feet high in places, they are trying to make room for more I guess, I'll hate to see the lawn in the spring.Its fun for the kids I guess, but not for those of us that have to shovel the next downfall.Mio, I can't believe you have had a month of rain! It rained like that here the summer I was married, it's so dismal & depressing when it rains so much, and hard on the FM too. I haven't heard of Rooibos, what country makes it? I don't know if it can be bought here, but maybe a specialty shop could get it for me, does it taste like orange peeko? (which doesn't taste like oranges at all, it just has an orange color)I have done well on the decafe coffee so far, but I only have 2 cups a day, I'm working my way up to it gradually. This is my third day, so far, so good. I had forgotten how much I missed the taste of good coffee.I can relate to the flooding concerns, we have a large wetland to the right of our property,it is so beautiful and tranquil in summer, teeming with unusual birds, beaver, frogs, hedgehogs and more, but I am very concerned that when this snow melts we are in big trouble.


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

LoriAnn,I don't know if you can get this kind of herbal tea up where you are, but there's a company that puts out a wide variety of natural herbal teas that are caffeine free. The company is called Celestial Seasons. I've already tried their Raspberry, Black Cherry, Lemon and Orange varieties. Not bad. Better than not being able to have any at all. I never did care for tea (the real kind), but a number of years ago a friend gave me a few packets of hers to try because I was trying to consume "natural" products and stay away from anything artificial, etc.If you can't find it by you but would like to try some, let me know and I'll send you some different ones to try. (I'm serious about this, Lori!)Karen


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

LoriAnn and Mio,You two are really getting "hit" with horrible weather, aren't you. More snow, ugh!! A month of rain and flooding, that's horrible, Mio. I hope you can do something once in a while to get you out of the "dull dromes" of dreary, rainy days. Go to a movie, or museum or something. It's been on national television that Europe is being hit by some horrible weather conditions. England, too.Take care, both of you.LoriAnn----I forgot to ask you----just before you left the Board, you mentioned moving. Did you have to do that or are you still where you were before? There's so much to catch up on.Karen


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## Mio (Dec 19, 1999)

Hi again,LoriAnn I found this on the web, if you are interested in Rooibos: http://www.montegotea.com/ Here in Sweden you can buy it in tea and coffee shops. When you pour it in a cup it has red colour and it sometimes called "red tea".Yes, itï¿½s so depressing with rain







...And my FMS har been terrible in this weather...Well, it canï¿½t go on forever! Take care, Mio


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi everyone,Karen we do get Celestial teas here, I've tried lots of flavors but they were all sooooo hard on my stomach, I tried to switch to their raspberry brand just last month, it didn't work out well.Nova Scotia is what we call tea country, everyone has a tea pot, its almost always on the stove, ready for visitors, Cape Breton adheres to this even stronger than the rest of the province. If you are in Cape Breton and you get stranded in a storm, they will always take you in (it helps if you speak gaelic or french), then they give you tea, tea is the cure all, someone dies, make tea, someone gets sick, make tea, get divorced, make tea. The belief that tea solves everything is so ingrained in us, as much as our scottish heritage. But its always orange pekeo, my point is that its nearly impossible to teach an old dog new tricks, and we can't seem to adjust to "new things". The stupid thing is, tea is an aquired taste, all things considered it doesn't taste that good, but we were raised on it. If we could get use to that, herbal teas shouldn't be much of a stretch. I love the smell of herbal tea, but I can't seem to stomach it, literally.I sincerly appreaciate the offer to send me some Fiesty, thats so sweet of you. About moving, we are still in the same place, for a while I thought we might lose the house because I couldn't work, but we held on to the place-it was a close call though, but I think you might be thinking of Rose, when we moved her in with us, she had to sell her home, I feel bad for her, but it was poor money management on her part, It taught her a lesson, but it was an expensive one, now she lives in an apt with her husband and 2 girls, but she is young, she will get a chance again.Thanks for the link Mio, I'll check it out when I finish up at the board,I really hope you get a break from the rain soon. We got sunshine here today but its bitterly cold, and they are predicting more snow tomorrow! I hate winter,I feel so blah, I go through a really depressing time between Jan & Feb, we call it shack wacky. Only 6 weeks to spring I keep telling myself.


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hey Mio, its a Canadian company!!! I shouldn't have any problem getting it at a specialty shop, thanks for the link!


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## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

LoriAnn, you could try a decaffinated tea?Or, as you mentioned you wanted something comforting and you have GERD, I really recommend Celestial Seasoning's SLEEPYTIME TEA. I know you've tried some of their teas before, but this is a herb tea and should not hurt your tummy. It comes in teabags so is easy to use and I'm pretty sure it doesn't contain cinammon. Contrary to what the name suggests, it doens't make me sleepy







Thank goodness! I do find it very comforting to drink, and it really helps me with that gnawing/sore/sour feeling in the stomach, and also with chronic heartburn. It has, amongst other things in it, chammomile and spearmint, both of which may be good for GI symptoms. Best wishes and good luck in your tea search!


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi Susan,I actually have a box of Sleepytime in the cupboard but it really bothers my stomach, I don't know if its the orange blossoms or the lemon grass, or the spearment, but it really irritates my stomach, on the upside though, the warm teabags feel wonderful on the eyes.







But thanks for trying


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

OH, I tried decafe tea, it tastes like boiled straw, yuk!


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## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

LoriAnn, I'm surprised and sorry to hear the SleepyTime bothers your stomach.







Have you tried plain chammomile? It doesn't taste too lovely but you may be able to tolerate it? I'll have to try the Sleepytime teabags on my eyes!


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Aw, geez, girls!! Now it's beauty time.







Got any other good ideas? I need help desperately!







I'm going to head to the grocery store and buy out their tea bags!!!!!!!!Lori, Your stomach must be so ultra sensitive. It must be hard for you to consume anything, you poor thing. Have you tried any of the anti-anxiety drugs out there. Not the anti-depressant ones that are suppose to help with anxiety, but just an anti-anxiety med. Perhaps that would calm you down and in turn "settle" that tummy of yours some. You must be skin and bones from all your intolerances. Take care.Karen


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Hi Fiesty,You are right about me being skin & bones, I am 5ft 9" and weigh about 113lbs, I lost another 2 lbs this week. Not intentionally of course. There is very little I can eat that does not send me flying to the bathroom, but there are also very few meds I can tolerate, tylonal is the ONLY pain med I can take, I am also allergic to codeine and demerol, so that prevents me from getting real pain management.I took a terrible reaction to Previsid this week and spent the night in hospital, so much for changing the Nexium. The doctor is always wary when I want to change a med because I almost always have a negative reaction. Some days I wish I would just die and get this misery over with. I'm having a "why me" day I guess.


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## LoriAnn (Jan 31, 2002)

Just an update, I now weigh 105 lbs. I go for my endoscopy tomorrow. Wish me luck, I'd kill for chinese food right about now.Lori


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Not good LoriAnn. I'm praying really hard for you. HEAR THIS, LORD-----LORIANN NEEDS SOME HELP DESPERATELY. HELP HER PLEASE.Love,Karen


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## ilovehockey (May 30, 2001)

Sorry, LoriAnn - I've been gone for a while. I am a Colorado Avalanche fan!


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