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Hello is something happening in here Pleased request my question
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recently replied to a question from Dawn Waker who was hoping to power a Macintosh Notebook from a 12VDC electrical system. George Schemm stated that 2 LM317T adjustable voltage regulators parralleled together could be used to supply 7.5 volts at 2 amps from the 12vdc supply. I am interested in building the same circuit but have not been able to find out how the LM317T should be wired up. I have tried Radiospares but they do not have a Data sheet on this integrated circuit. than one pound sterling each this must be a very cost effective solution to the problem. I expect that the circuit will be very simple and will require few components. Any assistance with such a circuit would be greatly appreciated. — Barry Harvey
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My friedn (we both have asthma) has been struggling along for some time with both inhaled & oral steroids. Her GP (we live in the UK) has started her with Singulair and she is at present (touch wood etc.) off the oral stuff, which has to be better for her than previously. She has been on it a couple of weeks, though I don’t know how long her response took. Singulair has only arrived in the UK since last time I saw my GP so I can’t currently have any personal experience. We wait to see her long-term outlook on Singulair. Note the posts saying that some people have no response at all to Singulair & Accolate. writes Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help? Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped? Thanks. Peace, nyteowl
– Surfer! http://www.nevis-vieww.demon.co.uk http://www.nevis-vieww.demon.co.uk/flash Hopeful anti-spam: alter double ‘w’ to single ‘w’ to view site & send Email.
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Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome.
Newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?
Accolate seems to be a ‘wonder drug’ for about 1/3 of the people who try it, shows some results for another 1/3, and does absolutely nothing for the last third. A very few people taking it have had elevated liver enzymes and had to stop. Some doctors feel that this is something that should be checked and others apparently do not. Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?
I have tried Allegera and noticed that it helps my allergies during ‘hay fever’ season but have not really noticed a detectable asthma improvement.
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of weeks to feel the difference. As for the drawbacks, you must make sure that you take it 2-3 hrs. before or after eating. It doesn’t metabolize well and have the strongest affect if taken with food.
Actually it is the other way around. Accolate should not be taken within 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after. Taking Accolate during this time peroid reduces the effectivness of the medication by 40%. (Source: Pharmicist’s Data Sheet for Accolate).
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I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?
I don’t take Accolate, so I can’t be any help there. Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped?
I do take Allegra for allergies. It is God’s own gift! Chris Owens
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Hi and welcome. THere has been a lot of discussion, info, etc on Accolate and Singulair – a newvomer that has a similar mechanism. posts thatn may not be carried on our newserver any longer. Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help?
there are two kinds of responses: some people have incredible results and they can occur in a few days. the majority improve on these meds but it can take a month or so to be sure. So take your whole scrip before making a decision. BTE, about a third of patients show absolutely NO response to these drugs. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped? Thanks. Peace, nyteowl
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Hi, Hope newcomers are welcome. I have just discovered this ng. I have had asthma for a long time and recently my internist put me on Accolate. I am interested to hear from others on this medication and their response to it. Has it been effective? How long did it take to help? Also, has anyone been on Allergra? Has it helped? Thanks. Peace, nyteowl
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Hi nyteowl: Welcome… in response to your post, I was on Accolate for 16 months. I found it very effective and had no problems with it. I was recently taken off it and have now been put on Singular. Accolate has a few drawbacks to it, and don’t be surprised if you don’t feel the results immediately. It usually will take a few days to even a couple of weeks to feel the difference. As for the drawbacks, you must make sure that you take it 2-3 hrs. before or after eating. It doesn’t metabolize well and have the strongest affect if taken with food. Also, one of the side effects is a high liver enzyme count. Make sure your doctor takes blood tests to monitor this. I had no problems, and if a problem does occur, usually by stopping it for a few days will lower the count, thus allowing you to begin taking it again. Accolate must also be taken twice a day. What I found when taking it, and again this is just me,( as I’m sure others have different experiences ) is that at times I had problems sleeping (no asthma symptoms), sometimes I had a bigger appetite and craved sweets (which I don’t eat). Most of this occurred when I first went on it. I had a few severe asthma attacks, that was brought on by a cold/infection which put me into the hospital for a week. There was no warning of an attack, which Accolate is supposed to help, but not stop the attack. As for Singular, I’ve been on it for a month now and it’s so much better for me. It’s taken at night only, and you can take it with food. I sleep great, feel stronger and don’t have any tightness at all. My peak flows have improved almost 50%, and I use my inhaler 1X a day, 2 puffs. There are no found side effects (liver or other), and I haven’t had any asthma attacks or breathing difficulties. Good Luck, -Althea
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Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter 100% or partly be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.
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Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter 100% or partly be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.
You can find a lot of information at http://www.jdfcure.org which is the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International. Jude — - Coming Soon – BestOrgs.NET Oak Park, IL 708-848-0134 URL: http://www.pobox.com/~jcrouch
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Hello Eduard Hello. I am new to this newsgroup but have been a diabetic since I was 14, am 30 now. I remember when I was diagnosed, my father felt completely frustrated and helpless. But, my step mother went through the steps with me to learn to deal with diabetes. We learned together to take shots, meal plans, exercise, etc. It was nice to have someone there learning with me. It was also nice cause if I didnt feel like taking the shot myself, she could give it to me. I am not always the best diabetic, and being a father now I know there is nothing I can say that will completely relieve your fears for your daughter. But what I can say is that if you take the time to learn about diabetes with her, and make sure she follows the plan and makes her diabetes care a routine; that she will become stronger from it and be able to manage as healthy lifestyle as another other child. Maybe even healthier because she will be following a good strong diet. I wish the best for you and your daughter. Jim — Captain {OTH}, Ouch, That H3RTZ http://othserver.coxinet.net/ MARS Cars-2, Nascar 3 Driver #147 http://www.mars-racing.com/ http://members.tripod.com/rage613mars/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do? Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ? Can my daughter 100% or partly be cured? I need ANY INFORMATION Thank You.
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Hello. I have a daughter 7 y/o 2 week ago she was at hospital with the type I diabetes what shall I do? what can I do?
Hi Eduard, First of all calm down, and take a deep breath. No need for this much stress on your part or to pass panic messages to your child through your behavior. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of answers about diabetes, but I’m going to talk to you about being the parent of a "different" child, and coping with the unexpected. While my son was not diabetic, he had many other problems. I remember feeling like you are right now when my son was diagnosed as a dwarf with a predicted adult height of slightly over 4 feet, and facing daily injections of growth hormone. What you can and will do, it educate yourself about your daughters condition. I know you asked for messages to be posted to your personal mail, but you need also to stay with this group, alt.support.diabetes and read lots of messages. You can get information about diabetes from your duaghter’s medical team, and your local diabetes assn, but I promise you you’ll learn faster here, and you’ll come to understand what your daughter is going through faster. What you can also do is remember your daughter is still the person she was before and parent her. Some parents tend to freak on medical issues and forget to do stuff like read bedtime stories, go to the park to play, and those kinds of things. Keep your life as normal as possible. Expect your daughter to be able to live as normal a life as possible, so you don’t handicap her with limited expectations. Please write us again and tell us what you feel powerless to cope with or what actions you want to take that you can’t figure out how to accomplish. Maybe then we could give you greater support. Is it possible to convert my daughter from type I to type II ?
No. Not anymore likely than saying I’d rather my daughter’s left arm was borken instead of her right. Can we do that doctor? Of course not. Can my daughter 100% or partly be cured?
Not today, but we all hope for a cure in our lifetimes. There is promising research out there. Carol D.
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I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site. Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???). Finally, I am trying Lithium. The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain. Wanting to eat more? Do you take this med with other medication? would you consider Lithium a MS? What effect does it have on depression ? Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it? The latter problem i have experienced recently.
Hi Debie, I hope your treatment goes smoothly and your pdocs can work well with you. 
I was on lith for about 5 months. It didn’t work all that well for me but its a long story I tell in another post… It was the first aproved mood stablizer that worked with out sedating the heck out of people. But it is a very strong CNS depresant drug. I had some sleep problems and some sleep improvement on lithium. The time release formulation is far superior and will give a dose of the drug upfront. Lith does make most people drowsy. But its not activly targeting brain areas that have to do with sleep. Like the benzodiphine receptors. As a sleeping pill its not very good. But when I was on it (the normal version) I would sometimes become intencely sleepy about an hour or so after taking it. This drug will alter your sleep. I had real problems waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Taking higher doses of lithium at night will really screw up your sleep because of its strong CNS depresant effect. If you have ocational sleep problems I would ask your pdoc for newer sleep medicine like temazapam or ambiem. They both have short half lifes so you generaly don’t have a hangover. You might also try trazodone. Most pdocs will give this out first. Its an older sedating antidepresant that works ok for sleep at low non theraputic doses. Its not a drug that you can keep upping the dose with for sleep problems with out experencing hangovers. A lot of people take trazodone every night just for sleep. If it doesn’t work for you TELL your pdoc and look at the alternatives and their risks. Some other benzodiphine drugs that are also used for sleep are clonazapam (klonipin) or lorazipam (antivan). Klonipin has strong anti convulsant properties so can be uses as "night time mood stablizer". All benzo drugs have the risk of dependance if you keep using them at higher doses. I hope this helps. Reid
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Hi Debbie, I’ll try to keep this really short. I hate long posts. I don’t want to discourage you, but I was diagnosed five years ago, and I’m still trying to find the right cocktail of drugs. I can tell you for certain, the ONLY mood stabilizer I responded to right off the bat was Lithium. It was "the" miracle" drug for me. Now years later, they’ve added Tegratol into the mix. As far as sides go, the only time I had them was when my last doctor damn near killed me with toxicity. He had me on way too much. I experienced heavy discusting sweating, body twitches, and the worst was the hand tremors. I couldn’t even sign my own name. The other major one was vision imparement. Now these are side effects of toxicity. Not normal routine dosages. Now I’ll try to answer your other questions: I have migraines. Always have so I don’t know if Lithium makes them worse. They’re unpredictable at best. Weight gain? Not really. I’ve been this weight for forever… always a bit over. The med regimine I’m on now consist of 1200mg Lithium, 800m. Tegratol, 150mg. Wellbutrin, and 100-200mg of Trazodone. The last is for sleep purposes only. Having said that, you need to also know that I take other meds for other conditions. How they play into the BP mix is anyone’s guess. Confusion and memory problems for me are a constant… with or without meds. One very important thing to note with Lithium usage, is to get your blood levels drawn regularly. I have mine done every 3 months. And I’ve failed to keep this short. <g I wish you the very best. And should you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me. Linda (Briteyes) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site. Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???). Finally, I am trying Lithium. The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain. Wanting to eat more? Do you take this med with other medication? would you consider Lithium a MS? What effect does it have on depression ? Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it? The latter problem i have experienced recently. I have lots of confusion and some memory problems. I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause. I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you. Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N
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I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site.
Welcome, Debbie. Tristana
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Hi Debbie, Welcome to ASDM. I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site. Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???). Finally, I am trying Lithium. The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me.
That is the prudent action to take. Have you discussed other medication options. There are 20 meds from which to chosse today. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith.
It can happen. How about weight gain.
Yes…many have gained weight while taking Lithium. Wanting to eat more? Do you take this med with other medication?
It can be augmented with another MS. would you consider Lithium a MS?
It is a MS…one of the oldest ones. What effect does it have on depression ?
Not effective with depression. The newer MS like Lamictal and Neurontin have AD properties. Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it? The latter problem i have experienced recently.
I never did but it can happen I have lots of confusion and some memory problems. I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause.
Lithium has the potential of causing these side effects. I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you. Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N
Please discuss these side effects with your pdoc. I have enclosed James Milton’s post about the 20 medications available to treat BP stabilization in the US. Peace, "Twenty Medications Used for Bipolar Mood Stabilization in the US" By James D. Milton Last Updated: 7/30/99 <For best results specify that display and printing be done 80 characters/line with a fixed pitch font to avoid line wrapping. Please see below for various psychotropic meds that are presently being used as mood stabilizing meds in the United States. I have not attempted to list either all of the adverse side effects or all the potential benefits from these psychoaffective medications because they vary considerably from person to person. In addition an entire book could easily be written about the pros and cons of these meds. A person with a Bipolar (BP) disorder will just have to keep on experimenting until they find the meds that are effective for each individual with side effects that can be personally tolerated. In general most people usually find that the newer mood stabilizers will have a more benign adverse side effect profile than the older meds. Also these meds may well prove to be more effective — particularly when the traditional older mood stabilizers have failed for some reason or another. For additional most important information about the efficacy of the newer mood stabilizers please see the following article: Current Treatments in Bipolar Disorder: http://www.cme-reviews.com/supplements.html Since these newer meds have not been available as long, the long term benefits and disadvantages are not as well known as the mood stabilizers that preceded them. Each person should thoroughly discuss ALL the various medication options together with their associated pros and cons with their pdoc (psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist). I strongly advocate a collaborative team approach between patient and their physician. You can find out a lot about the treatment of bipolar disorder by visiting the following most informative Web page compiled by Dr. Ivan Goldberg and then following the many valuable links to other educational sites about bipolar disorder: Bipolar (Manic-Depressive) Disorder: http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.bipolar.html Knowledge, Patience, Persistence, and Med Compliance IMO are vital keys to victory over our common illness. I wish you all the very best in your search for mental stability and well being! "Information Regarding BP Mood Stabilizers" Note: Only some of the potentially important effects are listed in the following tables. Since there are NO universal responses to any particular psychotropic medication, a person MAY or MAY NOT experience the positive benefits or the negative adverse side effects. YBMV (Your Brain May Vary) — and likely will! Older Primary Mood Stabilizers Lithium — Lithobid, Eskalith CR (thyroid damage? tremors? weight gain?) Divalproex – Depakote, Epival (liver damage? hair loss? weight gain?) Carbamazepine — Tegretol XR, Carbatrol (rare life-threatening anemia and rash?) Newer Primary Mood Stabilizers (Anticonvulsants) Gabapentin – Neurontin (antidepressant? antianxiety med? IMPROVES COGNITION?) Lamotrigine — Lamictal (antidepressant? rashes? rare life-threatening rash?) Topiramate – Topamax (antidepressant? kidneystones? heart probs? WEIGHT LOSS?) Tiagabine — Gabatril (blocks reuptake of GABA? cognitive impairment?) Felbamate — Felbatol (possibility of developing fatal aplastic anemia?) Gamma-vinyl-GABA — Vigabatrin (GVG may aid in cocaine and nicotine addiction?) Calcium Channel Blockers (to be used ONLY as Secondary Mood Stabilizers) Verapamil – Calan SR, Isoptin SR (anti-dysrhythmic/anginal/hypertensive agent) Nimodipine — Nimotop (improves cognition? aids multiple sclerosis depression?) Amlodipine — Norvasc, Lotrel (anti-hypertensive agent) Diltiazem – Cardizem CD (anti-hypertensive/anginal agent) Felodipine — Plendil (anti-hypertensive agent) Isradipine — DynaCirc (anti-hypertensive agent) Nicardipine– Cardene (anti-hypertensive agent) Nifedipine — Procardia XL (anti-hypertensive/anginal/pulmonary-edema agent) Adjunctive Medications Having Mood Stabilizing Properties Clozapine — Clozaril (older antipsychotic to be used only with anticonvulsants) Levothyroxine — Synthroid (adjust T4 level to 25% the upper limit of normal) Liothyronine sodium — Cytomel (adjust T3 level to treat refractory depression) Combining two (or more) mood stabilizers MAY be more effective than when each is taken alone. This is called "polytherapy" as opposed to the more traditional "monotherapy". One med may "potentiate" the effectiveness of another — so that the total effect becomes greater than the sum of its individual contributors. I believe that the efficacy of this approach is becoming increasingly apparent — particularly in refractory cases. It is my personal belief that polytherapy should also be utilized in nonrefractory BP cases as well. This concept is a "defense-in-depth" approach. Where one mood stabilizer is weak, hopefully another will be able to compensate for this weakness. For additional important technical information on "combination" or polytherapy please see: The Role of Complex Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Refractory Bipolar Illness: http://www.cme-reviews.com/CNS598_post.html Lithium carbonate (or another mood stabilizer) may prove helpful as a secondary adjunct to one of the newer mood stabilizers which have demonstrated powerful antidepressive properties for some people. Consequently for example I suggest that Neurontin-lithium and Lamictal-lithium combinations be considered. It is also possible that subtherapeutic dosages of lithium carbonate may be taken so as to minimize its adverse side effects. My recommendation for optimal results is Neurontin-Lamictal. However due to the potential strong antidepressive properties of each med, suggested conservative dosage titration protocols are given below. Of course only one mood stabilizer dosage should be adjusted at a time. A calcium channel blocker should at this point only be used as a secondary mood stabilizer — solely in conjunction with an effective primary mood stabilizer. There is some evidence to suggest that calcium channel blockers may be effectively used as antimanic agents — possibly as a replacement for lithium. They appear to have a much more benign side effect profile because they do not cause weight gain, do not cause tremors, and are well tolerated for gastrointestinal upsets and other adverse side effects. Of the 8 calcium channel blockers listed above, verapamil and nimodipine are the ones most commonly being used. Nimodipine is unfortunately quite expensive but shows promise under certain circumstances. Nimodipine is one of the few drugs found to increase the cerebrospinal fluid levels of somatostatin, a neuropeptide known to be permanently reduced in patients with Alzheimer’s and transiently reduced during active episodes of both depression and multiple sclerosis. Somatostatin depletion is also associated with problems of learning and memory. Subjectively, a number of patients felt more cognitively clear on nimodipine. Clozaril (clozapine) is … read more »
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I am struggling here and am grateful that there are some understanding folks on this site. Was diagnosed last Oct. and am still trying to get the medication right (comfortable???). Finally, I am trying Lithium. The only problem is, we(my doc and I) thought I was having this weird side effect so we are slowly weaning me off it to see if this side effect subsides. Therefore, I am taking a very low dose and even prior to this I was low because I was awaiting my blood levels as this is new med for me. What I want to ask is this, have any of you experienced headaches on Lith. How about weight gain. Wanting to eat more? Do you take this med with other medication? would you consider Lithium a MS? What effect does it have on depression ? Alas, have any of you experienced sleep disruption on it? The latter problem i have experienced recently. I have lots of confusion and some memory problems. I do not know if this is the nature of bp or if the meds I have taken are the cause. I am tired of this whole business and am STILL trying to accept that I have this illness. There are not a whole lot of folks out here who I can discuss this with. Again, I am grateful I can discuss this with you. Thanks for sharing your experience-Debbie N
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Dear Debbie, welcome to the group, I am glad you found us. It is nice to see you here. I personally do not have any experience taking lithium so I will leave it to others to talk about that. But I just wanted to say that I can empathize with you about the struggle to accept the illness. It is a huge change in how you see yourself, at least it was for me. and the struggle to get the medications right is a major hassle. One of the things I find most frustrating is that the body chemistry and life circumstances that affect it, keep changing, so my meds have to be changed and fine tuned. I wish I could get the meds settled once and for all. One of the keys is to try to establish a stable life routine, particularly a healthy sleep schedule. I am not so good at that, sometimes I end up staying up way too late. Also I don’t have a great diet and exercise plan. I am definitely not the model bipolar. However, even with my shortcomings I am doing well in my life, and I wish for you a similar success. — For info about this service, see http://www.twwells.com/anon/ or e-mail:
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Thanks for the tip -Ephraim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. I wonder, have any of you explored the Depression Central link on Dr. Bob’s Psychopharmacology Tips site, http://uhs.bsd.uchicago.edu/dr-bob/tips/tips.html ? Dr. Bob has a great site for people who want to learn about the scientific aspect of mood disorders. I first heard of Neurontin while exploring his site, and, though it took a while to find a Psychiatrist who would let me give it a try, once I found one and started taking it I discovered the first antimanic agent that I’m responsive to. I have mixed episodes, so I’m treatment-resistant, but now I’m on Wellbutrin and Neurontin and it’s the most effective combination of medications I’ve encountered. The Depression Central site has more info on Bipolar Disorder than I’ve ever encountered before. I can spend hours reading and re-reading the articles. I’ve found that you get used to the scientific jargon after a while if you just keep digging. I wish my Psychiatrist would read the articles therein. The problem with Psychiatrist is that they treat a whole spectrum of illnesses and don’t have the inclination to do any deep digging for info on BPD. It wasn’t until I printed out a series of posts to DBPT and read sections of them to my shrink that he finally agreed to give Neurontin a try. He didn’t think that I was suffering from mixed episodes, even though that was the diagnosis I got when I was an ‘inmate’ at the Cleveland Clinic Psych ward. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.
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I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. ….snipped…. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.
Welcome and thanks for sharing the sites. Fascinating info, isn’t it? Others in the group have provided great links for learning and will be able to direct you further. Also, and you probably know this but I am the "queen of the obvious", type "bipolar disorder" or "manic depression" into a search engine for more quick sites. regards, julie
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I just got a new computer and I can access the Net from my house instead of having to go to the library. I wonder, have any of you explored the Depression Central link on Dr. Bob’s Psychopharmacology Tips site, http://uhs.bsd.uchicago.edu/dr-bob/tips/tips.html ? Dr. Bob has a great site for people who want to learn about the scientific aspect of mood disorders. I first heard of Neurontin while exploring his site, and, though it took a while to find a Psychiatrist who would let me give it a try, once I found one and started taking it I discovered the first antimanic agent that I’m responsive to. I have mixed episodes, so I’m treatment-resistant, but now I’m on Wellbutrin and Neurontin and it’s the most effective combination of medications I’ve encountered. The Depression Central site has more info on Bipolar Disorder than I’ve ever encountered before. I can spend hours reading and re-reading the articles. I’ve found that you get used to the scientific jargon after a while if you just keep digging. I wish my Psychiatrist would read the articles therein. The problem with Psychiatrist is that they treat a whole spectrum of illnesses and don’t have the inclination to do any deep digging for info on BPD. It wasn’t until I printed out a series of posts to DBPT and read sections of them to my shrink that he finally agreed to give Neurontin a try. He didn’t think that I was suffering from mixed episodes, even though that was the diagnosis I got when I was an ‘inmate’ at the Cleveland Clinic Psych ward. Knowledge is power, inform yourselves.
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Suzie, Welcome to the group! You’ll love it here. Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue
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Suzie, Welcome to the group! You’ll love it here. Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue
Amen!! Jane
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hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20 years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie
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hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20 years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie
Suzie, You’ll find lots of support here! A great bunch of people! You can whine, bitch and cry here….and everyone knows how you feel! Keep Smilin’ ~Krissy "The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that in which one has not laughed." Nicolas Chamfort
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Hi Marge — have you been lurking or just missing for a few weeks? Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! Welcome! There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this theory.
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Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead! hugs! -kk p.s. I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis). I have to take strong meds for it but it’s better than ending up with my joints damaged. So be sure to take the advice of others here and get a good rheumatologist to check you out! p.p.s. Notice the body of this note is about chocolate, and the subject of arthritis is relegated to the PS! You can tell from that what is important around here! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello Carol, and welcome to the group. I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort. Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA. Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment. It would be better for your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you? Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;- Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead!
kk, Now you know you shouldn’t be lifting things with that costo flaring. Here, i’ll just go ahead and help you out……. Aim To reply via email, make sure to remove the DEATH-TO-SPAMMERS from my address! It should read: aimgrrrl at mindspring dot com
Response:
I started acupuncture for my shoulder about 5 week ago and it has really helped with the pain. It took about 7 treatments before I really seen a difference.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hi! Welcome! There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this theory. I was sick and on many traditional treatments for over 16 years and,for me, not good results. Minocin has allowed me to wean off Pred, off MTX aa well as stomach meds and sleep meds. I take no pain meds and have gotten a lot of my old strength back. There have been clinical trials for minocin proving it safe and effective for RA and it has done well with the newly diagnosed especially. My daughter( also an Ra-er) is in remission on Minocin for over 3 yrs now. The website www.roadback.org has a lot of information on it as well as a free protocol. There is a bulletin board to ask questions under online support.. If I can help in any way, let me know I was so happy to find this treatment. It has really given me back a great quality of life! Love, Marge Marge
Response:
Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Welcome (((Carol))) Plenty of freindly and informed people on this site. Have you got a really good Rheumatologist? If not as a first priority get one to diagnose you etc. maureen UK
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hello Carol, and welcome to the group. I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort. Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA. Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment. It would be better for your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you? Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;-
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hi Carol: have you seen a rheumatologist [RD]? If not you need to do that first. Get a start to a diagnosis and then on to a medicine choice which will help you before you get any joint damage. Here are two good sites for reference work: http://www.arthritisinsight.com http://www.arthritis.co.za/ This site even has a section on preparing for your first visit to a RD. Keep us posted. Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Suzie, Welcome to the group! You’ll love it here. Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue
Response:
Suzie, Welcome to the group! You’ll love it here. Everyone is very supportive and VERY helpful. Sue
Amen!! Jane
Response:
hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20 years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie
Response:
hi, my name is Suzie and I have JRA for 20 years and I was looking for a support who can relate to having arthritis,surgeries,(replacement, and meds. I let a message in the othe new group-misc.health.arthritis too. I just move to NJ, from Brooklyn, NY and I miss all my friends so I was hoping to make new ones. Is anybody interested? Suzie
Suzie, You’ll find lots of support here! A great bunch of people! You can whine, bitch and cry here….and everyone knows how you feel! Keep Smilin’ ~Krissy "The most thoroughly wasted of all days is that in which one has not laughed." Nicolas Chamfort
Response:
Hi Marge — have you been lurking or just missing for a few weeks? Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! Welcome! There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this theory.
Response:
Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead! hugs! -kk p.s. I have RA (rheumatoid arthritis). I have to take strong meds for it but it’s better than ending up with my joints damaged. So be sure to take the advice of others here and get a good rheumatologist to check you out! p.p.s. Notice the body of this note is about chocolate, and the subject of arthritis is relegated to the PS! You can tell from that what is important around here! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello Carol, and welcome to the group. I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort. Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA. Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment. It would be better for your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you? Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;- Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Welcome to the group, Carol! Cindy is one of those who can’t be trusted with the chocoloate. So here, let ME hold it for you instead!
kk, Now you know you shouldn’t be lifting things with that costo flaring. Here, i’ll just go ahead and help you out……. Aim To reply via email, make sure to remove the DEATH-TO-SPAMMERS from my address! It should read: aimgrrrl at mindspring dot com
Response:
I started acupuncture for my shoulder about 5 week ago and it has really helped with the pain. It took about 7 treatments before I really seen a difference.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hi! Welcome! There are many friendly, warm people here. I can share what has worked wonderful for me for almost 4 1/2 years now. I take Minocin, an antibiotic.The book The New Arthritis Breakthrough By Henry Scammell helps explain this theory. I was sick and on many traditional treatments for over 16 years and,for me, not good results. Minocin has allowed me to wean off Pred, off MTX aa well as stomach meds and sleep meds. I take no pain meds and have gotten a lot of my old strength back. There have been clinical trials for minocin proving it safe and effective for RA and it has done well with the newly diagnosed especially. My daughter( also an Ra-er) is in remission on Minocin for over 3 yrs now. The website www.roadback.org has a lot of information on it as well as a free protocol. There is a bulletin board to ask questions under online support.. If I can help in any way, let me know I was so happy to find this treatment. It has really given me back a great quality of life! Love, Marge Marge
Response:
Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Welcome (((Carol))) Plenty of freindly and informed people on this site. Have you got a really good Rheumatologist? If not as a first priority get one to diagnose you etc. maureen UK
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hello Carol, and welcome to the group. I’m sorry to hear that you’re having some discomfort. Pain in the knees and hands was the first symptoms of what turned out to be RA. Please keep going to doctors (especially rheumatologists) until you get a diagnosis and some treatment. It would be better for your future if you were diagnosed and treated early in the game. Investigate the possibilities of herbal medications, too, but let your doctor know what you are taking. Stick around….there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who will have information to help you. Cindy R. p.s. – do you like chocolate? Do you happen to have any with you? Better let me hold it for you….some people in here can’t be trusted! ;-
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
Hi Carol: have you seen a rheumatologist [RD]? If not you need to do that first. Get a start to a diagnosis and then on to a medicine choice which will help you before you get any joint damage. Here are two good sites for reference work: http://www.arthritisinsight.com http://www.arthritis.co.za/ This site even has a section on preparing for your first visit to a RD. Keep us posted. Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all I have been suffering from arthritis for a couple of years now. First of all my right knee and then I had an anthroscopy. Seems to be worse since I had that done. My right elbow has got bad now and difficult to pick up anything. If I carry anthing for too long it is very painful. Have tried glugosamine and chondroitin. Worked to begin with but not doesnt make any difference. Any tips. Doctors dont seem to be very helpful. Knee is very stiff. I am like an old lady when it comes to walking and my leg has deformed a bit now. Carol
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
hi Kile! If you imagine it will be such a hard time for you, then you might benefit from some preparation. For instance: have you considered using patches or Zyban, or any other aid? In this group, there have been a lot of discussions about the aids, and you can also find information (and see the faces of the people here!) on www.quitbuddies.org. Preparation, for me, also consists of doing things I like. I make sure I’ve got plenty of fat fantasy novels in the house, and allow myself to eat whatever I like, for a few weeks. In short, I’m *nice* to myself. Keep reading, and posting, so you feel familiar here and feel comfortable to shout for support (or fun, or chat) when the time has come. It is your quit, and yours alone. May the road rise to meet you, and be welcome to the Rockers 2004! Gita … I have not smoked in two days and 15 hours. 47 cigarettes remained unbought, saving fl 7,95. Time saved to save the earth and wonder about the meaning of life: 3 hours, 55 minutes.
Response:
Congrats on making the decision to quit, Kyle. I’m glad you’ve set a date; now is the time to prepare, and you’re in the right place. Jump on in here, read the posts, scour the internet for credible information, post here as much as you want, and get yourself psyched up for the most important decision you’ll ever make. It likely won’t be an easy thing to do but the people here can make it bearable (and even fun sometimes!); the support to be found in this group is second to none. Yes you are right that smoking becomes an ingrained activity that we associate with everything we do. That’s a pretty key point when it comes to this and it’s great to see it early on. You’ll be changing lots and lots of habitual behaviors and it can help you to have a plan, or at least to have presence of mind about this so that you can change your habits. In fact, you can start working on this now, before you even quit. For example, you could think about each cigarette you smoke and think about what you might be able to do as a non-smoker in this circumstance instead. You can start planning those trigger-shifting habits now, as part of your preparation. You can also start shifting the way you think about smoking now, by looking at each cigarette you smoke in a different way. Each time you light one, tell yourself that the cigarette is just a poison delivery system, that it’s nothing but a paper tube filled with burning leaves, and ask yourself if any sane, non-addicted person would be caught dead putting that thing in their mouth… and answer honestly, every time you light up. Stuff like that, as preparation, can help you when the time comes. Glad to have you with us hugs, elle
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
Welcome Kyle, get comfy & settle in here. You can do this! Cat
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Welcome along Kyle! Heaps of good advice in this thread already, so will just trot out my favourite thing to do when preparing for a quit. Make lists. Lists of why you want to quit – all the awful things about smoking that make you feel like this is it, you have gotta lose this habit, and for good. Lists of what you will do during a crave…be it chew some NRT gum, or normal gum, drink a glass of water, have a cup of tea, take a shower, go for a walk…your list will be as individual as you. And finally, my favourite, a list of rewards for each milestone. This might be something as simple as a soak in the bath with a new bubble bath, or a cd, or movie, or even saving up for a major indulgence (some folks got bikes, or kites, or whatever their thing was)… Best wishes to you. Get prepared. You can do this…and using the time until 20th January for preparation means that your quit is going to be that much better. Paula
Response:
Kyle, Don’t know what your dietary issues are, but if you can have sugar at all try some hard candies. I used to suck on REEDS Cinnamon candies. One role, a tad larger than life savers, would last a day and the strong cinnamon flavor handled the oral fixation part of smoking. Hang in there cause as I can tell you a cold turkey quit can be tough at first. It does start to get easier earlier than other methods but still the first few weeks are real mind benders. Ian OOF — 8y 11m 2d 15:39 smoke-free, 110,789 cigs not smoked, $13,671.36 saved, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
You’ve come to the right place Kyle, my friend. Getting over the constant oral stimulation was a challenge for me too. (Oh, I can hear the jokes now!) I also missed the hand to mouth motion. M&Ms helped but weight gain is a concern for me. So (as someone here suggested) I made a smoking straw. Cut a soda straw in half and stuff one end with cotton. The cotton can be "flavored" by a drop of vanilla, mint, eucalyptus, clove, whatever. When the craves got overpowering I would "smoke" my straw. It helped alot. I mean ALOT. Looking forward to getting to know you Kyle. Chris 4M
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Welcome, Kyle! Can you have celery or carrots? Apple slices or Altoids? Do you have a short drinking straw or a toothpick? Suck on some bottled water for fun! You can do this. Perhaps the girlfriend can suggest other distractions to take your mind off cigarettes . . . ? Welcome to the elite January 2004 quitters. We rock! Maude
Response:
Welcome to the group….I started posting a month before I quit although I usually only lurked….I really built myself up…use this NG as a tool to get ya hyped! — Steff Medic1455
Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s
the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce,
however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I
don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every
facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument
against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys
soon because you are – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
Hey Kyle…you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading, it really helps to hear what others are/have going/gone thru. :- Oh …and what the hell is Chinese licorce?? Ripley / placid in Pink — Nuttin nasty in here!! :-) Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Response:
Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
hi Kile! If you imagine it will be such a hard time for you, then you might benefit from some preparation. For instance: have you considered using patches or Zyban, or any other aid? In this group, there have been a lot of discussions about the aids, and you can also find information (and see the faces of the people here!) on www.quitbuddies.org. Preparation, for me, also consists of doing things I like. I make sure I’ve got plenty of fat fantasy novels in the house, and allow myself to eat whatever I like, for a few weeks. In short, I’m *nice* to myself. Keep reading, and posting, so you feel familiar here and feel comfortable to shout for support (or fun, or chat) when the time has come. It is your quit, and yours alone. May the road rise to meet you, and be welcome to the Rockers 2004! Gita … I have not smoked in two days and 15 hours. 47 cigarettes remained unbought, saving fl 7,95. Time saved to save the earth and wonder about the meaning of life: 3 hours, 55 minutes.
Response:
Congrats on making the decision to quit, Kyle. I’m glad you’ve set a date; now is the time to prepare, and you’re in the right place. Jump on in here, read the posts, scour the internet for credible information, post here as much as you want, and get yourself psyched up for the most important decision you’ll ever make. It likely won’t be an easy thing to do but the people here can make it bearable (and even fun sometimes!); the support to be found in this group is second to none. Yes you are right that smoking becomes an ingrained activity that we associate with everything we do. That’s a pretty key point when it comes to this and it’s great to see it early on. You’ll be changing lots and lots of habitual behaviors and it can help you to have a plan, or at least to have presence of mind about this so that you can change your habits. In fact, you can start working on this now, before you even quit. For example, you could think about each cigarette you smoke and think about what you might be able to do as a non-smoker in this circumstance instead. You can start planning those trigger-shifting habits now, as part of your preparation. You can also start shifting the way you think about smoking now, by looking at each cigarette you smoke in a different way. Each time you light one, tell yourself that the cigarette is just a poison delivery system, that it’s nothing but a paper tube filled with burning leaves, and ask yourself if any sane, non-addicted person would be caught dead putting that thing in their mouth… and answer honestly, every time you light up. Stuff like that, as preparation, can help you when the time comes. Glad to have you with us hugs, elle
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
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Welcome Kyle, get comfy & settle in here. You can do this! Cat
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Welcome along Kyle! Heaps of good advice in this thread already, so will just trot out my favourite thing to do when preparing for a quit. Make lists. Lists of why you want to quit – all the awful things about smoking that make you feel like this is it, you have gotta lose this habit, and for good. Lists of what you will do during a crave…be it chew some NRT gum, or normal gum, drink a glass of water, have a cup of tea, take a shower, go for a walk…your list will be as individual as you. And finally, my favourite, a list of rewards for each milestone. This might be something as simple as a soak in the bath with a new bubble bath, or a cd, or movie, or even saving up for a major indulgence (some folks got bikes, or kites, or whatever their thing was)… Best wishes to you. Get prepared. You can do this…and using the time until 20th January for preparation means that your quit is going to be that much better. Paula
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Kyle, Don’t know what your dietary issues are, but if you can have sugar at all try some hard candies. I used to suck on REEDS Cinnamon candies. One role, a tad larger than life savers, would last a day and the strong cinnamon flavor handled the oral fixation part of smoking. Hang in there cause as I can tell you a cold turkey quit can be tough at first. It does start to get easier earlier than other methods but still the first few weeks are real mind benders. Ian OOF — 8y 11m 2d 15:39 smoke-free, 110,789 cigs not smoked, $13,671.36 saved, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
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You’ve come to the right place Kyle, my friend. Getting over the constant oral stimulation was a challenge for me too. (Oh, I can hear the jokes now!) I also missed the hand to mouth motion. M&Ms helped but weight gain is a concern for me. So (as someone here suggested) I made a smoking straw. Cut a soda straw in half and stuff one end with cotton. The cotton can be "flavored" by a drop of vanilla, mint, eucalyptus, clove, whatever. When the craves got overpowering I would "smoke" my straw. It helped alot. I mean ALOT. Looking forward to getting to know you Kyle. Chris 4M
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Welcome, Kyle! Can you have celery or carrots? Apple slices or Altoids? Do you have a short drinking straw or a toothpick? Suck on some bottled water for fun! You can do this. Perhaps the girlfriend can suggest other distractions to take your mind off cigarettes . . . ? Welcome to the elite January 2004 quitters. We rock! Maude
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Welcome to the group….I started posting a month before I quit although I usually only lurked….I really built myself up…use this NG as a tool to get ya hyped! — Steff Medic1455
Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s
the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce,
however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I
don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every
facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument
against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys
soon because you are – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
Response:
Hey Kyle…you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading, it really helps to hear what others are/have going/gone thru. :- Oh …and what the hell is Chinese licorce?? Ripley / placid in Pink — Nuttin nasty in here!! :-) Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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Hello everyone, I’m so happy this group exists. January 20 is my first quit date but 3rd attempt. It’s not the nicotine at all. It’s the oral fixation, and I don’t know how to handle it because I can’t have pretzels or licorice because of my diet. Chinese licorce, however, does substitute alright except you don’t get the smoke Man, I don’t know what to do to break this. It is so damn hard because like everyone else who smokes, i think, I incorporated it into every facet of my life. I’m really happy that my girlfriend really wants me to quit. And I just think of it like "well quit" and every argument against it I think of a counter argument. I will go now and I hope to talk to you guys soon because you are doing a great serves to others who are trying to quit. Sincerely, Kyle
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Question:
I could drink coffee with no problem on Paxil and Zoloft. So far I have been able to resume since I’ve been on Effexor. I’m afraid it will lead to anxiety.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
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Dute de dute..de dute ..de de…(repeat 10 times and go to next poster) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Caffeine blocks absorption of most meds.. You might as well not take them if you’re going to drink coffee with them. -Rob Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
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I drink instant, five talbespoons per cup with a half pint of cream. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I drink about a gallon of strong, black coffee a day. Rarely drink it after 12 noon, when I switch to iced tea. jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Further, and unrelated to what I’m direclty replying to, here are some excerpts from Topic 6.3 in "The Owner’s Manual for the Brain" by Pierce J. Howard with additional information about caffeine: "Caffeine belongs to a class of compounds called methylxanthines, along with theophylline and theobromine, all of which have the ability to trick the brain into thinking they are the neurotransmitter adenosine. Adenosine is a relaxant that is required to restore the central nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic arousal, or from stress to relaxation. By finding adenosine receptor sites, caffeine blocks the relaxig effects of adenosine and maintains high arousal." "Caffene’s arousing properties were found to be associated not only with mental alertness, but also with physical endurance". "It inhibits phosphodiesterase (PDE). PDE is an enzyme that breaks down adenosine, so inhibiting PDE makes more adenosine available. This results in psychmotor stimulation, increased alertness, faster heart rate, and faster breathing. Excessive arousal appears to result in errors of commission (for example, typographical errors), whereas deficient arousal appears to result in errors of omission (for example, skipping a paragraph while typing)." "If the less impulsive person consumes caffeinated beverages upon waking, he or she will tend to perform poorly on complex mental tasks. If the more impulsive person tries a complex mental task upon waking before consuming a caffeinated beverage, he or she will tend to perform poorly. Toward the end of the day, this pattern switches: in the evening, less impulsive people perform complex mental tasks better with a hit of caffeine,; more impulsive people perform complex tasks better without it." "Some of these compounds [in caffeine] are antioxidants, the chmicals that disarm (or bind) free radicals and inhibit their insatiable appetite for vital cell membranes." "Ten grams is a lethal dose, while for small children 35 milligrams per kilogram of body weight is toxic." "Consumption of 400 to 500 milligrams of caffeine per day is associated wtih dependence. Symptoms of caffeine dependence are diarrhea, nausea, light-headedness, irregular heartbeat, irritability, and insomnia." "The arousal effects of one cup of caffeinated coffee last about 6 hours but vary according to the individual." "Women who drink coffee are less likely to commit suicide than those who don’t according to a report in the Archives of internal Medicine." "Coffee has a dark side: the DSM-IV includes four caffeeine-related diagnoses: caffeine intoxication, caffeine-related anxiety disorder, caffeine-related sleep disorder, and (in the appendix) caffeine withdrawl. In addition to these problems, caffeine, a stimulant, can wreak havok with calming prescription drugs such as antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and neuroleptic tranquilizers." "Higher caffeine consumption was found to be correlated with lower academic perfrormance." "Check out the newsgroup alt.drugs.caffeine on the Internet for furth information and discussion. A FAQ (frequently asked questions) file is available. It is maintained by Alex Lopex-Ortiz at the University of [all this from pages 111-115 of the book] On that note, with the last quote.. I’d suggest any caffeine discussions be taken there, and you look for similar symptoms within that group. -Rob
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etched permanently in the ether: BUT I understand that the amount of caffeine in chocolate is not high, and it may not be in "chocolate flavoring" at all.
From my phsych pharm class–a long time ago: It takes 5 to 10 cups of coffee per day to become addicted to the caffeine. It takes a LOT less of Mountain Dew or other similar drinks. It takes a pound of chocolate a day to get enough caffeine to risk addiction. HOWEVER, chocolate also contains theobromine a stronger stimulant than caffeine–so be aware of this fact. Nancy
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Caffeine blocks absorption of most meds.. You might as well not take them if you’re going to drink coffee with them. -Rob
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
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I think the zoloft made you manic.. it’s a mood-"upper".. -Rob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sometimes noticed coffee making me a bit manic for an hour or two. That happened when I had started Zoloft (sertraline). Hasa Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
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I drink about a gallon of strong, black coffee a day. Rarely drink it after 12 noon, when I switch to iced tea. jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Interestingly enough, I was completely caffiene-free for five years preceding and throughout my first manic episode. For that matter, I was a complete health nut…. had given up smoking for 7 years, ran 3-5 miles daily, lifted weights, drank no caffienated beverages, and ate a vegetarian diet of whole grains. It really perplexed my G.P….. he kept offering the standard insomnia advice to "eat well, exercise early in the day, stay away from caffiene" yet still I could not sleep. These days, I am smoking a pack a day again, eating meat, don’t ever exercise, and drink gallons of coffee. Go figure. jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Rob, who told you that? Where did that information come from? Please explain that and where you got that from. Eric Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively. Beware of steroids!! * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
I found coffee made me too jittery and irritable when I was taking Wellbutrin. On the other hand, it helped modify the fatigue caused by my SSRI, Luvox
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I love my strong stuff in the morning — two cups. Then probably 2 cups of the kaka they have at work. After that, my insides can’t take anymore and I have to switch to water….. But I love the stuff! — Eileen [The world will go as it wills; not as you or I would have it. MZB]
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
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I don’t drink coffee..but I do LOVE caffeine! That’s why, for those morning’s I wake up achy and grogy with a "dull" headache..I grab Anacin, as besides ASA, it also has caffiene in it. It’s been a lifesaver sometimes, especially after a "night out". Plus, I find often on medications, you don’t get that "complete..refreshed" sleep. Even with just a few hours sleep..it has held me for at least the morning! James:-) — "Dying is only one thing to be sad over. Living unhappily is something else." Morrie Schwartz "We must love one another or perish. Not physically,but spiritually and socially." W.H. Auden "Some day we will wave hello…and wish we’d never waved goodbye…"
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I love my strong stuff in the morning — two cups. Then probably 2 cups of the kaka they have at work. After that, my insides can’t take anymore and I have to switch to water….. But I love the stuff! — Eileen [The world will go as it wills; not as you or I would have it. MZB] Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
Response:
Robbie, P.J. Howard is old hat, such a bore. please.. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Further, and unrelated to what I’m direclty replying to, here are some excerpts from Topic 6.3 in "The Owner’s Manual for the Brain" by Pierce J. Howard with additional information about caffeine: "Caffeine belongs to a class of compounds called methylxanthines, along with theophylline and theobromine, all of which have the ability to trick the brain into thinking they are the neurotransmitter adenosine. Adenosine is a relaxant that is required to restore the central nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic arousal, or from stress to relaxation. By finding adenosine receptor sites, caffeine blocks the relaxig effects of adenosine and maintains high arousal." "Caffene’s arousing properties were found to be associated not only with mental alertness, but also with physical endurance". "It inhibits phosphodiesterase (PDE). PDE is an enzyme that breaks down adenosine, so inhibiting PDE makes more adenosine available. This results in psychmotor stimulation, increased alertness, faster heart rate, and faster breathing. Excessive arousal appears to result in errors of commission (for example, typographical errors), whereas deficient arousal appears to result in errors of omission (for example, skipping a paragraph while typing)." "If the less impulsive person consumes caffeinated beverages upon waking, he or she will tend to perform poorly on complex mental tasks. If the more impulsive person tries a complex mental task upon waking before consuming a caffeinated beverage, he or she will tend to perform poorly. Toward the end of the day, this pattern switches: in the evening, less impulsive people perform complex mental tasks better with a hit of caffeine,; more impulsive people perform complex tasks better without it." "Some of these compounds [in caffeine] are antioxidants, the chmicals that disarm (or bind) free radicals and inhibit their insatiable appetite for vital cell membranes." "Ten grams is a lethal dose, while for small children 35 milligrams per kilogram of body weight is toxic." "Consumption of 400 to 500 milligrams of caffeine per day is associated wtih dependence. Symptoms of caffeine dependence are diarrhea, nausea, light-headedness, irregular heartbeat, irritability, and insomnia." "The arousal effects of one cup of caffeinated coffee last about 6 hours but vary according to the individual." "Women who drink coffee are less likely to commit suicide than those who don’t according to a report in the Archives of internal Medicine." "Coffee has a dark side: the DSM-IV includes four caffeeine-related diagnoses: caffeine intoxication, caffeine-related anxiety disorder, caffeine-related sleep disorder, and (in the appendix) caffeine withdrawl. In addition to these problems, caffeine, a stimulant, can wreak havok with calming prescription drugs such as antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and neuroleptic tranquilizers." "Higher caffeine consumption was found to be correlated with lower academic perfrormance." "Check out the newsgroup alt.drugs.caffeine on the Internet for furth information and discussion. A FAQ (frequently asked questions) file is available. It is maintained by Alex Lopex-Ortiz at the University of [all this from pages 111-115 of the book] On that note, with the last quote.. I’d suggest any caffeine discussions be taken there, and you look for similar symptoms within that group. -Rob
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It takes a pound of chocolate a day to get enough caffeine to risk addiction.
- so that’s the amount I need to eat – sheesh I’ve been playing in the shallows – (really NOT SERIOUS!) HOWEVER, chocolate also contains theobromine a stronger stimulant than caffeine–so be aware of this fact.
- an added bonus – er now how many stairs will I need to climb to work off the excess cals? (if anything would make me appear manic I suspect that would). — Anne Marshall
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: I am down to one cup a day. I love it. <snipped I don’t know what the connection is between bipolar and caffeine, but somewhere along the line there was an extreme change in my sensitivity to caffeine. Could it be a medication invoked reaction? Coffee I limit to one weak cup with breakfast sometimes, Get more from cola’s, two colas will make me sicker than a dog, wired for a few hours. Vern
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Does anybody have any trouble with mixing certain drugs with coffee? Do you even allow yourself to drink it anymore? — Geof
I have ONE cup in the morning. Anything that would trigger a mania is amplified with coffee or any caffeine product. And watch the vitamin b-12–see my post–if you like that kind of a boost–b-12 will do it. <g Nancy
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SO THATS WHAT WAS WRONG ALL THESE YEARS,,,MIXING ALL THOSE COFFEES WITH MY ZOLOFT! cimpson2
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please stop typing in caps it is considered rude and yelling – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – SO THATS WHAT WAS WRONG ALL THESE YEARS,,,MIXING ALL THOSE COFFEES WITH MY ZOLOFT! cimpson2
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I guess I’d say that my mixing could include coffee, neurontin, lamictal, buspar and klonipin-I drink them down with coffee every morning. -Thumper
