Dealing With Headaches

Caffeine withdrawal migraine is yet another item on the long list of proofs that life is not fair. Caffeine is found in deliscious beverages like tea, hot chocolate, fizzy soft drinks and that other popular drink coffee. Caffeine is also found in chocolate and in certain over the counter painkillers like Excedrin (America) and Panadol (England).

Caffeine is a natural substance tht occurs in some botanicals like Kola nuts, coffee beans and tea leaves. Even decaffinated coffee and black tea contains trace ammounts of caffeine. Some scientists think mankind began the love-hate relationship with caffeine during the Sone Age (or Stoned Age, whichever you prefer). Back then, our species needed any excuse to get out of a nice warm pile of leaves and face the rigourous tasks of survival. Not much has changed since then, has it?

Over The Counter Drugs With Caffeine

Monitoring your caffeine intake is very important to keep healthy — and to prevent caffeine withdrawal migraine. I nicked this list from this site.

OVER-THE-COUNTER PREPARATION CAFFEINE (mg) per tablet
Stimulants
NoDoz tablets 100
Vivarin tablets 200
Pain Relievers
Anacin 32
Excedrin 65
Excedrin P.M. 0
Midol 32
Vanquish 33
Cold Remedies
Coryban-D 30

This list is for American over the counter drugs — sadly, I could not find an equivelent for UK drugs. Basically, if it is listed as a painkiller, check the ingredients — odds are, there is some caffeine in it. It is usually mixed with paracetamol.

The Pain, Oh The Pain

Caffeine withdrawal migraines are right up there in the pain department with stomach flu. You shake, you’re dizzy, your eyes have the distinct sensation that they are leaking hot blood (even though they are not), you cannot tolerate light, you are incredibly nauseasted, vomiting, rib and abdomen pains, you can’t tolerate sounds, light or tastes — basically, you wish you were dead.

I get these is I do not have caffeine at least once every 21 hours. I used to be worse — I used to get them every 12 hours. Ironically, cutting down on caffeine gradually reduces the frequency of caffeine withdrawal migraines. I say ironically, because the fasted way to get is of a caffeine withdrawal migraine is — you guessed it — ingest some caffeine.

People have successfully gone off for three or four days incapacitated in bed until the symptoms ease off, as reported by best selling author, Dr. Andrew Weil, (who is from the Philadelphia area like myself). Afterwards, whenever a migraine seemed to come about, a quick cure was a cup of coffee.

Quite frankly, I’m too much of a wuss too purposefully face a few days in agony. So, I worked on cutting my caffeine consumption. Instead of taking two Excedrin pills, I take one. Instead of drinking the equivelent of three liters of Pepsi a day, I know only drink four or five cups of black tea.

Yes, this is very complicated issue!