Day Two Sucks...Just Thought You Should Know!...

So here I sit in front of old Bessie (the computer), trying to formulate thoughts in my "caffeine-free" brain! I am reminded of those old drug commercials that used to air in the States (just clarifying for you Brits that read this)...the one with the egg and a narrator saying, "This is your brain"...then a shot of the egg frying and the narrator says, "This is your brain on drugs. Get the picture?" MY personal caffeine commercial would go something like this, however:

First Clip: The viewer is taken to a scene of a lively old Western town. There is much activity on the dirt street with merchants in windows, horses tied at posts, children playing along buildings, dogs barking and chasing their tails, and towns people mingling amongst each other shopping or doing daily "town" activities.

Narrator: "This is your brain on caffeine."

Second Clip: The viewer is taken back to the main street of the old Western town. Merchants have closed shop, the streets are bare of people and animals, a high wind dust storm is ravaging the dirt street, and tumble weeds are blowing wildly down the corridors. Wooden signs are blowing and squeaking in the wind.

Narrator: "This is your brain without caffeine. Get the picture?"

Yes, this IS my brain without caffeine...a barren wasteland of tumble weeds and little other activity!

I slept horribly last night, which I can pretty much narrow down to a probable side effect of caffeine withdrawal. AND...I had to get up early this morning to ready myself for a brunch at 10:00AM in honor of my retiring boss at work. Neither event (lack of sleep nor early rising) was pleasant, but I did it anyway.

I spent the afternoon with a mild to moderate headache in the front of my noggin just above my eyes...in no way is this pain in relation to the previous two migraines (if that really IS what those headaches were/are!). I have HAD this particular headache before...caffeine withdrawal...not pleasant, but not horrible like those eye-pinched-with-pliers headaches I had recently.

Everywhere I looked today, there was CAFFEINE! In coffee, in chocolate, in tea, and...I saw someone shamelessly downing a Mountain Dew in my proximity...wretched bastard! I could have killed him for a swig of the wonderful elixir...

I did run my caffeine theory and withdrawal plan by Dr. She Who Will Not Be Named...her response was as follows: "stopping the caffeine is a good idea - but just recognize that you may get worse before you get better." So much for seeking high-priced medical advice...tell me something I DON'T already know, wouldcha?!? Can't tell if she's condoning my plan or warning me against it...but, then again, that IS the nature of medical care these days...

So, on Day Two of "Downsize Me", I am MORE fatigued, got LESS sleep, actually seemed to have GAINED a pound of weight in 24 hours (what the F?!?!), and my blood pressure remains the SAME. I'd say no benefit thus far by scientific measure...LOL

I HAVE gotten several laughs out of the comments posted regarding Downsize Me...it appears those of us with Multiple Sclerosis rely quite heavily on the unregulated, uncontrolled substance, caffeine! Some of you have even fired shots over my head warning me of insinuation that "we" should ALL stop taking in caffeine...I say to this, "simmer down now!" Simmer down, sip your cuppa Joe, and leave ME to be the guinea pig in the spot light...this IS in the name of science (and extremely cheap taste of entertainment, I might add!) after all. There will be no finger pointing here...

But I will leave you with just a few more caffeine facts (frankly, some of the information I have been delving into is a bit scary) as I continue my detoxification process...I have to have SOMETHING to hold onto!

Soft Drinks(12 oz can) Milligrams per content:

Mountain Dew = 54.0mg
Coca-Cola / Diet Coke = 45.6mg
Shasta Cola = 44.4mg
Dr. Pepper = 39.6mg
Pepsi Cola = 38.4mg
Diet Pepsi = 36.0mg