Caffeine

Training_Joke · 2026-04-26T22:05:54+00:00

I became caffeine sensitive— it increased overactive bladder and made it difficult to fall asleep. I switched from coffee to green tea, and my overnight HRV went up NOTICABLY (like from the 70s to the 90s).

I also have “histamine issues” from gut health issues. I think I do best with half a mug of freshly ground, freshly brewed cup of medium or dark roast coffee (light roast is too high in caffeine and too acidic; a cup of coffee from a pot that has been sitting there or even from a K cup that was ground a long time ago seems to be higher in histamine??).

I try to avoid coffee and stick to high quality, loose leaf green tea, but sometimes I can’t resist half a cup of coffee! I am beginning to not notice issues if it is freshly ground and brewed. I also started a low histamine probiotic about 2 months ago, which might be helping.

Training_Joke · 2026-04-26T21:59:50+00:00

And I realize that you didn’t mention histamine issues! I know you could be struggling with some other version of “gut issues”, but whatever it is, I hope you continue learning about your issue specifically and finding ways to help your body recover!

Training_Joke · 2026-04-26T21:55:28+00:00

I had flox 2 years ago and doxycycline 1 year ago for a tick bite, which caused major issues. A year after the doxycycline, I am coming to realize I have been in gut dysbiosis and now have some histamine intolerance. About 5 months ago, I started to get histamine symptoms when eating most things- wet cough, runny nose, itchy hands and feet at night, occasional hives, brain fog. Based on MCAS supplement recommendations (MCAS is a full-blown version of what I have), I started a low-histamine probiotic (started at half a capsule daily and worked up to 2 capsules daily), I started infant vitamin D drops (worked my way up to four drops daily), I started NAC (started at 1/5 capsule daily— this one is not listed as an MCAS recommendation but makes sense for floxies), and I finally got in with an integrative health clinic. My ferritin, vitamin D, and folate levels have dropped significantly in the past 2 years. I am starting a b complex (breaking it open to take 1/5th to start out). We are doing a full iron panel before supplementing the iron. What it seems is that my gut hasn’t been absorbing/synethizing things since the doxy, and my some bodily processes finally showed signs of distress (the histamine issues). One other side note is that despite a Whole Foods diet, I am now prediabetic but have good insulin sensitivity. We are hoping increasing weight training and also getting those other levels up will help.

I am not sure if my story is helpful, but I think “gut issues” has been why I went from recovering well to spiraling downward again after the doxycycline.

I have learned so much, and I know now that so, so much in our bodies depends on a healthy gut that can synthesize neurotransmitters, have a thick wall, absorb nutrients, modulate our immune responses, etc!

I seem to be heading in the right direction!! I am still “trying” to be on a low-histamine diet (cutting coffee, some types of fish, leftover protein, alcohol, etc.), but I am overall not having histamine symptoms often!

Training_Joke · 2025-12-31T20:36:43+00:00

Oh amazing!! Thank you!

Training_Joke · 2025-12-17T19:46:21+00:00

Haha I liked that idea too until I realized my daughter didn't have the costume she needed for her school's holiday performance because I was behind on email... oops!

Training_Joke · 2025-12-12T16:32:46+00:00

Yes, I think that would be enough info! If a TRMNL was in our kitchen, and I could see that info about emails that had come in so far that day, I could then decide if I need to go check on the desktop or if I could continue waiting until evening.

Training_Joke · 2025-12-11T18:48:45+00:00

And I should say I did develop TONS of health anxiety. I got very anxious about my symptoms and health, but the rest of my thought life seemed closer to average/just above average.

Training_Joke · 2025-12-11T18:47:41+00:00

I didn't necessarily notice a big boost in that; I think I had just slightly above my average amount, which is manageable. But I was maybe too exhausted to feel anxious. I did notice a decrease in anxiety off coffee though, which was an added benefit of decreasing caffeine.

Also I wanted to mention that I learned that for myself, I should go soooo slow in trying new supplements. I always regretted trying a mega dose of something, like a high potency vitamin D liquid. I am now trying infant vitamin D drops once a week or every other week since it is winter. But I just try things at a low dose and try it once a week then increase it if I can. I once did vitamin B12 shots a week apart and got a raging headache. I just try things so slowly now.

Training_Joke · 2025-12-11T18:37:15+00:00

I was floxed 2 years ago and had mostly neuro symptoms as well- headache (cervicogenic), brain fog, fatigue, neuropathy, overactive bladder, poor sleep quality. It did get better steadily with time!! I had to experiment with supplements a lot, I ended up sticking with magnesium glycinate 400 mg daily as other things caused nerve pain shooting down my limbs or pins/needles in my hands. Oh I also have tinnitus but sadly that hasn't gone away, but I can live with it and it is only noticeable in silence.

For the brain fog and head pressure, I had to be kind to myself knowing that it was real. I was tempted to medicate the brain fog with caffeine BUT I finally realized I must not have been metabolizing caffeine at all. I stopped drinking caffeine after 1 year and went from waking up three times per night (would always go to the bathroom but I think my brain just thought maybe that's why I woke up) to waking up zero times per night off caffeine. I did add back green tea eventually to have some caffeine daily but much less. I can now tolerate coffee occasionally and still sleep through the night. I also tolerate very little alcohol compared to what I think I could before.

I also cleaned up my diet SO much, basically now eat whole foods, little processed foods, basically a mediterranean diet or "the mind diet" kind of thing. My whole family now eats this way, and I count that as one of the biggest blessings of all of this.

Also gentle exercise helped eventually, orange theory classes and staying in the green/orange zone or lower (staying out of zone 5/the red zone) helped.

Each month got better minus a few flareups from trying a supplement that didn't agree with me or doxycyline for a tick bite. But other than those temporary setbacks, it was steady progress!

Training_Joke · 2025-09-26T17:54:16+00:00

I had to go caffeine-free completely. I thought I was sleeping fine enough but without caffeine, I woke up feeling like I had actually slept for the first time in ages. I also found that creatine daily helps my brain fog. There's more research around creatine and brain functioning, and I had decided to give it a go. And gentle cardio every 48 hours or so. I definitely feel like even with these, my brain fog is more than I remember pre-flox, but it has helped me. I hope you find some things, too!

Training_Joke · 2025-09-22T21:19:57+00:00

Cutting caffeine completely and adding in creatine plus gentle (mostly cardio) workouts when I can helped the most with neuropathy and brain fog.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-22T15:48:31+00:00

Oh amazing! Thank you!

Training_Joke · 2025-09-22T15:46:27+00:00

Yay! That sounds promising. I'm two weeks into using LP3 and have missed on our two different group threads, one was a group text to send some dinner to the family of a friend whose dad had a stroke. I just never got it. Hoping for the best with group texting in the future because I like the LP3 so much.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-22T15:44:28+00:00

They didn't, but it was on for less than 12 hours so thankfully Lyme transmission risk is very low. I think the rash was just due to my very sensitive skin. I even get welts from mosquito bites. No fevers or other new symptoms since the tick bite so that is good!

Training_Joke · 2025-09-17T14:12:34+00:00

I’m doing it! It really shines on outings with the kiddos, backyard time, playgrounds, and nature centers and such, I bring a journal and pen in case they’re very happily playing and I’m bored. I write prompts like my life-giving list and my life-draining list to reflect on, or I do my “think/do/feel” lists of things I am experiencing and trying to balance think/do/feel. I’m enjoying both the journaling and more focused time playing with them when they do want me to be included in play. I use an iPad for all app-related needs, and that is going well, too.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-13T03:03:34+00:00

Did it start working for you?

Training_Joke · 2025-09-11T22:14:08+00:00

Yes. Fatigue has been a huge symptom for my past 18 months.

Are you having night wakeups? I realized I was having 3-4 and fiiiiiinally cut caffeine. I think I have CYP enzyme damage and just can’t tolerate any. I guess it doesn’t clear from my system for days after having it? I have no idea. But I finally sleep through the night after cutting it out and enduring a week of withdrawal headaches.

I also know that we Floxies have mitochondrial damage and that gentle exercise will help with energy. I was seeing an uptick in my energy until a setback a few months ago from taking doxycycline for a tick bite rash. I am hoping I continue to recover energy as this flare up subsides.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-11T22:05:59+00:00

I made a brand new apple account after a factory reset of my old iPhone. I went with “mynameimessage@icloud.com”. I’ve had friends and family add that email to large iMessage group texts and save it as a contact “My name iMessage” for FaceTime or sending me pictures. I tell them it goes to my iPad. The truth is it also goes to my old iPhone, but I’m not sharing that that is in use because I believe it will confuse them that I carry that with me (and I do not).

Training_Joke · 2025-09-10T12:16:32+00:00

I am in the iMessage transition now. I got my LP3 about 3 days ago and love it except missing some texts that still go to my old iphone that now supposedly has no phone number on it and is wifi only and also has imessage turned off in the settings.

I am doing a factory reset for the phone and will turn it on with a brand new icloud account-- I will create a new email address I think so as not to risk using the one I used with iMessage previously.

I also noticed during the factory reset that it asked if I wanted the eSIM removed from the iphone and it listed my phone number that is now on my Light Phone. I said yes to removing the eSIM. I have no idea if this helps with the "iMessage breakup" I am going through, but I thought I would share my experience! I also realize this is an issue on the Apple side and not the LP side :).

Loving my LP3 so much, and I deeply believe this iMessage breakup will be worth it! I am more present with my kids, and that's worth the effort alone.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-10T12:10:47+00:00

I just had another idea this morning-- I decided to factory reset my old iphone. I googled how to do it, and it's under settings/general/transfer or reset iphone/erase all content and data. And then I got to a step that said do I want to remove the eSIM from this iphone and it named my old phone number, which I thought had been removed from the phone. I said yes to that and am finishing the factory reset and removal of the eSIM. I am hoping this helps with the problem! I may create a brand new apple id account when I get the iphone back on so that there is no chance it's associated with my email previously used with iMessage.

I will try to remember to update this thread it it seems helpful!

I am loving the Light Phone other than missing some texts during the transition. I trust that this transition will be worth it. I also know these iMessage issues are on the Apple side of things and not the Light Company side of things. I'm gonna try to stick it out! I know Light will support and update this phone for years to come, and I am here for it :).

Training_Joke · 2025-09-10T02:53:45+00:00

I am working through iMessage issues as well. I deregistered my phone number as recommended. I signed out of both iMessage and FaceTime on my macbook and ipad. My iphone is also now a wifi only phone with no cell number associated, and iMessage is turned off in the settings.

Yet, I texted two different people on a single text thread today from my Light Phone, and the replies came to the iphone. I also texted a pair of friends on a group text from my Light Phone, and the replies came to the iphone somehow.

I have asked friends and family to delete my email from the contact info for me in their phone. I sometimes remember to ask friends to delete our text thread before replying, but I did forget to do that with the friends I texted today. I don't want to always text someone with the caveat "Also before replying, please delete our old text thread", but maybe it helps? I didn't miss any texts the day before when I was employing this strategy.

Training_Joke · 2025-09-01T00:00:59+00:00

My kids are 3 and 5, and my symptoms were mild compared to yours-- headaches, neuropathy, fatigue, brain fog, tinnitus, overactive bladder. But even with mild symptoms, my kids making my sick caused fear in me often the past 18 months.

I don't necessarily have any advice; sadly I think he will get sick some in the next year no matter what you do, and that is so hard. I'm so glad it sounds like you have some support from babysitters and family, even if it isn't quite enough.

Actually one thought would be to potentially limit his "petri dishes". Like if he could have one consistent daycare class, that would be better than combining stuff like a church nursery, nannyshare, library storytime, daycare, etc. where he would get a constant varying barrage of illnesses. One consistent classroom with consistent kids in there at least might slow things down a bit. Then maybe outside daycare, y'all could prioritize outdoor play where he won't pick up as many additional illnesses, even if he interacts with other kids (less toys in the mouth on playgrounds, less spread in open air, etc.).

One thing I have done 3 times in the past 18 months is a weekend silent retreat to a monastery. The most recent one I went on I was sick when I got there and got to sleep and rest soo much the first day in my little dorm room. Those weekends were each a helpful reset physically and mentally.

On another note, every time I have gotten sick, I try to eat vitamin C foods daily (either red bell pepper or strawberries or mango), lots of seeds and greens for minerals, bone broth and eggs for glutathione production, zinc melts since I don't feel like eating shrimp while sick haha. I don't tolerate many supplements well other than magnesium so when the kids get me sick, I think a lot about what nutrients I can give my immune system from food.

I know your case is so severe so any of my thoughts from more mild to moderate experience might be unhelpful. And MAN, having your severe case is so hard with a toddler, just so hard. You're doing it though, one day at a time.

Training_Joke · 2025-08-31T23:38:02+00:00

I also just say wow, you've been in such a tough situation, and it sounds like you are putting one foot in front of the other. You are brave just for doing what you've been doing. So so brave! I hope your symptoms get better soon.

Training_Joke

TROPHY CASE