I love the concept of coffee, but...
June 16, 2010 2:43 PM Subscribe
Can I hack my body's caffeine tolerance? I love the concept of coffee, but a couple hours after a cup of coffee I feel like a disconnected 3rd party observer in an alternate dimension. A lot of people drink coffee, but not everyone who drinks coffee feels this way, do they?
Decaffeinated coffee would be the obvious answer, but it's not always easy to come by. I understand that coffee has a crash and jitters associated with it, but this hazy feeling is almost so intense that I can't function during the rest of the day. At times the feeling has been so intense that I feel like a ghost living outside of my body.
Because of this I severely limit my coffee intake, but I love the coffee shop environment so I end up drinking coffee maybe 1x per week.
Am I a coffee (/caffeine) newbie, or is there a trick to avoiding this feeling?
Thanks!
Decaffeinated coffee would be the obvious answer, but it's not always easy to come by. I understand that coffee has a crash and jitters associated with it, but this hazy feeling is almost so intense that I can't function during the rest of the day. At times the feeling has been so intense that I feel like a ghost living outside of my body.
Because of this I severely limit my coffee intake, but I love the coffee shop environment so I end up drinking coffee maybe 1x per week.
Am I a coffee (/caffeine) newbie, or is there a trick to avoiding this feeling?
Thanks!
like any drug - just keep doing it. sip on a cup of coffee over a couple hours instead of drinking it all in 20 or 30 minutes. drink multiple cups a day. eventually your tolerance will make caffeine totally useless, except for driving out the massive headaches.
posted by nadawi at 2:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 2:48 PM on June 16, 2010 [6 favorites]
Best answer: You may just be hyper-sensitive to it. Most coffee places have decaf, try mixing it 50/50. Or drink herb tea.
posted by mareli at 2:49 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by mareli at 2:49 PM on June 16, 2010
My caffeine jitters are always worse when I drink it on an empty stomach. Try eating something with it, or only drinking it after a meal.
posted by c lion at 2:50 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by c lion at 2:50 PM on June 16, 2010
You're trying to develop a tolerance to caffeine. You can do this by exposing your body to more caffeine more frequently. One cup of coffee each morning with breakfast accomplishes this for most people. Note that tolerance is associated with dependency and withdrawal.
posted by mr_roboto at 2:51 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mr_roboto at 2:51 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have a similar experience sometimes, and my other experiences are all categorically bad as well. I have come to realize that I am hypersensitive to caffeine. Even decaf produces some weird effects for me, though it took some time to accept that. Ultimately, I don't believe there are any hacks for caffeine tolerance. I still drink it occasionally, but I really pay a price for that deliciousness.
posted by wondershrew with a helping of potato salad at 2:51 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by wondershrew with a helping of potato salad at 2:51 PM on June 16, 2010
Best answer: Hrmmmm - are you new to drinking stuff with caffeine in it? (Apparently so, from what you say),
-or-
some coffee shops make a sort of hell-brew which has insanely unpredictable levels of caffeine in it. Oddly enough, I'm told that espresso drinks with just 1 shot in them have less caffeine, on average, than Starbuck's brewed coffee, and that it's more consistent, but I'm subject to being corrected on this.
Obvious short answer is, yes, by drinking the stuff in regular doses your body gets "used" to it (and gets cranky without it!), but I drink 2-3 cups a day and have occasionally gotten a cup of something so strongly brewed (and it's not really obvious from the taste, beyond a certain level) that it makes me feel sorta like you describe, but the effect is usually a lot quicker for me.
You might try a "cafe americano," which is basically an espresso shot in enough hot water to approximate the taste of a brewed coffee, but which might be a bit less caffeine.
Does it always happen at the same shop? Do you ever drink the normal kinda mealy-mouthed Maxwell-housy kinda stuff at, say, your office, and does it have this effect?
posted by randomkeystrike at 2:52 PM on June 16, 2010
-or-
some coffee shops make a sort of hell-brew which has insanely unpredictable levels of caffeine in it. Oddly enough, I'm told that espresso drinks with just 1 shot in them have less caffeine, on average, than Starbuck's brewed coffee, and that it's more consistent, but I'm subject to being corrected on this.
Obvious short answer is, yes, by drinking the stuff in regular doses your body gets "used" to it (and gets cranky without it!), but I drink 2-3 cups a day and have occasionally gotten a cup of something so strongly brewed (and it's not really obvious from the taste, beyond a certain level) that it makes me feel sorta like you describe, but the effect is usually a lot quicker for me.
You might try a "cafe americano," which is basically an espresso shot in enough hot water to approximate the taste of a brewed coffee, but which might be a bit less caffeine.
Does it always happen at the same shop? Do you ever drink the normal kinda mealy-mouthed Maxwell-housy kinda stuff at, say, your office, and does it have this effect?
posted by randomkeystrike at 2:52 PM on June 16, 2010
Best answer: Is it possible to be allergic to coffee and caffeine?
Yep.
Symptoms of Coffee Allergies
Yep.
Symptoms of Coffee Allergies
"Mental Symptomsposted by ericb at 2:54 PM on June 16, 2010 [6 favorites]
A coffee allergy can produce such severe mental symptoms that they are mistaken for psychological disorders. For example, it can create symptoms that mimic panic disorder such as parasthesia (pins and needle sensations), a feeling of choking, hyperactivity, chest pains and hyperventilation. It can also create psychotic symptoms (including delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia) that could be confused with schizophrenia; repetitive thought and action that resembles obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD); and an inattention and inability to concentrate that may be mistaken for attention deficient disorder (ADD). Coffee allergy has also been known to mimic symptoms of mania (such as those seen in bipolar disorder), including impulsiveness, impaired judgment, aggression, omnipotence, delirium, buying sprees, lack of sexual inhibition and loss of values. Symptoms of depression and anxiety can also occur at levels so severe that there are records of individuals being erroneously admitted into a psychiatric hospital for treatment."
Ah. yes. I previewed. To strengthen randomkeystrike's statement: What kind of coffee to you try to drink? As I've heard and experienced, various manners of creating the coffee result in various levels of, let's call it, nervousness. The kind created in stove-top mokas being the least nervous variety, and stupid old filter coffee the most; closely followed by french Press coffee. I mean to say, you might experiment awhile before you dismiss the concept of coffee altogether or, um, do something drastic like 10 cups a day.
posted by Namlit at 2:55 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by Namlit at 2:55 PM on June 16, 2010
I can drink two large (20oz) black coffees from Starbucks and then take a nap. Never jitters or other symptoms. Normally, I'll have a Coffee Bean or Starbucks 20oz coffee in the morning a few times a week. If I don't, I don't go through withdrawal.
There can be a huge variation in the amount of caffeine in the coffee depending on the source.
I haven't felt your symptoms since maybe my first cup oh no many years ago. I know some people do react even to the small amount in a small cup of tea. Others experience withdrawal. It reacts differently to different people. If you like drinking coffee try drinking more often to build a tolerance. Or perhaps you're just not a coffee achiever.
posted by birdherder at 2:58 PM on June 16, 2010
There can be a huge variation in the amount of caffeine in the coffee depending on the source.
I haven't felt your symptoms since maybe my first cup oh no many years ago. I know some people do react even to the small amount in a small cup of tea. Others experience withdrawal. It reacts differently to different people. If you like drinking coffee try drinking more often to build a tolerance. Or perhaps you're just not a coffee achiever.
posted by birdherder at 2:58 PM on June 16, 2010
Yeah, it's because you're not drinking enough of it. To paraphrase William S. Burroughs, we (being the caffeinated mass, in this case) don't drink coffee to get high; we drink it so we can get out of bed and shave in the morning.
posted by infinitywaltz at 3:02 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by infinitywaltz at 3:02 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
The better coffee shop kinds of coffee usually have more caffeine in them then starbucks and others. I got a tolerence for it by drinking it everyday. Still gives me a buz but i got around the crash.
posted by majortom1981 at 3:16 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by majortom1981 at 3:16 PM on June 16, 2010
As you said, you love the "concept" of coffee, more than its flavor, aroma, etc.; It sounds like it's really the concept of the coffee shop that you like, rather than the beverage itself. If so, you can find other things to drink at most coffee houses-teas, juices, water, and so on. It might be a good idea to start by doing some quick tests and see if you can avoid the whole coffee training regimen. I agree with the others that your intake frequency is too low to get an accurate idea of how you and coffee might get along someday. If you're not down with my first suggestion, try having a small cup of coffee every day for a week, and see what happens. If you don't get over the unpleasant physical sensations, then I'd say forget coffee. The idea of forcing yourself to drink more coffee - which currently brings you severe physical discomfort - so that you can someday be comfortable drinking it strikes me as a bit masochistic.
posted by pantufla at 3:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by pantufla at 3:17 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
How much sugar are you putting into your coffee? The crash you're feeling may be associated with a sugar high / crash, and not a caffeine high / crash.
Recent conversion to coffee drinking here, after decades of drinking soda. Kinda wondrous to realize that the (caffeine - sugar) high was smoother than the (caffeine + sugar) version.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:21 PM on June 16, 2010
Recent conversion to coffee drinking here, after decades of drinking soda. Kinda wondrous to realize that the (caffeine - sugar) high was smoother than the (caffeine + sugar) version.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:21 PM on June 16, 2010
I would really discourage you from drinking more just to develop a tolerance. It's a habit I wish I'd never started, and which is proving extremely difficult to break.
posted by desjardins at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 3:22 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]
what pantufla said- get a cup of tea next time you're at a coffee shop, and you'll simultaneously help build a tolerance AND enjoy coffee shop culture, which you seem to be attracted to more than the eponymous drink.
posted by farishta at 3:23 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by farishta at 3:23 PM on June 16, 2010
I second c lion about drinking it on an empty stomach. I think I have at least an average tolerance to coffee/caffeine, but similar to drinking alcohol, if I drink coffee on an empty stomach then the caffeine goes straight to my head. In that circumstance, exactly like you describe, I also feel like a "disconnected 3rd party observer in an alternate dimension". Try drinking after meals to begin with. If after doing that you're still getting the woozy feeling, then maybe coffee just isn't for you. Some people just can't handle the caffeine in coffee - maybe you're one of those people.
posted by davidjohnfox at 3:29 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by davidjohnfox at 3:29 PM on June 16, 2010
Best answer: Oddly enough, I'm told that espresso drinks with just 1 shot in them have less caffeine, on average, than Starbuck's brewed coffee, and that it's more consistent, but I'm subject to being corrected on this.
It's not at all odd when you think about how the coffee is made. Espresso blasts the water through the beans fast so it picks up the flavour compounds but not so much of the caffeine. Filter coffee and the like steeps the beans more slowly and give more time for the caffeine to dissolve. I've read journal papers analysing different types of coffee and espresso comes out at about a third as much caffeine as filter coffee, and is similar to tea. Coffee also has other alkaloid compounds which effect different people in different ways, and their concentrations will also be affected by how the coffee was made.
You can build up tolerance for coffee by drinking more to some extent. Over time the enzymes which detoxify caffeine are upregulated so you make more of them. Don't go hard all at once, just increase slowly for a couple of weeks and see what happens. But at the same time there are polymorphisms in the main caffeine detoxification enzyme, in other words different people have different forms of the enzyme, and each of these forms work at a different rate. So for example if you have the fast version you are faster at neutralising the caffeine and it is removed faster, which makes some people genetically programmed to be more or less sensitive to caffeine (by quite a lot). Interestingly the health effects of caffeine are different depending on which form you have too, so while coffee may be actively good for some people it also may be actively bad for others. My personal experience is that no amount of tolerance build up will negate the slow enzyme form and I have to limit my caffeine intake as a consequence. If you're interested google caffeine + nutrigenomics for more info, there's a group in Toronto doing cool research into all this.
How the caffeine and other compounds in coffee affect you physically is probably under the control of different genes, like even if you have the slow enzyme and caffeine hangs around for ages it still might not have strong effects on your nervous system for example, and that stuff is still being teased out. But again there is individual variation and it may be that you're just too sensitive, you can't build up tolerance to the point of drinking it without these symptoms (I know a couple of people like that). The only way to find out really is to try it for a bit, keeping in mind that if it continues being unpleasant you might just have to give up. Also maybe try tea for comparison if you like it, if it's the other alkaloids rather than caffeine doing this to you then even decaf coffee will be bad but tea (or something else) will probably be OK.
posted by shelleycat at 3:33 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
It's not at all odd when you think about how the coffee is made. Espresso blasts the water through the beans fast so it picks up the flavour compounds but not so much of the caffeine. Filter coffee and the like steeps the beans more slowly and give more time for the caffeine to dissolve. I've read journal papers analysing different types of coffee and espresso comes out at about a third as much caffeine as filter coffee, and is similar to tea. Coffee also has other alkaloid compounds which effect different people in different ways, and their concentrations will also be affected by how the coffee was made.
You can build up tolerance for coffee by drinking more to some extent. Over time the enzymes which detoxify caffeine are upregulated so you make more of them. Don't go hard all at once, just increase slowly for a couple of weeks and see what happens. But at the same time there are polymorphisms in the main caffeine detoxification enzyme, in other words different people have different forms of the enzyme, and each of these forms work at a different rate. So for example if you have the fast version you are faster at neutralising the caffeine and it is removed faster, which makes some people genetically programmed to be more or less sensitive to caffeine (by quite a lot). Interestingly the health effects of caffeine are different depending on which form you have too, so while coffee may be actively good for some people it also may be actively bad for others. My personal experience is that no amount of tolerance build up will negate the slow enzyme form and I have to limit my caffeine intake as a consequence. If you're interested google caffeine + nutrigenomics for more info, there's a group in Toronto doing cool research into all this.
How the caffeine and other compounds in coffee affect you physically is probably under the control of different genes, like even if you have the slow enzyme and caffeine hangs around for ages it still might not have strong effects on your nervous system for example, and that stuff is still being teased out. But again there is individual variation and it may be that you're just too sensitive, you can't build up tolerance to the point of drinking it without these symptoms (I know a couple of people like that). The only way to find out really is to try it for a bit, keeping in mind that if it continues being unpleasant you might just have to give up. Also maybe try tea for comparison if you like it, if it's the other alkaloids rather than caffeine doing this to you then even decaf coffee will be bad but tea (or something else) will probably be OK.
posted by shelleycat at 3:33 PM on June 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
All you people suggesting the poster should build up tolerance, are you saying, oh yeah, I remember when I used to feel like a disconnected ghost in an alternate dimension when I drank coffee? 'cause that is, like, pretty weird, isn't it?
I know when I don't drink coffee for a while, I get more sensitive to it, but that just means I get more jittery when I do drink it, and can't fall asleep as easily. But I don't feel high or freaked out or anything...
posted by mdn at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
I know when I don't drink coffee for a while, I get more sensitive to it, but that just means I get more jittery when I do drink it, and can't fall asleep as easily. But I don't feel high or freaked out or anything...
posted by mdn at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010 [5 favorites]
Hmm. When I said up there some people are genetically programmed to be more or less sensitive that's actually wrong, all people have their caffeine sensitivity genetically programmed. That one gene has a large degree of control but like all biology it's more complicated so other factors can modify it (including a big influence from environmental factors like how much you drink). But apparently that gene can be used to pretty roughly divide everyone into two groups. I think what I was trying to say is some people are genetically programmed to be too sensitive (including me), and there's not always anything you can do about it.
posted by shelleycat at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by shelleycat at 3:39 PM on June 16, 2010
Decaffeinated coffee would be the obvious answer, but it's not always easy to come by
Where are you buying your coffee? In the US, it's pretty standard for coffee shops to offer one or more decaf selections, although decaf espresso isn't always among them.
posted by beagle at 3:40 PM on June 16, 2010
Where are you buying your coffee? In the US, it's pretty standard for coffee shops to offer one or more decaf selections, although decaf espresso isn't always among them.
posted by beagle at 3:40 PM on June 16, 2010
Whoa - I could have written this. I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. It's like an out-of-body experience? The first time I felt it was when I took my first caffeine pill which was apparently waaayy too much too fast for me. I continued taking them (in half doses) for a while because it just seemed easier than drinking coffee/sugar/cream every morning, and it worked well in starting my day off right. Then I started experiencing other medical problems like sinus congestion, wheezing, and increased anxiety.
I stopped taking them after about six months and those negative side effects have mostly subsided. Since then, I've really cut out most caffeinated beverages and never felt better.
I'm in agreement with those above - I think it is a sign that you are very sensitive to caffeine (like me!), and I wouldn't try to develop a tolerance to it as you could possibly invite further side effects like I did.
I've since switched to drinking a tall glass of cold water in the morning with a multivitamin and, while it doesn't give me the instant kick that I loved so much, it starts my day off more alert and, of course, hydrated ;)
posted by siclik at 3:44 PM on June 16, 2010
I stopped taking them after about six months and those negative side effects have mostly subsided. Since then, I've really cut out most caffeinated beverages and never felt better.
I'm in agreement with those above - I think it is a sign that you are very sensitive to caffeine (like me!), and I wouldn't try to develop a tolerance to it as you could possibly invite further side effects like I did.
I've since switched to drinking a tall glass of cold water in the morning with a multivitamin and, while it doesn't give me the instant kick that I loved so much, it starts my day off more alert and, of course, hydrated ;)
posted by siclik at 3:44 PM on June 16, 2010
I had a close friend in grad school -- prime coffee-drinkin' time! -- and she was like this. Loved coffee but it could really wig her out. Finally, she decided that the effects weren't worth it. She'd have the occasional half-caf but nothing stronger than that. I have a feeling that she couldn't have "built up a tolerance" to it over time. The effects just seemed far outside the norm.
posted by amanda at 4:03 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by amanda at 4:03 PM on June 16, 2010
Best answer: As another person who is very sensitive to caffeine, do NOT bother to develop a tolerance for it. You CAN, of course, but you'll probably feel terrible all of the time except for the half an hour in which it takes to drink it. I get an intense high right away while drinking coffee but then immediately start to feel woozy. When I drink it everyday and have some semblance of tolerance for it, I suffer from withdrawl headaches before I get my morning dose, achieve a level of functioning for a time then crash and am useless for the rest of the day.
But I really love the smell and taste of coffee so I occasionally drink decaf for fun. Don't be ashamed of decaf. To be honest, I am having a hard time understanding that decaf is hard to come by. If it is not obvious, just ask if they have it. If not, there is a whole world of specialty beverages open to you, especially in the environment of the coffee shop - teas, sodas, etc..
If you are really interested in having caffeine, green tea is a much mellower high. To decrease the caffeine content of green tea you brew yourself, steep the tea for 2 minutes, dump this (or give to a friend) and steep in fresh hot water for another few minutes. The caffeine comes out of the tea first, the second cup will still have some caffeine but it will be bound up with some of the tannins, making for slower digestion of the caffeine.
posted by bobobox at 4:16 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
But I really love the smell and taste of coffee so I occasionally drink decaf for fun. Don't be ashamed of decaf. To be honest, I am having a hard time understanding that decaf is hard to come by. If it is not obvious, just ask if they have it. If not, there is a whole world of specialty beverages open to you, especially in the environment of the coffee shop - teas, sodas, etc..
If you are really interested in having caffeine, green tea is a much mellower high. To decrease the caffeine content of green tea you brew yourself, steep the tea for 2 minutes, dump this (or give to a friend) and steep in fresh hot water for another few minutes. The caffeine comes out of the tea first, the second cup will still have some caffeine but it will be bound up with some of the tannins, making for slower digestion of the caffeine.
posted by bobobox at 4:16 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have a low caffeine tolerance and can't stand more than 1-2 cups per day. At this point, I also can't stand NOT having 1-2 cups per day. I love coffee, just not a ton of it. But when I do drink too much caffeine in a day, I get jittery and just overall crappy feeling, not this feeling of depersonalization that you're describing. (Note that on the page, caffeine is listed as a potential cause of depersonalization. So it sounds like you're one of those unlucky folks who reacts this way to caffeine.)
I would be curious to know if you get this from other caffeinated beverages, like green or black teas, or if you could successfully stave off this reaction just by diluting it by only drinking it with food. It's worth a shot. I do not think it's a good idea to try to boost your "tolerance" by drinking more, since you are already having an unusual reaction to it.
posted by wondermouse at 4:38 PM on June 16, 2010
I would be curious to know if you get this from other caffeinated beverages, like green or black teas, or if you could successfully stave off this reaction just by diluting it by only drinking it with food. It's worth a shot. I do not think it's a good idea to try to boost your "tolerance" by drinking more, since you are already having an unusual reaction to it.
posted by wondermouse at 4:38 PM on June 16, 2010
I am allergic to caffeine, and I experience something really similar to what you described. Having experienced that, I would say that the people suggesting that you 'build a tolerance" are completely off the mark on this one.
This experience is nothing like "nervousness" or "jitters," or something mostly physiological like that. It's really dramatic, and suggests a psychotic break of some mild sort (in my experience, at least). I'd say just leave it out of your life and find some alternatives, rather than pushing yourself to do something that obviously messes with your mind.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 5:05 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
This experience is nothing like "nervousness" or "jitters," or something mostly physiological like that. It's really dramatic, and suggests a psychotic break of some mild sort (in my experience, at least). I'd say just leave it out of your life and find some alternatives, rather than pushing yourself to do something that obviously messes with your mind.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 5:05 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
For an excellent morning drink that's invigorating but without quite so much caffeine, there's always tea [previously]
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 5:14 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 5:14 PM on June 16, 2010
I would really discourage you from drinking more just to develop a tolerance. It's a habit I wish I'd never started, and which is proving extremely difficult to break.
Yeah, if you don't like the effect, don't drink it. Caffeine withdrawal is sneaky because it's not like a nicotine fit- it comes on slow and you suddenly realize you are being mean to people and your head hurts like someone hit you with a phonebook.
but a couple hours after a cup of coffee I feel like a disconnected 3rd party observer in an alternate dimension.
I think that's what we call "strung out". Most people just drink more coffee so they can "get fixed" and back to normal.
My experience with caffeine is that it does not make you energetic. It just makes having to be energetic a bit more tolerable. So, the corollary is that if you are going to drink coffee, go out for a walk/run afterwards and then when you are strung out in a few hours, you will also be physically tired and ready for a nap or bedtime.
posted by gjc at 5:20 PM on June 16, 2010
Yeah, if you don't like the effect, don't drink it. Caffeine withdrawal is sneaky because it's not like a nicotine fit- it comes on slow and you suddenly realize you are being mean to people and your head hurts like someone hit you with a phonebook.
but a couple hours after a cup of coffee I feel like a disconnected 3rd party observer in an alternate dimension.
I think that's what we call "strung out". Most people just drink more coffee so they can "get fixed" and back to normal.
My experience with caffeine is that it does not make you energetic. It just makes having to be energetic a bit more tolerable. So, the corollary is that if you are going to drink coffee, go out for a walk/run afterwards and then when you are strung out in a few hours, you will also be physically tired and ready for a nap or bedtime.
posted by gjc at 5:20 PM on June 16, 2010
Also, think about if you've ever had this reaction from eating chocolate, since that contains a small amount caffeine also.
posted by wondermouse at 5:20 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by wondermouse at 5:20 PM on June 16, 2010
You don't *have* to have caffeine to enjoy a coffee shop.
Most coffee shops have decaffeinated espresso. Just ask for a decaf Americano - it'll taste like a slightly more bitter cup of brewed coffee, but with only a minute portion of caffeine in it. It'll also taste relatively fresh, because the beans will (or at least should) be ground right before it's brewed.
I feel your pain. I love coffee and coffee shops, yet fully caffeinated coffee + Adderall = super unfun bad triptime on Planet Spinifex23. Like, 'I'm hearing ghosts talk through the walls' bad time. So, I have a lot of decaf coffee drinks.
Lots of coffee shops also have herbal teas, which also have no caffeine in them. And, if you're lucky, you'll get the barista who doesn't know what they're doing re: tea, they'll give you 2x the number of leaves needed, and you can get 4-5 infusions out of one 'cup'. Not that I've ever exploited this, oh no.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:33 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
Most coffee shops have decaffeinated espresso. Just ask for a decaf Americano - it'll taste like a slightly more bitter cup of brewed coffee, but with only a minute portion of caffeine in it. It'll also taste relatively fresh, because the beans will (or at least should) be ground right before it's brewed.
I feel your pain. I love coffee and coffee shops, yet fully caffeinated coffee + Adderall = super unfun bad triptime on Planet Spinifex23. Like, 'I'm hearing ghosts talk through the walls' bad time. So, I have a lot of decaf coffee drinks.
Lots of coffee shops also have herbal teas, which also have no caffeine in them. And, if you're lucky, you'll get the barista who doesn't know what they're doing re: tea, they'll give you 2x the number of leaves needed, and you can get 4-5 infusions out of one 'cup'. Not that I've ever exploited this, oh no.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:33 PM on June 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
I find that tea (not herbal tea, real tea with caffeine) gives me a much mellower caffeine experience than coffee. Most coffeeshops also have fancy teas- try those instead, or get a chai if you want a more mouth pleasing, latte-like experience.
posted by MadamM at 9:10 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by MadamM at 9:10 PM on June 16, 2010
As someone who just could not handle coffee, after I moved to Argentina, I slowly got started on Yerba Mate. For me, it gets me going but without the coffee nerves/shakes/nausea. So much easier on the stomach and the nervous system for me. But beware, now I can't get going without it and I need another dose around 6pm or so.
posted by conifer at 9:41 PM on June 16, 2010
posted by conifer at 9:41 PM on June 16, 2010
I'm a week into quitting caffeine, and I encourage you not to get addicted in the first place. Coffee isn't for everyone. Maybe it isn't for you.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:40 AM on June 17, 2010
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:40 AM on June 17, 2010
Best answer: ericb: Coffee allergy has also been known to mimic symptoms of mania (such as those seen in bipolar disorder), including impulsiveness, impaired judgment, aggression, omnipotence, delirium, buying sprees, lack of sexual inhibition and loss of values.
Omnipotence, eh? Well, shit, if that's not a reason to develop a tolerance to caffeine, I do not know what is!
In all seriousness, I see absolutely no point in trying to get your body to like caffeine. You can still enjoy coffee shops -- my husband hates coffee, but he'll get tea, hot chocolate, or some sort of baked good and a bottle of water. You can also enjoy the taste of coffee with far less caffeine by drinking decaf. Plus, if the "loss of values" symptom of caffeine allergies hits you, and you're hopelessly addicted to the bean, you don't want to find yourself beating up old ladies for coffee money or stealing people's kidneys to sell on the black market so you can afford another Starbucks gift card or 300.
posted by tastybrains at 7:43 AM on June 17, 2010
Omnipotence, eh? Well, shit, if that's not a reason to develop a tolerance to caffeine, I do not know what is!
In all seriousness, I see absolutely no point in trying to get your body to like caffeine. You can still enjoy coffee shops -- my husband hates coffee, but he'll get tea, hot chocolate, or some sort of baked good and a bottle of water. You can also enjoy the taste of coffee with far less caffeine by drinking decaf. Plus, if the "loss of values" symptom of caffeine allergies hits you, and you're hopelessly addicted to the bean, you don't want to find yourself beating up old ladies for coffee money or stealing people's kidneys to sell on the black market so you can afford another Starbucks gift card or 300.
posted by tastybrains at 7:43 AM on June 17, 2010
Best answer: An odd data point to add in about decaf coffee.
Small/indy coffee shops, the kinds near college campuses filled with "hipsters" (20 year olds) are somewhat less likely to have decaf coffee, but a suburban rich/professionals area will. I been told this is because of 50+ year old people with high blood pressure, who are supposed to avoid caffeine.
Also a favorite drink to order at coffee shops is steamed milk with a shot of flavor (almond=yum). You get that nice long, sipping on something hot, time to read a book, etc experience, with no caffeine.
posted by fontophilic at 9:54 AM on June 17, 2010
Small/indy coffee shops, the kinds near college campuses filled with "hipsters" (20 year olds) are somewhat less likely to have decaf coffee, but a suburban rich/professionals area will. I been told this is because of 50+ year old people with high blood pressure, who are supposed to avoid caffeine.
Also a favorite drink to order at coffee shops is steamed milk with a shot of flavor (almond=yum). You get that nice long, sipping on something hot, time to read a book, etc experience, with no caffeine.
posted by fontophilic at 9:54 AM on June 17, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks to all for the fantastic responses!
I've decided that I'll go somewhere between the abstinence and tolerance-building route by mixing with decaf (which I've sought out) or having single-shot americanos. So far, no crazy side effects!
Thanks again.
posted by bradly at 1:43 PM on June 23, 2010
I've decided that I'll go somewhere between the abstinence and tolerance-building route by mixing with decaf (which I've sought out) or having single-shot americanos. So far, no crazy side effects!
Thanks again.
posted by bradly at 1:43 PM on June 23, 2010
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I am not a doctor; consult your own doctor before going on a caffeine binge. Is it possible to be allergic to coffee and caffeine? Dr. Doctorson can tell you.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 2:46 PM on June 16, 2010 [4 favorites]