Caffeine overdose symptoms/help!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve started feeling this intense tightness around my heart—like there's actual pressure and my heart is pounding harder than usual. I can even feel the palpitations and that heavy pressure while I'm sleeping!
Could coffee be the culprit? It’s a catch-22: if I don't drink it, I get these splitting headaches, but if I do, my heart starts racing uncontrollably.
I’ve dealt with chronic headaches for years now. If I take a caffeine pill, I feel nauseous all day long, but if I skip it, the headache becomes absolutely unbearable. I also spend most of my workday staring at a computer screen, which I suspect might be draining me too.
On top of all that, for about a year and a half, I’ve had daily pain just under my left ribcage (maybe an issue with my stomach?). Sometimes it’s sharp, sometimes it’s dull. I’ve already gone through a gastroscopy and a full abdominal ultrasound, but everything came back totally normal.
Right now, I'm trying some homeopathic remedies, and they seem to be helping a little bit.

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!

Don't let fear get in the way—get yourself to a doctor right now so they can run some actual tests and figure out what's going on.
It sounds to me like you're someone who normally deals with low blood pressure and is super sensitive to caffeine (and trust me, those local coffee shops are loaded with it)
Keep your fluids up. If you're dehydrated, it'll trigger everything from those nasty headaches to your heart racing. But seriously, go see a professional!

Anonymous said:Over the last few weeks, I’ve started feeling this intense tightness around my heart—like there's actual pressure and my heart is pounding harder than usual. I can even feel the palpitations and that heavy pressure while I'm sleeping!
Could coffee be the culprit? It’s a catch-22: if I don't drink it, I get these splitting headaches, but if I do, my heart starts racing uncontrollably.
I’ve dealt with chronic headaches for years now. If I take a caffeine pill, I feel nauseous all day long, but if I skip it, the headache becomes absolutely unbearable. I also spend most of my workday staring at a computer screen, which I suspect might be draining me too.
On top of all that, for about a year and a half, I’ve had daily pain just under my left ribcage (maybe an issue with my stomach?). Sometimes it’s sharp, sometimes it’s dull. I’ve already gone through a gastroscopy and a full abdominal ultrasound, but everything came back totally normal.
Right now, I'm trying some homeopathic remedies, and they seem to be helping a little bit.

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!

The weather hasn't really been behaving itself lately, has it? It feels like we haven't seen a normal season in quite some time. As for those aches you're dealing with, I suppose Advil might be a decent option; it tends to be a bit gentler on the stomach than some other alternatives, if that makes any sense. Though, if I were thinking about it, maybe you should consider scheduling a head CT—it’s possible what you're feeling is actually just sinus issues acting up.
My sister actually gave up drinking Turkish coffee altogether because it used to sit so heavily on her stomach, so I suppose that could be a contributing factor here.
I suppose I should offer some advice, though I am quite certain my perspective might be somewhat skewed by my own particular way of looking at things. It is all rather subjective, isn't it? One can never truly know if they are providing a genuine helping hand or merely adding more noise to the conversation, but I shall try, I guess. If there is something weighing on your mind—be it a matter of professional conduct, a domestic quandary, or perhaps just a general sense of uncertainty regarding the direction of one's life—do feel free to share. I may wander off on a tangent or overcomplicate a simple matter, as I am prone to do, but I will listen. Perhaps together we can untangle whatever it is that has you feeling unsettled.😛I suppose if you were to try setting aside your coffee consumption for a little while—just to see what happens, I guess—you might actually start to notice some changes. Perhaps there's some truth to that.

Go see a doctor.

By the way—my mother used to drink three cups of coffee every single day for her entire life—but lately, she’s been under an immense amount of stress, and she’s also become quite sensitive to changes in the weather; consequently, the caffeine just makes her heart race uncontrollably. So, she quit entirely.

As for me, I deal with mild hypertension, and ever since I went through that period of rapid weight gain, I started experiencing arrhythmias accompanied by actual pain... though, interestingly enough, once I dropped a few pounds, that pain vanished. I don't touch coffee at all—it’s far too harsh on my stomach, it makes my heart pound, causes my eyelids to twitch, and leaves me feeling jittery and hyperactive. Personally, I’d much rather have a nice cup of tea or some freshly squeezed juice.

In any case, you really ought to find something to help you relax—perhaps avoid watching horror movies like *Texas Chainsaw Massacre* right before bed? It might also help to engage in moderate exercise, stay well-hydrated (and not just for hydration's sake, but because sufficient water intake promotes oxygen flow to the brain, which is quite beneficial when dealing with headaches), and try to steer clear of overly salty or greasy foods. There are so many different types of analgesics available these days—if you absolutely must take something, are you entirely certain that Excedrin is the best fit for you?

Headaches can be triggered by coffee, especially when paired with an increased heart rate. There are two main culprits here: stimulation of the autonomic nervous system and dehydration.
The best remedy is rehydration (plenty of fluids) and cutting back on your caffeine intake.
If you don't feel better afterward, or if your symptoms start getting worse, you should see a doctor immediately.

I've noticed lately that if I have more than two cups of coffee in the afternoon, I start getting dizzy.

I’m actually allergic to caffeine. It sounds crazy, but I feel like an absolute miracle😁

Anonymous said:Over the last few weeks, I’ve started feeling this intense tightness around my heart—like there's actual pressure and my heart is pounding harder than usual. I can even feel the palpitations and that heavy pressure while I'm sleeping!
Could coffee be the culprit? It’s a catch-22: if I don't drink it, I get these splitting headaches, but if I do, my heart starts racing uncontrollably.
I’ve dealt with chronic headaches for years now. If I take a caffeine pill, I feel nauseous all day long, but if I skip it, the headache becomes absolutely unbearable. I also spend most of my workday staring at a computer screen, which I suspect might be draining me too.
On top of all that, for about a year and a half, I’ve had daily pain just under my left ribcage (maybe an issue with my stomach?). Sometimes it’s sharp, sometimes it’s dull. I’ve already gone through a gastroscopy and a full abdominal ultrasound, but everything came back totally normal.
Right now, I'm trying some homeopathic remedies, and they seem to be helping a little bit.

If anyone has any suggestions or advice, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!

I went through the exact same thing with caffeine. It used to just hit me out of nowhere every single day, and after getting all the tests done, it turns out I'm just super hypersensitive to caffeine. But honestly, that sensitivity basically means my whole nervous system is just really reactive, so other things can mess with me too... You really have to try to take it easy, you know? Don't sweat the small stuff (if you can help it), try not to panic, stay relaxed, and maybe spend more time outdoors... and most importantly—get some exercise. Physical activity actually helps your blood vessels, which is pretty much the opposite of what caffeine does (since it constricts them). I’ve got it under control now, but I definitely stay far away from coffee or any tea with caffeine. That stuff is the absolute worst for me.

That's just my experience, though. Maybe it's something else for you (even if it sounds like it could be this, since a lot of people deal with similar stuff), so you should definitely check in with a doctor.

Hey,
I went through something very similar this time last year. I was a huge caffeine addict back then, probably hitting two or three cups of coffee every single day...

The palpitations started out of nowhere. They’d happen several times a day, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to maybe thirty seconds at most. I also felt this sharp pain on the left side of my chest.

My doctors actually listened to me. They could hear the arrhythmia, even though my EKG came back perfectly normal. We checked my thyroid hormones and did an ultrasound too, since you know how those imbalances can trigger heart stuff. Everything there looked fine... totally normal.

Once my doctor heard about my coffee habit, he told me straight up to cut back—maybe just one cup a day. I used to work out regularly, but I had this sudden week-long break from exercise right when I was ramping up the caffeine. When they asked if I was stressed, I said no. It was right after finals week, so looking back... I was definitely stressed. I think I just ignored it or didn't realize how much it was affecting me.

Someone else here made a great point: you really have to stop letting the little things get to you. If you manage the anxiety, everything settles down. Definitely get your tests done, but my best advice is to just dial back the coffee. It’ll pass...

Oh, right. I was actually prescribed Rithmonorm to take whenever the palpitations hit, but I only ever took about three pills. My cardiologist told me after the checkup that I didn't actually need them.

Anyway, it cleared up pretty fast. Now I stick to just one cup a day. I tried quitting entirely once, but the headaches were just too much. One cup a day feels safe enough... it shouldn't hurt anything.

One more bit of wisdom from my cardiologist. I always assumed that because I have low blood pressure, coffee wouldn't be an issue—that it would actually help raise it. But that's not how it works. Caffeine just irritates the heart, which is likely what triggers the arrhythmia.

Sorry for the long rant, I just thought sharing my experience might help since it sounds so much like what you're going through. 😬

I’ve never really been a coffee drinker—not the kind who sits down for a ritualistic cup anyway. I've had it here and there, but I can't stand the taste or how it makes me feel. It gives me terrible headaches and my heart starts racing, so... it's just not for me.

Honestly, you should probably see a doctor and just cut out the caffeine altogether. If the headaches persist, stick to some Advil.

p...I take up to five of them a day 😲—and sometimes my heart starts racing, mostly if I haven't eaten anything all day... gotta get some food in the system 😉

Does anyone know what the recommended daily caffeine limit is before you start hitting overdose territory? Like, what’s the rough cutoff line?

You can't just go around drinking two liters at once
It’s pretty much impossible to overdose unless you’re actually trying to

I don’t even know, sometimes I’ll knock back up to five cups of coffee in a day. My first cup every morning is strictly black—no milk, no sugar. Honestly, I can't stand instant coffee or cappuccinos; that just doesn't count as real coffee to me. The reason I'm asking is because I have to pull an all-nighter, so I've basically armed myself with endless caffeine and Red Bull. I'm just trying to make sure I don't end up as tomorrow's headline: "Local woman overdoses on caffeine." 😬

Seriously, just go to sleep... there is absolutely nothing important enough to justify staying up all night and wearing yourself out 🙂

Nothing much?😕
No way, just some high school graduation stuff😉
But I like where you're going with that suggestion👍 😘 if only I actually could😢

Five coffees??? And without sugar at that... damn, you're a force to be reckoned with... Just don't overdo it. It’s actually quite difficult to establish an exact toxic threshold for humans, as testing those specific limits isn't exactly ethical in a controlled setting 😁 though unfortunately, the lethal dose is generally cited at about 140mg per kg of body weight for adults. A single cup usually contains somewhere between 55 to 85 mg of caffeine. Since caffeine is also found in various medications—like certain asthma treatments such as aminophylline or several types of analgesics—you really have to account for the cumulative effect if you're mixing coffee with prescription drugs 😁
Symptoms can include restlessness, insomnia, transient psychosis, and potentially even delirium. In extreme cases, one might experience convulsions (similar to an epileptic seizure), coma, cardiovascular issues like arrhythmias, or drops in blood pressure. Nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal bleeding can also occur
So, please just take care of yourselves 😁

Sam Hall15 said:Five coffees??? And without sugar at that... damn, you're a force to be reckoned with... Just don't overdo it. It’s actually quite difficult to establish an exact toxic threshold for humans, as testing those specific limits isn't exactly ethical in a controlled setting 😁 though unfortunately, the lethal dose is generally cited at about 140mg per kg of body weight for adults. A single cup usually contains somewhere between 55 to 85 mg of caffeine. Since caffeine is also found in various medications—like certain asthma treatments such as aminophylline or several types of analgesics—you really have to account for the cumulative effect if you're mixing coffee with prescription drugs 😁
Symptoms can include restlessness, insomnia, transient psychosis, and potentially even delirium. In extreme cases, one might experience convulsions (similar to an epileptic seizure), coma, cardiovascular issues like arrhythmias, or drops in blood pressure. Nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal bleeding can also occur
So, please just take care of yourselves 😁

I know I drink way too much coffee, but honestly, there's no helping me—I just love it too much...😍
But I'll try to cut back a little 👍
Anyway, thanks Doc! 😘
☕

Anonymous said:I know I drink way too much coffee, but honestly, there's no helping me—I just love it too much...😍
But I'll try to cut back a little 👍
Anyway, thanks Doc! 😘
☕

Maybe try wearing a rubber band around your wrist—you know, give it a snap every time you feel the urge for one more spoonful? (I won't go overboard and start suggesting electric shocks right now...)😁

By the way, Sam Hall15—that profile picture of yours. Are we really going with Dr. Carter? Honestly, you’re going to scare people away from the forum... maybe Dr. Doug Ross would be a better choice?