Coffee and Fibromyalgia - A Bumpy Relationship

Coffee and Fibromyalgia is an issue that I have to deal with time and time again. I wanted to blog about one of my main weaknesses in dealing with my Fibromyalgia symptoms – that of my coffee addiction. I don’t just have caffeine addiction. I know this because I don’t have the same problem with ‘normal’ tea, cola drinks or green tea. I really enjoy the flavours in coffee, as well as the different variations you can create. Adding flavours, different kinds of milk, chocolate flakes and extra shots of espresso. I enjoy double espressos, lattes, mochas – pretty much most variations. So let’s have a look at the relationship between coffee and Fibromyalgia – from my personal experience.

What does Coffee Do To You?

The main problem with caffeine is that it causes the synapses in the brain to ‘fire off’. In the immediate moment this helps alertness, hence the ability to wake up better after a morning brew. But it also dehydrates you and raises blood pressure. That article goes on to say that coffee can catch you in a vicious cycle – drinking a lot actually makes you tireder, which leads to you feeling like you need to drink more of it!

Coffee and Fibromyalgia with Chronic Fatigue

So we come to the crux of my problem. Fighting pain all the time is very tiring and demoralising. It can leave you drained. So I use coffee to wake me up, but the facts actually say that I shouldn’t. If Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue are already linked, then consuming any substance which makes that worse should simply be avoided.

Why Does Coffee Make You Tired?

The reason having too many cups of Joe can leave you drained is that if you use a chemical, caffeine, to cause your brain synapses to fire too much and they ‘fizz out’ (technical biological term, there). Ironically, too much coffee can lead to insomnia (which for Fibro people can be Painsomnia) and indeed, headaches (because we just don’t get enough pain with a Chronic Illness)!

Coffee and Gluten Intolerance

A recent complication I came across is that I may have to address the possibility that my Fibro-riddled body may have a reaction to gluten. I am discovering that gluten is in everything and acts like an addictive poison. On top of the likelihood that gluten is exacerbating my pain levels, is that coffee can behave like gluten (as, apparently do other foods).

Ah, Food. Friend and Foe.

So the likelihood is that some foods have been doing me harm – from breakfast food, to my enjoyment of pizza, to my preference for beer as an alcoholic drink. But worse, if a drink like coffee behaves like gluten then I’m well and truly stuffed.

I must research more into this issue and experiment with reducing gluten sources in my diet and see if there are any pain level improvements as a result. But right now I need to address the coffee addiction.

Coffee Video based on Research

Yes, there are bad side effects on coffee/caffeine, but there are also some health benefits. A friend from SWTOR shared this video with me, so you may find it interesting too! (If you’re on a mobile phone, I suggest clicking the ‘full screen’ button – regulating the proportions of YouTube videos is something I’ll have to look at in the future).

TL;DR – Coffee and Fibromyalgia – Biting the Bullet

So, I have come to a couple of painful conclusions: I need to really examine the gluten issue. And I need to cut out coffee to reduce self-inflicted Fibromyalgia pain. That will lead to withdrawal symptoms but they won’t last forever. I need to stay rehydrated and I need to not be addicted. I will blog about my progress on this journey, but in the meantime, wish me luck!

And if you have any stories about cutting out Coffee or Gluten, I’d love to hear them in the comments!