Is sensitivity to Coffee TMS???

Hi all,

I have been on a miraculous healing journey since discovering Sarno about 8 months ago. I have healed nerve pain in both arms that was diagnosed as Ulner nerve compression and then later Thoracic outlet syndrome, all bullshit as it was TMS. Then I healed my SI Dysfunction (that I'd had for about 3 years due to injury) and resumed all that had been restricted from my life (jogging and yoga). I have no more aches and pains accept when I get a flare up of TMS and it goes away.

My question is about coffee... I LOVE COFFEE. However, I have read so much about coffee being bad for us (making us acidic, etc) that I wonder if I am brainwashed about it and if I have a TMS sensitivity to it? I have been treating my tummy sensitivity to coffee as TMS but have not succeeded yet. I feel cramping, pain like heartburn, gassy, and get headaches the following early in the morning until I drink more. This is like 10 oz a day too! So not much!

Sarno says food intolerances are TMS, but coffee and I are at war... Any advice TMS Recoverers?

 

Interesting! I was just thinking about that this morning, only it's tea in my case (I love the taste of coffee but hate the aftertaste). I get shaky sometimes, and often develop digestive symptoms after consuming even a little caffeine. It's not constant. Some days are fine. I gave it up altogether since there was no telling which days it would give me a problem, and I miss it. I've been thinking recently that I may just be hypersensitive to everything that happens in my gut, even totally normal stuff. And unconsciously maybe that sets off a stress response, which I definitely carry in my gut. So caffeine gets things moving faster down there (a fact), I interpret the normal looser bowel and gurgles and sensations as danger, and it ramps up to IBS or other gastric distress. I don't know. Haven't there been studies where people on opiates were given a placebo and their brains still created the opiate effect, just because that's what they expected? Why couldn't the body do that with TMS symptoms and food/drug triggers?

Hmm...I like imagining that I could drink tea again without caring about my belly...mmmmm.

 

I mean caffeine does have actual physical impacts on gut motility, etc. But I think the question, at least for me, is whether or not those impacts are small and the rest of the pain/discomfort is my own stress/anxiety about those minor sensations ramping it up. I'm continually fascinated by the place where physiogenic and psychogenic discomfort intersect when it comes to digestion.

 

If you've been drinking coffee all your life, why would you suddenly not be able to tolerate it?

"There are so many things little and big that are tms, I wouldn't have time to write about all of them" Dr. Sarno

 

I think @Tennis Tom is right and assuming you're a long term coffee drinker, I would treat it as a form of the symptom imperative. When I am overwhelmed with stress I suffer from a myriad of tummy issues which I am free from the rest of the time. I'm coming out of a stressful period and rather than avoid certain foods I've been enjoying them. A particular favourite has been tortilla chips with Serrano chilli which is crazy hot.

I don't much care for the politicization of food. As a general principle I feel that the closer to Nature it is the better (have you seen the tortilla chip tree? It's a thing of wonder ). There are, of course, huge individual differences and we should recognise these but the demonisation of foods and drinks often/usually strikes me as indoctrinisation.

Interestingly in more neurologically based literature you'll find coffee being celebrated for it's neuroprotective function and in these studies optimal gut health and the fostering of a healthy microbiome is assumed to be basic stuff so there's no conflict of variables to consider either.

I hope your overcome this soon and continue to celebrate a glorious, TMS free life.

Plum x

 

I was late to start drinking coffee in my life and was always sensitive to it. I got incredibly jittery and some digestive issues. However, Symptoms seem to be a great more deal of discomfort with ulcer like feelings and discomfort that do not go away throughout the day. If I back off the coffee the pain goes away after a few days.

I have learned my mind is a powerful thing and TMS as well. I am honestly in a bit of inner conflict, disagreement about it. Which I know exasperates the TMS.

Hearing others opinions on it helps me work through the inner conflict, so thank you for the responses.

 

I agree that we TMSers are overly sensitive to changes in our bodies. I think this plays a role in caffeine sensitivity. But I also think that those of us with ramped up nervous systems are going to be more effected by stimulants. And I read a study in the last year that found that there are "slow-metabolizers" and "fast-metabolizers" of coffee. So those people that can drink coffee all day and still sleep well at night, metabolize the caffeine quickly and discharge it from their systems. While I am one of those who can't consume caffeine past about 2pm, or I won't be able to sleep.

So I think there are many factors at play with this--as with most things....

 

I must be a fast-metabolizer then, I can drink coffee to go to sleep.

 

Right Ellen, once again you´ve nailed it!!. I can drink almost any amount of coffee from the time I get up from bed until 10 am or so. From that time on, decaffeined is my choice if I want to relax and sleep as best as possible.

 

Indeed and it does well to patiently unthread these factors. Everything interplays with everything else and sometimes we must settle on the most pragmatic choice. As with so many things we must be aware how not only TMS itself but also how our ideas surrounding TMS can hijack good sense and actuality. If something brings you grief I would question how far to chase it's tail. I'll play gently or not at all. The rough stuff holds no appeal. To each his own.

I only drink one cup of coffee in the morning and it is part of my greeting the day morning ritual. It is a slow and sensual awakening.

Back in the days when we were on the road everybody used coffee to stay awake. The night-time world is awash with people on various uppers (and downers) so I am very mindful of the brew's potency.

Mindful is as mindful does.

Plum