So I've noticed the past couple weeks maybe even months that I've been having panic attacks on and off in the morning after my morning cup of coffee. This last one was really bad and I'm at my lowest weight in 10 years. So it got me thinking...am I becoming more sensitive to caffine as I get smaller? Kinda the same concept as a skinny person can get pretty loopy off of one drink. My morning cup is probably 16 oz so today instead of filling it all the way up I filled it only 3/4 full and I felt a lot better. Anyone else notice this?

Hmmm. The body's chemistry is a funny thing.

After I started the generic equivalent of Prozac, I became extremely sensitive to caffeine for a good long time -- like maybe six months. That wore off eventually, though. I can't think of any other reason in my case, because I weigh less now & I am not as sensitive as I was during that period.

Well, I've become a lot more sensitive to other substances (my mother can talk to me 2 hours after I have a glass of wine with dinner and will KNOW that I've been drinking...), so it holds to reason I might become more sensitive to caffeine. Haven't noticed it with coffee like I have with alcohol, though.

Ugh. Yep.

One cup of coffee wires me now.
Let's not even talk about the liquor. I used to be able to go well into the double-digits and get up and walk away... Now I have 3 or 4 and I'm all giggly and blonde and - well, not winning any g*ddamned bar bets is what!


Think of it this way: you're now able to save money on coffee as well as possibly other substances. Bright side. (Grumble.)

Edited to add: I should mention I have reduced from 276 to current - start weight is for when I started this site. I don't want anyone thinking 15 lbs is going to end their pro-drinking career or anything.

If this has been going on for "months" as you say, there is a good possibility that it's not caffeine related at all, (except for caffeine aggravates anxiety) but actual anxiety disorder. Your story sounds a lot like mine, and I did see my doctor about it. He believes that my anxiety became worse into my weight loss, (instead of better as I was hoping) because I was no longer self medicating with food, (and alcohol and cigarettes). It has finally tapered off, but still get pretty bad around PMS. I was prescribed some medication to take the edge off on bad days, but I try not to take it often, (because I'm an addictive person).

The one bright spot about anxiety is, (for me), the worse it is, the more weight I seemed to have lost during those times. (As long as I didn't medicate myself with carbs.)

I'd talk to your doctor for sure.

I think so.

I'm finding that the 'cleaner' my diet is (far less chemicals and additives) I'm more sensitive to caffeine and things that make me sleepy like tylenol and alcohol. Could be my imagination ...

I don't know. I have never been sensitive to caffeine but no matter how much I weighed, half a glass of red wine is enough to make me tipsy. I don't even recall when was the last time I had a glass of red wine (and my red wine glasses are quite small, actually).

I can drink cup after cup of coffee. 2 glasses of wine, though, and I'm down and out!

If you do see your dr, please make sure to tell him you are on a weight loss program and not to prescribe you anything that can derail that. I took Paxil for panic attacks and I am sure it's at least part of the reason I am where I am now. If I had it to over again, I would see a therapist for them and not my regular dr. What finally helped me was the cognitive behavior therapy and not the meds.

Panic attacks are so subjective. If you think the coffee is making it worse, it is. They can get debilitating, so please seek help with how to get rid of them.

Caffeine can increase anxiety and then you can interpret the anxiety as a "threat" and here comes a panic attack. Certainly people that are smaller will react to the same dose differently. All of our dosages are supposed to be based on our weight. Caffeine is a drug. It's actually a good reminder for those losing weight to see thier drs to see if dosages should be changed of thier regular medications.