I switched to decaf last Fall when my PMD first said she thought I had fibro - I pretty much drink a pot of organic coffee (black) every day. I haven't noticed any difference at all. My husband is sensitive to caffeine, so I've just stuck with the decaf, but my fatigue is so bad that I'm considering switching back just for the energy boost.

I stopped ingesting caffeine many years ago when I noticed a correlation between migraines and worsening PMS whenever I consumed it. I stopped consuming it 15 years ago. I was diagnosed with fibro last year; so it's not a factor for me, in terms of my fibro.

I love herbal teas which are non-caffeinated. I don't drink sodas at all and I use stevia sweetner in my teas.

There are some days that imagining the comfort of the ritual of grinding the beans, putting on the kettle, using my french press, adding a generous dollop of milk and then drinking, inhaling the rich aroma and taste of my coffee - gives me the necessary boost to get out of bed. Although it probably ups my anxiety level i do stop at one cup (a large mug if i'm completely honest). My favorite brand is called "love buzz" - i mean who can resist that. It is a vice i stubbornly hold on to.

All material I've come across suggests that you avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. I honestly could not function without about a pot of coffee per day. My fatigue is so bad that I wouldn't have the energy to get out of bed without it. I know they say that will improve, but I spent just about a year and a half in bed due to my crippling fatigue.

I stopped drinking caffeine due to headaches. I have less headaches but alot less energy, and yes, given up a lot as well.

i notice a big difference when i drink tea for caffeine rather than diet sodas.

I gave up caffeine for about three months when I had gastritis. Once I recovered, I went back toone cup in the morning and sometimes a small one in the afternoon. I did not notice a difference on the fibro symptoms. I have cut down because of the risk of gastritis. Like others, I have already given up enough. Not giving up my morning one.

BTW, the difference between caffeine in coffee or tea and sodas is that sodas are packed with chemicals and many of us (if not all) are very sensitive to chemicals

Thank you all for your input. I've switched to decaf coffee and will see what happens. I will not give up chocolate. I just can't give up everything.

I am very sensitive to caffeine, if I drink it I get anxious, it disturbs my sleep and both anxiety, stress and lack of rest make fibro pain worse.
I stay away from caffeine and opt for herbal teas and decaf coffee, stay away from soda. A dietrtian also told me to that Citotoxins as found in artificial sweeteners, MSG, Nitrates and alcohol can also make fibro symptoms worse so stay away from all of those as well!

I have not been a huge caffeine consumer but I went to decaf anyway as I feel caffeine increases my anxiety.
And I don't know I noticed much difference in fibro symptoms. My problem is coffee and tea irritates my bladder decaf or not so I don't drink much of it and not every day.
And I rarely ever drink soda.

Don't forget there is still a small level of caffeine even in DECAF and guess what....there is small amount in some chocolate too! But it is small so
I am not going to quit chocolate entirely. Nah..I can't do that. :)

I haven't drunk coffee in years, excpet for one night when I needed to stay awake and lively for a grandchild's party. So I drank a few cups of delicious coffee, had more energy, but sweated so badly that my silk tank was throughly wet! I had a cardigan so it covered it up, but what a surprise! Who knew?

To me, coffee is a medicine when I must stay awake.

Coffee is the one thing I refuse to give up. Luckily my MD hasn't even suggested it lol. Caffeine has never seemed to have any adverse effects for me, other than when I don't have any I get headaches. I drink a lot of tea also (w/sugar) & for the past year I've drank a great big glass of OJ every evening...weird craving!
I've discovered that cranapple juice gives me more strange 'effects' than caffeine drinks. Maybe it's the sugar ??? but when I push the cranapple juice for kidney problems, I get like palpitations for awhile. Go figure.

My doctor recommended going off all caffeine because of the crash I get afterwards. The only problem is that my chronic fatigue is so bad I just can't function without it.

Anyone have a suggestion to help with energy levels the first week? I've always been sensitive to caffeine and if I drink after 2 I am up till after midnight. I was up to 3 or 4 cups of coffee a day & a 5 hour energy by 2:00 every day. When I started the 2000 mcg of b12 everyday I'm down to 1 cup of coffee most days....sometimes 2 cups. I want to quit all caffeine but the headaches & tiredness gets so bad. I am 5-10 minutes late at least once a week & lately I have another day where the only way I get there on time is I skip a shower.

I did stop drinking coffee for almost a year, desperate for any relief from the pain. Someone told me it would help so I didn't drink any coffee, soda, tea, or anything with caffeine.

I've never been a soda drinker but I have started drinking coffee and iced tea again. It didn't make any difference for me.