Problems with caffeine

I've being running shorter distances for a few years but only this year starting increasing distance and doing my first HM in a couple of weeks.

I've started getting some odd chest pains, a high up tight feeling, at work though not when running. I suspect it is caffeine related (have read about it causing inflammation) and I have always drunk a lot of coffee and diet coke. Obviously I have cut down as much as possible, but would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced this and whetherr maybe it's partly due to the increased running as well.

not sure about caffiene related..............i drink 2/3 litres of diet coke everyday unfortunately and never had odd chest pains during exercise....

if you keep on getting them i would see a doctor........not wise to but chest pains just down to somnething you read on the internet...........there is a amall chance it could be serious

Jesus wept Seren, 2-3 litres a day? if i have more than 2 cups of tea I'm wired and can't sleep.

I know .its my major vice.adicted and not enough willpower to give up.......over 25 years now....its going to kill me before the running ever does

2 - 3 litres of diet coke. You must piss bubbles.

Hi Vicky, oddly I've just posted something about heart arrhythmia in the training forum.

A few years back I had an arrhythmia which I think was brought about by drinking a ton of coffee one day then havging a stressful morning the next day and going for a run at lunchtime.

If you have an occasional arrythmia it might be detectable in your pulse but will definitely be detectable my an ECG which your GP can sort out. I would err on the side of caution and go and see your GP - preferably when you're having the pain.

Is there any chance it's trapped wind? That can appear in the chest and longer distances can shake the gut up a bit. What and when are you eating and drinking before your runs?

good idea to go to see your gp as it might be nothing, but it might be something serious. I had problems brought on by caffiene and since cutting back to strictly 2 cups of coffee a day I have no problems at all. The dr did do and ECG though to check that it wasn't anything serious - and you should be able to get the ecg done at your gp surgery - it isn't something you need to spend ages waiting around at hospital for.

RicF wrote (see)

2 - 3 litres of diet coke. You must piss bubbles.

ha, i was going to ask if it's fluorescent green. to be fair Seren there are worse vices. a little bit of what you like and all that.

I've had nothing in the way of pulse change, just an awareness that something hurts in my chest.aching rather than an sharp pain.

Its never been when running, just when at work ... drinking wise often (but not exclusively) when I've drunk a lot of coffee/cola. foodwise nothing exciting at work, protein, veg and pulses/grains really the only things in my diet.

I have quite a stressful job so poss part to do with that as well.

hi  caffeine is a drug , i stop a long time ago, and fill so much better without that drug, i like to run on my own steam, if i rember then i stoped i got headaces for about 2days and was filling better the 3rd day, but take a bout a month to really fill better for it, if you can stop your fill some much better, its just the same as smokeing, it's mot easy to stop, you have to be focus,

If I had seen this thread in the forums a week ago your experience would have been completely alien to me but the exact same thing that you are describing happened to me last weekend. I have always ran the morning after a big night out to clear a hangover but last weekend I felt the same sensation that you had happen to you. I started work on Monday morning and my heart on numerous times throughout the day would beat out of rhythm and sometimes would palpitate. After a quick Google search and a chat with a doctor pal, I think it could be a combination of alcohol, lots and lots of caffeine as well as exercising on a hangover. I didn’t drink any caffeine on the Monday following the weekend and my heart has been back to normal ever since. I am switching to lattes instead of espressos and will probably not do any intense triathlon or running training after a big night. Stopping the drinking is out of the question of course! 

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