The Medicine Was Making It Worse

About this episode

A journalist discovers that her health issues are caused by caffeine and shares her journey of withdrawal and recovery.

Episode Summary A journalist burning the midnight oil on a daily deadline discovers that her chest pains, irregular heartbeat, and shaking hands aren't a heart condition — they're caffeine. And the migraine medicine she was taking to cope? Also caffeine. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone in a high-pressure career who has convinced themselves they need it to perform. What You'll Hear in This Episode A day-in-the-life inside a caffeine-fueled newsroom and what it actually costs The physical symptoms that finally sent her to the doctor — and the surprising diagnosis How over-the-counter migraine medication secretly prolonged her addiction The week-by-week withdrawal process and what helped her through What life looked and felt like on the other side — calmer, clearer, and fully present Key Takeaways Chest pain, irregular heartbeat, and hand tremors can be direct signs of caffeine toxicity Common OTC medications, including Excedrin, Midol, and Tylenol for Migraines contain caffeine High-performance careers create environments where caffeine addiction is normalized and rewarded Withdrawal symptoms, including weight gain, irritability, and fatigue, are temporary Decaf and…

People in this episode

Host: Al Kushner

Topics covered

• caffeine addiction
• health symptoms
• high-pressure careers
• withdrawal process
• over-the-counter medication

Keywords

• caffeine toxicity
• migraine medication
• withdrawal symptoms
• chest pain
• irregular heartbeat

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Excedrin, Midol, Tylenol for Migraines

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