Coffee and Neuropathy

I don't think you can categorically say coffee increases neuropathy pain. I have severe stenosis in my lumbar spine and pain in my glutes, hamstrings, calves and feet because of it. I found, quite by accident, that coffee seemed to help me. I am normally a tea drinker, but I recently went to visit a relative who only had coffee in her house. So for 5 mornings in a row, I drank coffee, and my level of pain improved noticeably. I have continued to drink coffee with no ill effects.

I have CIDP/AMSAN
Acute Motor/Sensory Axonal Neuropathy. I frankly drink a lot of coffee to counteract the fatigue caused by the desease. It does not increase my nerve pain. .

I had two neurologist that told me to quit drinking coffee. I have been diagnosed with cardiac autonomic neuropathy ( my heart rate and blood pressure can’t be controlled), dysautonomia, severe axonal sensorimotor peripheral polyneuropathy ( no feelings in my hands or legs), Sjogrens, lupus, asthma, CIDP and SFN. I am constantly cutting my hands because I don’t feel it. I have tremors from the motor neuropathy. I can’t hold a glass without spilling it all over me (I can only drink out of cup with a lid. If it’s a plastic cup I can’t control how hard my hand squeezes and the cup goes all over me. Sometimes, my husband has to cut up my food) I no longer go out to eat in public because of the neuropathy. I have had it since 2002. The neurologist has now linked my seizures to the neuropathy. I was given eight years left to live with the cardiac autonomic neuropathy. I see a cardiologist and electrophysiologist medication does not work since the nerves are screwed up. It is also called CAN. It has already affected my bladder and kidneys. Where you have nerves neuropathy is going to affect it.

I think what I’m reading from all of the feedback is to be cognizant of what other medical issues you may have, and get your doctor’s clear input on coffee drinking for your specific case. If you have cardiac/arrhythmia issues I have no doubt doctors will advise limiting caffeine, as a diabetic should limit sugar. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks would be ok for you to experiment with to collect data.

Does it matter if it is regular or decaffeinated coffee?

The coffee that seemed to help lessen my pain was regular, caffeinated coffee -- quite strong! 🙂

Hi, in your above reply, you mentioned you have severe stenosis in your spine and also pain in your glutes, hamstring, calves, and feet. I too have suffered from these conditions. Are you aware of spinal surgery that can correct each of these conditions? I have had surgery by a neurospecialist spinal surgeon which gave me immediate relief from spinal stenosis and your other pain also known as sciatica. I strongly suggest that you check into a back surgeon for surgeries that can correct these conditions. I also strongly suggest that it be a neural specialist, spinal surgeon. Hope this gives you some direction to achieve relief from your pain.

So we are now up to 9 pages of comments about coffee. Here is my summary. People who have heart problems are told by their doctors to not drink it. People who have idiopathic neuropathy seem to do worse after drinking coffee. People like bayhorse and me who have neuropathy-like symptoms caused by stenosis or trauma in the lower spine seem to benefit from coffee. (Our systems are not actually neuropathy but symptoms are the same. It is RADICULOPATHY.)