Coffee

kmhbeauty

New member
Has anyone given up coffee in order to reduce inflammation? I read on a couple websites that coffee is not good for those who have inflammation. I cultured Mac about two years ago and have had more episodes of coughing up blood. The other day after work, I went to sit down in my car and the blood started. I headed towards the bathroom to get something to wipe my mouth with and I coughed up so much blood in my hand. I literally had a pool of blood in my hand. Well the situation sucked and I freaked out everyone at my work. Do you al have any suggestions of reducing inflammation? Any suggestion of reducing the coughing up blood? I am switching out tea for coffee as a starter. I went to a specialty tea shop and got some tea for reducing inflammation. (BLOW)
 

kmhbeauty

New member
I also am finding that I will get a yeast infection first, then cough up blood about week later. This is now the second time it has happened to me. I am wondering what the correlation between the yeast infection and coughing up blood. Any thoughts?
 

jaimers

Super Moderator
have you talked to your doctors about the frequency/amount of blood you're seeing? though i haven't had MAC myself isn't the treatment for that long term IV abx? are you on those? I know from previous posts you're into more alternative medicine which is awesome and I totally support that but this sounds like there may be more going on in your lungs that needs to be investigated.
as for the coffee thing, no idea. sorry :/
 
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BikerEd

Guest
I cannot speak on yeast infections. That being said its not the coffee per say, its the caffeine, its dehydrates you and can cause Inflammation. Tea unless its decaf will do the same. I donot recommend tea, because it can hard your kidneys. I went drinking about a gallon and a half of coffee a day to 2 cups of half reg/half decaf and I've been doing pretty good with my lungs.

Best of Luck

Ed
 

kmhbeauty

New member
I ended up getting hospitalized. I am here now. I feel fine, I just keep coughing up blood. Smaller amounts now. When I got in, they said my potassium level was very low, it was 2.2. My magnesium level was also low, unsure of the number. My blood pressure was high and I believe they said my sodium level was high. They have me on the heart monitors because my potassium was so low. Not sure what's going on, and I don't believe the doc here has any idea. They did see in the cat scan a lung infection. I feel good though besides the coughing up blood. They took a sputum sample. Maybe Im growing something new. I don't know, its really weird.
 

Angelo

New member
Has anyone given up coffee in order to reduce inflammation? I read on a couple websites that coffee is not good for those who have inflammation. I cultured Mac about two years ago and have had more episodes of coughing up blood. The other day after work, I went to sit down in my car and the blood started. I headed towards the bathroom to get something to wipe my mouth with and I coughed up so much blood in my hand. I literally had a pool of blood in my hand. Well the situation sucked and I freaked out everyone at my work. Do you al have any suggestions of reducing inflammation? Any suggestion of reducing the coughing up blood? I am switching out tea for coffee as a starter. I went to a specialty tea shop and got some tea for reducing inflammation. (BLOW)

Kim, I do not have a suggestion for inflammation, but i have posted before the best solution I know of for bleeding. I know it works, because I have been using for over 15 years. I do not get the massive lung bleeds anymore, but sometimes get nose bleeds. here is what I posted:

Cyruta Plus for Bleeding Lungs


Every CF warrior needs to know about this whole food supplement. It is called Cyruta Plus. Made by Standard Process. Sold by some chiropractors. Call the company at 800-848-5061 and they will give you list of resellers in or near your zip code. No neg side effects. It's the only thing I use for bleeding lungs and nose bleeds. Have not had a problem in years. This stuff heals fragile blood vessels. I will do massive amounts of this stuff before I ever let them cauterize anything in my lungs. Last thing I need is more damage to lung tissue. The reseller can help you with dosage, but here is what I do for serious bleeding. 10 tablets every hour until the bleeding slows down to a trickle. Usually does that in 3 to 4 hours for me. Then I take 10 tabs about every 3 to 4 hours for couple days. Then 6 tabs 4 times a day for another 3 or 4 days after the bleeding completely stops. I want to make sure I get all the healing and rebuild fragile blood vessels to avoid another mishap.


feel free to msg me or email me if you have any questions. angelo@angelodistefano.com
 

kmhbeauty

New member
Awesome!! I am going to get this! I see it has a beet on the front of the bottle. Ive been craving beets like crazy. Is this something that I can take just when the bleeding starts and not everyday? Im not sure if I can afford to take it everyday. I am excited about this though!
 

Twistofchaos

New member
Caffeïne has certain useful qualities too. It raises bloodpressure and is a mild all around stimulant. Therefore great to use to wake up in the morning and/or an hour or so before a workout.

But as BikerEd wrote caffeïne should be used in moderation. For me, more than three cups of coffee spread across the day makes me feel nervous, gives me a headache, has me going to the bathroom a lot and not quite alright. Those effects combined would easily not be good for inflammation though not directly a cause of it unless you really drink too little water across the day.
I believe I read on here that CF'ers are already more sensitive to caffeïne too but I haven't looked into that further to see if it's true and why. But it would make some sense.

Worth noting that caffeïne doesn't thin blood like alcohol or aspirin does so wouldn't directly have caused the bleeding.

Hopefully no more lungbleeds! Those are scary.
 

Angelo

New member
Hi Kim. the beet on the bottle is just part of their artwork logo to reflect the whole foods that they process into the supplements. Here is a link to the Cyruta Plus info: https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Cyruta-Plus

No beets in this one, although if you are craving beets, you probably need so key nutrients in the beets. If you can try to get fresh beets and juice them. always better than canned or frozen if available.

The Cyruta Plus is also helps to control healthy blood sugar levels, so if you are diabetic like many adults, this may help in that area.

Just a week ago, my nose started bleeding. I did my usual 10 tablets four hours in a row, then went to 10 tabs 4 times a day for 3 days. Nose is fine. still big, but not bleeding.

I swear by the standard process products. I also use their Congaplex whenever I feel any kind of cold symptoms coming on. If I catch it early enough, I can knock out a cold in 2 or 3 days. But since I have had the adult stem cell procedures 3 years ago, I have not caught any colds.

As for coffee. I drink 2 cups of espresso in the morning. great natural bronchodilater. I also take a magnesium supplement every day. and sometimes a potassium tablet. That helps prevent cramping in my feet and legs during the night. If you take large amounts of ibuprofen for inflammation, that will drain you body of magnesium, potassium and other electrolytes, thereby causing cramping. I also add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and teaspoon of lemon juice to a regular bottle of water and drink that at night. This also helps with the cramping. If you have high blood pressure, then the salt may not be a good idea. But I have never heard of a CF patient having high blood pressure or having to stay away from salt. If anything we are usually deficient in salt, which can exacerbate the muscle cramps.
 

kmhbeauty

New member
It was very weird because I never have high blood pressure. The blood pressure went down as I got admitted and started on meds. I am getting cramps in my les now and a little worried because I am dismissed now from the hospital. Does CF and low potassium go hand and hand? I don't know if im noticing the leg cramps because I now know I have a potassium problem or because I have always had them. No blood tonight so far so I am happy. They sent me home on cipro and n picc line so that is good also.
 

rtorres25

Member
Hi Kim. the beet on the bottle is just part of their artwork logo to reflect the whole foods that they process into the supplements. Here is a link to the Cyruta Plus info: https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Cyruta-Plus

I use Vitamin K when I have bleeds. You have to have a large dose, though. I take 5 mg daily, not mcg. I'll take it for a week or so during episodes. Also, NO aspirin products ever. My doc said no to anything but Tylenol. I've had a break for about 6 months, so it seems to be helping.

I had an embolization once, but the bleeds came right back. I hope not to have to do that ever again. Not very pleasant.
 

Angelo

New member
It was very weird because I never have high blood pressure. The blood pressure went down as I got admitted and started on meds. I am getting cramps in my les now and a little worried because I am dismissed now from the hospital. Does CF and low potassium go hand and hand? I don't know if im noticing the leg cramps because I now know I have a potassium problem or because I have always had them. No blood tonight so far so I am happy. They sent me home on cipro and n picc line so that is good also.

Kim, I am not sure if low potassium is always related to CF. But I think running low on electrolytes may be related. To me it is very similar to us losing lots of salt in our sweat. Salt is one of the electrolytes our muscles need to function well. Magnesium and Potassium play a role in that as well. I discovered using salt for cramps kind of by accident many years ago. I was having severe cramping in feet and legs that often woke me up screaming in pain. My CF doctors and nutrition people offered no help at all. It seems that if they cannot prescribe an expensive drug, they are useless to help. I went to Whole Foods and asked their nutrition experts. Most of them said there could be several causes of cramping, but suggested that the most common were potassium and magnesium deficiencies.

I tried both and found some relief but not a lot. One day we were at a picnic. From the high heat and humidity, I was very run down and dehydrated by the evening. I actually felt tingling and twitching in my leg muscles. Needless to say, that night brought one of the severest nights of cramps I have ever experienced. For the next couple of days, I drank tons of gatorade and the cramping went away. So did the muscle tingling and twitching. Do you know what the main ingredient is in gatorade that helps relieve muscle fatigue: SALT.

Because gatorade also has other ingredients that I do not like, I decided to make my own concoction. I knew for years that adding lemon juice to your drinking water makes it more "electric". That is a good thing for muscle health, especial your heart which is a big muscle. If that one cramps,,,, well that is the definition of a heart attack.

I started mixing sea salt and lemon juice in my water. After drinking it, you need to rinse your mouth with plain water, because the lemon juice can erode the enamel of you teeth.

I drink at least 1/2 bottle to 1 bottle of the salt/lemon/water before bed with a magnesium tablet. Magnesium is generally good for muscle health and helps you relax. It also helps lubricate the colon and intestines to improve bowel movements. For the most parts, NO MORE CRAMPS. If I do get cramps, then I take another magnesium and more salt/lemon/water and then will also take a potassium tablet. And the relief comes pretty quickly.

I don't take potassium on a regular basis. Only when the cramping gets worse, like when I am out in the heat more than usual.

By the way, whenever I am out at the beach or in the heat, I drink lots of the salt/lemon/water to prevent cramping later.
 

kmhbeauty

New member
Its so funny. I had a craving last night for something. It took me a couple mins to figure out what I was craving. I had a taste in my mouth and that's what I wanted. It was lemonade. I went to the store and bought some lemons and put them in my water. I felt better after. I am going to keep doing that to help. Im gonna go get the records from the hospital on a cd and bring them to my cf doctor. Im going to keep taking the potassium and mag. Thanks for your help! This disease is so complicated, its difficult to ever fully understand it.
 

Epona

New member
Coffee is a vasodilator, meaning it dilates and expands the blood vessels. This why it can help with cognition and energy levels for a short period of time, and also is why people who are addicted to caffeine get headaches when they skip a dose (the blood vessels become dependent on caffeine to maintain normal width and then when its missing, the vessels constrict and cause pain). Since it is a vasodilator, it means it is dilating the blood vessels in your lungs too. This may possibly be related to the lung bleeds. I wonder if the caffeine may have enough of a vasodilating effect to cause the blood vessels in the lungs to expand and push on those fragile bronchioles just enough to crack them open and cause bleeding? If so this would mean you'd eventually have to be rid of caffeine altogether, including that in tea (herbal tea is great though!).

Caffeine is a drug and should be avoided for sure. It is a stimulant and may be contributing to your high blood pressure. Since coffee is a diuretic, it can also lead to mineral imbalances because you're peeing them out to quickly. This could be linked to the low potassium and magnesium. Are you taking any other diuretic meds, herbs, or drinks? How much coffee were you consuming?

It would make sense that you experience lung bleeds and a yeast infection at the same time. A yeast infection could be causing systemic inflammation throughout the body, which could lead to lung bleeds. Yeast often overgrow when the body's immune system is overburdened and cannot fight off this fungus as it normally would. This could be a sign of a greater infection, and/or a gut flora imbalance. Regardless, taking a high-quality multi-strain probiotic will help. Also, avoid sugar like the plague. It causes inflamm and also feeds those yeasties. Gut inflamm caused by an imbalance in the flora can lead to systemic inflamm that can cause lung bleeds. I used to see this in myself when I would eat something sugary and cough up blood that night. But the same can happen for any food that you do not tolerate well. The most common culprits are wheat and dairy, besides sugar. Refined carbs in general and vegetable oils cause inflamm too. An anti-inflamm diet helps me prevent the lung bleeds that I used to get frequently.

I wrote an article on my experiences with hemoptysis and what I do to prevent it: http://cfnaturalhealth.weebly.com/blog/hemoptysis-coughing-up-blood
 

kmhbeauty

New member
What you said does all make sense. I wash I was able to tell when the infection comes besides the yeast infection. I otherwise feel normal and bam, blood! I quit the coffee. It also throws off my blood sugar levels. I love it and am addicted to it, but it is not worth it. I am addicted more to the taste than the energy. I switched to decaf instead and decaffeinated tea. I was having about 1-3 cups of coffee a day, everyday. Not too much, but maybe it was enough to have impact on my body.
 

kmhbeauty

New member
Epona, have you ever coughed up blood for days on end? I had 7 days of coughing up blood. I wasn't coughing up blood the whole day but I would have 1-2 episodes every day for those 7 days. I have done this another time also . I believe it lasted 6 days. It wasn't as bad as this time though. I now understand that I am an extreme bleeder. I have to have sinus surgery soon and I am afraid of drowning in the blood during the surgery. Because of this 7 day experience, I am paranoid. I read your website and I must have had an infection brewing and they I exercised heavily and that night, blood! It was only 6 months ago that I coughed up blood for 6 days. Ugh, I hate this disease. Its always something! Its never ending!
 

Angelo

New member
Hi Kim. the beet on the bottle is just part of their artwork logo to reflect the whole foods that they process into the supplements. Here is a link to the Cyruta Plus info: https://www.standardprocess.com/Products/Standard-Process/Cyruta-Plus

I use Vitamin K when I have bleeds. You have to have a large dose, though. I take 5 mg daily, not mcg. I'll take it for a week or so during episodes. Also, NO aspirin products ever. My doc said no to anything but Tylenol. I've had a break for about 6 months, so it seems to be helping.

I had an embolization once, but the bleeds came right back. I hope not to have to do that ever again. Not very pleasant.

All the more reason for using Cyruta Plus. About 20 yrs ago, I had a very bad bout of bleeding. the Vit K did not work. So what did the CF docs do, more K. they had me on such a high dosage, that it cause my kidneys to shut down and my back around both kidneys felt like Rocky was using me as the punching bag. That i also the first time I learned about the Cyruta Plus. It is the only thing that heals the problem rather than trying to just minimize symptoms. Cyruta Plus does not screw up the body's natural clotting, or the thickness of your blood. does not screw up your kidneys, and does not block the flow of blood to tissue that needs blood to survive. It is my only choice for bleeding of the lungs.
 
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bookperson

Guest
Epona, I always heard that caffeine and coffee were vasoconstrictors.
 

Epona

New member
Ah, it seems you're right. Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor. I got it flipped around. So I guess headaches are caused when withdrawal causes vessels to expand, causing pain. Now it makes more sense how caffeine causes high blood pressure. I wonder what effects vasoconstriction has on the lungs? Whatever it is, it's probably not good. I wonder if pulmonary hypertension is a factor?
 
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