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You know those energy pills that they sell at gas stations?

Apr 24, 2014 at 3:05pm
I took half of one and ended up in the hospital with the worst panic attack I've ever had in my entire life. Was convulsing, running a fever, had a heart rate of over 130bpm. Constantly vomitting. Was not an allergic reaction. So just a PSA to anyone thinking that'll get them through a deadline night of coding, don't do it. Those things should be illegal.
Apr 24, 2014 at 3:33pm
As I was reading this I was washing down 30mg of Adderall with my coffee. Thanks for reminding me how screwed up I am :P.

Yours is the more normal reaction by the way. That sounds like a text book caffeine overdose. You didn't try to take those on an empty stomach did you? Because that can be really bad for your guts. I would say hospitalization is a legitimate excuse for not getting your assignment done but some instructors can be jerks.
Apr 24, 2014 at 3:38pm
Actually, I took it at work. And don't work in code, but I know a lot of you guys do.

Yea, it was definitely a caffeine overdose.
Apr 24, 2014 at 3:40pm
The only thing I can really say to this.... is.... "duh"

If the "energy pill" wasn't enough of a tipoff that this is a terrible idea... the "gas station" part probably should have been.
Apr 24, 2014 at 3:41pm
Yea, I was desperate and falling asleep at work. That just happened to be on hand.
Apr 24, 2014 at 4:01pm
Next time buy a bottle of tea.

Panic attacks are no joke. I used to deal with them at least on a weekly basis. First time I legit thought I was dying (young-ish, never had one before) and called the ambulance.
Apr 24, 2014 at 4:22pm
Wtf? There's no way there's more than about 200 mg caffeine in a single pill, let alone half, and that much should be easily tolerated. Wikipedia says the LD50 (the amount that would kill 50% of a population) for humans is estimated to be about 200 mg per kg body mass (so about 12 grams for me). Obviously symptoms would set in before you reached a lethal dose but still, you'd have to take a lot; I imagine no less than an order of magnitude less than the LD50 for hospitalisation, and I don't believe you could have found a pill with 1 g or more of caffeine. Are you sure you didn't buy an amphetamine of some kind? This is really strange.
Apr 24, 2014 at 4:43pm
closed account (3hM2Nwbp)
Energy drinks put me in the ER once. Resting heart rate of 170 BPM with blurred vision. The doctor on hand said that the longterm effects are still largely unknown...so take care not to become dependent on them like I was.

*actually, the way he explained it was the same as how acid users can get a trip years after the last time they used. A buildup in the body suddenly released. I was driving at the time it hit me, so naturally the state police took a blood sample to test for illegal or otherwise unnormal substances. Nothing showed up of course, but all I could think of was the 3 or 4 energy drinks I slammed every day for a few years. The doctor agreed.
Last edited on Apr 24, 2014 at 4:51pm
Apr 24, 2014 at 4:51pm
Energy pills? I'm 32 and my regular days are 8-9am to 2-3am and I have severe obstructive sleep apnea on top of that which can make me tired naturally, but I still stay awake the whole time :/.
Last edited on Apr 24, 2014 at 4:51pm
Apr 24, 2014 at 4:55pm
I have insomnia. Get between 2 and 5 hours of sleep a night, more often than not on the low end of that spectrum.


edit: And I probably could have stayed home and been ok. I just didn't want to risk it.
Last edited on Apr 24, 2014 at 4:56pm
Apr 24, 2014 at 5:24pm
Cheraphy wrote:
edit: And I probably could have stayed home and been ok. I just didn't want to risk it.

But driving to work is a bigger risk. Before I was diagnosed with my form of sleep apnea and put on treatment my mind would tell my body I was tired so I would pass out while driving, cooking, doing dishes, playing video games, even programming.
Apr 24, 2014 at 5:28pm
A friend gave me a ride
Apr 24, 2014 at 5:29pm
Solution for nodding off at work: take a 10 minute nap in the bathroom. No one will say anything for just 10 minutes even if you do it every day, you can't be found out unless someone flings open the stall door (what the hell?), and no ODing from mystery pills you bought at a gas station.
Apr 24, 2014 at 5:55pm
@helios
Unless he snores. Snoring coming from the stall will be a dead giveaway :P. Though, it also depends on the kind of office he is in as not all offices have huge bathrooms. I used to work in an office with a single bathroom (like you would have at a home minus the shower) for all ~25 people that worked there.
Apr 24, 2014 at 5:58pm
You only snore when sleeping face up. For an emergency nap, sitting and resting your face on your knees is enough.
Apr 24, 2014 at 6:51pm
Or... Get some tea and take a ~10-15 minute walk outside.
Apr 24, 2014 at 6:57pm
helios wrote:
You only snore when sleeping face up.

That is a myth. I'm living proof of that as I snore in the position you just recommended. Not to mention people can snore when sleeping on their sides, stomachs, backs, and I can even snore sitting in a chair when I fall asleep. Doctors actually recommend if you do snore that you get a sleep study done because it may be nothing, but could be something serious (like mine was).
Last edited on Apr 24, 2014 at 7:30pm
Apr 24, 2014 at 7:04pm
Unfortunately, neither of those things are an option for me as I work in food.
Apr 25, 2014 at 4:26pm
In food? I didn't know you were an enzyme.
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