I know someone for whom this is also the case, although for a different condition. But I think today doctors are smart enough to come up with suitable alternatives. A bottle of 100 No-doze here costs only a couple of dollars, and those are only arctic pesos, so probably only like, three cents, eh?
...Just went hunting to see if I had any, and I do -- way back in a storage area I rarely use. They're called "Wake Ups" brand, and each pill has 100 mg, which is, iirc, more than a cup of coffee has. ...<puff, puff> Back again. Just did a search on Medscape. Fresh brewed coffee (225 mL mug -- I think that's 8 US fl oz) has 105 mg of caffeine; instant coffee has 95 mg. Excedrin has 135 mg. ACC's (Acetaminophen/Caffeine/Codeine, which is available without a prescription here) has only 15 mg, Tea's all over the map, but is usually less -- sometimes considerably less -- than coffee. Mountain Dew (the US version; Canada's has always been caffeine-free) has 55 mg in a 325 mL bottle -- a regular size bottle. Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, US version of Sunkist Orange Soda -- about the same as Mountain Dew. Hershey's Special Dark, 1.5 oz (35 g) has 31 mg A regular Hershey bar of the same size only has 10 mg. Cocoa (225 mL mug) only has 5 mg. BTW, why didn't the doc prescribe digitalis or digoxin? Digitalis has been around since antiquity (it comes from the foxglove plant), and digoxin has been in use since at least WWII, iirc. It's usually the drug of choice for heart stimulus. Although, it is, of course, a prescription drug, but there are many generics available. But as you say, medicinally speaking, caffeine is a CNS stimulant and can be used for a variety of purposes. The only problem is it doesn't just stimulate the heart, it raises blood pressure, which can damage your kidneys, among other things. Gary Smith wrote: > The coffee bean can be used to produce caffeine, which is an important > drug used for some illnesses. Just as with other drugs, it can be abused > and misused. My grandfather was prescribed caffeine for a heart condition > he had. The doctor told him he could either pay a dollar per caffeine > pill or drink a cup of coffee every day. So at breakfast, he would say it > was time to take his medicine, then drink a cup of coffee. Since it was > prescribed, it wasn't breaking the WoW. > > -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland “Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on” – Winston Churchill Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================