do diet drinks (diet cola) cause panic attacks? - Anxiety Message Board

angiekinsella · 11-20-2007, 05:53 PM

hi all, hope <you> can shed some light on this for me,

I suffer very bad anxiety/panic attacks, so much so i cant go outside the door for fear of having one.

I've been on all types of meds and changed my food diet, but no change

I've been reading through the posts on the message board and came accross one about sweetners in diet drinks (asperagme?? sp) and wondered if it really would bring on a panic/anxiety attack cause i would drink 3litres of diet cola a day (no messing) im addicted to it, its the only drink i take!!!

Does anyone thing this is perhaps what my problem is regarding the constant panic/anxiety attacks

thank you in advance

confused32 · 11-20-2007, 07:49 PM

Yes it is very possible that the soda is causing your problems. With all the caffine and sugar in it i would almost say definatly. Why not lay off of it for a while and see what happens. I had to quit drinking diet a few years back cause it was causing me horrible headaches. Then i quit drinking soda with caffine in it about 5 years ago. Now i rarely drink soda at all.

Pickles Pig · 11-21-2007, 12:01 PM

Here is my experience: When I stopped daily intake of two cups of coffee and six cans of regular soda, there was no change in the frequency or intensity of my panic attacks. I began drinking coffee and cola (this time diet) again and there was no change in the frequency or intensity of my panic attacks. I am now back to coffee and regular cola, and my panic attacks are the same as they have always been.
For me, moderate caffeine intake does not precipitate panic attacks. Just as well, neither Aspartame or Sucralose (Splenda) seem to affect my panic attacks. What's interesting is that my very first panic attack was brought on by caffeine pills. When I was in high school I took two extra strength caffeine tablets and an hour later I thought I was going to go insane and die. Needless to say, it was years before I touched caffeine again.

JAILYN12 · 11-21-2007, 10:36 PM

Soda has too much caffiene and sugar for you to drink if you have anxiety. When I have my anxiety periods I lay off all caffiene. It will get you too wired. You definately need to find another drink to like.

angiekinsella · 11-22-2007, 10:29 AM

thanks for ur replies, everybody seems to think that the diet cola is causing my anxiety/panic attacks but i cant help drinking its they only drink i like!!!!!

i will just have to get some will power somewhere and try my best to stay off it for a while to see if this is the cause