Does caffeine affect people differently?

BJ Clegg asked:


In the last few years I have noticed that caffeine seems to last a very long time for me. I usually abstain from caffeine (except chocolate occasionally), but in the last few weeks I have developed a taste for hot chocolate (sugar-free) and usually have two- to- three 8 oz. cups from 7:30 am to around 11:00 am. After that, I pour a 16 oz. glass of Diet Cola that I sip on until 6:30 pm, but after that I do not consume any caffeine before bed time. The problem is that I cannot sleep at night anymore and, in fact, feel very “wired” and “hyped up” until around 3:00 am when I finally become sleepy enough to actually nod off, but if I only nap 30- to -45 minutes then I am wide awake when I wake up.

I don’t know if it matters or not, but I am including a little bio information in case it is needed: I am 43 years old, married, 2 sons, 2 dogs and live in Texas. I have been going through perimenopause since I was 27 (verified) and I have High Blood Pressure (low-dose medication) and asthma (only a rescue inhaler used as needed – approximately 3 times per week in the winter & rarely in the summer). My LDL and Triglycerides are high. I have had chronic back pain for 17 years and, as a result, I take 100 mg. of Morphine Sulfate twice per day, and 800 mg. of Ibuprofen twice per day.

I notice that if I completely abstain from all caffeine, by the second night I go to sleep very easily and wake up refreshed.

Is it possible to have a high sensitivity to caffeine? Enough that it would disturb your sleep for up to 48 hours? I am also highly sensitive to antihistamines and pain killers and wonder if it is a correlation?

Any answers, thoughts, or hunches are most welcome. Thanks!!

Caffeinated Content