I suffer from attention deficit disorder, but before I was diagnosed I was self-medicating myself with stimulants – coffee and energy drinks. I started a two-Re

I suffer from attention deficit disorder, but before I was diagnosed I was self-medicating myself with stimulants – coffee and energy drinks. I started a two-Red-Bull-per-day habit. I found that I was better able to focus in the morning, and could more easily handle the morning's issues, making me far more productive at work. So, apparently I have Crohn's Disease. I found that out because the Red Bull irritated my digestive system so much that I had my first flare up and ended up in the hospital – twice. That was three years ago, and I'm only just now starting to recover from it. I'm getting my energy back, I can drink and eat more food, etc. Except I have to take immunosuppressant medication to keep the Crohn's controlled, which means I get sick (cold, flu, etc.) extremely easily, and I stay sick a lot longer. Also, I've had a ton of radiation exposure due to all the CAT scans, etc. I've gone through. So, next time someone tells you Red Bull (or whatever) is bad for you, don't just shrug it off like I did. Our bodies are fragile machines in a delicate balance. Upset that balance enough and the machine goes haywire, and it's pretty hard to find spare parts.