Is Berocca any good?

MBN · 13 August 2006 at 5:14PM

Hi all,

I've been reading you for some time, but never posted here before. Apologies if my question hasn't got a lot to do with student money saving - or perhaps it has?

I'll enter my third (and hopefully last) year of PhD research in October, and things are getting really difficult at the moment - lots of reading and writing, as you know. My problem is that I can't seem to be able to focus much on work at the moment. I feel I lack energy and enthusiasm, and to make matters worse, I have recently started to sleep during the day (I HATE THAT:o). I take vitamins and minerals supplements (the 'ordinary', supermarket branded type), eat fruits and vegetables, and never go to bed later than 10PM.:o I've also just started drinking Coca Cola again (had given up some time ago), hoping that caffeine will help. However, I still can't seem to cope with my recent lack of energy, and I am feeling awful about my performance, and about myself.:o My next deadline is 29th September - how on Earth will I be able to finish a new chapter draft by then, if all I can do is sleep?:mad:

I've read about Berocca - this product seems to have helped lots of people (including VIPs), who needed to stay sharp throughout the day. Have you used it? Has it really helped? Perhaps you've used some other supplements, or have got other tips to help.

Any advice will be much appreciated.:j

pollocmc · 13 August 2006 at 6:27PM

I only know of it as a hangover cure. which usually depends on me keeping it down...

I think you are under a lot of stress and that is what is making you feel the way you do rather than any deficiency in your diet. I don't have an answer for you but maybe a chat with your GP might help?

liz545 · 13 August 2006 at 7:14PM

It is really helpful, although it's not a miracle cure. What do you do in the way of exercise? I'd suggest doing something like going for a 20 minute jog in the morning, as, paradoxically, being active can give you more energy!
I'd try to avoid the caffeine and drink more water, and also maybe some Bach rescue remedy, which really helps with stress.
Steph

Rosie75 · 13 August 2006 at 8:04PM

You're describing my own PhD experience to a tee. I think it's something to do with the unnatural lifestyle - no colleagues (unless you're a scientist), not leaving the house very often. The second year is often marked with a general feeling of malaise - the enthusiasm of the first year gone, but - unlike the third year - no end in sight. It's important to get out of the house for a couple of hours a day and get a bit of fresh air as the whole PhD lifestyle is very unhealthy. Might it be possible to get some teaching in your department just to change the routine a bit? I wonder if you are also perhaps suffering from depression (I say this because I and several of my peers succumbed to this during the PhD)? Do PM me if you want.
Oh, and lay off the caffiene. I know someone who was admitted to hospital with caffeine poisoning during the latter stages of her PhD.

melancholly · 14 August 2006 at 4:47PM

Rosie75 wrote:

Oh, and lay off the caffiene. I know someone who was admitted to hospital with caffeine poisoning during the latter stages of her PhD.

that actually scares me............ midway through this year (phd year 2!) i decided to stop drinking tea (was up to 15ish cups a day, sometimes more) and i went 'cold turkey' (how bad can addiction to caffeine be?!) - i had awful migranes and shakes and felt awful..... i cut down more slowly, but now i'm even more glad i did!

as a few very wise people said to me last week (!) when i had a really bad couple of days, take a day (or a few) off and relax, catch up on sleep then when you do get down to work you'll be far more productive. sometimes you can spend 2 hours doing something that would have taken you 6 when you're feeling rubbish.

you can't last a year by taking things like berocca! it may work for a short burst, but long term you'll do yourself damage.

MBN · 15 August 2006 at 11:47AM

Thank you so much for your replies!:j I felt great reading them, knowing that I was not alone in this experience, which I had never anticipated to be so tough.

I do live quite an unhealthy lifestyle. My thesis is 'very' theoretical, and I've got all the books/articles needed at home. I really don't need to go to the university every day - no labs, not many research seminars. I see my supervisors (who, by the way, are very supportive) every 3 or 4 months. Apart from that, I stay mainly at home, read and write, and wait for hubby to come back from work. I never feel like wanting to go for a walk alone, and this is why I always go out with him (like we did yesterday - I followed your advice, and it was great :j )

I've read here about people who are in a less fortunate situation than me, people who struggle to get funding for their studies (I'm on a full scholarship). Reading this, I thought that I should NEVER dare to moan about my situation, that I should struggle to go on, knowing that life had been very generous to me. Despite this initial reasoning, on Sunday afternoon, I was in a mess,:( feeling awful about myself and my performance, about this whole PhD experience. This is why I thought I should post here - and I am glad I did.

Thank you so much for being 'here', with me.:A

Rosie75 · 15 August 2006 at 4:33PM

Glad you're feeling better MBN. I've always thought that the difficult part of a PhD isn't the academic work but the psychological aspect, ie. dealing with the inevitable lows.

pollocmc · 15 August 2006 at 6:00PM

In life it is almost always the case that yes there are people worse off than you. I think, however, that we all have the right to feel that we're having a crap day/week whatever and not feel guilty about it. Glad your feeling a bit better. I wonder if perhaps being at home all the time might be changed a bit. Could you stick your books in a bag and go to the local library for the day? You'd get to see the world go by while working.

MBN · 16 August 2006 at 7:20PM

Hi again,

And many thanks for your kind words.:T I'm feeling better now - yesterday evening I went to see 'John Tucker Must Die' at the local cinema (great freebie - as I'm sure you know, all cinema offers are posted in a sticky, in the 'Freebies' section). I came back home with a positive state of mind - can it be the fact that I had 'seen the world go by', to quote you pollocmc?;)

What is even better is the fact that I haven't slept during the day since Monday.:j After taking some time off, going out, I'm feeling better, more energetic, more willing to focus on work once again, to give it my best.

I'll try to go to the library more often, and also go out and enjoy myself - just do nothing related to study, for a while.

I wish you all the best with your research, and keep my fingers crossed for you.:A

Is Berocca any good?

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