I used to drink 1-4 energy drinks per day when I was 16. Feeling dizzy followed by ringing of the ears, loss of vision, muscle fatigue and then syncope occurred almost daily after waking up and getting out of bed or standing up out of a chair. I would be blacked out for 1-3 seconds at a time. I would have temporary memory loss for only a second and then regain all memory after the dizzy spell passed in those 3 seconds. I felt heart palpitations before fainting and upon fainting sometimes 3-4 seconds of shaking similar to a seizure occurred. Diarrhea also tended to occur when I drank an energy drink.

I went to basic training and AIT with the Army for 6 months and went without caffeinated drinks when I was 20. I never had orthostatic hypotensive symptoms while I was there. I came back and had caffiene and the symptoms came back.

Could this abuse of caffeine earlier in my life have led to my orthostatic hypotensive response?

I'm now 21 and if I drink 1 soda or 1 coffee, syncope always occurs later in the day due to sinus tachycardia.

Do I have to cut caffeine out of my diet? Will the symptoms worsen? Could they lead to serious problems if I don't?