I'm giving up caffeine--again, Tips anyone?

[Rose&Mike]

I've stopped drinking drinks with caffeine several times in the past, and I always feel better. But I always go back. And then I eventually start feeling lousy, eating too much, not sleeping well, and being told by others "I need to relax, etc."

Anyhow, anyone have tips for making the next couple days less miserable and staying off caffeine? Part of the problem is I REALLY like diet coke. But I like it with potato chips, cake, etc. I don't want to switch to caffeine free diet-coke, because I really think all that nutra-sweet probably isn't a good idea either.

TIA.
Rose

 

[paintnolish]

Good for you. I've been off of caffeine a few times. I always went cold turkey and got a few horrible headaches! I like Diet Coke, too, and like it with unhealthy food! Good luck!

 

[mickeyboat]

I was drinking a 2 liter of diet soda a day last year. I cut it all out cold turkey and feel soooo much better. I started drinking a lot of water and exercising, and i didn't really have withdrawl problems.

I do enjoy a sweet tea or a Diet Dr. Pepper every once in a while, but I ave definitely gotten over the caffeine addiction.

You can do it.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I gave up my diet dr pepper and also just went cold turkey. I tried just cutting back but it never worked.
Good luck

 

[rufus jones]

I also tried to ease off of caffeine but it never worked. I just quit cold turkey and had horrible headaches for about a week. I just took Tylenol and gutted it out.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I had to give up caffeine when I was pregnant. It was tough. I switched to non-caffeinated hot tea. It was a good switch for me. Warm like coffee.

 

[Rose&Mike]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I have found cutting back doesn't really work either. I'll think I'm going to have one soda, and then end up having multiples throughout the day. Time to be done with it, hopefully for good this time!

I always get headaches, so it's probably going to be a rough couple of days. Yesterday at work, someone new told me I was really high energy, and I don't think it was a complement.

 

[Rose&Mike]

I had to give up caffeine when I was pregnant. It was tough. I switched to non-caffeinated hot tea. It was a good switch for me. Warm like coffee.

That's a good idea. There's lots of tea flavors without caffeine. And it's cold enough now, that warm tea will be good.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

I'm currently in the process of giving up caffeine/diet soda too.

I cut down to one a day this week (in the AM) and I am planning on going cold turkey this weekend.

We can do it!

 

[Denine]

I swore off caffeine several years ago. I can't sleep when I drink it.

I have 1 mug of caffeineted tea in the morning and that is it for the day.

I can only say to taper off slowly.

 

[Mellie2162]

When I got off caffeine in my coffee I just mixed decaf in with caff and then the next time I just did decaf. I just got my husband off of it too.

Just curious, whats wrong with caffeine free diet drinks? I drink the caff free diet pepsi and honestly I can stand the taste of regular diet pepsi now. Is there something I should be worried about?

 

[princesspiglet]

I was a heavy caffeine drinker for years, mostly sweet tea and diet pepsi. After countless trips to the ER and gastro, I was diagnosed as being allergic to cafferine. I had no choice but to give it up cold turkey. It was literally eating away the lining of my stomach and intestines. I feel so much better since I did so about 10 years ago. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

My only advise is to just give it up altogether cold turkey. You will go through withdrawal for a week or so, but the end is totally worth it.

 

[Rose&Mike]

I was a heavy caffeine drinker for years, mostly sweet tea and diet pepsi. After countless trips to the ER and gastro, I was diagnosed as being allergic to cafferine. I had no choice but to give it up cold turkey. It was literally eating away the lining of my stomach and intestines. I feel so much better since I did so about 10 years ago. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

My only advise is to just give it up altogether cold turkey. You will go through withdrawal for a week or so, but the end is totally worth it.

I think all the soda and coffee is starting to bother my stomach as well. Nothing like what it sounds like you went through. But I have been feeling queasy on and off for a couple of weeks now. And I just keep increasing the soda/coffee.

I've had a headache all day and have felt sick to my stomach. Hopefully, by Monday it will be starting to get better.

Mellie2162--I just want to get off the nutrasweet, too. That's why no caffeine free drinks. I know a lot of studies have said it's perfectly safe, but I question how ingesting all those chemicals can be good for me. So trying to give it all up. I've done it before and felt great, and then I lapse...

Thanks for all the encouragement. Gabes_Mommy hope it goes well for you this weekend.

 

[dakcp2001]

Good luck on this quest, I have tried several times, but have yet to be successful! I usually last a few weeks.

Please keep us updated! I NEED to do this!;

 

[Imzadi]

I always get headaches, so it's probably going to be a rough couple of days.

Load up on Advil or asprin. Make sure your pain reliever doesn't have caffeine. Remember, you are going to be incredibly sleepy & lethargic for the next several days. That caffeine high was an artifical high. Until your body stabilizes, you may feel unusually sluggish.

Coke Zero actually tastes better than Diet Coke. I don't know if they make it caffeine free though. The Caffeine Free Diet Coke doesn't taste as good as the caffeinated stuff as there is too much missing, and it's all chemicals. But, at this point, if you want to get rid of the caffeine, doing Nutra-Sweet for the next several days then weaning yourself off Coke completely may be your best bet. Although, actually I switched from Caffeine Free Diet Coke to diet root beer. It just has more taste to it.

Also, when I did go back to caffeine, I made a firm rule: One cup in the morning, and that's IT. I very rarely stray from that. And if I do, I have better have a good reason like, I got two hours of sleep the night before and I have to make it through this one meeting. But the next day, I am back to one cup in the morning again. Period.

This rule has worked well for me for over a 15 years now.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I gave up all sodas when I had my gallbladder surgery 9 years ago. I haven't had a sip since. I would recommend drinking water with some flavor in it (lemon, lime, etc).

I can tell you this much: My skin looks bright and clear now, my energy level is way up, and I am not feeling anxious or high strung since giving up all soda.

I was also addicted to Diet Coke and Ginger Ale...I would drink at least 3-4 sodas a day. I never thought I would be able to quit cold turkey-but I did!

Good luck to you. I wish you the very best in this challenge!

 

[pezheadmeg]

I'm always saying I'm going to quit, and I have yet to quit fully.

The last time I went cold turkey when I did a 2 day juice detox. After 4 weeks I was still feeling the withdrawl symptoms. I went back. The longest I lasted was in college, I went off a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi a day, cold turkey. I spent the first 5 days of my winter vacation basically sleeping.

If you find out how to make it work, please let me know.

 

[Imzadi]

After 4 weeks I was still feeling the withdrawl symptoms.

I went back. The longest I lasted was in college, I went off a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi a day, cold turkey. I spent the first 5 days of my winter vacation basically sleeping.

You were still feeling it 4 weeks later because that's how much junk was stored in your body that was still coming out.

I quit in college too, (for a while. ) I wonder if this is a college rite of passage we all go through?

 

[Feralpeg]

Tapper off! I had to give up Diet Coke for about 9 months. I cut out one Diet Coke a day until I got down to none. I had not headaches at all. I still wanted one, but that was a psychological addiction rather than a physical one.

 

[luvmyfam444]

I've gone cold turkey - but I didn't drink anything but maybe 1 softdrink a day & eat caffeine in chocolate. I'd get bad headaches & take Advil as soon as the 4 hours was up.

Now if you drink a lot of caffeine (my dh does) I'd wean yourself - cause the headaches can be soo bad that they make you sick (my dh tried that once) but he drinks TONS of caffeine - several cans a day.

Do it slowly & it'll keep you sane & everyone around you as well & buy everything you can in the house decaffinated from here on out.

GOOD LUCK! I've been pretty much off caffeine for 3 yrs - well at least in drinks -LOL I eat brownies ocassionally still or MnM's but that's pretty much it