Quitting caffeine - info/questions (depressed, symptoms, pressure, effect)

[ShepsMom]

I can never give up my coffee. I've been coffee drinker all my life.
I drink somewhere between 1 to 3 cups a day. I don't drink any sodas or other caffeinated drinks. Tea once in a while.

But you've got to do what you've got to do!.

[Rocket Power]

I quit caffeine a few weeks ago. The very first week was pure hell. I was about ready to smash my head through a wall.

What I did was get a big glass of cold water and drink it whenever I got the urge to down a coke or something with caffeine in it.

I have to say now that I've gotten over the hump, my cravings are almost non existent.

[pitt_transplant]

I cant quit cold turkey it makes me get the worst headaches and nausea. Almost like baby migraines.

Switch to 1 cup a day of coffee
Replace your diet coke with green tea sweetened with liquid stevia.

I get anxiety from coffee + diet drinks.
I think it the normal caffine anxiety and anxiety from a fake sugar reaction. It seems to be common. Hope you feel better. Eat some dark greens to help clean you out. (spinach salad!)

[khp]

My mother had headaches and anxiety for years until her doctor recommended she quit drinking caffeinated beverages. She normally drank about 2 cups of coffee per day and 2 Cokes. Doesn't seem like much, huh?

Well, she was super-irritable for about 2 1/2 weeks after quitting cold-turkey, but now claims it was one of the best decisions she ever made. She has not had one headache in 3 years and is far less anxious.

Based on her experience, quitting caffeine seems like h***, however it is a one-time thing that will make you happier the rest of your life.

(By the way, she still treats herself to one cup of coffee on Sunday mornings. This is something she looks forward to during the week and is a way to keep her from binging due to strong cravings).

[blossom4792]

I would be cautious about quitting too quickly - doing so a few years ago may have triggered a very long lasting migraine cycle for me.

[Lisa Mosby]

I just quit caffiene two days ago. I have been taking anxiety medicine for rapid heart rate and hyperventilating for several years. I feel better already except for the headache. I can take a deep breath anytime I need to. I was ready to go to a heart specialist. I was drinking 2-3 cups of coffee at work and ice tea for supper. I am small so I think I really overloaded. Feels good to breath.

[grannynancy]

I did quit cold turkey once and had headaches for about a week then was fine.....BUT this most recent time what I am doing was buy a can of decaf and a can of regular. I then took a quart jar and filled it full of regular. Each time I made a pot of regular, I topped the jar off with decaf and shook it and used it for my pot. I don't have a clue how much of each cofffee is in the jar, but I am pretty sure it is mainly decaf at this point. I can tell the difference in the morning as the mostly decaf is not doing the wake-up thing but I have not had any headaches at all.

I am 54 and have been drinking this stuff, black, probably about a pot a day for all of my adult life except for the month I was on the camping trip and quit. My goal is both for blood pressure [to help me get off medicine] and acid reflux. I was so used to caffeine, I could drink a cup and go straight to bed, no problem.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by stoymonkey

do you have to quit 100%?

I agree; what's wrong with 2 cups or so in the morning and just cutting out all the caffeinated soft drinks? (I could never give up my morning coffee!)

[Hopes]

Caffeine is a pain medication.

I had a doctor tell me to take ibuprofen during the first three weeks of stopping caffeine---slowly decreasing the amount of ibuprofen as the days progress.

The ibuprofen helps with reducing the headaches you'll get from stopping caffeine.

It's hard to get off caffeine but it's very doable. Just stick with it and once you're done, just don't drink it again.

I highly recommend eliminating caffeine entirely. Don't just cut back. Caffeine is terrible for anxiety.

[grannynancy]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

I agree; what's wrong with 2 cups or so in the morning and just cutting out all the caffeinated soft drinks? (I could never give up my morning coffee!)

Many people find it hard to stop at 2 cut\ps and need that boost repeatedly during the day.