Caffeine addiction?

[oitnb]

I can't go a day without a pop loaded with caffeine. I drink atleast four pops a day, and get headaches and tired if I don't. This also wrecks havoc on my sensitive bladder and kidneys.

 

On top of quitting cigarettes soon, I also want to kick this bad habit. Tips?

[itsallgrand]

Oh yes do I ever!!!

 

If you are going to be quitting smoking, start by cutting down your caffeine. GRADUALLY. And sleep lots, drink lots of water, and take a tylenol or your pain killer of choice for the headaches.

 

When I quit smoking, I started with cutting way back on my caffeine (coffee though). Also, there is the sugar in those pops too which you are going to have to get used to not having!!

 

Read up lots and lots. Caffeine and nicotine have a strange relationship. Nicotine (smoking) interacts with caffeine in such a way that you can consume a whole lot more and have less effect than if you were not using nicotine. ALmost twice as much. So what this means is that when you quit smoking, those four cans of pop and their caffeine content are going to feel like 8 cans of pop - and the anxiety and shakes to go with it.

 

Cutting down on caffeine is a really good prep for quitting smoking. It gets you used to drinking water all the time. It helps cut down on anxiety etc. related to the drug and to get used to being calm. It gets you in the habit of learning to not rely on drugs as your go to (yeah, coffee and cigs are drugs, and they often go hand in hand).

 

So when I quit, I did it all at once. And I was hurting!! Don't do that. Cut back gradually. Read up on it. Take the advice of others.

 

Never did find a good sub for coffee (stil don't like decaf) so I just have kept my coffee intake moderate to one or two (small) cups a day and that is it. You can buy tiny little cans of pop now - if you really aren't going to give it up altogether. Or you could switch to sparkling water or something else - I got really into Perrier type drinks, the bubbles helped when I quit smoking too, oral stimulation I guess?? And it's water!

 

good luck. I could write a book on this, but someone else already has much better. lol. It's so worth it to do it.

[oitnb]

I like these tips a lot! I think I'll stop caffeine first, smoking second.

 

I also hate all the extra calories that come with the pop. I'd probably weigh atleast ten pounds less if I didn't drink so much of it

[90_hour_sleep]

i recommend allen carr's book for smoking. i figure i had a dozen failed attempts at quitting before someone suggested the book. for whatever reason, reading the book a few times really tipped the scales in my favour. arm yourself with information. become informed. develop a plan for those moments of 'weakness'. you're making positive lifestyle changes, and it's important to remind yourself of that. the more you remind yourself of what you have to gain, the less you'll think about what you're 'losing'.

 

that's what i found most helpful with the smoking addiction. while the physical components are very real, there's such a huge psychological component that often gets neglected.

 

again, highly recommend the book. develop a way of seeing things clearly so you can look at this from a position of what you have to gain. the more you adapt to that way of thinking, the easier the process becomes because you won't feel like you're missing out on anything.

[Miss Firecracker]

I quit caffeine, one week ago today. I also went cold turkey and felt like I was sleepwalking for a few days. Just keep the Bayer close by for the achiness. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, figured I would never be able to function, but what happens is you just gradually return to the normal energy level you had before the addiction. I have to admit I am still a little bummed that it came to this, but I have to find other things to replace the loss, and I'm sure I will.

[subterfuge]

I also want to kick this bad habit. Tips?

 

Yes. Quit cold turkey and take Excedrin on the days when the headaches are intolerable. Excedrin does have caffeine, so it's quite effective on lack-of-caffeine induce headaches.

[agent1607307371]

I kick pop every Lent...

 

Go slow. If you cut it all out immediately make sure you a) can deal with wanting to die, wanting to kill everyone and having a massive headache or b) have a week off work.

 

Drink lots of water.

[Angler]

I am entirely caffeine dependent. If I go 24 hours without, I get a terrible headache, I am tired, and my mood shifts.

 

I quit once, and it was about a week long withdrawal. After a few months I noticed no real benefits in energy or sleep patterns...other than I didn't need a coffee in the morning.

 

Black coffee has zero calories and is a great pre-workout drink.

 

This is one addiction I will tolerate!

[oitnb]

I am entirely caffeine dependent. If I go 24 hours without, I get a terrible headache, I am tired, and my mood shifts.

 

I quit once, and it was about a week long withdrawal. After a few months I noticed no real benefits in energy or sleep patterns...other than I didn't need a coffee in the morning.

 

Black coffee has zero calories and is a great pre-workout drink.

 

This is one addiction I will tolerate!

 

If it was coffee I drank id probably not quit - less calories and much healthier than pop. But I don't like coffee and I drink sugar filled, calorie loaded pops so I think it'd be best to stop lol.

[ParisPaulette]

Caffeine addiction--"Hi, my name is Paris and I'm a caffeine fiend..." Yes, you are indeed addicted. And worse it's to pop, which does all sorts other unwanted things in addition to the caffeine jitters. Not that my steady stream of black coffee all day flavored with a variety of flavored creamers is much better, but yes it's not good.

 

I had to quit caffeine at one point, when I was having seizures due to pesticide poisoning--long story there. Needless to say my doctor was not in a negotiating mood and I was so sick at that point I agreed to cut way back on the hard stuff. He had me switch out to green tea and gradually cut down on the amount of caffeine until I was just down to one cup of green tea then from there to decaff then nothing. Ibuprofen did indeed help the headaches and after toughing it out for two weeks I was actually caffeine free. Of course once I was all better physically I went right back to my habit although I do now make a conscious effort to cut back when I find myself overdoing it and getting jitters/acid stomach. I also recently started taking green coffee bean extract, which allows me sometimes to have some caffeine in my system without all of the added having to find a bathroom every five seconds etc. when I have to drive somewhere for any length of time. I just pop one in the morning and it seems to help take the edge off although I still tend to get out of control a bit from time to time since let's face it, I'm a girl who loves her coffee. So much so that one time when I had hit my head and had to get stitches I made my BF stop by my house first, so I could grab coffee in a thermos to go because I knew I'd be in the ER for awhile. Blood and pain did not deter me from my drug of choice. Cola sweetened with Stevia might be another way to go if you can find it, but don't do diet anything since those have their own sets of problems too.

 

I would focus first on overcoming one habit though before the other--not both at the same time, which will make you and everyone around you equally miserable. And through all of this put in an exercise program and eat well regardless since both those things will help all the way around. Good luck.

[Dragunov-21]

The good thing about caffeine is that in moderation there aren't any real problems and if you do choose to quit it's just a matter of waiting it out - yeah you'll get headaches for a few days (up to a week) but if you can stick it out without losing your job/friends through being cranky you'll be fine. The rest of what's in the pop, not so much.

[Thorshammer]

Yes, i am this way with coffee. I stopped all sugary drinks but somehow my brain tricked me into drinking coffee to compensate. When i try to kick the habit i get headaches. I need to stop.

[Dragunov-21]

Just go cold turkey and be an irritable jerk for a couple days then. No biggie.

[browneyedgirl36]

Honestly, I'd be WAY more worried about all the sugar you're getting from that stuff -- what you call "pop," I call "soda" (I'm a Californian As someone else said, caffeine, in moderation, isn't bad for you; in fact, as one poster pointed out, a cup of coffee pre-workout might actually be a good source of energy to jumpstart a workout.

 

The sugar on the other hand...pure, empty calories that do your body no good whatsoever. A 12-oz can of Coke has 41 grams of sugars -- that's almost double what's in a regular-sized Hershey chocolate bar (24 grams). That comes out to about 10 teaspoons of sugar in EVERY can. If you're drinking 3-4 of these per day -- holy cow!

Perhaps try switching to coffee (but not too much, especially if you have delicate kidneys because coffee dehydrates you) and/or mineral water with lime or lemon in it, etc. And water...lots of that. I'm not a fan of plain water, but I do drink it a lot when I exercise.

[HeatherB]

Smoking is way worse for you than caffeine. I keep looking for research to suggest my coffee habit is harmful, but instead I mostly find studies that show it's fairly good for me. Anti oxidents, bioflavinoids, prevents diabetes (really?).

 

Try to switch to coffee instead because that way you can at least control what sweetener you use and how much. I use none.

 

Smoking, though, is known to be deadly (plus it makes you old and wrinkled, and bad tasting to kiss). I say prioritize and kick the smoking addiction first.

[Thorshammer]

I've been coffee free for two days, hard to do considering i am latino. First day off of it i was grouchy, and i had to take advils for the headache (no joke), and i fell asleep at 8pm est, lol.

 

Consider me weird, but i sometimes like stopping things cold turkey for just the hell of it. I stopped drinking sugary drinks a year ago and never went back, and i lost good weight too.

[oitnb]

2 days cigarette free, guys! (except hits of my e-hookah cig)

[Miss Firecracker]

I've been coffee free for two days, hard to do considering i am latino. First day off of it i was grouchy, and i had to take advils for the headache (no joke), and i fell asleep at 8pm est, lol.

 

Consider me weird, but i sometimes like stopping things cold turkey for just the hell of it. I stopped drinking sugary drinks a year ago and never went back, and i lost good weight too.

 

I have been cold turkey for near two weeks. I feel more energy than I have felt in years. That caffeine had me so messed up, and I didn't even realize how badly. When you stay hopped up on coffee, you don't really sleep properly. Therefore you need more coffee.

 

 

I found a decaf that I really like...Dunkin Donuts Decaf. I had to find the right recipe, messed some up the first few times. I am using a big heaping tablespoon of coffee and filling water to the 4 line. I have been reading articles about studies that say we are still getting the health benefits even with decaf, so that makes this even better.

 

If I can quit, anyone can.

[Miss Firecracker]

This is an interesting article on decaf coffee.

 

link removed

 

My brand has some caffeine, but it is nothing compared to what I was drinking, doesn't make me the least bit hyper.

[Dragunov-21]

Man, decaf tastes like butts though...

 

Admittedly I'm a bit (lot) of a snob when it comes to coffee, but I've never found a decaf that tastes anywhere near as good as a proper regular bean/blend/roast.

[Miss Firecracker]

Man, decaf tastes like butts though...

 

Admittedly I'm a bit (lot) of a snob when it comes to coffee, but I've never found a decaf that tastes anywhere near as good as a proper regular bean/blend/roast.

 

You are right, and that is why I only make 4 cups now. Lol

 

Still, this one isn't bad if you have it with a meal. By itself...not great.

[itsallgrand]

2 days cigarette free, guys! (except hits of my e-hookah cig)

 

Really??!! Wowsers, good for you!!

 

How goes it with the caffeine/pop?>>

[Thorshammer]

I have been cold turkey for near two weeks. I feel more energy than I have felt in years. That caffeine had me so messed up, and I didn't even realize how badly. When you stay hopped up on coffee, you don't really sleep properly. Therefore you need more coffee.

 

 

I found a decaf that I really like...Dunkin Donuts Decaf. I had to find the right recipe, messed some up the first few times. I am using a big heaping tablespoon of coffee and filling water to the 4 line. I have been reading articles about studies that say we are still getting the health benefits even with decaf, so that makes this even better.

 

If I can quit, anyone can.

 

Its not the coffee per se that stopped me from drinking coffee, its the milk (no i dont want non-diary creamer- and yes, i am going dairy-free for now) and the amount of sugar i cant stop throwing in there. Oooo, do i miss grabbing that hot cup of coffee and leaning back on the wall or sitting in my truck. I used to drink coffee reading this forum.

 

But its done, i wont be going back. I used to drink coffee on and off back then, i dont know why i was on for as long as i have been. i think the issue was that i made coffee part of routine - morning routine, reading routine, etc.

 

I do feel like i wake up better and sleep better.

[Thorshammer]

There was one decaf coffee that tasted amazing. Unfortunately i dont remember the name, but wow did it taste good. I only noticed it was decaf when i started getting headaches from not having the caffeine high.

[ParisPaulette]

But its done, i wont be going back. I used to drink coffee on and off back then, i dont know why i was on for as long as i have been. i think the issue was that i made coffee part of routine - morning routine, reading routine, etc.

 

I do feel like i wake up better and sleep better.

 

Sigh, I wish I had your willpower. Relationships may come and go, but caffeine has got its hooks in me for life I'm afraid.

 

And Bah, woohoo on the cigarette-free days. Keep going. That is one bad habit I was able to give up, but I think for me it was more because it just torqued me no end that I was spending so much money on something that made me have trouble breathing. I used to compete in horse shows and I'd be out of breath just riding my horse, so there was added incentive to give it up at that point, because I hated coming in last in shows for such a stupid reason. LOL