Coming off caffeine

[Agent]

I really am addicted to the stuff quite badly. Those that know me will speak of my unwavering ability to drink almost limitless amounts of coffee. In addition to the regular “keep fit” resolution that everyone makes at New Year, im going to try and cut down my intake of this.
Problem is, it’s really quite additive. At the moment I get through about 10 cups of coffee a day, several Pro-plus tablets and other various foods / drinks which have caffeine in them.

I happen to have a jar of de-cafe downstairs that I was bullied into buying, so ive been trying to drink that. Despite my mother’s jaw almost hitting the floor when she saw me make a decafe, it’s really not doing the job. No sooner have I finished one cup that I want another. My body really is crying out for caffeine intake.

Its just gone 6pm and I’ve had 2 real cups of coffee all day. I’m feeling sick, tired and have the shakes a little. All the signs of a real drug addiction

Heres to a caffeine free 2007! (or at least less than my current intake )

[dave87]

I cut caffeine out completely for a couple of days, got massive headaches

I'm now trying to limit myself to 1/2 glasses of coke a day, no proplus/red bull or the like, working well so far, and as a bonus I'm drinking more water

[kempez]

In all seriousness mate I hope you shake it cause although not cigarettes and alcohol (), having all that is pretty bad for you

[malfunction]

I keep trying to reduce my caffeine intake - agree with the *nasty* head aches. Much harder than I thought it would be. Tend to find myself seeking out chocolate when I don't drink anything with caffeine in it (I don't drink coffee but can easily do > 2 litres of coke in a day and if I'm knackered at work swap that for red bull and lucozade...)

[Clunk]

Addiction is a terrible thing, whatever it may be to, so your best bet is to see the doc and see what he/she suggests. There might be something really simple that you can do to help you get off it

[EvilWeevil]

Considering the quantites of Diet Coke and coffee I drink, I'm reluctant to stop. I feel nothing from caffeine, except when I drank 13 espressos in about 40 mins. I wouldn't quite say I had an addiction, more a "tolerance". It sounds more benign anyway.

Although from time to time, after a lack of caffeine, I realise how bad I was feeling before I had that coffee/coke.

[malfunction]

Withdrawal symptoms — possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, and stomach aches[citation needed] — may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days - representing the time required for the number of adenosine receptors in the brain to revert to "normal" levels, uninfluenced by caffeine consumption. Caffeine causes excess release of stomach acids during ingestion.[citation needed] When in withdrawal the stomach acid levels decrease substantially and can cause some stomach aches in certain people.[citation needed] The aches normally last between 24-48 hours and can be confused with constipation.[citation needed] Analgesics, such as aspirin, can relieve the pain symptoms, as can a small dose of caffeine.[43] Most effective is a combination of both an analgesic and a small amount of caffeine.

Not sure how reliable that is but at least it gives you a target number of days to avoid caffeine...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine

[TeePee]

I suggest reducing your caffeine intake gradually, as cold turkey can be pretty bad.

To start with, cut out the pro-plus tablets. That's caffeine for the sake of caffeine and should be a relatively easy step. Foods and drinks which have caffeine are going to be harder to drop, as there is a pleasurable sensation (like the taste of the coffee) which goes with them. One thing you could try is if you normally take sugar, then conciously stop using it. Change the sensation as a way of breaking the habbit. An alternative is to go for a daily ration. Work out the times of day you are permitted a cup, and then each week reduce the total daily cups by one.

Just make sure you aren't replacing it. For example, cutting down on coffee and drinking coke by the pint instead. That will just do bad things to your waistline.

[pollaxe]

I went cold turkey on caffeine (mainly tea and coffee for me) on a couple of occasions.. it was hell, I got blinding headaches and felt terrible.. it does pass but expect a few rough days, as above, a gradual cutting down rather than a sudden cut off would probably be better.

Now I still take caffeine but nowhere near as much as I did..

Good luck!

[XA04]

For the love of god don't do it. Everyone needs caffine! What are you trying to do to yourself?

[kalniel]

Actually I think caffeine is something that's actually ok to cold turkey. The worst withdrawal symptoms are the headaches, and I find them just as strong if I'm cutting down rather than going cold turkey. So just stop totally. In 3 days you should have virtually no problems.

[chuckskull]

I'm the same, but with coke. Get through huge amounts of it.
I always have a can of coke next to me when I'm online which is a lot as I use this PC for work and pleasure. Drinking 10+ cans a day and mixing it with anything when I'm in the pub. I even have two cans with breakfast Done horrible things to my teeth.

Had a splitting headache all day today, I finally gave in earlier and had a can with a curry. Going to cut back to just a can or so a week.

Whats really gotten me is giving up alcohol was easier than this, then again caffeine hasn't turned my eyes yellow yet.

[pollaxe]

I did read somewhere (when I was into such things) that it can take up to three months to rid your body of the effects of caffeine.. I've no idea if this is true or not so take this with a pinch of salt but it could be true (or partially so..)

[joshwa]

Good luck on cutting back. I normally have 2 - 4 cups of tea / coffee a day. Hope you can cut-out the pro-plus, as that sounds especially unhealthy!

[steve threlfall]

Cold turkey mate

Seriously though, take it slow and cut down.

[Funkstar]

Good god man! i didn't realise your caffeine intake was that high.

I know if i miss my morning cup of coffee the headache starts about 16 hourse since my last cup. The next day i'm fine however. I have replaces most of my afternoon consumption of coffee with tea, which is better.

I sometimes do forget that my jar of chocolate covered coffee beans is not the best thing to dip into of an evening though