Training & Nutrition - Caffiene Withdrawal. How long?? (Long post)

My doctor has been trying to get me to stop drinking Diet Mt. Dew for a while now. I've konwn all along how bad it has been for me and I was drinking an insane ammount of it to try to stay alert at work (to no avail).

Last week I had a serious bout with the flu Tuesday and Wednesday. I decided to stop cold turkey since tapering off has proven unsuccessful on several occasions. I've been drinking some kind of caffinated beverage since childhood. The headache lasted 2 days (Tuesday and Wednesday). Thursday, I felt like I was still recovering from the flu: Tired, lethargic, slightly achy with a slight headache. The muscular achiness has gone bbut I still have no energy or alertness and a have a constant dim headache.

Has anybody else decaffinated and experienced the effects? I'm hoping to hear somebody else's experiences to compare to my own. Thanks!

I tried decaffienating a while back as I was told it would help my tinnitus. I had a headache for a day or two and that was it.

3 months later and my tinnitus wasn't any better, so I went back on the fien(d).

Why is your doctor trying to get you to quit?

Az

Why is your doctor trying to get you to quit?

I have thyroid problems and hyperinsulinemia. He's told me for a few years that the Nutrasweet is exacerbating the hyperinsulinemia and I know it's really not very healthy. I was drinking approximately the eqivalent of 12-12oz cans of diet Dew a day, so, I knew I really needed to stop...BADLY!

I have thyroid problems and hyperinsulinemia. He's told me for a few years that the Nutrasweet is exacerbating the hyperinsulinemia and I know it's really not very healthy. I was drinking approximately the eqivalent of 12-12oz cans of diet Dew a day, so, I knew I really needed to stop...BADLY!

Switch to coffee.

I have thyroid problems and hyperinsulinemia. He's told me for a few years that the Nutrasweet is exacerbating the hyperinsulinemia and I know it's really not very healthy. I was drinking approximately the eqivalent of 12-12oz cans of diet Dew a day, so, I knew I really needed to stop...BADLY!It's the sugar, HFCS and NutraSweet that's causing you problems. Yeah, just drink coffee or tea with some honey. Don't overdo it though.

I just usually go cold as well. I have had headaches between 2 days and 2 1/2 weeks. There have been times that I have had no headache at all. Last decaffenation stage headaches lasted about 5 days or so. I really do not know what the factor was. Also, there did not seem like there was much I could do about the headaches. Tylenol/Advil never helped, so I just jad to suck it up until the headaches subsided.

I quit cold turkey. (I was 14, and if I didn't get my daily fix of caffeine, a bout of migraine promptly arrived.) So after a week of feeling uneasy and with migraines coming and going, I was fine and normal again. Never gone back since. The fact that I hate the taste of coffee, and that I no longer drink any carbonated drinks, makes it easy to stay away from caffeine.

Caffeine is a poison that does your body no good at all, so if you want to quit, DO IT!

I've done this . . . and with Mt. Dew. I found it took about 5 days. Drink lots of water and take vitamins . . . Emergen-C (vitamin C powder) is helpful. Green tea is most helpful because it has some caffeine, it's an anti-inflammatory, and has lots of other health benefits.

Cold turkey from Mt. Dew was my experience. The feeling was somewhere between the achyness of the flu and the overall ache of having just run a marathon. I thought I had some kind of sleep sickness or chronic fatigue, but realized I was generally sleep-deprived and had relied on the Mt. Dew too much. I started cutting out other sugars. Eventually you will find it to be much easier to listen to the body and to fall into regular sleep patterns without it.

Sandy

There was a time I was drinking approx. 15 cups of coffee a day. Then I quit cold turkey.

It took probably about 3 weeks before I wasn't absolutely climbing walls with the craving, and the most miserable person to be around.

I've gone back on coffee again, but probably only 2 or 3 cups a day now.

2+ days of raging headaches is the longest I've ever lasted before going right back to the coffee.

I used to get complex migraines that would put me in the emergency room about once every month or two. The doctor told me that two of the triggers for them were caffeine and nicotine. If you want to talk about something hard to do quit smoking and drinking caffeine at the same time. I haven't had a cigarette or caffeine for almost five years now (2/21 will make five years). I did have some headaches and I was extremely cranky. Unfortunately I'm not sure how much of that was from quitting the caffeine though.

Since I quit I only get a couple of migraines a year. I haven't had one bad enough to end up in the hospital since I quit though.

don't go cold turkey. cut back slowly.

don't go cold turkey. cut back slowly.

Cold turkey is the only way that has ever worked for me. Some people just can't do the gradual thing. On the other hand some people can't go cold turkey. It all depends on the individual.

It all depends on the individual.

Yeah, I tried to taper off a couple of times. I usually ended up drinking more once I threw in the towel. I still haven't had any for 8 days. Still dragging ass through each day. Hope to feel normal someday soon.

Nutrasweet is bad: 1. it increases appetite and 2. leads to headaches. I've never heard of nutrasweet addition, but I don't why there can't be some.

I used to drink over 12 cups of coffee a day. After years of this, my stomach rebelled. I switched to cases of coke. Finally figured out that was bad also. So I switched to tea. And now the Doctor last week tells me that when you're older than 50 you don't want any caffine . Well, I'm still tipping one to two glasses a day, but that's much better than the 5 to 6 I used to drink. The only way I can do it is to drink hot water. Still take a coffee/tea break, but no caffine.

If you cut too quickly you'll feel very lethargic and sleepy. Just have to work the poisons out of your system. Good luck.

Oh, forgot to mention. Colas are very addictive and slightly different than caffene. It'll take about a year of no colas, before colas will no longer taste good. I don't know though if you really have caffine or a nutrasweet problem. I thought 1 year ago they took the caffine out of Dews. I know they did out of the normal dew, I don't know about the diet dew.

Quite drinking coffee ?

hahahahahahahahahaha

whew, that was a good one

I quit coffee and switched to tea and I don't think one to two cups of tea a day will be harmfull. I tried for years to stop cold turkey and I would get bad headaches so I just drink enough to keep them from coming back.

I used to get complex migraines that would put me in the emergency room about once every month or two. The doctor told me that two of the triggers for them were caffeine and nicotine. If you want to talk about something hard to do quit smoking and drinking caffeine at the same time. I haven't had a cigarette or caffeine for almost five years now (2/21 will make five years). I did have some headaches and I was extremely cranky. Unfortunately I'm not sure how much of that was from quitting the caffeine though.

Since I quit I only get a couple of migraines a year. I haven't had one bad enough to end up in the hospital since I quit though.

If you don't mind my asking, precisely what part of the migrain sent you to the hospital? Pain ? vomiting?

What did they do for you at the hospital? Thanks.

Wow....144 ounces of diet Mt. Dew per day......that's impressive. A former boss of mine would come into work each day (7 a.m.) with 2 two liter bottles of regular Mt. Dew (one under each arm), as well as sometimes a "small" 20oz." bottle while he's running in between meetings. How that guy isn't a diabetic by now, I'll never know....

I don't drink coffee, I don't drink soda on any kind of regular basis (maybe once in awhile.....but I can go several months without any urge for it), I only drink tea when I'm sick, and this is probably why I looked like the most tired mother****er on the face of the earth on a Monday morning at work. Well, when I had a job. I could never stomach the taste of coffee.....I LOVE the smell of it, I HATE the taste of it.

I'm also convinced that things such as NutraSweet and Splenda are evil. I stay away from that **** as much as possible. I really only drink water for the most part, and for anything with taste, Gatorade. Well, Cytomax too, but only while riding.

Cold turkey is the only way that has ever worked for me. Some people just can't do the gradual thing. On the other hand some people can't go cold turkey. It all depends on the individual.


are you trying to tell me that if you drink 2 x 64 oz mountain dew's per day that if you drank one oz. less per week (30ml's) you'd notice? 4 oz less per month..... 16 oz less per 4 months?

is nutrasweet aspartame? if its the same stuff they put in diet coke, it is addictive, and has also been shown to cause brain tumors, among other similar nice side effects. do a google search on it if you are interested.

I quit coffee and switched to tea and I don't think one to two cups of tea a day will be harmfull.

Under 40, no problem. Under 50, maybe problem. Over 50 problem. Over 60 big big problem.
Google BPH, I might have understated the risks. Green tea is supposed to be better than black for BPH, but green tea is not free, it also has undesireable side effects.

Under 40, no problem. Under 50, maybe problem. Over 50 problem. Over 60 big big problem.
Google BPH, I might have understated the risks. Green tea is supposed to be better than black for BPH, but green tea is not free, it also has undesireable side effects.


So your saying drinking tea after 50 is a problem? Because it causes or aggrevates BPH?
And that green tea aggrevates less than black tea?
And what side effects does drinking green tea have?

The only negatives im aware of from green tea is insomnia becauseit has caffeine.

Sorry, i just dont understand your post, can you explain it more?

i think that the website people are talking about is www.aspartamekills.com

If you don't mind my asking, precisely what part of the migrain sent you to the hospital? Pain ? vomiting?

What did they do for you at the hospital? Thanks.

Intense pain, not being able to put sentences together, some vomiting, not being able to stand noises or light. The final straw was the day that they thought I had a stroke. The entire left side of my body went numb, my tongue went numb. I could barely speak and the pain was unbarable. Once I got to the hospital they rushed me in and treated me as a stroke victim for the first thirty minutes or so.

For treatment they pumped me full of drugs, I can't remember what they were. I do know that it never completely eliminated the pain. It just made it so that I could stand the car ride home. I have imitrex for migraines but it only works about 25% of the time.

are you trying to tell me that if you drink 2 x 64 oz mountain dew's per day that if you drank one oz. less per week (30ml's) you'd notice? 4 oz less per month..... 16 oz less per 4 months?

I'm not trying to tell you anything. All I stated is that for some people gradual works, some it doesn't. Whenever I try the gradual thing I always fall back to my normal routine eventually. When I quit cold turkey I am able to quit, I consider myself a failure* if I go back to my old ways.

So far the going cold turkey and being very aggressive at changing my lifestyle has worked great for me.
I haven't smoked for five years. When I quit I smoked three packs a day.
I haven't had caffeine for five years. When I quit I drank 4 - 6 pepsi's a day.
I've lost 50 pounds by being very aggressive.
I drink 2 - 4 beers a month. I used to drink an average of 8 - 12 every night. I was in the bars more than I was home.

*I'm not saying people are a failure for not being able to quit things, I'm just saying that is how my mind works.

is nutrasweet aspartame? if its the same stuff they put in diet coke, it is addictive, and has also been shown to cause brain tumors, among other similar nice side effects. do a google search on it if you are interested.


The dose that was give to lab animals was way beyond what a human could consume pound for pound. I do agree that there are problems with using sweeteners like this.

The dose that was give to lab animals was way beyond what a human could consume pound for pound. I do agree that there are problems with using sweeteners like this.Sure, that's the justification to pass the stuff off as benign. And those are old-style studies. Here's a more recent one: Medical News Today - Aspartame Causes Cancer in Rats at Levels Currently Approved for Humans (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=34040#) :eek:

Intense pain, not being able to put sentences together, some vomiting, not being able to stand noises or light. The final straw was the day that they thought I had a stroke. The entire left side of my body went numb, my tongue went numb. I could barely speak and the pain was unbarable. Once I got to the hospital they rushed me in and treated me as a stroke victim for the first thirty minutes or so.

For treatment they pumped me full of drugs, I can't remember what they were. I do know that it never completely eliminated the pain. It just made it so that I could stand the car ride home. I have imitrex for migraines but it only works about 25% of the time.

Thank you. I hope you never have another. The Imitrex does nortwork well for me either. Relpax or Caffergot works for me.

So far the going cold turkey and being very aggressive at changing my lifestyle has worked great for me.
I haven't smoked for five years. When I quit I smoked three packs a day.
I haven't had caffeine for five years. When I quit I drank 4 - 6 pepsi's a day.
I've lost 50 pounds by being very aggressive.
I drink 2 - 4 beers a month. I used to drink an average of 8 - 12 every night. I was in the bars more than I was home.



I believe a congradulations on turning your entire life around is in order; as well-intentioned as many are in trying to do so, very few actually follow through completely with it.

One thing that I've always been lucky with is that I have always been involved in one sport or another since even before I was a teenager. I never fell into the whole smoking/drugs/excessive alcohol/etc. scene; for some, sports really are a "saving grace". Some people realize this early on in life, others realize it later on in life. There is no greater "high" than pushing your body to its' limits, and succeeding at what you are doing (I don't necessarily mean in a competitive aspect).....whether it be riding a bike, climbing a mountain, running a marathon, so on and so forth. It's those days when you feel like you can go forever and feel stronger than you ever have before, that makes all the training and discipline worth it.

Ok, I'll stop preaching now :)

I used to drink about 2 double-shot coffees a day. I recently quit cold turkey and experienced afternoon headaches for about 2 weeks. That was about it though.

Just dont try and quit smoking and caffine at the same time. Carzy man coming through!!! I quit cigs 10+ years ago, the coffee however still rules my mornings. Hmm....this post is making me think about cutting back. I know I drink too much. Well, to the OP, best of luck and drink lots of water.

I believe a congradulations on turning your entire life around is in order; as well-intentioned as many are in trying to do so, very few actually follow through completely with it.

Thank you. My life is much better now than it was five years ago.

I'm not trying to tell you anything. All I stated is that for some people gradual works, some it doesn't. Whenever I try the gradual thing I always fall back to my normal routine eventually. When I quit cold turkey I am able to quit, I consider myself a failure* if I go back to my old ways.

So far the going cold turkey and being very aggressive at changing my lifestyle has worked great for me.
I haven't smoked for five years. When I quit I smoked three packs a day.
I haven't had caffeine for five years. When I quit I drank 4 - 6 pepsi's a day.
I've lost 50 pounds by being very aggressive.
I drink 2 - 4 beers a month. I used to drink an average of 8 - 12 every night. I was in the bars more than I was home.

*I'm not saying people are a failure for not being able to quit things, I'm just saying that is how my mind works.


you are running out of vices to kick. good for you.

I've since started drinking the Diet Dew again. I felt very, very depressed. Not sick or having any headaches, but just really down. After have a couple of Diet Dews, I feel great again. Not sure HOW I'm ever going to kick this.

I've since started drinking the Diet Dew again. I felt very, very depressed. Not sick or having any headaches, but just really down. After have a couple of Diet Dews, I feel great again. Not sure HOW I'm ever going to kick this.


I've heard it takes 3 weeks to make or break a habit, and I found that to be true with the coffee (as I mentioned somewhere earlier in this thread). Just tell yourself that you are going to make it 3 weeks without your Diet Dews ... that's all. Really, 3 weeks isn't that long ... it isn't a lifetime.

And then keep busy .... ride LOTS!! :D

I"ve been off caffeine since Jan 1st, removed 90% of all sodas (sprite/7up only on rare occasions - won't do the diet thing, but stay away from the caffeine). Typically I order only water when eating out, though I do have a Margarita or two now and then. ;) I had urges for the first several weeks, but they have subsided and I really don't even think about wanting the stuff any more. But you do have to make the choice every time you go out to eat - water or Dr. Pepper (my weakness).