FreeOwl

yeah... that's what I'm kinda afraid of. I have a strong suspicion that I may not be able to 'moderate' caffeine.

A friend of mine suggested decaf espresso... I do love the taste and decaf espresso contains very little caffeine. So, maybe.... but for right now I'm going to go with "one day at a time" and shoot for a 90-day caffeine detox.

I've had to pop one aceteminophen + caffeine today (65mg) to stave off the headache from not having any.

This is interesting because last week I'd gotten to not having to have ANY caffeine and was past the headaches. Then, just 5 days of one coffee a day - and I'm right back to bad headaches on withdrawal. So it would seem that there is a 'rebound' effect of some kind. Caffeine in high amounts, daily, for years.... clearly it has taken some kind of toll on this coffee-holic's body.

ClearMind

This thread has officially inspired me to give up try and give up caffeine for a month or two, to see if I notice any changes. I'm officially on a decaf kick.. looking forward to trying it out. I really can't tell the difference in taste between decaf and regular coffee anyway.

DG0409

Clearmind, I'd try at least 2 or 3 months.

When I quit for 3 months, the first week or two I was really tired. The first month, I just kind of didn't feel myself. By the second and third months, I felt fine. It takes a while to adapt to not having it. The first month isn't really what it's like to be without caffeine, but rather what it's like to adjust to being off of it.

ClearMind

DG, thanks for the advice. I will do at least 3 months then.

GreenBottles

Yeh withdrawal from alcohol for me is about feeling better and better everyday
I just cant have one beer or I am off on a week binge and 150 beers later think WTF?

Coffee and cigerettes will go together. But first I get my 30 days free from alcohol.

ClearMind

GreenBottles,

That's probably a great plan - battle one thing at a time! No need to quit everything at once, it might be a bit too tricky.

digdug

I have an anxiety disorder and I take meds for it, but caffeine can still set me off. I drank a lot when I was drinking in order to not pass out so much. But now, I hardly touch anything with caffeine.

I remember the second day of rehab and I tried to drink a coke. I was still detoxing, so even a few sips made me extremely anxious.

So I have no caffeine in my house. But I'm not completely abstinent. I'll have an iced tea or two a month. But that's only if I didn't sleep well and am extremely tired. I haven't had a coffee or energy drink since I got sober almost a year ago.

I was lucky that I had no withdrawals or anything. Maybe I did, but they were overpowered by the alcohol and benzo detox.

So I guess I can moderate caffeine. It's kind of weird even typing that because I can't moderate anything else in my life.

Next step is cutting back on nicotine, but that's a whole other animal. But I haven't had a real cig since last July (just using an e-cig).

Congrats, UnixBer!

FreeOwl

well... dangit.

Yesterday I had no coffee. By noon I had a headache coming on, so i had one excedrin which is 65mg caffeine. It worked, and this morning I had no caffeine and a green smoothie for breakfast, no headache.

But THEN.... by 0900 I had convinced myself "well, just ONE Americano".... and further "Maybe if I just have one every OTHER day... for a while... kinda taper off...."

I felt fine with it at the time but now a few hours later I feel a little bit like I failed and a little bit like "I am powerless over coffee".

Blergh!

UnixBer

So now finally nearing or at the target time of 2 months, since today is day 59 without any caffeine. I haven't even thought about it for a longer time. This means that I've become accustomed to living without it.

I think it has been worth it and don't see myself getting back to it anytime soon... as it really was just another hindrance. Good luck to those joining in this... I found the first week (initial withdrawal) the most difficult. After that it got easier and now I don't notice any wd stuff related to caffeine. Thanks for the replies.

FreeOwl

I'm a little frustrated.... been back 'at it' again for several days. Yesterday I had a coffee (triple shot) in the late afternoon.

This morning I was more tired and exhausted than ever and am currently slurping a super-strong java.

I will try again this week. ARGH!!!

This is JUST LIKE ALCOHOL!!!!

DG0409

Hey FreeOwl- I feel for you. Keep trying and you'll get it.

FreeOwl

workin on it!

I may need a caffeine-holics anonymous....

DG0409

Hmm... we'll have to figure out what to call it as CA is already taken by cocaine addicts anonymous.

UnixBer

Day 64 caffeine-free according to my math. This means just over 2 months off the thing. I don't know if I'm ever going back to it. I've had only a few fleeting feelings or thoughts as whether to try it sometime or not. I don't think it would help anything to do so. Overall I think this has been a wise move and worth it, although sometimes I wonder what all the benefits really are.
Being more calm and somehow more relaxed, without a need or desire to use caffeine.

I have a pretty good feeling of what happens if I do drink coffee: It will taste horrible, bitter and make me anxious and confused. Now and that is one thing I don't really miss.
This is mostly due to the fact, I think, that I have no more caffeine withdrawal symptoms to alleviate or relieve, hence the drug is useless to me. Good luck everyone on their journey.

DG0409

Way to go on 2+ months unix!

advbike

I really need to do this myself. I wouldn't mind being able to drink a cup or two of green tea every day but the coffee is getting to just be too much, especially after 40 years of drinking the stuff. I drink 3 of those little (4-cup) pots every day, starting with full strength, then half caf and finally decaf for the last one. Still, that's like 6 cups of coffee per day. Ugh.

My plan is to dump coffee completely and switch to black tea. Yes I know its almost as strong but getting away from coffee first is key. Then after a month or so I will switch to lighter teas. I have done this before and it worked but I missed the coffee taste. and went back out, lol. Yes, it is addictive I think.

UnixBer

Decided to add a little update of my caffeine situtation. I went a total of 100 days entirely free of caffeine, having very annoying initial withdrawal symptoms due to cold turkey quitting style (never will quit caffeine cold again...). After a month, I thought I was doing better than before I had stopped using it, and this went on for another two months. The thing is, I don't think personally that I really got that much off this lack of caffeine as I thought I would. But then again, maybe caffeine is not such a bad thing as many sources seem to 'hype'. Still not sure about that.

But after coming back to coffee it has been a nice add to the day, and I don't find it overstimulating or a hindrance at this point. So personally I think that I benefit more from moderate caffeine use than none at all, at least at this point.

This is not to discourage anyone, just telling the results of the thing. The truth in my situtation. It is possible to live without caffeine, but I find it better to have personally in daily life. Good luck to everyone wanting to stay off it.

krete77

I did exactly what you did UnixBer. I did about 2-3 months off of Caffeine and then went back to it. I consume no more than 300mg of caffeine a day on average which is still within healthy guidelines..

however, i still think its bad for an addictive personality like myself, as I drink soda in addition to coffee..and i get addicted to anything i seem to put my hands on.

also, i experienced your exact same withdrawal symptoms, to the point where i couldnt even move my body and had to lay in bed an entire day as well.. the pain was so bad i swore i would never go back to the stuff just for that reason..and now thinking back on it, that can't be good for the body so i'll be giving another go at quitting the caffeine.

UnixBer

I tend to agree that it's still bad for some reason, but for now it seems like the best thing to do.

And yep, the withdrawal.. very nasty. Next time will be a very gradual reduction... for certain.