UnixBer

As the title says, I've decided to cut out caffeine altogether and today is the first day without any caffeine. I'm actually feeling pretty good today, coincidence? I got inspired by a member's caffeine thread here on SR (was it DG) and after reading so much stories on the internet of people who have stopped caffeine use and are entirely content with their state of being. I got convinced that this is something I'll want to do as well...

I started with 2-day taper using green tea only (made from leaves and not teabags) and today it is naturally caffeine-free herbal tea. The taste is actually even better than green tea. So and I'm well aware that many people love their coffee and I'm not going to start arguing about caffeine benefits or the downsides, but to keep updated on it every now and then and maybe discuss this with people who are in the same boat and have similar interests.

It got me thinking that there is something odd about the way coffee has been there daily for me for so long. It has definately caused stress and nervousness, tiredness and so on. The most annoying aspect of drinking coffee for me has been the almost compulsion to drink it. And caffeine is documented to be a psychoactive drug with addictive qualities so no wonder. Now to see what life is without that caffeine...

Thepatman

I am not a big caffeine guy and could live without.

But I do like 2 coffees in the morning. The kickstart helps me defrost from the sleep. Glad you are giving up! A healthy choice indeed

Twinings

Awesome Unix!!

I cut out caffeine, usually just one giant green tea in the morning then other herbal teas. Eating well, I find I just don't need coffee at all!
Also I don't drink any soft drinks as most contain a lot of caffeine.
Caffeine informer has a good list of drinks and their caffeine content, some are surprising!

ForestRunner

I've been ditching the coffee, too, recently. Not because of the stimulant, but I realized I just don't really like it. The acidity provokes my reflux, the cream affects my *ahem* pleghm issues, and the sugar is just TOO SWEET. Can make for a morbid morning. But I am thinking that in the long run it will be a good change...

BillinSaratoga

Unix - Have cut back to one morning coffee myself. Found so many really awesome herbal teas that are completely caffeine free. Love the different flavors and not having as much caffeine and no alcohol has brought blood pressure down to levels I have not seen in along time. All this inside of a month. Enjoy the caffeine world! Post here how you do, I'm interested and wonder if that one cup of mine should be cut out as well.

UnixBer

Hey thanks for the replies and MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Now an update on the caffeine-free life... Currently I'm on day 4 without any caffeine. This timezone where the initial days of withdrawal have been in question, hasn't been entirely pleasant for me. ... Now... there is a big chance that now out of the blue I hit a DAMNABLE PAWS-episode, or it is a combination of caffeine withdrawal with paws, or just caffeine withdrawal...

Day 1 - Caffeine-free since morning. Went out shopping and felt excited about this project. Felt a fleeting inspiration yet still felt a little bit tired. Maybe a little bit weird and down, but it didn't seem like a problem.

Day 2 - Wake up with a headache... can't seem to think much anything... got something done in the morning, but felt like crying mostly. Throughout the day I would have an aggressive feeling, and muscles start to ache. Nasty thoughts would pop in the mind and the head hurts all around, mostly face and nose. Started having thoughts if this is entirely a safe thing to do... as there was begining to be a feeling of despair.

Day 3 - Sleeping was excruatingly painful, and actually seemed to make me feel worse. The pain is all around the body, muscles feel like they have weights attached and the head and face. The feeling of a dentist drilling the skull wherever. This day first half I was incapacitated and had to lie in bed. The rest of the day just felt mad and odd...

Day 4 - After surviving the night (waking up two times carefully), I find that my face has swollen up. There's pain in the jaws and face. But still somehow it is starting to get more bearable. Still have a little depressed feeling, and some tiredness but looks like it's starting to get better...

Note: Honestly I thought a few times I was going to die. It felt quite nasty and if it was paws then it was... but if caffeine can cause such withdrawal I'd say it's nothing to play around with... who knows... now it's getting better and have a merry christmas.

EverySngleNight

The first few things you mentioned sure do sound like caffeine withdrawal, or even PAWS. But #'s 3 & 4 are pretty odd/concerning IMO. Anyone else think that's a bit extreme for quitting coffee??? Maybe I don't know enough about caffeine withdrawal?

Still...

I hope you're feeling better. If not, I think you should really consider going to the doc!

Were you drinking a ton of caffeine every day? I skip coffee days routinely and usually only drink one - two cups. Sometimes I'll have 3, but that's it. Sometimes I prefer tea in the AM. Maybe that's why I don't understand the symptoms? Do most people drink way more than that? Are you staying quit, or did you decide to start again because of your symptoms? TY (curious about this... Never thought about quitting "my precious" coffee. Interesting!)

UnixBer

Absolutely starting to feel better... Here's a study I found about caffeine:
******* University | News from the University | caffeine buzz

Croissant

EverySingleNight....I agree, it does sound crazy. And I would have agreed with you a couple of months ago. But - I've observed my own issues with coffee which shocked me.

Gave it up coincidentally a few months before I got sober. Then started drinking 1 or 2 cups a day a few months into sobriety. After I had a brief slip in October, I noticed my cravings for alcohol come back co-incidentally around days when I had coffee. I kind of thought I was being a hypochondriac, to be honest.

Didn't think much of it. Then one day at work I felt really washed out....odd. I couldn't quite put my finger on it....then I said to a colleague that I actually physically felt a little hungover. Odd.

We had been in an all morning meeting at work and I'd had a few coffees back to back.

Turns out I nearly slipped again that night and the next day. I was literally clinging onto my sofa trying not to go get alcohol.

Coffee now scares me as much as alcohol. I had a bit of an Aha moment, cut out coffee and I'm much better. I think it's the 'coming down' part after coffee that sets off some physical craving for a high. Much the same as we'd seek out alcohol when hungover.

Anyway, all I can say is, it's crazy, but it seems to be the way my body works. No coffee or caffeine for me!

Fandy

I'm a high octane coffee drinker, (work in surgery in a hospital, get up at 5am for work).. I cut back from 6 cups to 3, 6 months ago, i then switch to lemon herbal tea around 9 am.
I rarely miss my starbucks Verona except when ill. The most I've felt is a slight headache.
the facial swelling sounds like an allergic reaction to a new food or drink.

Johnston

I've resolved to quit so many times in the past 2 decades and have had periods where I manage to abstain for a few months. Each time, I'm calmer and have more energy. The reason I always go back is because it's highly available and makes me feel good. The happy medium I've found is to have one in the morning then a few green teas throughout the day.

Inca

Interesting...I have wondered myself what cutting caffeine out of my diet would do for my anxiety. I currently drink about three or four cups of coffee a day.

Maybe I'll give it a whirl in 2014.

newme2day

Oh boy . . .i really love my a.m. coffee!! Not ready to give it up yet.

UnixBer

My coffee habit was that of nearly constantly having a cup in hand. No energy drinks but coffee many pots a day, sometimes less. Sometimes I would switch to green tea but often felt it didn't give enough caffeine.

One reason for my symptoms could be that I only used a 2-day taper with green tea, and lots of it too... It might be easier to gradually lower the intake and then end it. But after the struggle it seems to work well and pay off like this as well...

Fandy: I haven't excluded that possibility of the swollen face (more left side, near nose, also the right side near nose). It's starting to improve. Can't think of any new substance that would've caused the reaction, as I've no known allegries at all. I've been introducing peppermind herbal tea and lemon-spiced rooibos into my day. Other than that, can't think of anything else but possible bacterial infection... It could as easily be alcohol recovery related too. I've once before had this in the past, that was one time trying to get sober.

Truly thanks for mentioning the benefits of abstaining. The energy level and deeper sleep, clearer thinking etc... it is one reason that has been a motivator. And all the antioxidants and minerals can be found elsewhere than in coffee. I'll have to give it a month or two just be able to compare the feeling...

Ruby2

I used to be an all day long coffee drinker. Black, no sugar. I still drink coffee but have switched over to decaf or a blend of decaf and regular. If I drink soda it is always caffeine free diet soda. When I do drink too much caffeine I can really feel the anxiety ratchet up and I can understand the impact on urges to drink just to quell that awful anxious feeling of coffee jitters. Bleah!

mistydm

I drink one cup in the morning and feel good. I have found myself throughout the day going to the staff lounge for a soda to get that same pick me up. I would rather give up caffeine so those of you who mentioned herbal tea, is it a psychological replacement to your morning cup of joe? Does the natural benefits of herbal tea provide the pick me up without the caffeine addiction? I've chose to refrain from alcohol, now wondering if I should do the same with caffeine because I too have seen either anxiety or PAWS during the day. Thanks for your input!

UnixBer

Misty: I'm not sure if herbal tea does the same thing as coffee, but it is healthy anyway, and should have a soothing effect, that might not be so much a pick me up.
At first I thought that herbal teas will act as a replacement for my coffee but now I think of it more like another tasty drink in the selections, and not a replacement (like in the morning. I can drink it anytime, and not necessarily always in the morning.).

Hopefully this is not medical advice but I think that a fruit-juice with plenty of vitamin C could do the trick. Actually I already tried it and it gives a boost of energy.

Mags1

Hi UnixBer, I've been thinking of cutting out coffee too. Last time I did I had withdrawals in aches in my legs.

I now have decaf part of the day and coffee usually first thing in the morning.

What to have instead of coffee, I've tried herbal teas and just hot water but I want to enjoy a drink not hurry to get to the bottom of it. Not one for too many fruit juices I font mind hot cranberry juice but couldn't drink it all day. Pondering

Fandy

Most herbal teas have zero caffeine.

I just like the taste....(green tea tastes like snot with ick added to me). I am NOT a big soda drinker except in summer and now have a soda stream so i no longer have to drag home bottles. I like lemon, cherry and decaf earl gray.

right now it is 60 degrees in my office, yesterday it was 80....

there used to be a tea thread around here somewhere. my favoirte at night is honey vanilla relaxing tea.

Uni, it sounds like some sort of sinus or nasal issue....can you go to see an ENT, especially if it persists.
my brother once had a small issue he ignored that was actually a parotid cancer, i am not trying to frighten anyone, but for 6 months he ignored it.

Johnston

I've been rocking on the dandelion tea for a few weeks now. It has a roasted taste, almost feels like coffee.