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I need to quit CAFFIENE! (1 Viewer)

Rob Lutter

Senior HTF Member
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Nov 3, 2000
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I am worried that I am becoming a serious caffeine addict. Seriously, I wake up, drink a cup of coffee, have about 2 cups of coke with every meal, and drink about 5 cans of coke/cups of coffee during the day. This can't be healthy and I think it's dulling me down to the point of sometimes not being able to think straight :D

What the best way to quit? Anyone done it before?
Cold turkey? Is there a patch for this sort of thing? :D
 

Terry Hansen

Stunt Coordinator
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Sep 15, 1999
Messages
102
Rob, I too have struggled with the evil beverage (coffee). I quit cold turkey a couple years ago for about 6 months. Don't know why I started up again but I'm back up to 4 cups a day. Good luck.
 

Erik.Ha

Supporting Actor
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Dec 24, 2003
Messages
697
From the time I was 9 years old until I was 31, I drank (literally) one gallon (some days MORE) of home brewed Lipton Iced Tea every day. It was all I would drink... Luckily I never drank coffee or cola.

I decided to quit cold turkey and I can honestly say, it was PAINFUL. I had SEVERE headaches for about 6 months, and for about a year, I felt like I was in a coma. By noon I would be ready for bed... Additionally, my weight shot up, which Ive now started to get under control.

Now that its been several years, I am glad I quit. It was my only vice, and Im glad I dont drink it any more. I feel A LOT better than I used to.
 

ZacharyTait

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I quit drinking Mountain Dew cold turkey 3 summers ago. The first 2 weeks I was really tired as my body worked to get it out of my system. After that, combined with exercise, I started to lose weight. Not that I was fat, just a spare tire.

I've "relasped" twice since then and I regretted it both times. It was only one drink both times, but still.....

Now I only drink non-caffinated soft drinks such as Sierra Mist/7 Up/Sprite and Root Beer as well as the ocassional beer/mixed drink.

Good luck!
 

Ashley Seymour

Supporting Actor
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Jun 29, 2000
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I cut back on Coke a few years ago and far from having withdrawl pains, it was one of the most relaxing experiences of my life. Unfortunately it only lasted a week and I was back to a wired feeling even though I was not on coke.

Better to cut back on the sugar than the cafine. That much sugar is far worse than the cafine. The problem is that Diet cafine Coke tastes like water, only not as good.
 

Keith Mickunas

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Dec 15, 1998
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Just cut back slowly. The headaches can be bad. I used to be addicted to caffeine, but probably on a smaller level than you. Until recently I had coke with lunch and dinner. In college I'd have 4 or more cans a day, but after college I just didn't feel like drinking it that much, it was too sweet. For the past few years I've been having some stomach trouble that I've had a hard time getting a handle on. It may be GERD and when it acts up I stop drinking soda altogether.

In the past when I'd skip the lunch coke, in the afternoons I'd sometimes get a headache, which Excederin which can handle because it has caffeine. Eventually that faded. The evening coke was never too important. A little while back the stomach trouble flared up again, and I got off coke for a while, and I just haven't given in yet. I'd like to get to where I can have a coke a day without being addicted. I'll just take it slowly and see how it goes.
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
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Mar 27, 2002
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I suspect your problem is also due to the sugar content. Your insulin response to the massive amount of sugar in those Cokes will induce the zombie-like feeling and make you crave more sugar. Cut out any sugar that you eat and drink, get plenty of sleep, and you'll feel much better in a few days to a week.
 

Chris

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I just quit, cold turkey.. I had mentioned in another thread I was up to about 120oz of Pibb Extra a day (talk about HEAVY CAFFEINE!) The first few days, I felt like I was literally going to die. Developed a few.. ahem, side effects that were not pleasant.. but after about 4-5 days, I feel really good.

I switched over mostly to juice, primarily Cranberry Grape, but your beverage may vary.. In the short term, it sucked. I'm hoping in the long term, it's the right thing ;)
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
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Mar 27, 2002
Messages
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Gotcha, Rob, in that case, just take it slow. Cut one soda out and drink something else in it's place. After a few days, cut out another soda. Keep repeating until you consume no more :)
 

Tony Whalen

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Jan 29, 2002
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Real Name
Tony Whalen
Exactly what Leila said. Cut it out slow. That IS a lot of caffiene.

I used to consume a 2-liter bottle (gallon?) a day, plus several cups of coffee. I always thought I couldn't function without it. Nope. I was addicted to the stuff.

Now I have a cup of coffee at the office in the morning...and that is about it for the day.
 

Rob Lutter

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Nov 3, 2000
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Arigato. I'm gonna try your method Leila, sounds like it makes the most sense... thanks for the suggestions on my road to recovery. ;)
 

andrew markworthy

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Sep 30, 1999
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I went cold turkey about five years ago in an effort to control an increasing number of headaches/migraines (it worked, in conjunction with cutting out red meat of all things). No side effects, and I miss caffeine like a hole in the head. The only thing I would note is that very occasionally I get a cup of caffeinated coffee by accident at a meeting/in a cafe, etc, and boy do I notice the effect (this cannot be a placebo - or more accurately nocebo - effect as I'm unaware at the time that I'm drinking a caffeinated drink). I don't get a buzz, I just feel ill.
 

Dome Vongvises

Senior HTF Member
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May 13, 2001
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Quitting caffiene is damn near impossible. If it's not the side effects of quitting, but sitting in class suffers.

Here's a typical histology lecture without coffee:

"When you look at these on an electron micrograph, you'll find several mitochondria in the axon...

falls asleep

wakes up

...Please do not get astrocyte and blood brain barrier mixed up...

falls asleep again

wakes up

...subarachnoid space...

falls asleep for the third time

wakes up again

Hey Dome, I didn't know you signed up for microbiology?

:D

Tell you what, I'll take up the quit caffiene challenge. I'll go cold turkey....right now!!!

Let's see how long this lasts.
 

Casey Trowbridg

Senior HTF Member
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Apr 22, 2003
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I've resigned myself to the fact that were I going to quit caffeine I would probably have to do it in the summer, because the last time I tried cold turkey I was not only experiencing vicious head aches, but I became an absolutely unbelievably unpleasant person to be around and that's just how I felt about being around me not to mention what my friends thought.

Although I really should lay off the Coke, I'm sure it contributes to my stomach problems. Why does something so evil have to taste so good?
 
Joined
Sep 18, 1999
Messages
42
Back when I was 19, I would plow through a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper a day, and decided to give it up cold turkey. I had headache, but they went away after a week or so. Now I am 26, and haven't had an a drop since.

I find that caffeine is probably more that a crutch than anything, and isn't really needed. I now am going back to school, and working graveyards at work, and I am not having to go back to it even though I don't get anywhere near the sleep I need.

But this is all just my experence, your milage may vary.

Clay
 

chris_everett

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 20, 2003
Messages
403
If you do quit cold turkey, make sure you drink plenty of other liquids to make up for all the water your getting in coffee, tea, soft drinks, or whatever. That helps with the headaches.
 

Ryan Wishton

Screenwriter
Joined
May 17, 2003
Messages
1,130
I quit caffeine...

It's not so bad once your off it... I would say that being off of it is better than being on it...

Just watch out for those killer headaches at the beginning... It feels like someone actually blew the back of your head off...

Also, dont quit all at once... Listen to some others... Downgrade...
 

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