The Money Mustache Community
Other => Off Topic => Topic started by: euphoria on May 08, 2017, 04:35:30 PM
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Whats up MMM Family!
This is my very first post and its going to be about something 90% of Americans consume daily.
I've recently had an epiphany that involves caffeine. I wanted to get some feedback and see if anyone has experienced some of the things that i have been through with this drug (yes, DRUG)
One day a few months back i had a lightbulb moment. I was researching things about loss of motivation, Anxiety, bad mood, low energy etc. I came across an article/studies about caffeine. IT ALL MADE SENSE.
For 3 years now i have been taking pre-workout supplements and consuming drinks like coffee that contain lots of caffeine pretty much daily. As i look back and see where my social anxiety and depression symptoms started occurring it was when i began to consume caffeine in high doses. I strongly encourage you guys to do your research on what caffeine does to your central nervous system overtime. Caffeine puts your body in a fight/flight stage releasing cortisol and adrenaline. This should only happen when we're in danger.
Its now been a few months and i can't tell you how much research I've done on the subject. I've tried to quit several times but can't make it past the headaches/withdrawal symptoms. I think I've made it almost 7 days before giving in.
The hardest part about this whole process is being self employed and losing motivation. I have to run my business and if i don't consume caffeine i literally want to do nothing but sleep all day.
Waking up to this has been insane. Realizing that people aren't lined up at starbucks for the antioxidants coffee contains but for the caffeine. haha
Was wondering if anyone here has gone through anything similar and has successfully given up caffeine? I know i sound like an addict but its the truth. I'm addicted to caffeine :/
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Absolutely true. I've given up caffeine several times over the years. The longest it stuck was from the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child until the day after my second cook was born. Just under 3 years. I quit for about 7 months last year. The first 2 weeks are the hardest. Have a supply of painkillers ready to combat the headaches. I found the best was alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every 4 hours so they wouldn't wear off. If they wrote of I suffered a killer headache for a couple hours before it kicked back in. I want to quit again but dreading the headaches.
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I've never noticed any effects from caffeine, whether drinking Diet Coke all day (6-8 cans at times) or drinking nothing but water for a few months straight. I've never been a coffee drinker, and only drink tea when I go to Ireland.
I can drink Diet Coke right before bedtime and sleep soundly. Whether I drink caffeinated drinks or not seems to have no effect on me - no headaches, no cravings etc. I should donate my body to science :)
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I've never noticed any effects from caffeine, whether drinking Diet Coke all day (6-8 cans at times) or drinking nothing but water for a few months straight. I've never been a coffee drinker, and only drink tea when I go to Ireland.
I can drink Diet Coke right before bedtime and sleep soundly. Whether I drink caffeinated drinks or not seems to have no effect on me - no headaches, no cravings etc. I should donate my body to science :)
You're lucky haha We all Metabolize caffeine differently according to genetics. There are actually 3 stages/types. Some people can take more than 500mg and barely feel the effects where some can consume tea and get jitters and anxiety.
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Don't quit cold turkey. Taper down gradually over several months and you'll never have a headache. It worked for me.
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I'm very sensitive to caffeine, so at most I'd have a half caf coffee once a week, and now I pretty much have no caffeine at all. I do have some caffeine if I get a pre-period headache as that's the only thing that seems to work.
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This is interesting that this subject comes up now.
I am a total caffeine addict, and until recently, I drank a large mug of coffee every morning (probably 2 cups), then some tea mid morning. Most afternoons I drank a medium iced coffee and occasionally another one at 4pm (but usually on fridays). I just recently changed jobs and due to being busy learning stuff and spending more time on the production floor, I find that I have halved my caffeine intake, and despite the anxiety of starting a new job, my general anxiety level is WAY down. I also just made the connection as to why I was getting screaming headaches mid afternoon all last week, but they have faded now.
Sigh....goodbye afternoon iced coffees...
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Then recently I had three episodes over a few weeks where I had high anxiety/mild depression that happened on days where I drank my old levels of caffeine. I did some googling and saw that there can be a correlation between caffeine and anxiety/depression. Now did the caffeine cause my bad days, or was I having a bad day that caused me to say "fuck it" and drink more caffeine? I honestly don't know but I figured there's no point in risking it and I immediately chopped my intake in half again (down to one 120mg drink a day). That was about 2 weeks ago and in another few weeks I'll cut it out completely.
It'll help.
In my teens and very early 20's I drank coffee regularly. Loved the buzz. Could hang out in coffee shops until 9pm and still sleep well. Then around 23/24 years old I started having serious anxiety issues related to leaving college without any plan or career prospects or philosophy of life. I talked to a doctor about the constant worry, the electric "zings" I occasionally felt through my chest and the GI distress and his first question was "how much caffeine do you drink?". Gave up caffeine and suddenly all that got significantly better. Kind of dumb of me not to put that together on my own, that regularly flogging your adrenal system with caffeine might lead to a perpetual fight or flight reaction.
I like to say my body decided for me to give up caffeine. I still regard coffee as "liquid worry" but have slipped a little green tea back into my morning routine, after maybe 7-8 years of avoiding caffeine entirely.
It is also nice to not need a jump start every morning. Now when I really need help (running on a couple hours sleep or less) a small cup of coffee or black tea is magic.
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I had a very stressful work period where I was drinking several cups of coffee a day. I got a hand tremor from it. Cut way back, yes the whacked at the back of the head with a paddle[ /i]headache was a few days. Now I have one cup, max 2 cups, before noon, and the rest of the day is decaf (I like coffee) or other liquids.
You all realise that caffeine is an alkaloid the the coffee plant puts in its seeds so insects don't eat them and they get to germinate, right? Natural selection at work, those plants that did not protect their seeds had no offspring, plants that protected their seeds had offspring - lots of caffeine now. We all all drinking insecticide. Yummy insecticide. Fortunately we are not insects and the dosage is pharmacological, not lethal.
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I've never noticed any effects from caffeine, whether drinking Diet Coke all day (6-8 cans at times) or drinking nothing but water for a few months straight.
Neither have I. I used to be a professor, and probably drank close to a coffee per day, Monday-Friday every week for the 9 months of the school year. As soon as the year was over, I'd drink no coffee at all during the summer (or maybe one cup per month). Never noticed any withdrawal, never had cravings.
It's amazing how different different people can be.
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I am addicted to coffee but this addiction is under control. One cup of good coffee -usually a home-made espresso-based drink like cappuccino per day and I am good to go. Funnily, when my wife and I camp (about six months of the year), we start our day with one cup of coffee in the morning, black, no sugar, prepared in a Bialetti stove-top coffee maker. When I am at home, I drink my cappuccino with milk (obviously) and two sugar cubes. I tried black coffee at home but somehow it doesn't work.
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i drink my caffeine in the form of black tea. i usually always have a cup on hand at work and cut myself off at 9pm. but i do suffer from withdrawal if i stop. i'm generally super sensitive to anything that affects sleep or energy so it's not surprising to me.
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I have a pretty strong caffeine addiction though for me the majority of the addiction is habit based. In my experience getting over caffeine chemically takes maybe 3 days to leave my system and involves about 2 more days after that of headaches and general grogginess. After that physically I am more or less fine.
What usually draws me back in is I miss the ritual of having an energy drink or coffee at a fixed time. Kind of like a cigarette smoker misses taking a smoke break outside.
I have done a number of uppers including ephedrine HCL, Clenbuterol, and also 1,3 dimethylamylamine when it was once in pre-workout powders. What I learned from taking these stronger now mostly regulated or straight banned uppers is that caffeine is for the most part incredibly mild. Though the caveat is some people have a much stronger negative reaction to caffeine than others.
With caffeine if I have way to much it will generally make me feel physically a bit ill, possibly a bit groggy in the evening. And maybe a tad irritable. Mostly because I am groggy. But these symptoms are always generally mild and I would never go so far as to say they made me feel depressed.
The other nice part of caffeine is I can have very little each day, like one cup of coffee will keep me happy. Or a lot like 4 cups or 1 cup and two energy drinks and I can jump between heavy and light dosages without ever having worse come down periods.
The same can not be said for more potent amphetamine like uppers. These first off will give you a heart attack if you overdose. Second if you max out the recommend upper limit doses for as much as 2-3 weeks the come down I would definitely describe as a haze of depression. My mood from using these too long is notably dampened and I feel almost listless. This issue can generally be avoided by coming down off these drugs gradually. Something I never have to do with caffeine except to avoid bad headaches. So by comparison the mood swings I find are incredibly mild. Also I can generally skip a day of caffeine and feel fine mood wise. I cannot say the same for ephedrine.
In summary I just want to point out that for people who develop a reasonable tolerance to caffeine it is a very mild and manageable upper. There is certainly a level of chemical dependence but it is generally mild as you can fully purge it form your system in under a week if you go cold Turkey. I have also found that my energy regulation goes back to normal after a few weeks. While you are dependent on caffeine it is true it will likely fully control your periods of high energy. Where as in its absences you will generally be able to achieve natural highs while say working out.
I would also say you probably do some amount of harm to a healthier sleep cycle while regularly using caffeine.
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I am finding that caffeine is good occasionally, like once a week, to get me out of ruts I would otherwise fall into. But more than that and it is actually not good. A lot is simple habit, and drinking coffee every time you feel sleepy will actually make things worse because you still won't have the rest you need. The only time this is somewhat justified is when you have a job where you are unable to make your own decisions...
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I have done a number of uppers including ephedrine HCL, Clenbuterol, and also 1,3 dimethylamylamine when it was once in pre-workout powders. What I learned from taking these stronger now mostly regulated or straight banned uppers is that caffeine is for the most part incredibly mild. Though the caveat is some people have a much stronger negative reaction to caffeine than others.
pre workout with DMAA haha that was the old jack3d formula. There is a brand called mesomorph that still contains 1-3d. its actually not banned like the majority think. That stuff is ridiculous! So far I've made it today without any caffeine. Mild headache but feel extremely low energy. I'm going to fight through it this time. Seeing all the replies to this post will keep me motivated.
Breaking the Caffeine addiction DAY 1
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Hey,
I recently have up caffeine (start last Friday) due to some heart burn I was getting. So far its going ok. Substituted my morning cup of very strong aeropress or stovetop with a hot chocolate made from 100% raw cacao powder (which I acknowledge has a small caffeine component but my reading indicates minimal).
I had headaches the first few days and it has also coincided with some head cold symptoms. Unclear if related or not.
The biggest challenge is the office environment. I have herbal teas which get me through.
God I miss you coffee.
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I consum caffeine very rarely. Maybe twice a month I put a splash of regular coffee in my mug of decaf. I am extremely sensitive to caffeine and I don't enjoy the feeling of being under its influence: anxious, trembling, sweating, gi upset, and later inability to sleep.
I will have a caffeinated energy "goo" before a race. The only time the caffeine doesn't bother me too much is iif I am about to do intense exercise for two hours.
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For a few years, Mr. YK and I had daily lattes. They smell and taste so good. But, we clearly became addicted to them. If I didn't have one by 10 am, I would get a terrible headache. It wasn't fun to always plan out when to have a latte if you didn't have time to make one in the morning.
We quit by having less and less each week, then switching to green tea, then to nothing. I think I did it over the course of a month. We both sleep so much better, and Mr. YK used to take FOREVER to wake up, but now wakes up in a normal time frame. Not being dehydrated from it is really nice. Also, it makes traveling internationally easier if you don't have to deal with the headache withdrawal.
I'll have tea every once in a while, but it's mostly herbal teas.
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As a tip, I've found that one way to stay awake is to over-hydrate yourself. You'll end up peeing it all out, but it will keep you awake without using caffeine.
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I used to never drink coffee, it started in my late 20s early 30s and has gotten worse over the years. I drink a cup at home and get tons of gift cards for starbucks so grab another at work an hour later. Sometimes a third cup in the afternoon. It's kind of like RangerOne says it feels like something to do, get out of the office for five minutes then come back. That's exactly what smoking was about, for some reason quitting smoking especially with it banned in restaurants and bars wasn't too difficult for me, but it looks like I replaced it with coffee. I guess I should take up chewing toothpicks or pistachios or something or just go for a damn walk and no coffee.
I write this while I'm drinking my morning coffee!!
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I've never noticed any effects from caffeine, whether drinking Diet Coke all day (6-8 cans at times) or drinking nothing but water for a few months straight.
Neither have I. I used to be a professor, and probably drank close to a coffee per day, Monday-Friday every week for the 9 months of the school year. As soon as the year was over, I'd drink no coffee at all during the summer (or maybe one cup per month). Never noticed any withdrawal, never had cravings.
It's amazing how different different people can be.
I'm another of the very low side effects people. If I don't have any caffeine at all, I will get a headache, but only on the first day, and it doesn't last very long. I can also drink several cups of coffee with supper and go to bed at 9pm (normal for me) and sleep without issues. I like coffee (and Earl Grey) and drink a minimum of four cups of drip or percolator coffee a day, usually more. I would only give it up if prices spiked.
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I do my best to never consume caffeine except when I really need it. I tend to drink it about once every 3 months or longer. Thursday and Friday I worked 16 hour days which began at midnight so I ended up drinking 3 cups of coffee each day to get through it. This morning I woke up with a headache (which never happens) and I'm guessing it's from the coffee (either consuming so much or stopping it after the binge).
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Gave it up, best thing I ever did. You don't realize how bad it is until you're off of it. That extra energy if gives you? Well, you pay for it in crashes that you don't even realize at the time. That extra work you think you're getting done? Turns out you're doing a worse job overall... It may not be as severe as hardcore drug addictive, but the social acceptance of caffeine addiction makes it insidious.
It feels easy to give up when you're using tons. It's like your body is so saturated that it takes time to taper off and develop side effects, but then when you get them it's severe. I had stomach issues and a mild headache for pretty much an entire Summer, starting a couple weeks after going cold turkey. Now I'm very sensitive to it. A couple of times I thought I'd get away with just a little pick me up. Nope. Don't do it! A single cup of coffee or even half a glass of Coke will leave me with a blinding headache in the next 24-48 hours.
Go clean, stay clean. It really does make for a better life.
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Don't quit cold turkey. Taper down gradually over several months and you'll never have a headache. It worked for me.
I never drank a lot, but I always enjoyed my cup of coffee in the morning. The taste, the warmth, the routine, those moments of slowly waking up and enjoying something hot and sweet. However, I've always had to be very careful as well because I am also extremely sensitive. Apparently being on oral birth control pills can make the half-life of caffeine in the body twice what it would otherwise be, whereas smoking can decrease the half life. I looked that stuff up after having tea in the evening and literally not sleeping all night long.
My doctor recommended I quit caffeine when I was trying to get pregnant two pregnancies ago. I reluctantly cut my morning cut of coffee down to 0.5 regular, 0.5 decaf. I didn't experience the withdrawal headaches, but I was a massive BITCH for a good 7+ days straight. Fascinating withdrawal. I ended up getting pregnant before cutting down the zero. Then once the baby came, out of sheer desperation after months of no sleep, I just cut out that remaining 0.5 cup of regular and switched to 100% decaf. I didn't notice a thing, probably because caffeine withdrawal was the least of my worries at that point in my life.
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Caffeine is a blessing and a curse lol.
I drink about 2-3 servings of coffee every morning and then a few more every evening.
I feel tired as hell until if I don't.
I should probably cut back.
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I drink several large cups of black tea throughout the day, but that's mostly just to keep warm (I'm one of those 'always cold' people). Caffeine has never really affected me. And I don't really like the flavor of coffee. I'll grab a coffee (mixed with a packet of hot cocoa) from the cafe at work 3-4 times per month if I just can't seem to stay awake. I don't get a buzz from it--it barely takes the edge off the sleepiness. Doesn't keep me up at night either if I have a late cup of tea.
I will say, however, that I tried to save money by using dehydrated coffee instead of buying from the cafe (I don't like the flavor much anyway; it's mostly just to caffeinate my hot cocoa). For some reason, I'd drink this coffee on like Tuesday or Wednesday, then get a migraine the following Sunday or Monday. No idea why. No additives or anything, and why would hit hit several days later? Anyway, stopped drinking it and the migraines went back to their normal occasional cadence.
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I drink coffee, but since I don't actually enjoy the taste if coffee generally only 1 cup per work day and none on weekends. I do like the occasional tea though. I also don't drink any coffee on vacations or any time I'm not working.
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I drink several large cups of black tea throughout the day, but that's mostly just to keep warm (I'm one of those 'always cold' people). Caffeine has never really affected me. And I don't really like the flavor of coffee. I'll grab a coffee (mixed with a packet of hot cocoa) from the cafe at work 3-4 times per month if I just can't seem to stay awake. I don't get a buzz from it--it barely takes the edge off the sleepiness. Doesn't keep me up at night either if I have a late cup of tea.
I will say, however, that I tried to save money by using dehydrated coffee instead of buying from the cafe (I don't like the flavor much anyway; it's mostly just to caffeinate my hot cocoa). For some reason, I'd drink this coffee on like Tuesday or Wednesday, then get a migraine the following Sunday or Monday. No idea why. No additives or anything, and why would hit hit several days later? Anyway, stopped drinking it and the migraines went back to their normal occasional cadence.
I'm trying to trace my migraine triggers - they usually happen on the weekend. Thanks for the suggestion that a trigger might be 2-3 days prior. It expands my search ideas. ;)
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I drink several large cups of black tea throughout the day, but that's mostly just to keep warm (I'm one of those 'always cold' people). Caffeine has never really affected me. And I don't really like the flavor of coffee. I'll grab a coffee (mixed with a packet of hot cocoa) from the cafe at work 3-4 times per month if I just can't seem to stay awake. I don't get a buzz from it--it barely takes the edge off the sleepiness. Doesn't keep me up at night either if I have a late cup of tea.
I will say, however, that I tried to save money by using dehydrated coffee instead of buying from the cafe (I don't like the flavor much anyway; it's mostly just to caffeinate my hot cocoa). For some reason, I'd drink this coffee on like Tuesday or Wednesday, then get a migraine the following Sunday or Monday. No idea why. No additives or anything, and why would hit hit several days later? Anyway, stopped drinking it and the migraines went back to their normal occasional cadence.
I'm trying to trace my migraine triggers - they usually happen on the weekend. Thanks for the suggestion that a trigger might be 2-3 days prior. It expands my search ideas. ;)
Happy to help! Good luck on your search!
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I'm trying to trace my migraine triggers - they usually happen on the weekend. Thanks for the suggestion that a trigger might be 2-3 days prior. It expands my search ideas. ;)
I was getting weekend migraines last year. I was convinced that it was because my sleeping habits changed over the weekend, but I fixed that and still got the migraines. They always hit my second day off. I was stressed at work, and I saw that the stress relief of weekends could trigger migraines. I started running and meditating during the week, and the migraines went away. I've since changed jobs, and they haven't come back.
Back on topic. I gave up caffeine for Lent this past year. It was way more difficult than I anticipated. My energy levels were much lower. I also discovered I wasn't drinking nearly enough water. I'm back on caffeine, but I'm also drinking more water and feeling better.
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I've known a number of people over the years with the weekend migraine thing... Interestingly they're all 2-3 cup a day drinkers during the week who don't drink coffee on the weekend... :-) I can't think of a single case where adding coffee to the weekend routine didn't cure the mysterious migraines... Which would mean that they misdiagnosed themselves with migraines and it was really addiction withdrawal headaches...
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Well, inspired by my own headacheyness and lethargy, I cut out caffeine this week. I've been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen.
The only caffeine I've been drinking has been a couple of cups of hot chocolate a day. Previously I'd been drinking 2 (or 3) cups of half-caf and one cup of tea a day.
My wife sent me a thing a while back about "highly sensitive people", and I guess I am one. I can't take *anything* these days.
I'd drink coffee and just feel like a puddle on the floor after, ha. I miss it quite a bit, but not as much as I was expecting (I've quit a few times in the past). Not sure I've got my energy back as I've never been particularly high energy.
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Well, inspired by my own headacheyness and lethargy, I cut out caffeine this week. I've been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen.
The only caffeine I've been drinking has been a couple of cups of hot chocolate a day. Previously I'd been drinking 2 (or 3) cups of half-caf and one cup of tea a day.
My wife sent me a thing a while back about "highly sensitive people", and I guess I am one. I can't take *anything* these days.
I'd drink coffee and just feel like a puddle on the floor after, ha. I miss it quite a bit, but not as much as I was expecting (I've quit a few times in the past). Not sure I've got my energy back as I've never been particularly high energy.
When I quit last year, it took at least two months before I got my energy back and even then it came in waves. It's one reason why I'm hesitant to quit again. I regret starting again.
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I've known a number of people over the years with the weekend migraine thing... Interestingly they're all 2-3 cup a day drinkers during the week who don't drink coffee on the weekend... :-) I can't think of a single case where adding coffee to the weekend routine didn't cure the mysterious migraines... Which would mean that they misdiagnosed themselves with migraines and it was really addiction withdrawal headaches...
Caffeine is often used to treat migraine symptoms, regardless of the trigger. Mine wasn't due to the caffeine, it was due to the instant coffee itself. In retrospect (once I noticed the pattern), the instant coffee guaranteed the weekend migraine. But if I had a week with regularly brewed coffee or no coffee at all, it was much less likely to happen (barring a different trigger). Sometimes caffeine helps mine, sometimes it doesn't.
I'm not saying you're wrong--caffeine withdrawal and dehydration were my first two guesses (both easily ruled out). But I don't know if we should be painting everyone with the same broad brush.
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I developed a horrible migraine this past weekend on Friday night lasting all the way through Saturday afternoon/evening. I cut out my usual pre-workout for a few days (which included a 200mg caffeine pill) beforehand. I am sure this had a lot to do with it. I am working on smaller doses of pre-workout and cutting my caffeine pill in half. I drink about a half cup of coffee in the morning as well.
I enjoy the pre-workout because it really boost my energy levels for a good workout. I make my own as well with only 4 ingredients so I know what goes in it.
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One week with (virtually) no caffeine.
Apparently coffee is about 80mg a cup; tea 40; and hot chocolate 5.
I'm drinking 1-2 cups of hot choc a day. So maybe 10-15mg, rather than 120?
Also taking two halves of a paracetamol (so 500mg), and a couple of ibuprofen (= 2x200mg) to take the edge off. Not sure if the headaches are withdrawal related or just my poor sensitive head.
Not feeling too much longing, unless I a) think about it, or b) it's a dreary day like today... Hmm. Mostly just miss the warm thick liquid.. hot choc is ok I guess. But damn it's a lot of sugar.
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I've cut out coffee and started drinking white tea instead. Still a bit of caffeine but much less. Already I am sleeping better. No headaches either.
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I'm in a constant battle with caffeinated, diet, soft drinks. I can easily drink a six-pack of diet soda in a day. I'm pretty sure that my addiction to the sweetener is probably a bigger factor than to the caffeine. I regularly cut all soda and just replace with unsweetened brewed tea. After a few days of substituting brewed tea for soda, I can wean myself off tea with no withdrawal symptoms -- and I find quitting tea to be so much easier than quitting soda.
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I'm in a constant battle with caffeinated, diet, soft drinks. I can easily drink a six-pack of diet soda in a day. I'm pretty sure that my addiction to the sweetener is probably a bigger factor than to the caffeine. I regularly cut all soda and just replace with unsweetened brewed tea. After a few days of substituting brewed tea for soda, I can wean myself off tea with no withdrawal symptoms -- and I find quitting tea to be so much easier than quitting soda.
I get soda (Dr Pepper mostly) cravings after dinner--I think it's the sugar more than the caffeine. So I started drinking San Pellegrino water after dinner instead. It's cold and fizzy and is an adequate replacement. Plain water just tastes bad after food to me, but the minerals give my fizzy water just enough flavor that I don't miss the soda as much. I don't think I've had a Dr Pepper since March, now that I think of it.
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One week with (virtually) no caffeine.
Apparently coffee is about 80mg a cup; tea 40; and hot chocolate 5.
I'm drinking 1-2 cups of hot choc a day. So maybe 10-15mg, rather than 120?
Also taking two halves of a paracetamol (so 500mg), and a couple of ibuprofen (= 2x200mg) to take the edge off. Not sure if the headaches are withdrawal related or just my poor sensitive head.
Not feeling too much longing, unless I a) think about it, or b) it's a dreary day like today... Hmm. Mostly just miss the warm thick liquid.. hot choc is ok I guess. But damn it's a lot of sugar.
Hot lemon water? It is now my first thing in the morning hot drink. Coffee before food wasn't doing well.
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One week with (virtually) no caffeine.
Apparently coffee is about 80mg a cup; tea 40; and hot chocolate 5.
I'm drinking 1-2 cups of hot choc a day. So maybe 10-15mg, rather than 120?
Also taking two halves of a paracetamol (so 500mg), and a couple of ibuprofen (= 2x200mg) to take the edge off. Not sure if the headaches are withdrawal related or just my poor sensitive head.
Not feeling too much longing, unless I a) think about it, or b) it's a dreary day like today... Hmm. Mostly just miss the warm thick liquid.. hot choc is ok I guess. But damn it's a lot of sugar.
Hot lemon water? It is now my first thing in the morning hot drink. Coffee before food wasn't doing well.
Also, oolong, green, and white teas have less caffeine than black. Most herbal teas have no caffeine.
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I'm in a constant battle with caffeinated, diet, soft drinks. I can easily drink a six-pack of diet soda in a day. I'm pretty sure that my addiction to the sweetener is probably a bigger factor than to the caffeine. I regularly cut all soda and just replace with unsweetened brewed tea. After a few days of substituting brewed tea for soda, I can wean myself off tea with no withdrawal symptoms -- and I find quitting tea to be so much easier than quitting soda.
That's my problem too. I normally have pepsi max. I already have a headache this morning (it's 7am where I am) because I only had one can yesterday instead of the 2-3 I have been having lately.
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One week with (virtually) no caffeine.
Apparently coffee is about 80mg a cup; tea 40; and hot chocolate 5.
I'm drinking 1-2 cups of hot choc a day. So maybe 10-15mg, rather than 120?
Also taking two halves of a paracetamol (so 500mg), and a couple of ibuprofen (= 2x200mg) to take the edge off. Not sure if the headaches are withdrawal related or just my poor sensitive head.
Not feeling too much longing, unless I a) think about it, or b) it's a dreary day like today... Hmm. Mostly just miss the warm thick liquid.. hot choc is ok I guess. But damn it's a lot of sugar.
Hot lemon water? It is now my first thing in the morning hot drink. Coffee before food wasn't doing well.
Also, oolong, green, and white teas have less caffeine than black. Most herbal teas have no caffeine.
I used to drink rooibos. Honestly I am not a fan of tea; I only started drinking tea at work when kind people would offer a cup of whatever at least twice an hour, and I couldn't take all the coffee.
Coffee just has a different texture to it. Hot chocolate is close. I tried chicory root but it's not the same.
No doubt it's "coke tastes better unless you don't know it's coke".
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I've had good luck limiting coffee to a specific time of day: 5 to 7 am. The rest of the day I have green tea or oolong tea.
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I enjoy the pre-workout because it really boost my energy levels for a good workout. I make my own as well with only 4 ingredients so I know what goes in it.
That's what got me to become addicted to caffeine. I never consumed caffeine but when I started working out I was introduced to this "pre workout powder" and have been consuming it for years. It does give me a really intense and focused workout but I remember being that way before ever taking it. This is Day 3 with no caffeine and I feel miserable.
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I'm 4th day without coffee (switched to white tea), not caffeine free, but much less. Already I'm getting more appetite in the morning, less binging on crap at night, getting tired at a reasonable time, and 'monkey mind' is dialed down when trying to fall asleep.
So far it's been all good. I think in a few weeks I will switch to a tea without any caffeine and be done with it.
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I tried quitting energy drinks, lasted a whole month. What a total disaster. I work graveyard and don't normally have problems staying awake, the lethargy and sleepiness was incredible. Now back to normal routine, slightly lower intake, much better off. I figured after a few weeks I'd be OK, but no. think I may have screwed over my system into needing the sugar and caffeine.
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I used to drink coffee - about a pot a day. Could not function in the morning without it. Gave it up about 8 years ago. Now I drink one cup of black tea in the morning and that's it for caffeine.
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I'm like a chocoholic. Only for coffee. It's necessary for my daily transformation from a Purple Minion into an actual human being.
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Following this thread because I've recently realized I have a caffeine problem. There was recently a news report about a teen who had died from issues related to less caffeine than I drink per day, and it kind of shook me.
Typically I drink: one triple espresso shot with almond milk in the morning, one 5 hour energy poured into a can of sparkling water, and another triple shot later in the day, or 1/2 of an energy drink... just to keep myself going. If I try to taper off, I feel HORRIBLE. I've come to the conclusion that I'll need 3-5 days off in a row in order to lay in bed if I go cold turkey. I've done it before (never lasted more than a month), and had pretty notable repercussions at work, headaches, and even dizziness/nausea stuff.
I wasn't even permitted to drink soda as a child, yet somehow at about 25 years old (I'm 33 now), I discovered that drinking a Red Bull (then eventually coffee) helped me increase my production at work... which actually got me plenty of raises and advancement at that time... but now it's just a drag, and isn't helping me get ahead anymore.
Yet I have two jobs, two side-hustles, I go to school full-time, and I play on a sports team... Hoping following this thread will give me some ideas for how to ween myself off while still managing my responsibilities!
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Following this thread because I've recently realized I have a caffeine problem. There was recently a news report about a teen who had died from issues related to less caffeine than I drink per day, and it kind of shook me.
Typically I drink: one triple espresso shot with almond milk in the morning, one 5 hour energy poured into a can of sparkling water, and another triple shot later in the day, or 1/2 of an energy drink... just to keep myself going. If I try to taper off, I feel HORRIBLE. I've come to the conclusion that I'll need 3-5 days off in a row in order to lay in bed if I go cold turkey. I've done it before (never lasted more than a month), and had pretty notable repercussions at work, headaches, and even dizziness/nausea stuff.
I wasn't even permitted to drink soda as a child, yet somehow at about 25 years old (I'm 33 now), I discovered that drinking a Red Bull (then eventually coffee) helped me increase my production at work... which actually got me plenty of raises and advancement at that time... but now it's just a drag, and isn't helping me get ahead anymore.
Yet I have two jobs, two side-hustles, I go to school full-time, and I play on a sports team... Hoping following this thread will give me some ideas for how to ween myself off while still managing my responsibilities!
All I can say is good luck. I started this thread over a month ago and I have still not quit. I make it past the first day of extreme headaches and day 2 is just a really sleepy/depressed feeling and by day 3 I'm back on the caffeine. Im going to try slowly tapering like I've been reading on a bunch of articles. My biggest problem is that in order to workout i NEED caffeine, its definitely mental but without it i don't feel like doing anything. So basically I'm forcing myself to quit the gym until I'm done with caffeine since thats honestly the only time i consume it in pre workout formula.
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My earlier post I mentioned I went to white tea for a while as a way to step down from coffee. Well it worked, I'm off tea (and all caffeine) for about 6 weeks now. Addiction is a funny thing. After the first couple of weeks there's no physical cravings, but the brain still gives you emotional cravings like "oh, a cup of coffee would just be so nice right now", or "I've been good, I deserve a little treat, how about a nice espresso", and shit like that. I noticed the same patterns when I stopped drinking alcohol.
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bump
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Any updates from anyone on battling the caffeine addiction?
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I've been caffeine-free for about 2 weeks now. It took me about 2 months of a very slow wean of 1/4 cup of coffee every 4 days. I don't think I really had any caffeine-withdrawal headaches.
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I have an espresso before any 3+ hour bike ride. That's it. Daily use of the drug limits it's effectiveness as a performance enhancer and increases your dependence.
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I was always one of those who could drink caffeine and it seemed to have very little effect on me. Drink a 20oz Red Bull and then go to sleep for the night kind of stuff. Suddenly, about 6 months ago, I started getting bouts of anxiety for no apparent reason. Traced it back to caffeine and now I drink it very little. It's funny how our bodies change.
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Whats up MMM Family!
This is my very first post and its going to be about something 90% of Americans consume daily.
I've recently had an epiphany that involves caffeine. I wanted to get some feedback and see if anyone has experienced some of the things that i have been through with this drug (yes, DRUG)
One day a few months back i had a lightbulb moment. I was researching things about loss of motivation, Anxiety, bad mood, low energy etc. I came across an article/studies about caffeine. IT ALL MADE SENSE.
For 3 years now i have been taking pre-workout supplements and consuming drinks like coffee that contain lots of caffeine pretty much daily. As i look back and see where my social anxiety and depression symptoms started occurring it was when i began to consume caffeine in high doses. I strongly encourage you guys to do your research on what caffeine does to your central nervous system overtime. Caffeine puts your body in a fight/flight stage releasing cortisol and adrenaline. This should only happen when we're in danger.
Its now been a few months and i can't tell you how much research I've done on the subject. I've tried to quit several times but can't make it past the headaches/withdrawal symptoms. I think I've made it almost 7 days before giving in.
The hardest part about this whole process is being self employed and losing motivation. I have to run my business and if i don't consume caffeine i literally want to do nothing but sleep all day.
Waking up to this has been insane. Realizing that people aren't lined up at starbucks for the antioxidants coffee contains but for the caffeine. haha
Was wondering if anyone here has gone through anything similar and has successfully given up caffeine? I know i sound like an addict but its the truth. I'm addicted to caffeine :/
Welcome. :)
I've considered moderating my caffeine intake, but never tried too hard. I don't think it's ever been much of a problem for me. Sometimes I'm away for a week or so and go without coffee, and don't seem to experience any withdrawal symptoms.
If you're an instant coffee kind of guy, I was wondering if you've considered weaning yourself off by mixing up regular and decaffeinated coffee? Something like 90% regular and 10% decaffeinated to start with, then 80% - 20%, 70% - 30%, etc.
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I have an espresso before any 3+ hour bike ride. That's it. Daily use of the drug limits it's effectiveness as a performance enhancer and increases your dependence.
I would like to get myself to that point. It's sort of spiraled out of control for me. Been a cup a day coffee drinker for about a decade. Not really any issues with that. Then I added in the occasional pre-workout which were nice for long workout sessions. Now everyday is coffee and pre-workout (regardless of weather I workout or not). I have tons of energy but often times the crash sucks. And I've been struggling to get a good nights sleep. My goal is to cut out the pre-workout. I make my own so it will be easier to start tapering off the ingredients.
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I'm like a chocoholic. Only for coffee. It's necessary for my daily transformation from a Purple Minion into an actual human being.
Is there not a common term for coffee addict? We have alcoholic, crackhead, workaholic, chocoholic, tweaker, chain smoker; coffeeholic doesn't have the right ring to it. Is there are word specific to caffeine or coffee?
I only drink about a cup/day but if I notice I'm starting to drink more I cut back for a few days. Even though I only have a small amount I notice increased cravings as soon as I start drinking more. Recently I bought a really small coffee mug (at Goodwill) to limit how much I pour. I enjoy it more this way too since the best part of a cup of coffee is the first few sips. The last gulp of cold coffee is taken because it's... there.
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I'm like a chocoholic. Only for coffee. It's necessary for my daily transformation from a Purple Minion into an actual human being.
Is there not a common term for coffee addict? We have alcoholic, crackhead, workaholic, chocoholic, tweaker, chain smoker; coffeeholic doesn't have the right ring to it. Is there are word specific to caffeine or coffee?
I only drink about a cup/day but if I notice I'm starting to drink more I cut back for a few days. Even though I only have a small amount I notice increased cravings as soon as I start drinking more. Recently I bought a really small coffee mug (at Goodwill) to limit how much I pour. I enjoy it more this way too since the best part of a cup of coffee is the first few sips. The last gulp of cold coffee is taken because it's... there.
That's a good point. I can actually only stomach about 1 cup in the morning. Once the coffee starts to get lukewarm/cold I don't really want it anymore.
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Nice to see this thread pop up.
For most of my life, I've actually been mostly caffeine-free. I didn't like coffee, didn't like coke and mostly drank rooibos tea. My reaction to caffein was usually super strong as I hadn't built any tolerance at all.
However, I've started to appreciate the flavour of coffee much more throughout the years and lately I feel like I drink it too much. I now have fancy Vietnamese coffee at home that's just too good not to drink (and way stronger than espresso or Americano). I don't care about the caffeine - I just want my delicious flavor but I can't get this coffee cafeine free :(
This morning I woke up with a headache and I'm pretty sure it's something to do with my increased coffee consumption of the last weeks.
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I have an espresso before any 3+ hour bike ride. That's it. Daily use of the drug limits it's effectiveness as a performance enhancer and increases your dependence.
I would like to get myself to that point. It's sort of spiraled out of control for me. Been a cup a day coffee drinker for about a decade. Not really any issues with that. Then I added in the occasional pre-workout which were nice for long workout sessions. Now everyday is coffee and pre-workout (regardless of weather I workout or not). I have tons of energy but often times the crash sucks. And I've been struggling to get a good nights sleep. My goal is to cut out the pre-workout. I make my own so it will be easier to start tapering off the ingredients.
The good thing about caffeine addiction is that you'll only have withdrawal symptoms for two weeks if you go off it cold turkey. First three days are very rough, (headache, nausea, lethargy, irritability) and it steadily tapers off until you're free. I kicked a 12 cups a day habit at the end of university . . . it was eye opening how rough that felt.
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I drink about 1-1.5 mugs of drip coffee (no sugar/cream) every morning. I genuinely enjoy the scent and flavor and the morning ritual. I rarely drink caffeinated beverages at other times of the day, but when I do they don’t seem to have negative effects. Because I do enjoy coffee itself, I sometimes make a cup of decaf (the organic line at Kroger is the best I’ve found) for a treat in the afternoon. I don’t think I’ve ever tried an energy drink.
Am I addicted? Maybe a slight dependency. I had to give up coffee, as well as many other things, for a short period last winter for health reasons. I had an annoying but not intolerable headache for the first 2 days and was fine after that. No idea if it was the loss of coffee (I still drank tea) or something else.
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Am I addicted? Maybe a slight dependency. I had to give up single malt whiskey, as well as many other things, for a short period last winter for health reasons. I had an annoying but not intolerable headache for the first 2 days and was fine after that. No idea if it was the loss of booze (I still drank beer) or something else.
:P
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Am I addicted? Maybe a slight dependency. I had to give up single malt whiskey, as well as many other things, for a short period last winter for health reasons. I had an annoying but not intolerable headache for the first 2 days and was fine after that. No idea if it was the loss of booze (I still drank beer) or something else.
:P
Ah, apparently I have to provide ALL information. Fine, the transition was from 2-3 cups of strong black coffee (~300–600 mg caffeine) to one cup of green tea (~30–50 mg caffeine, 90% decrease). Feel free to make fun if it provides entertainment.
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I've been drinking coffee for 40 years with no bad affects.
However last year, after hearing my brother at age of 40 died of stomach cancer, my doctor wanted to do a ???? (can't remember word) where he put a camera down to my stomach and looked around.
All he said is that he noticed irritation and that I would not have to do that again. I guess stomach cancer can run in families and by now it would have shown up.
So I decided I better eliminate caffeine. Decaff coffee doesn't taste right to me so I used 1/3 regular coffee and 2/3 decaf in the am and if I have some in the pm, use decaf.
I guess I'm not addicted because I've felt no difference in cutting out, or cutting down on caffeine
A few months before this doctor did the scope, he did a colonoscopy on me. So, I was checked going in and coming out!
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Starting to ween back my pre-workout drink. Only put in half the caffeine as usual (100mg vs 200mg). We'll see how that goes for a bit and go from there. Good news is I have a 2 week long backpacking trip coming up with the Boy Scouts. I'll be forced to only handle a cup of black coffee in the morning.
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I limit my caffeine but not too much. I drink one mug of milky espresso in the morning and then either a small cappuccino or cup of black Earl Grey tea late morning and that's it. I used to drink tea also in the afternoon but had sleep issues so cut that out.
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Am I addicted? Maybe a slight dependency. I had to give up single malt whiskey, as well as many other things, for a short period last winter for health reasons. I had an annoying but not intolerable headache for the first 2 days and was fine after that. No idea if it was the loss of booze (I still drank beer) or something else.
:P
Ah, apparently I have to provide ALL information. Fine, the transition was from 2-3 cups of strong black coffee (~300–600 mg caffeine) to one cup of green tea (~30–50 mg caffeine, 90% decrease). Feel free to make fun if it provides entertainment.
I'm just teasing. You did say that you gave it up, but were still drinking it . . . which kinda made me giggle and think of an alcoholic I knew in university.
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I admit it, I'm a junkie. I buy 10-packs of Monster energy drink and have them sitting on my desk because I'm barely functional without drinking multiple a day. It's very anti-mustachian because those drinks are crazy expensive.
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Am I addicted? Maybe a slight dependency. I had to give up single malt whiskey, as well as many other things, for a short period last winter for health reasons. I had an annoying but not intolerable headache for the first 2 days and was fine after that. No idea if it was the loss of booze (I still drank beer) or something else.
:P
Ah, apparently I have to provide ALL information. Fine, the transition was from 2-3 cups of strong black coffee (~300–600 mg caffeine) to one cup of green tea (~30–50 mg caffeine, 90% decrease). Feel free to make fun if it provides entertainment.
I'm just teasing. You did say that you gave it up, but were still drinking it . . . which kinda made me giggle and think of an alcoholic I knew in university.
I never intended to give up caffeine altogether. I had to give up coffee specifically (acidity, indigestibility, GI pain), and the green tea was an attempt to reduce the effects since I also had to give up ibuprofen. It was a happy surprise to find that I wasn't hugely dependent on large amounts of caffeine.
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Wow, I had always thought caffeine addiction was hyperbole. I didn't realize it was actually a thing. My coffee consumption varies seasonally from about 1 liter per work day in the winter to about half a liter in the summer, from the free supply at work. But on weekends I drink at most a glass of tea per day, and often no caffeine at all. Similar on holidays. But I have never noticed any physiological effects, except that I don't sleep well if I drink coffee within 10 hours or tea within 3 hours of bed time. Zero headaches or withdrawal signs. Basically no meaningful difference. I guess I am lucky.
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I guess I'm like OtherJen. I usually drink (2) cups of drip each morning. Sometimes one. Often with creamer. Never any sugar.
I like the taste of (most) coffee, but I'm not sure the caffeine does much of anything for me. I'll pass entirely on certain roasts/types. It absolutely has to taste good.
If I miss a cup, its meh... I would have enjoyed savoring it, but I don't crash. I never get headaches or some longing to consume another caffeinated beverage.
I have tried decafe coffee, but it tastes funny to me...chemically funny. Its just not worth it as it would be un-enjoyable to drink.
I drink a soda twice a week. I choose decaf diet. I don't taste a difference with sodas so I just pick the decafe version.
I feel I'm not addicted to caffeine...but I do think I'm addicted to enjoying a good flavored beverage...
Unfortunately that carries over to beer. I love so many different flavors of beer. Wish they had fewer calories...lite beers don't have flavor though...so they are kind of pointless for me to consume as well.
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Currently, I have a cup of coffee in the morning and some iced tea later in the day and on the weekends I might have 2 cups of coffee in the morning.
When I was younger, I didn't drink coffee much at all. I only started drinking coffee daily when I moved to Portugal in my early 30s. Then I got up to 5 or 6 espressos a day because we had an espresso machine at work and the Portuguese take a lot of breaks, and they would always come and get you to join them. I didn't think much about it until I moved back to the US and had headaches from hell for the first weeks I was home. I didn't even know that caffeine headaches were a thing until someone else mentioned it, then it all made sense. So that's when I started drinking coffee every morning, but I usually stop after 1 cup.
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Green tea and Oolong tea are my go-to beverages in the afternoon now.
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I can quit any time I want. Really.
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Green tea and Oolong tea are my go-to beverages in the afternoon now.
Wulong cha shi henhaode he.
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I like coffee. It's been my main form of fluid intake for decades. If that myth about every cup of coffee making you pee out two cups of water is true, I've been dust for 30 years. I've managed to make myself feel unwell from too much caffeine a few times over the years, but day to day my intake could vary hugely without any obvious problems.
Last year I was having a stressful time at work and started getting palpitations. Or phantom palpitations - I felt as if my heart was racing but the rate would be normal when I checked it. I decided I wasn't anxious until I was decaffeinated and anxious, and switched to decaffeinated coffee, non-caffeine teas and carbonated water. Dammit, it worked!
Going abroad has been the hardest thing. It hurts to see my husband sipping a lovely little cup of coffee in a Spanish restaurant while I'm presented with a cup of hot water, a sachet of decaf granules, and a vicious glare.
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I am Swedish, not drinking coffee is not really an option. "Everyone" drinks coffee. I know people who will drink 10 cups or more a day and 3-5 is probably standard. De-caf is laughed about, it is something for people who are desperate or perhaps ill, no one drinks de-caf voluntarily. I have had to cut down due to stomach problems and today I am down to 1-2 cups and 2-4 cups of black tea and I feel almost like I don't drink coffee at all really. I love drinking good coffee, thus one of my worst spending habits which I am doing a pretty good job at breaking right now but the idea that I would never drink coffee feels like someone would tell me that I may never, for no real reason, have cucumber. Sure, I would be able to survive but why would I want to do something that crazy when there is no reason for it?
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I am Swedish, not drinking coffee is not really an option. "Everyone" drinks coffee. I know people who will drink 10 cups or more a day and 3-5 is probably standard. De-caf is laughed about, it is something for people who are desperate or perhaps ill, no one drinks de-caf voluntarily. I have had to cut down due to stomach problems and today I am down to 1-2 cups and 2-4 cups of black tea and I feel almost like I don't drink coffee at all really. I love drinking good coffee, thus one of my worst spending habits which I am doing a pretty good job at breaking right now but the idea that I would never drink coffee feels like someone would tell me that I may never, for no real reason, have cucumber. Sure, I would be able to survive but why would I want to do something that crazy when there is no reason for it?
I went to Sweden a few years ago and, at the time, I was on doctor's orders not to drink caffeine due to a serious heart issue. Anyway, here in Italy, I happily drink decaf espresso all the time and sometimes decaf cappuccino and no one bats an eye. Decaf here is just as delicious as the regular coffee and lots of Italians drink it. In Sweden, I asked for decaf and people actually laughed at me and one guy in a coffee bar told me I was "too American". It seemed strange as surely there must be Swedes who have heart issues too and have to cut out caffeine. And it was nothing to do with being American - it was Italian cardiologist who told me stop ingesting caffeine.
Since coffee is such a big part of the social scene in Sweden (just like here in Italy) it seems that they should have alternatives. I ended up just drinking juice all the time but it would have been nice to drink something hot since it was winter.
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I limit my caffeine to when I really want the pick-me-up. I try to maintain a baseline of drinking decaf so that the regular coffee gives me more of a jolt when I really need it. I don't want to become dependent on it every day from morning on - I would just get used to it, and it would not be as effective. So I use it selectively.
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I am Swedish, not drinking coffee is not really an option. "Everyone" drinks coffee. I know people who will drink 10 cups or more a day and 3-5 is probably standard. De-caf is laughed about, it is something for people who are desperate or perhaps ill, no one drinks de-caf voluntarily. I have had to cut down due to stomach problems and today I am down to 1-2 cups and 2-4 cups of black tea and I feel almost like I don't drink coffee at all really. I love drinking good coffee, thus one of my worst spending habits which I am doing a pretty good job at breaking right now but the idea that I would never drink coffee feels like someone would tell me that I may never, for no real reason, have cucumber. Sure, I would be able to survive but why would I want to do something that crazy when there is no reason for it?
I went to Sweden a few years ago and, at the time, I was on doctor's orders not to drink caffeine due to a serious heart issue. Anyway, here in Italy, I happily drink decaf espresso all the time and sometimes decaf cappuccino and no one bats an eye. Decaf here is just as delicious as the regular coffee and lots of Italians drink it. In Sweden, I asked for decaf and people actually laughed at me and one guy in a coffee bar told me I was "too American". It seemed strange as surely there must be Swedes who have heart issues too and have to cut out caffeine. And it was nothing to do with being American - it was Italian cardiologist who told me stop ingesting caffeine.
Since coffee is such a big part of the social scene in Sweden (just like here in Italy) it seems that they should have alternatives. I ended up just drinking juice all the time but it would have been nice to drink something hot since it was winter.
No, not really, I don't think that any doctor would tell people to stop drinking coffee, cut down yes but probably not stop completely. Many countries tell you to stop drinking coffee while pregnant, here it is maximum three cups a day. De caf just isn't a thing, if you don't drink coffee or anything with caffeine you get a smoothie or orange juice or so. I was even advised when going for a job interview to never decline coffee because apparently some bosses will not hire "tea drinkers" and I assume that choosing nothing is even worse.
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I am Swedish, not drinking coffee is not really an option. "Everyone" drinks coffee. I know people who will drink 10 cups or more a day and 3-5 is probably standard. De-caf is laughed about, it is something for people who are desperate or perhaps ill, no one drinks de-caf voluntarily. I have had to cut down due to stomach problems and today I am down to 1-2 cups and 2-4 cups of black tea and I feel almost like I don't drink coffee at all really. I love drinking good coffee, thus one of my worst spending habits which I am doing a pretty good job at breaking right now but the idea that I would never drink coffee feels like someone would tell me that I may never, for no real reason, have cucumber. Sure, I would be able to survive but why would I want to do something that crazy when there is no reason for it?
I went to Sweden a few years ago and, at the time, I was on doctor's orders not to drink caffeine due to a serious heart issue. Anyway, here in Italy, I happily drink decaf espresso all the time and sometimes decaf cappuccino and no one bats an eye. Decaf here is just as delicious as the regular coffee and lots of Italians drink it. In Sweden, I asked for decaf and people actually laughed at me and one guy in a coffee bar told me I was "too American". It seemed strange as surely there must be Swedes who have heart issues too and have to cut out caffeine. And it was nothing to do with being American - it was Italian cardiologist who told me stop ingesting caffeine.
Since coffee is such a big part of the social scene in Sweden (just like here in Italy) it seems that they should have alternatives. I ended up just drinking juice all the time but it would have been nice to drink something hot since it was winter.
No, not really, I don't think that any doctor would tell people to stop drinking coffee, cut down yes but probably not stop completely. Many countries tell you to stop drinking coffee while pregnant, here it is maximum three cups a day. De caf just isn't a thing, if you don't drink coffee or anything with caffeine you get a smoothie or orange juice or so. I was even advised when going for a job interview to never decline coffee because apparently some bosses will not hire "tea drinkers" and I assume that choosing nothing is even worse.
I'm really surprised by this. I guess I need to find a Swedish cardiologist and ask him/her if she would recommend giving up caffeine in my situation or not. Italy is a coffee culture par excellence and if an Italian cardiologist and heart surgeon recommended giving up caffeine then I assume that anyone would do that. Here in Italy caffeine and wine are both fine during pregnancy in moderate amounts. But salad is a big no-no.
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I am Swedish, not drinking coffee is not really an option. "Everyone" drinks coffee. I know people who will drink 10 cups or more a day and 3-5 is probably standard. De-caf is laughed about, it is something for people who are desperate or perhaps ill, no one drinks de-caf voluntarily. I have had to cut down due to stomach problems and today I am down to 1-2 cups and 2-4 cups of black tea and I feel almost like I don't drink coffee at all really. I love drinking good coffee, thus one of my worst spending habits which I am doing a pretty good job at breaking right now but the idea that I would never drink coffee feels like someone would tell me that I may never, for no real reason, have cucumber. Sure, I would be able to survive but why would I want to do something that crazy when there is no reason for it?
I went to Sweden a few years ago and, at the time, I was on doctor's orders not to drink caffeine due to a serious heart issue. Anyway, here in Italy, I happily drink decaf espresso all the time and sometimes decaf cappuccino and no one bats an eye. Decaf here is just as delicious as the regular coffee and lots of Italians drink it. In Sweden, I asked for decaf and people actually laughed at me and one guy in a coffee bar told me I was "too American". It seemed strange as surely there must be Swedes who have heart issues too and have to cut out caffeine. And it was nothing to do with being American - it was Italian cardiologist who told me stop ingesting caffeine.
Since coffee is such a big part of the social scene in Sweden (just like here in Italy) it seems that they should have alternatives. I ended up just drinking juice all the time but it would have been nice to drink something hot since it was winter.
No, not really, I don't think that any doctor would tell people to stop drinking coffee, cut down yes but probably not stop completely. Many countries tell you to stop drinking coffee while pregnant, here it is maximum three cups a day. De caf just isn't a thing, if you don't drink coffee or anything with caffeine you get a smoothie or orange juice or so. I was even advised when going for a job interview to never decline coffee because apparently some bosses will not hire "tea drinkers" and I assume that choosing nothing is even worse.
I'm really surprised by this. I guess I need to find a Swedish cardiologist and ask him/her if she would recommend giving up caffeine in my situation or not. Italy is a coffee culture par excellence and if an Italian cardiologist and heart surgeon recommended giving up caffeine then I assume that anyone would do that. Here in Italy caffeine and wine are both fine during pregnancy in moderate amounts. But salad is a big no-no.
I know that there was no talk about not drinking coffee after my dad had a heart attack at least. Less fat, less meat, more vegetables and more exercise (adapted to his injury at first of course) but not anything about coffee. My dad did not drink very much though, 1-2 small cups a day so that might be why. I have honestly never heard of anyone who has been told to never have coffee for anything really, but I got told to cut down for my stomach problems, the doctor didn't even say how much I should cut down I could have been a 10 cup a day person who might have said that it doesn't help because I would only get down to 7-8 cups. In my case I was able to cut down enough to see improvement so that was great.
You can eat salad here when pregnant but not drink wine at all. Some even warn about the fact that wine is still present in sauces and such if you add it late in the cooking process.
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There’s no option for 0 caffeine, but I don’t drink any except on rare occasions. Maybe once or twice a year if I’m really jet lagged and in Italy where the coffee is delicious, and whatever you get from chocolate sometimes. It makes me jittery and I try really hard to get 8 hours of sleep a night.
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eliha - I don't think most cardiologists would suggest cutting out caffeine after a heart attack but I could be wrong.
My husband recently gave up caffeine and he sleeps much better now. Maybe I should do the same but living in Italy the coffee is so delicious.
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Try decaf. You still get the great taste of coffee but avoid the caffeine when you don't need it.
Also, I avoid drinking regular coffee 8 hours before bedtime - that seems to be the safe spot for me. I've had issues when I've drank it later in the afternoon.
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We've been cutting down our caffeine, and here is the event that precipitated it:
DH woke at 5:45 with such a horrible pain in his chest that he thought he was dying (heart attack). He demanded I take him to the ER. After morphine, all the tests and scans, etc. they came back and said that his problem was...constipation due to caffeine. I said, what? Yep, his intestines were packed. I said, but you go every day and many times a day.
Dr. said that his high caffeine intake caused the recently eaten stuff to be processed through (mostly) while the rest built up and hardened....Dr's orders to cut out caffeine.
DH went from 6+ cups a day to 2 and we are working our way to elimination or at least limiting it to 1 cup a day.
That's probably why I've had a headache for two weeks straight...and I usually never have headaches.
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I admit it, I'm a junkie. I buy 10-packs of Monster energy drink and have them sitting on my desk because I'm barely functional without drinking multiple a day. It's very anti-mustachian because those drinks are crazy expensive.
I recently quit energy drinks, best thing I ever did. Have you considered that the energy drinks have made you less functional overall by depriving you of sleep? When I quit, my sleep improved. Used to HATE getting out of bed, now I make breakfast for my family.
I replaced it with spice tea (think chai latte without milk) and had zero ill affects. Still drink coffee, but no more energy drinks. The tea was mainly a health experiment and I'm not sure had anything to do with the ease of quitting.
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I admit it, I'm a junkie. I buy 10-packs of Monster energy drink and have them sitting on my desk because I'm barely functional without drinking multiple a day. It's very anti-mustachian because those drinks are crazy expensive.
I recently quit energy drinks, best thing I ever did. Have you considered that the energy drinks have made you less functional overall by depriving you of sleep? When I quit, my sleep improved. Used to HATE getting out of bed, now I make breakfast for my family.
I replaced it with spice tea (think chai latte without milk) and had zero ill affects. Still drink coffee, but no more energy drinks. The tea was mainly a health experiment and I'm not sure had anything to do with the ease of quitting.
If you haven’t tried them, Stash Tea makes a delicious caffeine-free chai rooibos (Spice Dragon) and a good chai green tea if you like a bit of caffeine.
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I admit it, I'm a junkie. I buy 10-packs of Monster energy drink and have them sitting on my desk because I'm barely functional without drinking multiple a day. It's very anti-mustachian because those drinks are crazy expensive.
I recently quit energy drinks, best thing I ever did. Have you considered that the energy drinks have made you less functional overall by depriving you of sleep? When I quit, my sleep improved. Used to HATE getting out of bed, now I make breakfast for my family.
I replaced it with spice tea (think chai latte without milk) and had zero ill affects. Still drink coffee, but no more energy drinks. The tea was mainly a health experiment and I'm not sure had anything to do with the ease of quitting.
If you haven’t tried them, Stash Tea makes a delicious caffeine-free chai rooibos (Spice Dragon) and a good chai green tea if you like a bit of caffeine.
Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice is also a good caffeine-free option, but I also drink a lot of chai black tea without milk.
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Thanks for the recs. If anyone's interested in how I do it-right now I have a ton of spices from Indian food experiments that I'm using. Conveniently Indian food spices make great tea! Cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, star anise. Also ginger and turmeric when good stock shows up at the market.
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Thanks for the recs. If anyone's interested in how I do it-right now I have a ton of spices from Indian food experiments that I'm using. Conveniently Indian food spices make great tea! Cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, star anise. Also ginger and turmeric when good stock shows up at the market.
Oh, yum. I’m far enough from any markets with spices that it is cheaper to buy the premade versions, but that sounds great.
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I quit about a month ago. Tapered for a week, then suffered for about three days. It was survivable.
Like any other drug, the potency wears off with long term use and that makes withdrawal even harder. I would have tapered for longer if I had been starting at a higher daily dose.
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I voted for 300mg though I think that's an upper limit for me...on average I expect I'm around the 150 range, but on an average day, around 200-250. I frequently have a cup (12-16oz) in the morning, and I might have a tea or something later in the afternoon/evening. I grew up drinking tea several times a day (including at bedtime!) and it doesn't seem to affect me the way coffee does. On bad days (too little or bad quality sleep, snoozy weather, etc) I might have a second coffee in early afternoon (12-3) but if I make this a habit I have found I get twitchy, anxious, GI upset, and withdrawal headaches :/ Best way to avoid those symptoms, in my experience, is to (a) taper off and (b) have green tea! (I don't know why. Might be the small hit of caffeine plus good amount of water is good treatment for the withdrawal.)
As long as I stick to 1 coffee/day, though, I've been pretty okay. However, my bf has read and shared that our bodies get conditioned to caffeine and get lazy producing the neurotransmitters that wake us up ('cause they don't get used, 'cause we have caffeine in those spots!)...I may have felt this happening so I got myself some decaf for the mornings where I want the flavor of coffee but not necessarily the caffeine. But anxiety/headaches didn't contribute to that choice.
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Thanks for the recs. If anyone's interested in how I do it-right now I have a ton of spices from Indian food experiments that I'm using. Conveniently Indian food spices make great tea! Cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, star anise. Also ginger and turmeric when good stock shows up at the market.
Wow nice. I started doing this a few months ago, but I never knew star anise was an ingredient. We have loads of that stuff laying around.