Have you ever quit caffeine? How did it affect you?

All_Exits_Lead_Within

If you've quit caffeine before, share your negative/positive experiences. I'm wondering if there's a point to quitting.

Alatariel75

I haven't quit, quit but I went from 14+ shots of espresso a day to one coffee in the morning and that's it.

It hurt. Headaches, and omg was I a raging *kitten* at times. I did get a bit hungrier, don't know whether that was because I was missing the appetite suppression or missing the energy and therefore trying to carb-load lol.

I took painkillers for the first week, drank a bunch of water and it got better.

MrsDan1667

I quit after Christmas. I sleep better/deeper and have more energy not being on caffeine.

fatvegan88

It hurt a lot and I'm not fully weened off coffee at all but I don't need it like I used to.

I had bad headaches, and sometimes they still happen but I was a 3+ cup a day person.

Sometimes I drink a tea if I really need something.

AnvilHead

The world isn't ready for me without caffeine. And I don't see any advantage (or even logical reason) for quitting it.

malibu927

Eh. I don't smoke or drink, so I'll stick to this vice.

Plus I have to be at work before 6 most days, so Diet Dr Pepper is the only thing that gets me to be coherent that early.

Packerjohn

MrsDan1667 wrote: »

I quit after Christmas. I sleep better/deeper and have more energy not being on caffeine.

After giving it up for Lent numerous times, about 5 years ago did it pretty much for good. Maybe have 3 Diet Pepsi a month as source of caffeine.

I also sleep better and have more energy.

WickAndArtoo

First week sucked, bad migraines and exhaustion. After that I felt completely fine and normal. I notice no difference in my health etc after a couple months without it, so I added it back in (because I love the taste) but now I only drink it when I want it, not everyday... usually on weekends and weekday if I am in the mood. I was glad I quit because it gave me the chance to realize I could, and that I truly didn't "need it" but I liked it. I hate being a slave to any addiction, so it made me feel good to know I can live without it. These days I drink it sparingly enough that I don't notice a difference when I go without it (i.e. I don't feel sick if I don't have a coffee) and I like that. Good luck I hope that whatever you choose to do makes you feel good!

goldthistime

I've quit it a few times but always gone back to it. I quit by slowly reducing my input rather than cold turkey, and didn't have headaches or other adverse effects.

Machka9

Back in my very early 20s I was drinking about 15 cups of coffee a day (plus coke and chocolate). I was getting migraines so I decided to quit cold turkey for 3 weeks.

I did ... and I was miserable.

But when I went back on caffeine again after 3 weeks, I've never gotten up to 15 cups of coffee again. I think the most I've drunk in a day since then has been about 6 cups, and that's rare. So I think those 3 weeks off did help break a "bad habit".

Titanuim

I gave up caffeine a few months ago. I was doing research into improving my flexibility so I could get into the splits and the research suggested giving up caffeine would help as caffeine keeps the central nervous system tight and the CNS needs to be relaxed for certain moves like the splits.

The first three weeks were dire. I had no energy and felt like I had lost the will to live. Then normal programming recommenced with my energy levels and I saw an improvement to flexibility which made the withdrawal hell worth it.

Life is fine without caffeine in it.

skymningen

I haven't completely quit caffeine but I have gone down a lot. And I wait caffeine in the morning. My friends call me crazy for it, but if I have coffee, I try to have only one coffee a day and have it in the afternoon when I actually feel tired enough to need it.

To be honest: I felt no difference. None. I just reduced coffee. The only difference is that coffee now actually does have an effect again and is not just a nice hot drink to have.

livingleanlivingclean

Caffeine does nothing for me. Quitting caffeine does nothing for me.... No headaches, no anything (negative or positive), that I can perceive anyway!

(I drink 3-6 doubles a day, because I like the taste. I drink a cup before bed and have no issues sleeping)

Momepro

Several times. The last two or three yimes I avoided the withdrawal headaches by using Nodoze and tapering off slowly. I cold turkyed all drinks, and took a couple nodoze a day for about 3 days. Then I took 1 a day for3 or 4 days. Then 1/2 for a couple days. Then 1/2 every couple days untill I firgot to take them, and so obviously didn't beed it anymore. Still takes tbe same amount of time to deal with, but so much less migraines.

Basilin

I am sensitive to caffeine. If I drink more than 3 cups of coffee (not sure how much in mg caffeine) my heart rate skyrockets. I have to be careful or I could send myself to the ER.

Yet, I still drink one or two cups of coffee a day. I have tried quitting several times, but it is a mood lifter and it appears I perform better on mental activities, so I end up coming back to it.

Surprisingly, I sleep less when I don't have caffeine, and the sleep quality is much better. I have more even energy levels overall.

fiddletime

Horrible headache for 4 days.

sijomial

I'm an extremely low responder to caffeine. Doesn't stop me sleeping (even at the wrong time!), doesn't give me headaches when I come off it.

In the lead up to an extreme cycling event I sometimes avoid caffeine entirely so that I can get a very muted response on the event from large doses of caffeine to combat feeling of fatigue.

I'm wondering if there's a point to quitting.

What are you hoping to gain from avoiding it?

normabeezy

I quit caffeine years ago by weening myself off slowly over a couple weeks by making my coffee 1/2 regular and half decaf per cup and each day I would decrease the regular and increase the decaf until after a week or so you would have all decaf. I did have some headaches so I just took a Motrin and after a few days no more headache. I think slow weening helped with headaches.I think back then I gave it up for low carb dieting but other than that I didn't really see any health advantages to not drinking it. Caffeine does give you energy and it helps my appetite so I eventually started drinking regular coffee again. I like plain old strong coffee w/ cream & sugar, not coffee drinks. I drink Starbucks and Peet's or anything bold dark roasted. It's just a part of my routine for years, I gather my thoughts, plan my day while drinking and driving (coffee, that is---)

maxichoc

I gave up caffeine 30 years ago and still remember the pain of the headaches that I had for the first week or so. For all those who say they can't function without it especially in the morning, I thought the same, but mornings are so much better now that I don't need it. After a while you don't get those ups and downs of moods throughout the day just because you haven't had your injection of caffeine. It's been hot water for me ever since and the bonus is that it's great for your skin.

Gallowmere1984

I regularly cycle off of it to allow my tolerance to fall. I'll go from 1200+mg/day, every day, to practically nothing 3 days per week, and ~450mg/day on training days.

The only notable side effect is a modest decrease in energy throughout the day, but it's nothing catastrophic.

sgt1372

I can take it or leave it.

Went years drinking coffee daily where they provided it free at work. Then went years w/o drinking any coffee at all. As it stands now, I only drink coffee 2-3x's a week. Don't feel better or worse with or w/o it.

Just drink it when I feel like it out of habit. Not because I need it. Could quit it cold turkey tomorrow if I had to.