Pepsi Max - Withdrawal Symptoms.

dj_stevie_c
dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
Thought I'd note them down.

Yesterday I 'gave up' pepsi max, I finished off a bottle (about a litre) and promised myself that I wouldn't drink it any more.

I've been through this before so I know it's Pepsi Max related, either the Aspartame or the Caffeine withdrawal.

Thought you may be interested to see what I go through.

Monday
Finish my bottle of 'regular' Diet Pepsi.

Tuesday:
12pm - Slight headache.
3pm - Increased headache, it now feels like a stampeding elephant is attacking my head.
6pm - Still heavy headache, slightly blurry vision, I feel drained.

7.20pm - After some dinner and a coffee (2% milk, 2 sugars, big cup) feel a little better, but strangely a bit nauseous now.



I'll keep updating this if anything changes. I think what this shows is getting off that stuff isn't great, but imagine what it's doing to make you feel this way....

Replies

  • sazziecee
    sazziecee Posts: 143
    Good luck.

    I am not a big Pepsi/Coke drinker usually but while in Spain it was the only diet soda that was available at my all-inclusive hotel so I drank a fair amount of it.

    Haven't had any since Saturday and I still feel awful
  • squires
    squires Posts: 1
    I know were your coming from, been pop free (SUGER FREE DIET) since July 16th, I have not had a SINGLE headache since getting over the Pepsi withdrawls.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    To lessen the symptoms of caffeine withdrawals from coke try to drink hot Lipton Green Tea. Green Tea has caffeine in it, but not as much as soda. So you can ween yourself off a bit easier.
  • DancingDreamer
    DancingDreamer Posts: 520
    you should probably still be drinking something with a small amount of caffeine in it to wean yourself off of it because thats what the headache is........coffee or tea would be a good suggestion, if you want to successfully wean yourself off caffeine and yet still be able to function you're gonna want to actually WEAN yourself instead of cold turkey. (because i know what those headaches feel like. ow. there is no way i can function with them pounding)

    good luck.
  • Amber030583
    Amber030583 Posts: 490 Member
    Take some excedrin migraine. It just has enough caffeine to help you out.
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
    My money is on caffeine withdrawal. You're describing the mind-splitting agony I had a few years ago when I brought my coffee habit down from 5 - 6 cups a day to 1 cup of regular four-ish times a week.

    I seriously considered amputating a limb just as a distraction from the headache. :)
    Take some excedrin migraine. It just has enough caffeine to help you out.

    Awesome stuff (I'm migraine prone anyway, so I always have it around). I can always tell the exact moment it kicks in -- it's like a little switch flips off and then --poof-- headache's gone. Careful if you have any problems with aspirin and/or tylenol since it contains both (plus caffeine).
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    Oh yeah I was expecting one of those to be the culprit.

    I will probably have a coffee soon just to take the shock off. Pretty rough right now though.



    Edit:

    I'd love to take some Excedrin Migrane. Sadly live in the UK... I know there's equivalents over here so may find something. However I prefer not to take anything if I can do without it.
  • Crystleen
    Crystleen Posts: 81 Member
    I used to be a heavy regular soda drinker, tried Pepsi MAX the other day, most discusting thing I've drank! lol The only thing that weened me off the caffine sodas was drinking Iced Green Tea, sometimes with a little splenda if I want it sweet, but for the most part I just make it plain. If you like Iced tea, get a Ice tea maker (around $20) its easy to use and much cheaper than buying it by the bottle. Green tea is more healthier for you too!
  • Ktbell626
    Ktbell626 Posts: 108 Member
    Keep going! Try tea or coffee to help with the head aches. I've been off pop for two and half months. You will feel so much better when you get through the withdraw.
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
    I will probably have a coffee soon just to take the shock off. Pretty rough right now though.

    The other option would be to do some sort of relaxation technique. Might sound silly, but the more you tense up due to the headache, the worse you're going to feel. Find someplace comfy to lie down, put a cloth soaked in cold water on your forehead, and do some deep breaths. Progress from your toes onwards up with muscle flexes and releases. It might help enough where you don't have to resort to a paracetamol or five.
  • abbychelle07
    abbychelle07 Posts: 656 Member
    Keep going! You can kick that nasty habit! I had a headache for 2-3 days, though not as bad as yours sounds, and have had NO SODA since then. I can't even do it because I have to log those calories and it doesn't make you full at all.
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    I will probably have a coffee soon just to take the shock off. Pretty rough right now though.

    The other option would be to do some sort of relaxation technique. Might sound silly, but the more you tense up due to the headache, the worse you're going to feel. Find someplace comfy to lie down, put a cloth soaked in cold water on your forehead, and do some deep breaths. Progress from your toes onwards up with muscle flexes and releases. It might help enough where you don't have to resort to a paracetamol or five.

    This is something for home :) I'll be stuck at work for the next few hours though not sure how my workmates would take that :)
  • sazziecee
    sazziecee Posts: 143
    I am in the UK too, most of the pain killers that say "plus" in the name tend to have caffeine in them if you wanted to try that route, but I would prefer to have tea as also don't like taking tablets often.

    Oh yeah I was expecting one of those to be the culprit.

    I will probably have a coffee soon just to take the shock off. Pretty rough right now though.



    Edit:

    I'd love to take some Excedrin Migrane. Sadly live in the UK... I know there's equivalents over here so may find something. However I prefer not to take anything if I can do without it.
  • dstacky
    dstacky Posts: 24
    I'm a pepsi max junkie too, sadly can't really help on how to kick the headaches and withdrawals coz i keep drinking it, sounds similar to when i forget to take my antidepressant though, i get headaches and nausia like you wouldnt believe, and an asprin doesnt do anything for the headache since it's withdrawal-based, just gotta go thru it till my meds kick in
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    Interesting.

    Day 2. Nothing. No shakes, no headache.... Nothing...

    This isn't like last time, the withdrawal symptoms lasted for almost a week.... Last night had a pineapple tea but apart from that nothing unusual.

    Keeping my fingers crossed :)
  • sherryg
    sherryg Posts: 7 Member
    I know the feeling... I'm a huge soda drinker... and have tried many times to give it up. Last night I went to bed with a killer headache that still hasn't gone away. I am a big fan of drinking green tea... I don't know if it will help you any! Hang in there! Giving up soda is worth it from what I hear! lol... hope I can hang in there too!
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
    I'm also a massive Pepsi Max drinker, at my worst i could drink 4ltrs during work 9 - 5.

    I've quit so many times and failed so many times more.

    I'm currently down to about 2ltrs

    Good luck :happy:

    Have you had any problems with mood swings ? , I know my co-workers def know when i'm having one of my "I 'm never drinking this stuff again" spells
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    I was a major Diet Coke addict...only 1-2 (12 oz cans) a day, but I had one every day. When I quit, I was the biggest ***** at my work...I snapped at everyone, had horrible mood swings and had massive headaches. It was awful! I gained a few pounds as well quitting :-/

    Good luck!
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    I'm also a massive Pepsi Max drinker, at my worst i could drink 4ltrs during work 9 - 5.

    I've quit so many times and failed so many times more.

    I'm currently down to about 2ltrs

    Good luck :happy:

    Have you had any problems with mood swings ? , I know my co-workers def know when i'm having one of my "I 'm never drinking this stuff again" spells

    I think I definitely had those swings before when I first gave up Diet coke a few years back, man that was rough.

    So far this time apart from what feels like a dull ache behind my eyes all the time it hasn't been so bad, I know what I'm doing for myself is good so I think I convinced myself that I'm happy no matter what...

    Plus too busy at work to be moody.

    But I do know what you're going through!

    Weighed in Today, my normal weigh in is Monday and I'd found I'd gained 2lbs over the weekend :( today when I weighed in I found that I've lost those 2lbs and an extra 1lb. So that's probably helping my mood. Not sure it's all down to the Pepsi Max as I've tried to limit my bread/sodium intake too so it's probably a nice mix of all three.
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