Caffiene/Headaches

ashleylynn520
ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have tried to stop drinking sodas all together like a 1000 times. I never succeed because of the headaches I get. To stop drinking sodas would help me so much in my weight loss. Anyone have suggestions on how to overcome the hell on earth headaches? The headaches usually hit me about 2 days after no sodas. Should I just take a pain reliever every day and hope for the best that they go away soon? Does anyone know approximately how long it takes the body to no longer crave caffeine?

Thank you for your help!

Replies

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I went caffeine-free about 2 years ago. It was a miserable, miserable two weeks, and then it cleared up very quickly. I didn't take anything for it, but that's me, I don't like medications. :)

    From talking to others, 2 weeks is a typical timeframe for the withdrawal symptoms to clear, so it does end, honest. :)
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    I get headaches in about 24 hrs if I don't have enough caffeine. I've cut back, but I still love it. Any time I've gone cold turkey the headaches lasted about a week.

    Most over-the-counter migraine medications have caffeine in them - so you could try easing off the caffeine that way?
  • ostrichagain
    ostrichagain Posts: 271 Member
    Don't go cold turkey. Wean yourself off. Make a plan for drinking less over a period of time. There will be more to deal with than the headaches before it's all over.
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I cut a lot of caffeine out the past 2 years because it reeks havoc on my Fibro. only herbal tea, and decaf coffee seems to work best for me. And I still eat Chocolate at least 3 times a week, but the minute I have a cup of coffee I get pretty ill.

    Cut back little by little, and the headache won't be so bad.
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    2 weeks:grumble: lol! Well thank you for giving me a time-frame to challenge myself with! :smile:
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    I get headaches in about 24 hrs if I don't have enough caffeine. I've cut back, but I still love it. Any time I've gone cold turkey the headaches lasted about a week.

    Most over-the-counter migraine medications have caffeine in them - so you could try easing off the caffeine that way?

    Yeah, I thought about doing that... but then I had a second thought that I might start a new addiction or a new problem :(
  • barb_32
    barb_32 Posts: 73 Member
    I had headaches for a week after I stopped drinking soda. I drank a lot more water and that seemed to help. Good luck!
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    take a few aspirin..drink more water and move ON! :flowerforyou:
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    I cut a lot of caffeine out the past 2 years because it reeks havoc on my Fibro. only herbal tea, and decaf coffee seems to work best for me. And I still eat Chocolate at least 3 times a week, but the minute I have a cup of coffee I get pretty ill.

    Cut back little by little, and the headache won't be so bad.

    Chocolate, I totally forgot about chocolate having caffeine! Well maybe after a day of not having a soda. I can treat myself to some dark chocolate candy. Use it as a treat incentive and it naturally has a bit of caffeine so MAYBE I won't be a crazy lady lol! :explode:
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    I had headaches for a week after I stopped drinking soda. I drank a lot more water and that seemed to help. Good luck!

    What did you start drinking instead? Just water?
  • PicNic00
    PicNic00 Posts: 269 Member
    Excedrine. It's has caffeine and zero calories. It will help with the withdraw headaches. I've been proudly caffeine free for over 2 years
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    Excedrine. It's has caffeine and zero calories. It will help with the withdraw headaches. I've been proudly caffeine free for over 2 years

    How long did you have to take the excedrine before you were okay without it? What do you drink instead?
  • grassette
    grassette Posts: 976 Member
    Cut your consumption by half to start, and maintain that for a week. Then cut if by half again. After a week, do the same until you are drinking nothing.

    You could try drinking other sources of caffeine to substitute. Tea, for example, is good for eliminating fat.
  • Mayada32
    Mayada32 Posts: 44 Member
    I would suggest drinking plenty of water , it really helps with the headaches .. :flowerforyou:
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Maybe try tea?

    Or give your body some time to get used to not having caffeine, and the headaches are likely to go away.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    My advice is have some black tea or coffee.

    Even green tea!

    Some great antioxidants in those beverages.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Lie on the couch and hope to not die before it finally goes away. I gave up caffeine when I was preggers - it was horrible for at least a week. I should have never started back - don't have the desire to go through quitting again!
  • ashleylynn520
    ashleylynn520 Posts: 19 Member
    Thank you everyone for the help and advice!!!
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    I stopped drinking coffee awhile ago, for me the headaches and inability to do anything but the most basic tasks only lasted for 2-3 days.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
    If you like coffee than that is better than soda by far both nutritionally cuz the caffeine is all natural and is less calories and sugar. If you want soda I would go for the brands that are Zero like Coke Zero etc cuz they have a small amount of caffeine but don't have the calories or sugar in them. Or Matcha Green Tea gives you that same awake type of feeling caffeine does but it is more of a calm awake. If you really are hooked on caffienated soda like mountain dew or something than maybe have just one when you wake up but also buy like a case of the Zero soda like Mellow Yellow Zero or something and for the rest of the day if you crave one replace it with the zero instead of the regular one. Then you get a little caffiene but its not a crazy amount enough to cause a caffiene addiction.
  • unFATuated
    unFATuated Posts: 204 Member
    Regular soda or diet soda? I ask because the withdrawal from the sweeteners they put in the diet ones is often as bad, or worse than caffeine withdrawal. I used to drink many litres of Diet Coke per week (as well as coffee) and giving that stuff up was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Mild painkillers (paracetamol) got me through the first few weeks, as well as drinking herbal teas and lots of water. It does get better. Caffeine in moderation is fine, but probably better gotten from something like coffee/tea than soda, especially that which is artificially sweetened (I'm not on the 'aspartame will kill you' bandwagon, but that s**t messed me up big time: headaches every day, body aches, mood swings).

    It takes time to get through it, but you will.

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