caffeine withdrawal migraines

jcmrax5
jcmrax5 Posts: 133
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have any remedies for these? It hasn't even been a full day since I had my last pop but I don't plan on buying or drinking any more and the headache is already kicking in, and from past experience, i know it will get much worse very soon. Tylenol, advil, etc has never really worked for me. Any other suggestions?

Replies

  • Hbarry7
    Hbarry7 Posts: 24 Member
    How much daily caffeine are you withdrawing from? Cold turkey isn't a good idea if you want to avoid the headaches. Make a plan and slowly decrease.
  • debants
    debants Posts: 38 Member
    I did cold turkey after day 3 it was gone - never went back to coffee or anything with caffeine - until they subside you have to do the usual remedies for headaches (although they didn't work for me) or suck it up
  • orangesmartie
    orangesmartie Posts: 1,870 Member
    I did the cold turkey thing about 18 months ago. Took 4 days for the headache to subside. Didn't go back to caffeintated drinks afterwards. I don't have any suggestions for stopping it (other than re-introducing caffeine) but if you want to give up, grin and bear and it will go.
  • maeflower1234
    maeflower1234 Posts: 87 Member
    Advil worked for me. I could not grin and bear it. It was the worse headache I have ever had. Hang in there!
  • jcmrax5
    jcmrax5 Posts: 133
    How much daily caffeine are you withdrawing from? Cold turkey isn't a good idea if you want to avoid the headaches. Make a plan and slowly decrease.
    i might drink some unsweet tea now and then but its not something i drink very often. my addiction was dr pepper.
  • ariamythe
    ariamythe Posts: 130 Member
    Switch to coffee. Only 5 calories a cup. :)

    No, seriously, what everyone else said. Cold turkey is bad. Maybe find an alternate source of caffeine instead of your vice (pop). Tea is a nice gentle caffeine delivery system. Or heck, even a couple caffeine pills a day, then one a day, then none.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Have a cup of coffee or tea.
  • lilred806
    lilred806 Posts: 195 Member
    Always took me 3 days. I recently chose to go back on caffeine. I have learned that life without caffeine was not ideal for me. I drink unsweetened tea. Great job giving up pop. I know it is hard.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Have some coffee or tea. Those migraines are the worst.
  • JustMeee333
    JustMeee333 Posts: 233
    Mine lasted 3 days too, but yeah if you're suffering that badly I'd do as others have said, and just have a little caffeine to wean yourself.
  • Xowe
    Xowe Posts: 2 Member
    I just did this in the last week (Again), it took 3 days for the headaches to subside. I've had to do this more times then I would like to admit.

    I found that the headaches don't happen when either I...
    1. Eat food all the time so I'm never hungry while I'm withdrawing (This is detrimental to my calorie counting, but only for a few days)
    2. Get a tonne of exercise leading up to and during withdrawal. Although, this may be connected to #1 as more excercise = more food.

    I failed to take my own advice this time around.

    Hope that helps.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    Excedrin should help. It has caffeine in it.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It's not a migraine, it's a withdrawal headache. A migraine is not just a headache that you randomly get. It usually takes 3 to 4 days to get rid of the withdrawal headache if you go cold turkey but there's really no reason to put yourself through that. Just wean off over a week or so instead of putting yourself through the aggravation.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    I get these sometimes but they aren't as bad as they used to be, In fact, I almost collapsed at work once from caffeine withdrawal. My manager saw me and she was so concerned she sent me home. I do not know if there any studies on the long-term effects of using painkillers like ibuprofen, paracetamol or advil for caffeine withdrawal so I would advise against it for now. It might even be worth talking to a doctor about it if you have health insurance.

    But for now, I would suggest just making a cup of tea and enjoying it. I find that coffee has too much caffeine when I have a migraine or headache. Generally my tolerance for coffee is quite high as I have worked in the coffee business for two years but recently I have had such trouble sleeping I am trying to cut down.
  • Cheri1218
    Cheri1218 Posts: 268 Member
    I usually just try to fight through it for a few days. Advil liquagels sometimes help. Anyone who claims caffeine is not addictive is crazy. Your body is telling you it needs more of that drug. Remind yourself that you want to be in control.

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