Soda withdrawel?

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bigdaddy_sam
bigdaddy_sam Posts: 13 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone,

I'm struggling with a real bad soda withdrawels. My head is extremely foggy and I have moments where it feels like the room is spinning? Any tips on how to speed the process up or how to ease the discomfort? I feel drunk without ever touching alcohol. I only ask because it's effecting my performance at work....

And fyi this is only day 2 :(

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    are you sure it's soda withdrawal? Perhaps you are getting ill?

    However...if you are used to drinking a lot of pop (soda) with sugar and caffeine try coffee or something in lieu of it.

    Ice water with fruit drops like MIO etc.
  • kdoodlethug
    kdoodlethug Posts: 24 Member
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    I've had this happen a few times. In my case it is because I'm addicted to the caffeine in the soda. Honestly you can't stop cold turkey (without getting the side-effects). Weaning off of it seems to work well for me. I used to have pop with lunch and dinner, and started limiting it to one at lunch so that I wouldn't get a headache later. After doing that for a while (a few weeks in my case but you could adjust it) I started drinking less soda with lunch. I haven't quit it completely (and don't plan to) but I try to drink less of it. After a while you don't get withdrawal symptoms.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Coffee or tea, if it's caffeine withdrawal.
  • Hollywood_Porky
    Hollywood_Porky Posts: 491 Member
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    I would taper down as the above posters have mentioned. Find alternatives like coffee. Believe me, I know how you feel. It's not just the caffeine, it's the high sugar content and your brain is pining for it. It's going to take a couple of weeks - find a way to taper slowly - cut the servings in half each day if you can. That way - once you get down to below a cup of soda a day, you won't even notice it. Happened to me as well.
  • taco_inspector
    taco_inspector Posts: 7,223 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Hey Mark... I'm coming from a similar position (all too often, 2-liters prior to lunch), and taking baby-steps is a good thing, as many have mentioned.

    Looking at the dizzy stuff - how are you doing with your water intake? Thickening of the fluid in your inner ear may have you feeling queasy and don't overlook the cola's impact on your base-digestive process (inclusive of the other chemistry in these drinks...)

    Cola syrup was supposed to calm an upset stomach (which is why this stuff is in the old pharmacist's fountain drinks to begin with) and prolonged exposure to the acids can affect the level of HCl acid that your stomach releases at mealtimes. Trying to manage a high cellulose meal (like a salad), without a cola would leave me terribly queasy for a while -- so if you've also changed the food you're eating radically, you may be facing a little bit of a double-whammy here. And the sugars (I'm a Diet-Pepsi addict, so not what I had to deal with) , are trouble of their own as mentioned above.

    Keep up with your water intake and work at slowly pulling away from the soda toward replacement caffeine sources like everyone is talking about... It's a real *kitten*, but I'm certain that you can work it (4-months in, I'm well below 50-ounces of Diet Pepsi on an average day, and I can go lower without troubles from here!).

    Now, I'm off for some full caffeine green-tea!

  • cat_lady77
    cat_lady77 Posts: 203 Member
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    I went through that once & it was horrible :( Try coffee instead, maybe with sugar-free creamer? Or stick to like 1 diet soda or a smaller amount than you used to drink. When I was really desperate I took a No-Doze tablet a few times, haha. Not advocating that! Caffeine withdrawal is no joke, just try to stick with smaller amounts until your body is used to it.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    Sounds like me when I tried giving up coffee. Could be that you've cut back so much on your caffeine. How much soda were you drinking a day and did you go cold turkey?

    I would suggest either trying some tea (make sure it has caffeine) or coffee and see if that helps. You would also slowly wean back your soda every week until you no longer drink it. That may give your body more of a chance to adjust than just cold turkey.

    Good luck OP!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Don't give up caffeine cold turkey. I did that once and learned my lesson. I was miserable for a few days before I realized it was the wrong way to go. I ended up replacing one soda with an equal amount of water every week until I was down to the one per day that I'm drinking now.
  • jswimmer2
    jswimmer2 Posts: 6 Member
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    I struggle with a Coke Zero addiction. Here is what has worked for me so far. Find something else you like that has caffeine I suggest Green Tea or Coffee. Try to start replacing it with water. You will need to flavor the water with something a lemon or some flavor packet because after you drink so much soda you do not like the taste for water anymore. I can tell you that I was stuck had not lost weight for a month stopped with the soda and have been dropping two pounds a week since I stopped. The soda does not add weight but the sodium and the artificial sweeteners put your food cravings in overdrive. It is like trying to stop taking crack but keep trying feel free to add me if you like. Good luck and stay strong.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited May 2015
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    marksamuel wrote: »
    Hey everyone,

    I'm struggling with a real bad soda withdrawels. My head is extremely foggy and I have moments where it feels like the room is spinning? Any tips on how to speed the process up or how to ease the discomfort? I feel drunk without ever touching alcohol. I only ask because it's effecting my performance at work....

    And fyi this is only day 2 :(

    Are you trying to cut caffeine? If not, have some coffee. Or tea, if you prefer it.

    If you are trying to do without caffeine you just need to get more sleep and it will be an unpleasant couple of days. Tapering off can work better.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
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    I used to go on a week-long camping trip every year. No Diet Coke. I'd have horrible headaches for about 3 days and then I'd be free. Of course as soon as I got back home I'd get back on my fix again. :)

    It was the caffeine.
  • bigdaddy_sam
    bigdaddy_sam Posts: 13 Member
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    Hey guys! Thanks for the tips!!!! I'm definitely gonna try to just taper off....I ended up caving today. I just couldn't shake off the exhaustion and icky feeling at work today without my Dr Pepper :( its hard to be slow and steady when you're an all or nothing kind of person
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    edited May 2015
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    marksamuel wrote: »
    Hey guys! Thanks for the tips!!!! I'm definitely gonna try to just taper off....I ended up caving today. I just couldn't shake off the exhaustion and icky feeling at work today without my Dr Pepper :( its hard to be slow and steady when you're an all or nothing kind of person

    Have you thought about switching to diet sodas?

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