Just quit coffee cold turkey... what have I done?!?

NikkisNewStart
NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
edited September 28 in Motivation and Support
When I say I'm addicted- I'm addicted. I literally have 15 or more coffees (full size bags- not samples). I put them away (too expensive to throw away- will give them away) and poured out 4 different flavored coffee creamers, 2 bottles of powdered, and 2 different sugar substitutes.

What have I done. Will I be able to do this? How will I handle the withdrawal headaches? I only drink water and coffee... so this is huge for me.

Drinking it black is out of the question.. drinking it with skim milk is out of the question... I have to use these artificial, processed, chemically derived creamers and it is NOT fitting into my clean eating lifestyle so it must GO.


I feel like I've been held prisoner by my coffee habit and it's time to break the chains!

Replies

  • laurad1406
    laurad1406 Posts: 341
    i never had a bad coffee addiction but i was definitely addicted to diet coke! I would get terrible headaches when I hadn't had one, and that was the only cure. I finally decided to stop and had a TERRIBLE headache for about a day and a half. I took some aspirin and drank a TON of water. It was horrible, but definitely worth it. Stick it out through the headache, you can do it!!
  • bonesfan
    bonesfan Posts: 9
    One of my friends had to stop drinking coffee for health reasons. She replaced it with tea and it helped her with the transition.
  • zoombie_bear
    zoombie_bear Posts: 963 Member
    it's actually quite bad, you'll have withdrawal, you need to decrease your dosage slowly, otherwise you'll be plain terrible. GL to you, start drinking, but less and less each day.
  • Rickh123456
    Rickh123456 Posts: 12 Member
    I had to laugh! Great post! Congratulations on making a healthy change. I have had the caffeine withdrawal headache a few times after being NPO in the hospital. It is tough, but a couple of Advil takes the edge off. For me, the worst part was feeling as if I were in a fog for about four days.

    I suspect, but have not tried it out, that No-Dose or similar products could help with the symptoms as to become accustomed to not drinking the steaming cups. That way, you could taper off the caffeine over the course of a week or so, while still giving up the coffee and additives.

    Good luck
  • zoombie_bear
    zoombie_bear Posts: 963 Member
    Withdrawal symptoms—possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints[34]—may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days, representing the time required for the number of adenosine receptors in the brain to revert to "normal" levels, uninfluenced by caffeine consumption. Analgesics, such as aspirin, may relieve the pain symptoms, as may a small dose of caffeine.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I think you're gonna have a heck of a headache if you drink that much coffee and quit cold turkey...but I hope I'm wrong :)

    My thought is: if you truly love your coffee, why not look at healthy options to flavor it? (stevia? honey?) You've lost a huge amount of weight (congratulations by the way!) You are building great muscles, from the pics on your profile...you CAN try your coffee with skim milk or perhaps almond milk? I don't see how the word "can't" could possibly be in your vocab--you have done an amazing job getting healthy!

    (I gave up soda cold turkey, but I didn't drink that much. I chose not to give up my coffee and I just measure my add-ins carefully and try to have a couple coffee-free days a week...but I am probably not on quite the same "clean-eating" path that you are working towards...)
  • Shanzstar
    Shanzstar Posts: 197
    I drink mine with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and Its pretty dang good. good luck!
  • Shanzstar
    Shanzstar Posts: 197
    I drink mine with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and Its pretty dang good. good luck!
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    Thanks friends for the suggestions... I actually have migraines already and have prescriptions for them so I'm sure they'll come in handy during this transition.

    I could drink it other ways but gag me with a spoon... if I can't have it taste this way- then I just won't drink it at all... know what I mean? It's like an old friend.... I drink in the morning (3 cups) and at night (3 cups). I only make 3 cups at a time and fill up my Christmas Starbucks tumbler.

    I'm in Alabama and if I replace it with tea- it would be sugary sweet tea and what's the good in that? LOL

    It just disgusts me that the 2nd ingredient in the creamers is "palm oil" yet I'm drinking that? Shudder. I just have to let it go b/c I am investing 350 calories and almost 50 carbs a day just in CREAMER.

    I have poured it all out before but this time I'm serious serious. As you can see- when I set my mind to something- I really do it and this time I'm serious.

    The DTs are gonna be a biznatch... I may have to curl up in the fetal position and reappear on MFP after my head clears... hahaha j/k
  • rylinaliv
    rylinaliv Posts: 7 Member
    I just gave up coffee about three or four weeks ago. For the first week, I stepped down to tea to avoid the headaches and such.

    But, for me, the toughest part is quitting the HABIT of getting a nice, hot, cup of coffee while my machine booted up at work. I pretty much substituted the habit by filling up a bottle with water instead and sipping on that all day.

    Although I still miss it, I've had LOTS of less bouts of tiredness in the mid-afternoon. Overall, it was a good move.
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    I just gave up coffee about three or four weeks ago. For the first week, I stepped down to tea to avoid the headaches and such.

    But, for me, the toughest part is quitting the HABIT of getting a nice, hot, cup of coffee while my machine booted up at work. I pretty much substituted the habit by filling up a bottle with water instead and sipping on that all day.

    Although I still miss it, I've had LOTS of less bouts of tiredness in the mid-afternoon. Overall, it was a good move.

    Thanks for sharing... I've recently been diagnosed with b12 anemia and I also have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism since 2002... both of which leave me struggling for energy (although I have been great at faking it and pushing myself to workout and tend to my family). I've relied on the artificial "energy" my coffee gives me and yes- it is part of my routine as well. I usually have 3 cups before bed (weird huh) but now I just started on my 3rd glass of ice water. I'll work it out. :)
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