Diet Soda Addiction

kate_sunflower
kate_sunflower Posts: 152 Member
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
So I went cold turkey and had my last beloved diet sunkist on friday. I have had a serious addiction to diet soda (around 8 cans avg a day) and it has created major problems for me mentally and physically. But I NEVER anticipated the withdrawal!!! I still have my 2 cups of coffee in the morning so I didn't cut caffeine but I still have had flu-like symptoms like muscle aches, shaking, sweating, nausea... it is SO bad.

Has anyone else bit the bullet and made the big jump like me?

BTW - my friends called my diet soda cans my crack. Go figure.
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Replies

  • kimber0607
    kimber0607 Posts: 994 Member
    So I went cold turkey and had my last beloved diet sunkist on friday. I have had a serious addiction to diet soda (around 8 cans avg a day) and it has created major problems for me mentally and physically. But I NEVER anticipated the withdrawal!!! I still have my 2 cups of coffee in the morning so I didn't cut caffeine but I still have had flu-like symptoms like muscle aches, shaking, sweating, nausea... it is SO bad.

    Has anyone else bit the bullet and made the big jump like me?

    BTW - my friends called my diet soda cans my crack. Go figure.

    Good luck to you!
    I gave up soda years ago and for about 10 yrs only drank water and green tea...I got sucked back in..I drink 2/4 cans a day and I can NOT IMAGINE giving it up...

    Hang in there!!!!
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    It wasn't soda, but I went cold turkey on a major coffee habit. Felt S*** for about six months! It was worth it though.
  • kate_sunflower
    kate_sunflower Posts: 152 Member
    I've been reading about aspartame withdrawal. I wish there was a diet soda drinker's anonymous. I think today I'll finally start to stop feeling like I got hit across the face with a skillet.
  • leap314
    leap314 Posts: 75 Member
    I can't give it up. I love diet mt. dew, diet sunkist, coke zero...ugh....It truly is an addiction.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Yes. I was a diet coke addict for many years, plus I never drank it caffeine free. I finally just said no more and gave it up. I felt crappy at first too. But I ended up losing a little bit of weight too shortly after stopping. I haven't had a single drop of diet coke, or any type of soda in well over a year, might be getting closer to 1 and a half years actually.

    I personally feel better not drinking soda.
    Stick with it, you can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥
    ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥ Posts: 267 Member
    I could not (would not) live without diet coke!! I felt really tired and deflated yesterday without it. It's my vice!!
  • jmarsha8
    jmarsha8 Posts: 2
    I gave up diet coke about 3 months ago. I probably averaged about 4 a day prior to my detox. I noticed how much better I was sleeping during that time, and it made me feel less bloated. Those first 2-3 weeks are the worst! Diet coke was my favorite thing in the morning, and I had to start drinking starbucks frapps, the 100 cal ones are yummy. I just can't drink water to wake me up!
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
    I did the same thing a few weeks ago! I drank it religiously and never believed it was bad for me since it was calorie free and I would drink it to avoid snacking...But it seemed too ironic that I try to eat only whole foods and was drinking all those 'chemicals'! I went cold turkey too (just stopped buying the cans..made it easy because it wasn't around) and have felt pretty good doing so! Nothing changed dramatically but I think it has prevented some serious sugar cravings. I'll admit that I use it is a special treat now and might have one can every two weeks or so. I bought myself a fancy water bottle and use that instead :wink:
    Tea can definitely help fight those cravings, also chewing gum!
  • carly_pear
    carly_pear Posts: 65 Member
    I was an 8 Diet Coke a day girl!! I now allow myself one a day, only after I've gotten my water in for the day. It's like a treat! Think of the $ you'll save, pop is spendy these days. Good luck, it's not easy, but your body will adjust.:drinker:
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    I have to have some kind of caffine so I drink 2 cans of Coke Zero a day. I figure with everything else I have given up if I don't keep something I will go crazy, or crazier than I already am. Plus I have talked to a doctor whom I respect who drinks a heck of a lot more diet soda all day than I do and he said the talk about it being bad for you is way over blown.
  • geekrockgirl85
    geekrockgirl85 Posts: 4
    I am trying to force myself to have water every time I'm craving a diet soda... definitely a bad habit I picked up when i quit the HFCS sodas to try and be healthier (used to drink ~5 cans of regular mountain dew, and then pepsi max on the diet switch, a day!) The sweeteners are also bad for.. well, everyone, but especially me because of migraines. I do miss the caffeine, and even the taste. but I know it's better to see it as an occasional treat rather than lifeblood. So I'm in about the same spot you are... can't wait for it to stop sucking. ;P
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
    I did it with Diet Coke. It is tough but you can get through it. I just kept googling and reading how bad it was for me when I was feeling weak. It really helped!
  • Tink_889
    Tink_889 Posts: 244 Member
    Maybe that is too quick a withdrawal? It might be better to slowly cut it down. x
  • bethmullett
    bethmullett Posts: 4
    I haven't been able to break it. I can add water to it, so I'm not drinking as much diet soda, but I'm not able to break away entirely yet. I've gone from about 8 cans a day like you, to 2 or maybe 3....I make myself drink 24oz of water before I can have a can of soda, and only water in between. Just the withdraw symptoms alone should tell us how bad it is for us, huh? :o/
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    I gave up diet drinks about a year ago and do not miss them at all. I drink water or lemonade sweetened w/stevia all day. I have not given up my coffee and don't plan on it. I use Land o lakes Mini Moos half & half & different flavored liquid stevia as sweetner.
  • kate_sunflower
    kate_sunflower Posts: 152 Member
    Yes. I was a diet coke addict for many years, plus I never drank it caffeine free. I finally just said no more and gave it up. I felt crappy at first too. But I ended up losing a little bit of weight too shortly after stopping. I haven't had a single drop of diet coke, or any type of soda in well over a year, might be getting closer to 1 and a half years actually.

    I personally feel better not drinking soda.
    Stick with it, you can do it! :flowerforyou:

    There's NO way I'm backing down from this. I losing and gaining the same weight and caught up in this binging and restricting cycle (not to mention my moods are out of control) and it seems to be linked to fake sugars (well sugar too... and I'm cutting that as well so I feel really great right now *sarcasm*)

    I keep telling myself "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome" - and I'm REALLY breaking a pattern by nixing diet soda/artificial sweeteners.
  • JeanniebeanL79
    JeanniebeanL79 Posts: 96 Member
    I don't drink soda so I dont know what you are feeling but would making a smoothie with orange juice help at all? Maybe the coolness and orange flavor can seem similar. Good luck and that is awesome that you were able to give it up, you will be MUCH healthier! :-)
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    i heard somewhere that an apple has as much energy as a soda, so i swapped my 3pm soda with an apple, and never looked back.
  • arl29
    arl29 Posts: 55 Member
    OP- I'm with you on this one. I have a major "pop problem" as well. I also drink diet. I tried to give it up and after just a few days, my boyfriend asked me to please drink a Diet Pepsi. LOL. I had a horrible headache, felt sick and was a raging bi$%h. I am now drinking my pop again but try to limit it. I think I had 4 or 5 yesterday. Although this is not good, it is better. Good luck to you and let me know if you come up with any secrets to success!
  • karen0080
    karen0080 Posts: 64
    Hi Check out www.DietDrinkAddiction.com It might help you. I went cold turkey with Diet Dr Pepper at the first of the year and didn't have any problems. I guess I was lucky.
  • gibbsracefan18
    gibbsracefan18 Posts: 3
    I used to drink a lot of soda but have knocked myself down to 1 to 2 cans a day. I feel alright since I didnt totally stop drinking it but I dont think I will ever totally give it up.

    Good luck to you :)
  • illecl
    illecl Posts: 30 Member
    Here's some motivation for you. I gave up my life-habit of Diet Coke the day my bone density test showed I had lost ten per cent of the bone in my spine and eight per cent in my hips in two years. All this after downing lattes, swallowing calcium pills and weight-bearing exercise til I dropped. I'm only 60. This shouldn't be happening for a while yet.

    The phosphoric acid leaches calcium from your body and aspartame is poison (according to my dietician). I now pour about two ounces of pomegranate juice into unsweetened bubbly water. With lots of ice, it's a good substitute. Stevia is good if you need it sweet.

    Good Luck!
  • JForsythe0970
    JForsythe0970 Posts: 18
    I've been drinking 6-8 cans of diet coke a day since the year it came out. I switched to caffeine free about three years ago. I used to bring it with me to work every day and crack open that can when I sat down at my desk.

    When I started MFP, I gave up bringing the soda to work. Now I start my day off with water. I have a 20 oz bottle that I force myself to fill up twice before I allow myself a soda. I usually try to only drink a fountain soda too. It feels more like a treat that way. I save a ton of money now that I'm not buying 3 or 4 12-packs a week. I don't drink coffee or any other caffeine either. Occasionally I'll have a Monster, but I drink it for a dessert treat because I like the taste. I don't even care if it gives any extra energy.

    It was a hard addiction to break, but after about two weeks, it just became routine to fill up the water bottle instead of popping the top. I miss that fizz a little bit, but now when I have a fountain soda, I feel like I'm having some awesome reward for drinking my water. I feel a lot better without the diet coke woozy head feeling that I used to get.
  • iron_jj
    iron_jj Posts: 446 Member
    Former diet coke addict here! Went cold turkey and cut out all artificial sugar/sweetener and all that crap. I felt horrible for like 2 weeks, now I've had this can in the fridge for like 3 months, I feel sick thinking about it. :sick:
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Although, I will admit I do like a Diet Snapple from time to time. It might take me a couple weeks to drink a 6 pack though.
    Also sometimes the fizzy flavored waters from Walmart and they have aspartame. And I never drink that big bottle at once. I probably get 3-4 servings out of it. No calories either.

    GOSH, that aspartame stuff seems to be in everything and sometimes unavoidable.

    I should work on that ... :embarassed:
  • jkleon86
    jkleon86 Posts: 245 Member
    I've been reading about aspartame withdrawal. I wish there was a diet soda drinker's anonymous. I think today I'll finally start to stop feeling like I got hit across the face with a skillet.

    My hubby was reading that the dude that came up with the aspartame came up with the agent orange around the same time. BAD STUFF!! BAD DUDE :devil:
  • kate_sunflower
    kate_sunflower Posts: 152 Member
    I have to have some kind of caffine so I drink 2 cans of Coke Zero a day. I figure with everything else I have given up if I don't keep something I will go crazy, or crazier than I already am. Plus I have talked to a doctor whom I respect who drinks a heck of a lot more diet soda all day than I do and he said the talk about it being bad for you is way over blown.

    Well I'm not just a 2 cans a day type person. Plus I don't really think it is overblown - I've been reading countless articles of the tricks it plays on your body and the psychological effects is can have on your brain. This is going to be worth it, for my body and my life.
  • normanmac
    normanmac Posts: 34
    I had to give up my diet soda because the NutraSweet was giving me migraine type headaches. I did not go cold turkey like you did but did manage to rid myself of all pop except the first one of the day. You'd think that giving up the final one would be easy but I had withdrawal symptoms from the last one too. It was awful. I can sympathize. Stick with it. You can do it.

    It just proved to me that while we believe diet soda/pop or pop in general is harmless, it really isn't. It sure made me think twice about letting my grandkids drink it at my house.
  • caramkoala
    caramkoala Posts: 303 Member
    I gave up a 2Litre a day addiction to Coke Zero about a year ago. Same withdrawal you describe. Sometime I still have one out of habit, but I'm not addicted to it anymore. Quitting is well worth it!
  • charming72
    charming72 Posts: 37 Member
    I too am a Coke Zero addict! I have been drinking it since it came out. Before that it was a Diet Coke addiction. I know I should probably give it up, but I have limited myself to just one can a day. I was drinking more than that before, but now I have tried MIO and I really enjoy it, especially since it gets my kids to drink more water! I just don't feel like giving my one Coke Zero up just yet. I don't drink coffee, never have never will, so this really is my one vice that I feel I can live with!
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