Decaffeinating is horrible

Aquajock

Aquajock

Cathlete
I am on the third day of trying to cut down on my caffeine intake, just by watering down the strength of my heretofore wicked 2 cups every morning, and it is just awful. I think I've relied on caffeine to keep my brain cells connected, and increasingly since Monday I don't think I'm speaking English half the time.

Has anyone else had to decaffeinate, and how long did it take you to feel right in your head?

Annette
zzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
I did it! And not too long ago. I am 9 weeks pregnant and I really was a caffiene addict. We are talking at least 32 oz. or more per day of not just wimpy coffe mind you; but coffee shop grind the beans and go. Whew.

What I did was halved my reg. coffee with decaf. Each day I used less reg. and more decaf. I did have fatigue and headaches for about 4-5 days but then all was fine. I also do not drink any coffee except in the morning (and that is all decaf now and only one cup.)

Give it a bit more time and drink more water and good juice. It is amazing how refresing that is rather than that hot drink sometimes. Good luck...you can do it!
 
I have never drank coffee but years ago I drank nothing but tea...and I drink almost constantly. I just decided one day that I didn't want the caffeine anymore and just quit. I had terrible headaches for weeks and was a little lethargic. It slowly got better and even now I can sometimes drink a little caffeine and get rid of a headache or at least improve it. I drink water all the time and only have a Dr. Pepper once every other month or so. I love water and am perfectly happy just drinking it. I would have never thought I would but I guess your body adjusts. I feel great just drinking water so it is well worth the "sacrifice". You will probably do better to just lessen your intake everyday like Jeffsmom suggested. You'll adjust! :)


Kelly http://www.sgtfuzzbubble99.homestead.com/files/Smilies/De_Niro/eeyore.gif
 
Your legs may hurt.....

My husband went cold turkey off of caffeine a few years ago. He used to need to have caffeine before bed in order to not wake up with a headache. He figured he was too addicted, and just flat out quit. A few weeks afterward, his legs began to hurt...he said it felt like growing pains. We later read that leg pain is normal when getting off of caffeine. The pain (more of an annoyance than a pain) went away after a week or two.

He's been caffeine free ever since...except for the teeny bit he gets from chocolate. :)

Good luck!

Veronica
 
>I have never drank coffee but
>years ago I drank nothing
>but tea...and I drink almost
>constantly. I just decided
>one day that I didn't
>want the caffeine anymore and
>just quit. I had
>terrible headaches for weeks and
>was a little lethargic.
>It slowly got better and
>even now I can sometimes
>drink a little caffeine and
>get rid of a headache
>or at least improve it.
> I drink water all
>the time and only have
>a Dr. Pepper once every
>other month or so.
>I love water and am
>perfectly happy just drinking it.
Kelly

Wow Kelly!
Your post could have been written by ME! ;)
I used to be a big tea drinker too.... several big glasses a day! When I got pregnant, I got off the caffeine cold turkey. I had headaches for a few weeks, but otherwise it wasn't that bad.
Now, 15 years later, I am still caffeine free and if I do get a headache, a small cup of coffee usually cures it! Strange huh?
Jeanne
 
Hi,

One thing I've done to cut down on caffeine is to make my coffee with half caffinated and half decaf coffee beans (ie two scoops caf, two scoops decaf)...so i can still drink the same number of cups but only get half the caffeine.

Jill
 
I haven't tried that but I am trying to decrease the amount of sugar I use (many people say I have coffee with my sugar) and not only do I hate what I am drinking I am miserable about it. So I pretty much sip my coffee all morning reheating it as needed--it lasts longer and I get less caffeine than if I went to get more during the day. I also drink caffeine free soda. Good luck!!
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-02 AT 05:21AM (Est)[/font][p]2 cups!!! Man, you aren't drinking ANYTHING girl!! I have tried to quit many times and am still downing about 6 a day. I have a co-worker who drinks, we figured out, about 16 cups a day!!!!!
Jill's idea about mixing decaf with regular before you brew it is a good one. Start with 75% regular/25% decaf and work your way down from there over a long stretch of time. That way you might limit your side effects.
Trevor :)
 
RE: Back on the bean

Didn't make it, folks . . . made my normal-strength witch's brew this a.m., and took a detour over to Starbucks this morning to get a couple of shots of espresso to keep it all company.

I feel myself coming out of a coma . . .

Thanks for all your good thoughts! I'll kick 'em into play someday.

Annette
:):):):):)
 
RE: Back on the bean

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-02 AT 09:02AM (Est)[/font][p]Hey Annette,
I know exactly what you are going through. I have recently
tried to cut back on my caffeine after my daughter made me realize how addicted I was. On Mothers day morning she was being a sweetie and made my morning coffee for me, about 2 hours later I had the worst headache of my life and asked her what she had used to make my coffee and she pointed to my husband's decaf coffee bag. I didn't realize until then that I really need that nasty stuff in the morning. Haven't had much luck at cutting back lately either. Oh well there are worse habits right? Amy Jo Hauge
 
1/2 & 1/2!

My hubby and also tried to go cold turkey with cutting out ALL caffeine a couple of years ago. We went two whole weeks with drinking only decaf and experienced headaches the whole two weeks. Finally, they did go away, but my hubby said after a month or so, he just could not function on decaf only because of tiredness. Sooo, after FINALLY winning the "no-caffeine-battle", we went back to 1/2 decaf & half regular and it has just enough to keep him going. We don't drink more thn 2-3 cups a day and from what I have head thru research, that is fine. I really don't think that a small amount will harm you. Anyone else think otherwise??? BTW, restaurants will pour 1/2 & 1/2 for you too. Just ask!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
RE: 1/2 & 1/2!

Hi, I tried to quit the caffine habit a while back, and found it harder for me than quiting smoking after 25 yrs !!! I have cut back on my intake, but I figure if some caffine is the worst thing Im doing to my body SO WHAT !!!!!

Anyway, good luck, I hope you have better results than I did !!

Jayne
 
Coffee is my only vice... I've cut way back and went caffeine free when i was pregnant.. but NO WAY I'd give it up now... I eat clean- drink water - about 1 beer a month.. so coffee is a BIG pleasure for me!

good luck to you though!
 
Eric & I quit cold turkey several years ago. It took about 2-3 weeks for the headaches to stop after which we didn't seem to have any left over symptoms. We stuck to de-caf for a couple of years (it gets worse...we drank it black! Ick).

It wasn't hard, it was just plain boring. We finally went back to good strong coffee with a smidgen of half & half. Mmmm!! I have 2 cups a day & he has probably 3 or 4. I think he should go down to 2, especially as he also drinks Pepsi, but that's his decision.

I also drink a cup or glass of tea most days. I don't see any difference in how I feel now as to how I felt then. I just think it tastes good! :9

Ruth
:)
 
Could someone tell me why they found it necessary to give up caffeine? Unless one is pregnant, what other reasons are there?

I always have at least two cups of coffee each morning (black, no sugar) and maybe anothe when I get to work.

I quit smoking, I exercise religously and eat right...well, most of the time. I have never in my life had a beer and drink socially about two times a year.

Coffee is the only vice I have left.

Please tell me if anyone out there has read credible evidence to give it up. I hope not to hear from you.

Marlene
 
Hey Marlene & everyone!

This might make you feel better! (...and, ME TOO!) There were two mentions of coffee in this months M&F Hers. Here is the first article. (Hoping it's okay to re-write this??)

Coffee:Less is More-Is your coffee dragging you down instead of picking you up? It could be, if you typically drink more then 4 cups a day, say reseachers from Hofstra University in N.Y. In their study, women who drank fewer then three cups a day displayed more mental acuity after receiving a jolt of caffeine than those who drank more.

Another article says it is a myth that any amount of caffeine is dehydrating. About 2 or 3 cups of caffeinate beverages have little or no effect. 6 cups however, show a clear diuretic effect. (Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD)

So, it sounds like coffee in moderation (1-3 cups/day) is fine! Woo-Hoo! (Although, I'll stick to the 1/2 regular-1/2 decaf mixture!) http://www.plaudersmilies.de/happy/coffee.gif

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
RE: Hey Debbie...thanks

I appreciate your taking the time to share some of your thoughts on coffee.

I usually do drink three cups or less per day and I am so happy that I don't need to change (unless anyone else out there wants to bring forth more information).

So, after all this coffee talk, I think I will go brew a big old pot and have a caffeine orgy.

Only kidding.

Marlene
 
Marlene!

Before I got to the "only kidding" part, my first thought was, WOW, wonder where she lives that she could be drinking coffee this late! (it's 11:30 here!)Ha! Enjoy those 3 cups or less a day! I'd also be interested if anyone else has any input as far as good or bad.

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
RE: Marlene!

At the time that I quit I was unaware of any ill effects (if any) that caffeine could cause. I quit because I knew I was addicted to it. I CAN'T STAND to be addicted to something. I don't want to have to depend on a substance if I don't have to. I found it annoying that if I did not have my caffeine fix in the morning that I got a headache. So, that was my motivation to quit. I have not regretted it for one minute. I am not coffee drinker so there is no temptation there at all.

Kelly http://www.sgtfuzzbubble99.homestead.com/files/Smilies/De_Niro/eeyore.gif
 
RE: Kelly

You have made an excellent point. Certainly I have never thought about it from that angle. I was focusing on what bad effects drinking caffeine might cause long term in a physical sense and never thought of it as an addiction that is best overcome.

Now I have some ruminating to do on this. I too do not like to be controlled by substances, which is why I quit smoking and why I do not drink much. I never included coffee in this manner. Perhaps I should have. I get really cranky in the morning if coffee is delayed for any reason. As a matter of fact, I am visiting my father in Florida soon and plan to bring my own bag of coffee because all he ever has is the miserable freeze dry stuff. Gag. But now I am looking at this and seeing for the first time how important coffee is to me and maybe that is not so good after all.

Thanks for giving me a new insight.

Marlene
 
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