Caffeine Cold Turkey / Tapering off

(Alex ) #1

Has anyone on here managed to give up their caffeine habit completely ?

If so, how did you do it? How did you find it? And are there really any considerable benefits to trying to go caffeine free against still enjoying it for the hit it gives??

(Bob M) #2

I’ve given it up temporarily, by tapering off over 1-2 weeks. I only did this for surgeries, though. Personally, I think the “science” on coffee/tea is almost or completely epidemiological, so it’s difficult to say what good would happen, other than to try it to see how it affects you.

(Lisa ) #3

I have given it up in the past, and the strategy I use takes a bit more time but saves you from headaches/withdrawals. Say you usually drink 4 instant coffees a day: Start off drinking the first 2 as usual, but then have half normal coffee/half decaf for the following two. You’ll hardly notice a difference if it’s the same brand (Moccona does a great decaf). Then either work up to a greater decaf to caffeinated ratio until they are all decaf and you’ve weaned off the caffeine. At this point I switch out one coffee for a herbal tea, then two, then three…you get my drift. Might not work for everyone, but has made my life easier leading up to surgeries etc.

(Lisa ) #4

A benefit of giving coffee up means that you don’t rely on the caffeine to bring you back to baseline energy levels (if you’ve been addicted a while, coffee becomes a drink to just make you feel normal - like smoking to fulfil a nicotine craving).

A downside is that coffee is delicious :smile:

(Alex ) #5

@lisylooby

tell me about it!

I just fear it’s the one vice left for me that I really need to address, I’ve been headache prone so much the last few years, and I don’t really have much left else that could be causing them, apart from general stress.

Can you honestly say though, that being caffeine free, and having natural energy, was anywhere near as good compared to a big coffee/caffeine buzz??

(Lisa ) #6

Yes, it was. Though the last time it happened was because of a bowel surgery after which I was not allowed to eat or drink anything for days, But I feel like a lot of it is a placebo effect too - just the smell of coffee seems to perk me up lol

(Alex ) #7

hmmmm.

I think I’d need to probably do a full month with JUST green tea, and then maybe try and month after that without… not sure my brain would allow for immediate cold turkey, I’d be a mess!

(Allie) #8

Gradual reduction is way easier. I’ve done cold turkey several times and it’s hell, but this time I got myself used to one cup a day then gradually mixed decaf in with the regular stuff until it was all decaf and now I’m a happy decaf drinker without any withdrawal symptoms.

(Alex ) #9

I never considered doing an actual mix of decaf and caf… I have had instant decaf once before and I felt like I was drinking satans p@ss!

(Allie) #10

You do have to find a decaf that tastes good, I’m on Kenco at the moment as instant at work and have decaf ground coffee at home.

(Edith) #11

I gave up caffeine a few months ago. I’m an all or nothing type, so I went cold turkey. I had headaches for a couple of days and felt really tired. I thought many times during those two or three days, “Oh boy, do I need a caffeine pick me up!” I also didn’t actually consume that much caffeine, but it was still enough to have withdrawal symptoms. Once I made it through the withdrawal I felt fine. Also, less anxious and less cranky. I think if I had been a real heavy caffeine user it would have been better to taper.

I am not missing it. I have more steady energy throughout the day. I not longer get that feeling of needing some caffeine. I realized that just like recreational drug users who need to get their hit as the drug wears off, the same is true of caffeine users. I think that tired feeling that says, “I need some coffee or tea,” is really the drug withdrawal.

#12

Most decaf is made using Robusta beans :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: If you can find one made with Arabica you’ll probably prefer it.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #13

Whilst I love challenges, I haven’t managed to give up coffee yet.
I need 70g of fat a day as my body fat is too low to continue providing all of my energy needs so I’m still using HWC in my coffees.
I probably drink 5-6 125ml espressos a day with splashes of cream to keep me satiated.

(The amazing autoimmune 🦄) #14

When I went Keto I gave up coffee as I only drank it with sugar and wanted to give up any type of sweetener even fake sweetener. So the whole shebang all at once, sugar, carbs and coffee. I think my body was so preoccupied with the sugar addiction it didn’t have time to deal with the caffeine addiction. I also amazingly didn’t have headaches, huge cravings, so bad I was like an addict desperate for a hit, but no headaches.

Why do you want to give it up? It is suppose to have some benefits.

#15

I dont feel caffine is an addiction…for me!
And when I don’t feel it’s an addiction it lessens the pressure and resistance against it. However, when I did give up caffeine I tapered off because if I did not taper off and i stopped cold Turkey, I got a headache.
So if you taper off for 2 or 3 days and then stop and maybe do lots of water and some advil you can get off of it.
but I love caffeine and the more I don’t resist it the less I have.

#16

ps. One last thing on that subject, when I have been making a really nice strong cup of coffee in the morning with coconut oil or heavy whipping cream, I have only been having 1 or 2 cups when i used to have 5 or 6 of a less creamy yummy coffee. So you might try that too!

(Alex ) #17

I know right Katie? Need some pleasures in life!

(Alex ) #18

I don’t really feel addicted either @TeeCee - just acutely aware that I am drinking it very very strong these days, and usually drinking it on a “stealth” basis for exercise sometimes. Would love to experience a natural high for once in my life, not a chemically induced one :wink:

(Omar) #19

I did

I went cold turkey few weeks ago on coffee and about two weeks ago on tea.

I am very glad I did.

(Alex ) #20

what happened @Alpha??