STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

cat · Marc Jacobs

help! caffeine problem

lsubatgirl · Gucci

start cutting back slowly because you will have horrible withdrawal otherwise. I'd cut out one or two drinks for a while and then slowly cut out another until its under control. I cut mine down to 1-2 drinks a week and I feel great. Just take is slowly.

gruiz · Kenneth Cole

I've gotten myself addicted a few times. Try tapering off the amount of caffeine you drink per day. One less coffee for a few days, then cut back on the Mt. Dew for a few days...and soon you'll be off caffeine completely. I've always been particularly sensitive to caffeine, so I also try not to drink any after about 1:00pm or I can't sleep at night.

During this process, you'll probably need to keep lots of Advil handy. Good luck!

sorry for the repeat info...lsubatgirl and I must have been typing at the same time.

-- Edited by gruiz at 13:26, 2005-04-14

Drew · Gucci

You can try what I did; maybe it will work for you.

To cut sodas out of my diet (I used to HATE water, now it's pretty much all I drink) I started mixing in a little bit of water, and increasing the ratio of water to soda as the weeks went on. By doing it little by little you probably won't even notice how diluted it is, until you don't even need any soda. It sounds a little gross diluting the soda, but if you do it gradually it isn't noticable and you get used to not having the syrupy sweetness in your drink, until you don't need it anymore.

As for your coffee, drink it half regular and half decaf. You can still have your three cups, but it will only count for a cup and a half. And if you want to get down even further, eventually switch out one or more of the coffees for decaf. I don't even notice the difference now, unless I go out and get a regular coffee, then I feel wired and edgy.

You are doing yourself a great service by cutting the caffeine. You will sleep better and feel better, and not have to worry about "coming down" from a caffeine high which can be kind of like withdrawal.

Elle · Hermes

I concur with all above suggestions. I will also build on the replace-regular coffee-with-decaf idea - maybe try switching to a caffeine free soda and begin replacing your Mt. Dew with that as well? It usually helps you cut down by replacing your bad habit with something else, instead of just trying to go without (like smokers chewing gum, same dif). Good luck!

luckylily · Gucci

Ya know, my sister, a friend, and myself both quit caffeine last November. We all went cold turkey. Our experience was that we felt like complete crap the first day, we were exhausted and had horrible headaches. However, after the first day we were all fine. I now drink a big glass of water first thing in the am rather than a cup of coffee.

It is so much easier to wake up in the morning now. I used to barely function before my coffee, but now I wake up with a lot more energy. I am sooo glad I gave it up.

I still have a decaf soy latte about once a week, but that's really my only caffeine. I have also been able to save money because I buy less lattes and I used to go thru a bag of beans every week. At $10 a bag for the shade grown organic, it ads up!

lsubatgirl · Gucci

how about trying crystal light or koolaid? Its flavored water. Also they make crystal light to go now and you can carry it in your purse and put it in your water bottle. I also do water with lemon and lime squeezed in it and that helps get rid of the water taste some.

honey · Gucci

you can substitute green or black tea for one of your cups of coffee. it still has caffeine (black tea has appx 1/2 the caffeine of coffee and green tea has about 1/3, but i think it varies from brand to brand) and is good for you.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

I think the jittery-ness and hyperness is more from the sugar than the caffine. I use to drink soda, now instead I drink an energy drink that has no sugar (sweetened with a splenda type sweetener), a ton of vitamin B-12 and emino acids and it has a little caffine, but the caffine actually aids in opening up your blood vessels so that the vitamins get dispersed into your system faster, thus the energy boost, and not the bouncing off the walls kind of energy boost, but a clear, alert feeling. Anyway, PM me if you want some more info, it could be a great soda replacement.

blink · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: FashionPrincess
"I think the jittery-ness and hyperness is more from the sugar than the caffine. I use to drink soda, now instead I drink an energy drink that has no sugar (sweetened with a splenda type sweetener), a ton of vitamin B-12 and emino acids and it has a little caffine, but the caffine actually aids in opening up your blood vessels so that the vitamins get dispersed into your system faster, thus the energy boost, and not the bouncing off the walls kind of energy boost, but a clear, alert feeling. Anyway, PM me if you want some more info, it could be a great soda replacement."

This is right, a big part of the problem is all the sugar...I assume you sweeten your coffee, and the Mt. Dew has 31 grams of sugar.

I know this sounds totally obvious, but the sugar and the caffeine combined are dehydrating your body. Drink lots of water and try to avoid sweet foods in addition for 48 hours.

this quote below is from www.thedoctorwithin.com. This guy is on the edge, but has good info about refined sugar and it's illusion of energy.

"The initial blast of energy is the adrenal shock reacting to a non-food in the system. Fight or flight. Refined sugar stimulates a whole range of physiological responses, all of which are unnecessary, all of which waste the energy of the cells and systems, and all of which are followed by condition of exhaustion soon after the brief rush subsides. Then you're down and the monkey needs another bump."

cat · Marc Jacobs

Thanks for all the suggestions. For some reason it never accrued to me to cut back slowly.I am very gratefull for your help. Once it started to make me feel sick I new it was time to cut back.