I'm quitting!
By MsTickle
@MsTickle (25180)
Australia
December 3, 2010 8:35pm CST
Yes, that's right. I stopped drinking coffee 2 days ago and I'm about ready to die. My heart is beating erratically when I move around, I just want to sleep a lot of the time, I get dizzy, I have a splitting headache and I ache all over. My nose is runny, I'm sneezing, have a little bit of a sore throat and feel like I'm getting the flu.
I have no idea why I decided to quit drinking coffee...it seemed like a good idea and I know to respond when my body tells me to do something. The actual symptoms of doing this are worse than quitting smoking but at least there are no cravings...nicotine cravings are terribly hard to ignore unless you know how.
I looked up the symptoms I'm having and they may last up to nine days by which time my body will be totally caffeine free. The severity of the symptoms should only last a few days.
Wish me luck and let me know if you have ever given something up. How hard was it and did you survive? 
I have no idea why I decided to quit drinking coffee...it seemed like a good idea and I know to respond when my body tells me to do something. The actual symptoms of doing this are worse than quitting smoking but at least there are no cravings...nicotine cravings are terribly hard to ignore unless you know how.
I looked up the symptoms I'm having and they may last up to nine days by which time my body will be totally caffeine free. The severity of the symptoms should only last a few days.
Wish me luck and let me know if you have ever given something up. How hard was it and did you survive? 8 people like this
28 responses
@Bosniankid (11)
• United States
4 Dec 10
The hardest thing that I have ever given up is a girl who once said she liked me, but I still and always will I didn't want to hurt her so I said goodbye. I still have sleepless nights to this day and it has been over 2 months D:
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
4 Dec 10
I drink one mocha latte a day at Second Cup, and I hardly think that constitutes a caffeine addiction. I actually don't go there on Sundays, because I spend the day listening to various radio programs, so that's one cup of coffee, six days a week. Maybe if people didn't drink so much coffee, they wouldn't have to quit. Good luck. What would happen if you only had a cup a day, like I do? Would that be too much? Sure sounds better than withdrawl.
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
I love my coffee and I've never had a problem with it...didn't have to quit, just thought it was a good idea and now this. It's an interesting, albeit painful and uncomfortable experience but what doiesn't kill me will make me stronger supposedly.
One a day would not be enough;, there's the first one in the morning, the one for morning tea, then elevenses, then after lunch, afternoon coffee, and after dinner. Then maybe one or two more before bed. How could I possibly choose which would be THE one danish???
One a day would not be enough;, there's the first one in the morning, the one for morning tea, then elevenses, then after lunch, afternoon coffee, and after dinner. Then maybe one or two more before bed. How could I possibly choose which would be THE one danish???
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
I have no idea why Gabs. The notion came into my head and I just went with it. I'll see how I feel in a few days. I'll probably end up going back to it but for now, I'm conducting an experiment on myself.
Sweety, Cappacino & Irish Cream are still coffee, they are flavoured coffee. 
Sweety, Cappacino & Irish Cream are still coffee, they are flavoured coffee. 1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157648)
• United States
4 Dec 10
I cannot think of anything that I have given up, other than coffee, at one time. However I started back. I do get headaches when I miss my coffee. I do not recall the body aches, though. I usually cut it out slowly if I am cutting it out at all. I guess you could say that after I had my foot surgery, after a while I quit my pain meds. I had hot flashes and mood swings for sure.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157648)
• United States
4 Dec 10
If you can do something to increase your calcium and magnesium, like gatorade or a sports drink it will help with the muscle cramps.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
I m not a patient sort and not clever for that matter either. The symptoms have eased off somewhat this afternoon but my calves are still cramping when I get up off my chair.
I thought I was getting a cold at first. We are flooded here and everything is very wet so it's natural that I'm thinking this way. It wasn't till the splitting headache came back that I realised I might be having caffeine withdrawal.
I've never been on heavy duty pain meds...coming off those sounds a bit nasty.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
4 Dec 10
MsTickle-
You are having caffeine withdrawal. It's commonly advised that when one is quitting coffee that they start out 1/2 and 1/2, then full decaf, and then watered down until you stop drinking. Going off of caffeine this quickly can do quite a number to your system. However the good news is that after two to three weeks of being off it like this (going cold turkey), the symptoms will ease up and eventually pass.
Now, I have not given up coffee completely, I simply have it less often than I used to. It's always hard to give up anything and especially something like caffeine. There is still caffeine in other things though so if you want to go completely cold turkey make sure you aren't taking in other things with it in it such as chocolate, etc.
Namaste-Anora
2 people like this
@artistry (4152)
• United States
4 Dec 10
...Hi there MsT, Wow. That's painful, I don't remember anyone telling me about the effects of caffeine withdrawal, really did not know they were so severe. The only thing that I gave up that I can remember has been sugar, no particular problem. But I was trying to give up salt and I caved in because the food tasted awful without it. I will try a salt substitute the next time. Good luck through it all. Take good care.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
Hi artistry, it's been a while, good to see you. I knew that there was a period of withdrawal symptoms but I did not remember till after I'd gone without a day and I was feeling so bad...lol. By the time I looked up "caffeine withdrawal symptoms" on the net, I was past 48 hours and thought I was having a heart attack and getting the flu.
Giving up salt is something to get used to. Once you've done it, food tastes more like itself if you're lucky. These days, food is quite tasteless unless you grow it yourself. My friend has cattle and his beef melts in the mouth and is full of flavour. Home grown vegetables taste marvellous. I've been eating a rockmelon these last few days and it's fairly tasteless with just a hint of sweetness and flavour. I'm back to both cooking with salt and using it on my meal.
My Dad is diabetic and he uses a fake salt but I can't taste it unless I use spoonfuls of it.
BTW...I'm feeling a lot better now.
I'm back to both cooking with salt and using it on my meal.
My Dad is diabetic and he uses a fake salt but I can't taste it unless I use spoonfuls of it. BTW...I'm feeling a lot better now.@artistry (4152)
• United States
5 Dec 10
...Hi again, Thanks for missing me. "o). I've been busy writing some of the Task subjects. What is rockmelon? The beef and fresh vegetables sound great. Wish I had a green thumb, my two sisters have gardens and good things every year. I thought about getting one of those tomato plants that grows inside but so far have not. I love tomatoes, my grandmom used to make stewed tomato concoction with black pepper, a little bit of onion, and sugar with butter. It was delicious. The saltless food is going to take me a little while but I hope to get there. "o) Take care. Hi to the emu.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
7 Dec 10
Good luck!..When I first quit drinking Mountain Dew Pop, It was hard and the headaches lasted days and yeah you feel tired alot. There is a caffeine gum that might help some..it is nasty though my brother in law tried to chew it when he first gave up pop and he said it was not so good..but it gives just enough to take the edge off or so his doctor told him and the first thing is to get used to not grabbing that Pop first thing every time he wants something to drink..I hope you make it through the rest of the withdrawals okay the headaches can get bad..
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
7 Dec 10
Yes, dear friend, the headaches were a bad thing for me especially since I rarely get headaches anyway. There is just a trace of it now after I have a cup of tea. I still get tired quickly if I walk anywhere or try to do something out of the ordinary. I don't believe in taking substitutes when I'm quitting an addiction. I'm a cold turkey kinda gal...it's over more quickly, a clean break. I can handle that better than dragging it out slowly.
@pinklilly (3443)
• Australia
10 Dec 10
It sounds like a thyroid problem with those symptoms your experiencing. I've never been much of a caffeine drinker,but I know many people that are. They depend on it daily in order to get motivated and do daily tasks. Good luck with beating the caffeine addiction. It will be worth it in the end. 
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
11 Dec 10
Hi pinklilly, nice to see you.
Nothing to do with my thyroid thank goodness and everything to do with caffeine withdrawal. For me, coffee is just a drink I enjoyed as it offered no stimulation at all. It didn't wake me up or stop me from sleeping.
The symptoms have gone - here is the link by the way :
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-symptoms-of-caffeine-withdrawal.htm
I feel no better or no worse...I was hoping for some sort of change at least but there's no difference.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Dec 10
hi sounds more like the flu to me but if you are okay nust be the caffiene butI drink four or five a day as a large study has provcd that older women who drink coffee fo ur or five cups a day have 80 percentless senility or alzehemier disease so thats what i do. but a few years cack I had some problems with my kidney losing some function and stress keep me awake so the renal doctor put me on sleeping pills. my renal condition went back to normal and I quit taking the pill only Ihad such a rebound I could not sleep, and I could barely sit still i was so jumpy;. I phoned my pcdoctor and he said take half of one that nigfht, then one third of one, then one fourth and the fifth night I wou ld be free from side effects. and this really did work so Iknow now you cut back on stuff and keep cutting down til you no longer use it and you hace no side effects at all.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
7 Dec 10
Hi Hatley!
Nope, it was not the flu but definitely withdrawal. I had no idea it would be so severe but by the time I checked I was into my third day without any coffee.
I'm sure if I had cut back gradually it would have been simpler but when I decide to do something, I do it.
I'm pretty well fine now and thoroughly enjoying my cups of tea and cool water.
@Elixiress (3878)
•
4 Dec 10
I hope you quit successfully, not only will it be good for your body and skin, but it could also be good for your bank balance. I totally understand where you are coming from though, the other day I didn't have time for my morning coffee and spent the rest of my day at work with a headache.
You have awful luck trying to quit something as addictive as caffeine while getting the on sets of a cold :(
1 person likes this
@burrito88 (2774)
• United States
7 Dec 10
I drink a lot of coffee but have never seemed to have a problem when I stop. I seem to need a cup in the morning, in part to wake up but also it seems to help me feel like my mouth is 'cleaner'. I use mouthwash but coffee seems to remove some of the 'gunk' I feel I build up sleeping at night.
1 person likes this
@Hvaniday1 (550)
• Malaysia
4 Dec 10
Hi Mstickle, nice to hear that you are quitting coffee but why? I can't see the symptoms affect you that much because I read some of your reply your mind still working like a Ferrari, you know, vrooom . God bless you!
. God bless you!@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
Hi there Hvaniday1, nice to hear from a new friend. Thanks for the compliment, you really do flatter me. I don't really know why I quit but I just read somewhere that caffeine is bad for high blood pressure and my doctor noted the other day that my blood pressure is high so maybe that triggered a warning. I'll go without for a while and see what happens. Keep smiling!
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
5 Dec 10
I use to drink about 14 -16 cups of coffee per day and knew it was making me a wreck. Although I knew I could not give it up as I need something warm in the mornings and I do not do hot chocolate and or tea especially in the early morning.
So I began to drink decaf coffee, although it still contains caffeine even though it says decaf, but I find now I only drink 2 cups of it per day, so I have to say that maybe one day I can give it up completely but for now that is the best I can do.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
7 Dec 10
My husband drinks about 30-40 cups of coffee a day sometimes more. He drinks instant and he goes through almost 8 jars of coffee a month. I think that is the only thing that keeps him going..lol I wish he would slow down..he keeps promising but so far he hasn't. Oh and they are 12 ounce cups..
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
5 Dec 10
Holy cow hwg, that's a lot of coffee. I have probably drunk that much myself a few. times. I've tried decaf and it's nothing like coffee so I decided what's the fricken point???
I saw the doc the other day and he checked my bp and was a bit alarmed at how high it is. He said I should come again to see him but not till New Year. That's happened a few times now over the last couple of years and so I guess I decided I should do something myself seeing as he is not attending to it. I'm not ready to cark it yet...too many things to do yet.
I saw the doc the other day and he checked my bp and was a bit alarmed at how high it is. He said I should come again to see him but not till New Year. That's happened a few times now over the last couple of years and so I guess I decided I should do something myself seeing as he is not attending to it. I'm not ready to cark it yet...too many things to do yet. @claudia028 (126)
•
4 Dec 10
Hi MsTickle, I stopped drinking coffee, eating chocolate...anything with caffeine two months ago, I have to admit it's not that easy, espeically when I saw those I bought before, I have to resist the temptation. So I find myself some replacements, such as juice, lemonade, nuts etc, it helps somehow, now I have less craving. Maybe you should try to find yourself something to replace coffee, and I suggest a cup of green tea:)
1 person likes this
@claudia028 (126)
•
6 Dec 10
Hi, MsTickle, thanks, seems you are adapting well with the coffee free situation, have a nice day, and cheers!(with a cup of tea)hehe
@Monkeyrose (2840)
• Canada
4 Dec 10
Thats great for you! Coffee is definately not good for you. Sometimes a little necessary when you don't have a good nights sleep. Don't worry, once you get through it you'll be okay and healthier.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
On the contrary, studies have shown that there are links to drinking coffee and less chance of dementia among other things. As well as the bad effects of too much caffeine there are apparently some good effects. Personally, caffeine does not act as a stimulant for me...it doesn't wake me up in the morning nor does it keep me awake at night...in fact, I sleep much better if I have a cup of coffee last thing before bed. I hope I have some positive results. Thanks!
I hope I have some positive results. Thanks!
@wongchoiyee (7413)
• Malaysia
4 Dec 10
I quit drinking coke 10 years ago, but lately I drink again and even in worst days, I drink up to 6 cans. My mom was shock I did this. So I am quitting once again now am drinking 1 can every 3 days.
I hope to cut off slowly and never get addicted again.
. That stuff rots your teeth and your gut. It's the sugar mostly that is bad...the caffeine is what gets you hooked on the stuff...it should be illegal.
I'm proud of you for quitting. YAY!
@maezee (41997)
• United States
4 Dec 10
That's awesome! I've been giving up pop (using coffee as a different kind of addiction lol) and it's been working pretty good. I need my caffeine, but it's so darn addictive, so I don't blame you for taking the initiative to quit. Good luck1 It's hard, but people have done it!
1 person likes this
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
4 Dec 10
Personally, I see no good reason to give up caffiene. There is actually no medical evidence that it's harmful to you in moderation. I drink 2 cups of coffee a day, and 2 diet cokes, along with several glasses of iced tea. I don't intend to give up any of it without good reason.
You should not have gone cold turkey. A gradual stop would have eliminated the caffiene withdrawal sysptoms. The only symptom I am aware of is the headache, which can put you down.
You said you have flu-like symptoms, and I really don't think they are from no caffiene. You probably really do have the flu
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
5 Dec 10
Hi lacieice -
At the time, I didn't have a good reason...it just seemed the thing to do. I'm actually a heavy coffee drinker and I like it reasonably strong. Many have suggested that I should have gone off it gradually but it's a bit late when I'm 3 days into my quit. I'm not patient enough for "gradual", I'm better at doing things cold turkey.
I'm pretty well over the symptoms now and I hate to contradict your contradiction but my symptoms were ALL caffeine withdrawal.
See here:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-symptoms-of-caffeine-withdrawal.htm
See here:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-symptoms-of-caffeine-withdrawal.htm
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
4 Dec 10
Why don't you do it little by little? Stopping something which you have been doing a long time, so suddenly, would only make you crave for more. And unless you are very very strong, it would be difficult for you to control it or leave the habit completely. Wishing you luck in your effort.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
4 Dec 10
Hi devijay...it's not like you say at all. I haven't had any cravings but the withdrawal was quite uncomfortable. Drinking water helped I think. I haven't had to be strong, I just didn't make any coffee, it was no big deal and I haven't had any coffee for over 3 days.
Thanks for the luck wish. I'm feeling much better now.
