Are you wondering exactly much caffeine is in your cup of coffee. Trying to cut down a bit, or at least know how much caffeine you are ingesting each day with your morning cup of java or afternoon pick-me-up triple espresso Latte?
A typical cup of coffee contains approximately one hundred and twelve milligrams of caffeine. There is a bit less caffeine in a shot of espresso - a typical espresso shot includes about ninety milligrams of caffeine.
How much caffeine in coffee?This is important to keep in mind when making any espresso drinks.
While these numbers are typical, the amount of caffeine in coffee can vary considerably based upon multiple factors. The primary factors affecting caffeine content of coffee and espresso include the genetics of the coffee bean varietal, the particular roasting given to the coffee beans and how the coffee is brewed.
If the coffee beans being used are Arabica coffee beans then one cup of coffee that is approximately one hundred and twenty milliliters of coffee, if it is drip-brewed, will have about 112 milligrams of caffeine.
A 30 milliliter Espresso shot using Arabica coffee will have an estimated ninety milligrams of caffeine.
How Does Roasting Affect Coffee Caffeine Content?
When coffee is roasted it decreases the overall amount of caffeine in the coffee, but not significantly enough for it to be a serious way to reduce your caffeine intake.
Caffeine did not undergo significant degradation with only 5.4% being lost under severe roasting.
Source
Choose your roast based on your personal preferences, not based on caffeine content.
Roasting does have an effect on chlorogenic acid content - possibly what contributes to many of coffee's purported health effects, but another study also shows that caffeine is relatively unaffected by roast level.
On the other hand the Robusta coffee plant varietal has significantly more caffeine than the Arabica varietal. Robusta coffee beans are used primarily for espresso blends and to make instant coffee.
How Caffeine Metabolizes in the Human Body
Once a person consumes caffeine the body starts to metabolize it and this takes place in the person's liver. The result is three different metabolites. These three metabolites include paraxanthine (84%), theobromine (12%) and theophylline (4%).
In the first 45 minutes after consumption of the caffeine it is likely absorbed by the stomach and small intestine and begins to spread throughout the tissues of the human body.
Caffeine's Classification by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Considered safe for human consumption by the FDA, caffeine is classified as a food substance with multiple uses.
All About Caffeine in Coffee - Investigating the Side Effects of Caffeine and the Symptoms of Withdrawal from Caffeine continued:
Caffeine is a stimulant and is known scientifically as a xanthine alkaloid. When it is isolated from its source it is a crystalline white substance and is very bitter.
How does caffeine affect the human body?
Caffeine affects the human body by creating chemical changes in the human brain with a whole variety of effects including an enhanced alertness and energy level.
The way this is enhanced energy and alertness is achieved by the chemical caffeine is that the caffeine pretends, or mimics, another compound which is called adenosine.
The caffeine then binds on to the adenosine receptors in the brain with the effect of halting the true adenosine from doing its job which normally would be to slow down the body's nerve impulses and bring a very sleepy feeling to the person, a natural drowsiness that is warded off by the effects of caffeine.
Yes, some drugs may have an enhanced effectiveness when affected by caffeine. For example, some headache drugs include caffeine in their contents in order to help the effectiveness. This may be related to the vasodilating effects of caffeine.
Caffeine may be used in combination with ergotamine to treat cluster headaches and migraines. Some people prefer to use caffeine to overcome the sleepy qualities they feel when taking antihistamines.
Caffeine doesn't specifically, but coffee does.
However, some people who have shown to be at high risk for liver disease have been shown to have less severe liver injury associated with increasing caffeine consumption. This may include people with obesity, hemochromatosis and alcoholisms. [source]
Because of this, people who drink coffee but want to quit caffeine may want to look into decaf coffee instead of cutting out coffee entirely, so that they can continue to benefit from its health protecting properties.
Yes, some studies completed on ex vivo hair follicles have shown that caffeine may decrease hair growth suppression in vitro due to testosterone. In this regard caffeine may be a potential therapeutic agent in Androgenic alopecia, and caffeine has been added by some companies to their soap and shampoos.
Caffeine is found in nature in a wide array of plants, and it is found in plant fruits as well as plant leaves. This includes: cocoa beans, tea leaves, coffee beans and kola nuts. Less common sources are yaupon holly, guaryusa, yerba mate and guarana berries.
Caffeine often serves to help the plant by working as a natural pesticide against harmful predators on the plant such as insects.
What Products Contain Caffeine, and How Much?
A tablet of Excedrin contains about sixty-five milligrams of caffeine while a regular strength caffeine tablet has about one hundred milligrams of caffeine. There are two hundred milligrams of caffeine in an extra-strength caffeine tablet.
Another example of a common product with plenty of caffeine in it is chocolate. There are about ten milligrams of caffeine in an average milk chocolate bar. Dark chocolate, by comparison, may have about 30 milligrams of caffeine.
There are some dark chocolate bars that have as much as 160 milligrams of caffeine so it can vary considerably by the type and the quality of the chocolate.
Six ounces of a typical green tea will contain about thirty milligrams of caffeine while the very same amount of black tea will have about fifty milligrams of caffeine.
Amount of Caffeine in Coffee continued: You will get about thirty-four milligrams of caffeine from 12 ounces of Coke while a Mountain Dew will give you a whopping 54 milligrams of caffeine. A Red Bull energy drink has about eighty milligrams of caffeine while a Monster energy drink has about 160 milligrams of caffeine.
Withdrawal from Caffeine and Human Tolerance To Caffeine
People who consistently consume caffeine will gradually adapt to the continuous presence of the chemical in their body by increasing their overall number of adenosine receptors in their central nervous system. This occurs since caffeine functions as an antagonist to the receptors in the central nervous system for the neurotransmitter adenosine.
Tolerance adaptation to caffeine has the effect over time of reducing the chemical's stimulatory effects. These adaptive responses to caffeine also have the effect of making the person more sensitive to adenosine, and thus when the intake of caffeine is reduced then the adenosine's natural physiological effects will create withdrawal symptoms.
Of 49 symptom categories identified, the following 10 fulfilled validity criteria: headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness, decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and foggy/not clearheaded. In addition, flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, and muscle pain/stiffness were judged likely to represent valid symptom categories.
In experimental studies, the incidence of headache was 50% and the incidence of clinically significant distress or functional impairment was 13%. Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12-24 h after abstinence, with peak intensity at 20-51 h, and for a duration of 2-9 days. In general, the incidence or severity of symptoms increased with increases in daily dose; abstinence from doses as low as 100 mg/day produced symptoms.
Research is reviewed indicating that expectancies are not a prime determinant of caffeine withdrawal and that avoidance of withdrawal symptoms plays a central role in habitual caffeine consumption.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15448977
Debate Over Adenosine Receptors, Tolerance and Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms
There is some debate in scientific circles about the increase in adenosine receptors being the main cause of building up tolerance to caffeine's stimulating effects, with some evidence pointing toward a conclusion that there are also other causes at work which help to explain people developing a tolerance to large doses of caffeine.
The Discoverer of Caffeine
The evidence is a bit fuzzy but some say that the stimulating effects of caffeine are mentioned in Chinese legends dating to about 3,000 years ago.
Firmer evidence comes from 600 BCE as a Mayan pot dating to this time contains the first clear evidence of a cocoa bean, so we know caffeine was around by this time for sure.
Who First Isolated Caffeine from Coffee?
In 1819 the German chemist Friedlieb Runge became the first scientist to successfully isolate the chemical caffeine from coffee beans. Less than one year later the French chemist Pelletier and another scientist named Caventou also isolated the chemical caffeine, and Pelletier was the one to coin the word "cafeine" which he derived from the word "cafe" meaning coffee.
Who Opened the First Coffee House?
As early as 1530 there were coffeehouses in Damascus, Syria and Istanbul.
What began the spread of coffee all around the world?
In the 1600s the Dutch became the first people to carry coffee from the ancient port of Mocha. This movement of coffee by the Dutch began the rapid spread of coffee beans around the globe and it is still spreading, most recently growing rapidly in consumption in China and other emerging markets.
The Dutch were also industrious in cultivating coffee in other locations, first in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1658.
Caffeine withdrawal
Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. When caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine. In response to this oversensitiveness, blood pressure drops dramatically, causing an excess of blood in the head (though not necessarily on the brain), leading to a caffeine withdrawal headache.
This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as aspirin. It is also alleviated with caffeine intake (in fact several analgesics contain caffeine dosages).
Even small amounts of caffeine (such as a green tea, compared to a full coffee) can do wonders to alleviate a withdrawal-induced headache.
The source of caffeine is important to consider as well. Coffee is generally considered to be healthy, due in part to its anti-oxidant properties. However, energy drinks and unregulated supplements may contain any number of other compounds that can have a negative impact, often working synergistically with caffeine.
Caffeine on its own, particularly coffee, is associated with an overall decrease in all-cause-mortality [4]. Simply put, this means that people who drink coffee are less likely to die from all causes.
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms
Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable, unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as having a headache. Many of these symptoms mirror having the cold or flu.
- Headache
- Sleepiness
- Irritability
- Fatigue, lethargy
- Constipation
- Depression
- Muscle stiffness, cramping
- Brain fog, Inability to focus
- Cold-like symptoms
- Anxiety
In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been reported. These are very real experiences [1], and despite recurring jokes, can cause problems with normal functioning. If you experience severe symptoms, seek medical advice.
Is Caffeine Withdrawal Real?
In short: Yes. Negative effects from quitting caffeine have been scientifically documented in clinical studies.
Of 49 symptom categories identified, the following 10 fulfilled validity criteria: headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness, decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and foggy/not clearheaded. In addition, flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, and muscle pain/stiffness were judged likely to represent valid symptom categories. [1]
Additionally, caffeine withdrawal is recognized by psychiatrists as a real disorder.
Caffeine withdrawal is a recognized disorder and is listed in the DSM-5. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
How Long Does Caffeine Withdrawal Last?
The answer to this will depend on your level of consumption and the level you reduce your caffeine consumption to.
In experimental studies, the incidence of headache was 50% and the incidence of clinically significant distress or functional impairment was 13%. Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12-24 h after abstinence, with peak intensity at 20-51 h, and for a duration of 2-9 days. [1]
That means you'll probably notice the start within 12-24 hours with the worst being the second day you after you quit. From there, it gradually gets better over the course of a week to a week and a half.
Your brain is miraculously resilient and adapts to life without caffeine in just 2 short weeks. The psychological habit of drinking caffeine can take 3 to 4 weeks to break, but can also be replaced with decaf coffee or another low-caffeine drink (eg. tea).
Reports of people having withdrawal symptoms months or years after quitting coffee or caffeine are more typically confused with general health maladies or other more drugs.
Unrelated Symptoms
Caffeine cessation is often associated with major lifestyle changes, and as such, it can be difficult to associated symptoms directly with caffeine withdrawal. As a best practice, you should isolate factors by making changes slowly, over time, unless under the advice and guidance of a medical professional.
Compounding factors such as other medications, and major health events that lead to discontinuing caffeine, can have a misleading association with caffeine withdrawals.
If symptoms such as kidney pain appears, seek immediate medical attention.
Tingling
There are no known mechanisms through which caffeine withdrawal may cause tingling. On the other hand, caffeine consumption can sometimes cause tingling due to restriction of blood flow to extremities.
Back pain
While back pain is not a symptom of caffeine withdrawal, symptoms may (re)appear when caffeine use is discontinued.
This may be due to caffeine's reported analgesic affect on pain [3] - in english, caffeine might help alleviate (back) pain by amplifying the effect of pain killers. The re-ocurring presence of back pain may be due to synergistic effect being lost, but is unrelated to the temporary effects of withdrawal itself.
Dealing with Caffeine Withdrawal
The severity of caffeine withdrawal symptoms vary with how extreme the restriction, and a gradual reduction can do wonders in avoiding symptoms. Simply starting by replacing one cup of coffee with a decaf coffee or tea will provide a much smaller dose of caffeine, allowing your receptors to re-acclimate to lower levels. Drinking coffee (decaf) or other warm beverage (tea) instead of regular coffee helps psychologically with the well established habit.
Timing large reductions in caffeine consumption is also a useful tool. Picking a time of rest and relaxation such as a weekend or vacation can lessen the burden of symptoms like brain fog and a lack of motivation.
Hydration is also key - while coffee is a diuretic it's also mostly water, and cutting back on coffee may also inadvertently cut back on your fluid intake. Many symptoms of dehydration overlap with caffeine withdrawal including headaches, muscle soreness and leg cramping, irritability and lethargy.
Without caffeine blocking your adenoseine receptors, your body's built up levels of adenosine will lead to a lot of sleepiness. Get lots of rest! Scientists are still puzzled by why humans need sleep, aside from getting tired. According to some research from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) has indicated that sleep enables your brain to drain built-up chemical by products of working so hard (you little genius), which is good for you!
Advil or Tylenol can be an effective method of dealing with the coffee withdrawal headache and muscle pain. Other natural pain relievers such as running / exercise and even an orgasm can provide temporary relief by dilating blood vessels in the brain.
The best solution may not be totally ceasing caffeine consumption though. Coffee does have health benefits, as it contains over 1000 known compounds, with many associated with lowering blood pressure and improving cardiac function, as well as liver protection [2]. Generally, the best coffees are grown at higher elevations will develop more healthy chlorogenic acids that are present in higher concentrations in light roasts than dark roasts. If you're a dark roast lover however, darker roasts cause less stomach acid production. A decaffeinated coffee with just 5-25 mg of caffeine will still retain a lot of its healthy chemicals and will provide health benefits in medium and dark roasts.
With these tips you can reduce the caffeine in your body and avoid the rebound of a caffeine withdrawal.
References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15448977
[2] Coffee Consumption Decreases Risks for Hepatic Fibrosis and Cirrhosis: A Meta-Analysis
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0142457
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22419343
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28697850
Caffeine and Health. J. E. James, Academic Press, 1991. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research Volume 158. G. A. Spiller, Ed. Alan R. Liss Inc, 1984.
Xie et al "Sleep initiated fluid flux drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain." Science, October 18, 2013. DOI: 10.1126/science.1241224
User says
re: organic the answer?
Do you think its possible that its just the non-organic forms of caffeinated plants that are really giving some of us the problems with caffeine we have??
I guess its easy to find out. Just switch to drinking only organic teas. Maybe that is the answer.
I also think the reason it takes SO LONG to get over caffeine withdrawal is because it takes awhile to learn what to eat, how to live, etc, to feel good without caffeine.
Caffeine is an astringent. I think it can help keep mucus from building up in the digestive system. So when you go without caffeine, all of a sudden you have this build up of mucus, which causes a TON of problems. Getting more sleep is a natural detoxification period which cleans up all this every night. Eating less foods that cause mucus might help too. Exercise is good for detox. Drinking more fluids helps in general in itself.
Wine might be helpful also. The past 3 weeks I have gone off caffeine twice. I definitely noticed the withdrawal...but what I found helpful was drinking more alcohol..for whatever reason. Getting sleep is good of course. It didn't take me too long to feel better.
But now I'm going to try switching to only organic...thinking maybe its the high concentrations of pesticides/artificial fertilizers that is causing me problems. Part of me thinks this is probably a total caffeine-induced lie I'm making up...but hey. I figure I can try this for a few days eh why not... I can always quit cold turkey afterwards.
One thing I've noticed the past few weeks...is that I get MUCH more into movies when I am not on caffeine. I guess I can "feel" movies easier...not being so sped up on caffeine constantly. I can become one with the emotions tones presented. When I'm on caffeine, I'm more apt to just be productive and future-oriented...instead of more in the moment.
I have been off caffeine once before really in my life. I made it 7 months. During that time I remember feeling the best I'd ever felt in my entire life...well...at least since I was a kid. The only way I could make it really work was if I made sure I went to bed early every single night, and woke up with the sun.
But I felt so dang good. It was pretty amazing how good I felt...
Its hard though. There is something so nice about being able to brew up a cup of a liquid...sit there in a meditational state and drink it...and within seconds feel the caffeine overcome your body...
kamila says
re: a lot better:)))
hello there,
I do feel a lot better, yesterday had half a coffee because my head was in so much pain and I have to study now, but today it is over!!! I did reduce caffeine intake gradually: first three days I had 1-2 cup of real coffee a day (oh yes I used to drink 4 or 5-I know I know:) well I also had like 3-4 cups of decaf on these first days :))) then I had no coffee for a day oh terrible and then one coffee again, afterwards 3 times half coffee a day, then 2 times half coffee and yesterday only one time half a coffee because I felt horrible again - and today feels ok. Just some pain in the neck stiffness in muscles etc, but less!!! Over the past days I had little energy when I went jogging or playing tennis and was yawning all the time, and I could not raise my hand up virtually-but now I seem to have energy.
And now it seems I do not do 5 things at a time but the most important first and I do not stress myself that much (exams coming). When I sit down to writing a mail I actually do it straight away:)))
Anyways good luck and take care
Kamila from Poland: http://www.myspace.com/kamilaswonderland
User says
re: HELP!!!!!!!
I have been drinking one cup of coffee every morning and one pepsi every evening. I am weaning myself off caffine. I have eliminated the the evening pepsi. Its been five days now. I have been having headaches, but none a bad a today. Shouldn't the worst be over already? Does someone have any suggestions? Help me. Please!!!!!
shmity werberjagermenjensen says
re: They don't put caffeine in
They don't put caffeine in coke and speed to make it addictive. Also, there are tons of antioxidants in coffee and tea - they are beneficial in many ways. Of course nobody said having 30 cups of coffee and tea is good, obviously there are limits.
And why would you quit wanking for a month and a half? Trust me, you hear palpitations aren't from jerkin your gerkin.
Diet Dew Withdrawal says
re: Caffeine Withdrawal
To make a long story short....
I have consumed Diet Dew for nearly half my life and really never considered the consequences as it was my only addiction. I quit cold turkey in 2001 due to pregnancy and really did not have any side affects besides mild headaches.
Well, my husband has been on a health kick for nearly one year now due to his high cholesterol and has been very devoted and dedicated to his mission for good health. I was challenged to start thinking about a healthier life style that resulted in giving up the....Dew.
I am now one week clean from consuming nearly 6-10 Diet Dews a day. I am certainly glad I stumbled on this website. I thought about going to my doctor. I had the following symptoms: headache and major back and leg cramps particularily my right leg. I thought I had restless leg symdrome. I could not sleep due to the pain and tingling sensations. For five nights, I took Advil, Mortine, and Aleve and last night was the first night without the pain relievers.
I still have mild headaches, tiredness, and dull zone-out sensations, but cannot believe the addiction I had for caffeine. I'm drinking water, and carbonated soft drinks without caffeine or sugar and eventually will need to stop the carbonated drinks as well. It has been hard. However, I'm slightly confused with my lack of desire to grab a can of Dew, but realistically I do not want to go through the torture process again and hope to gain a healthier way of life.
Thank you one and all for your comments, which helped me to figure out what was going on and your suggestions have been very helpful.
User says
re: after 40 years
I've been off coffee without headaches this time -- maybe because I withdrew gradually and also did some fasting as prep to a colonoscopy. Good thing -- wonderful actually, is decreased anxiety and BETTER concentration -- less hyped up and more in tune with nature -- I'm driving more slowly and getting as much done in a day, but with less aggressive energy -- I can watch a switch to cardiovascular strength and clear purpose driving me instead of a whip-like surge. Downside is bowel function: even tho I'm eating lots of high fiber, my gut isn't exploding into the toilet. BUT patience is an obvious remedy. After 40 years of coffee drinking, why should I return to healthy (non-drug-dependent) functioning in two weeks? This is a project worth doing.
User says
re: want to be free ?? I wanna read your journal
Hi "want to be free".
Ok maybe I'm overnthusiastic having discovered this site. As insanely overstated and corn y as this will sound, this is the closest Ive ever felt to one of those Eureka "I AM NOT ALONE" moments they talk about. Yes yes I know we're just ta;talkingcaffeine here. But still.
Im 35, work out a lot, but my caffeine intake is normally DOUBLE yours (I'm not being compettive here). Often 10 cups of coke + 3 coffees. Many many times MUCH more than that. Im serious. I also used to smoke about a pack a day but quit 2 years agoi and MAN do I feel better. Work out you will feel amazing. Anyway IF you ever feel like making your journal public, I wouldnt find it boring at all I would be fascinated to read it. Swriously. I find the whole subject fascinating ecause I have stumbled on so many times things that make me feel FANTASTIC that were totally counterintuitive. Like quitting smoking in the speicif way I did it. I mean I REGULARLY fell 8 or 9 out of 10 in general feelgood terms since quitting smoking AND doing weights. Try it. Now....the last fornteir. My massive enormous unspeakable caffeine addiciton. Just expewrimenting. I'm on day 1. I do have a headache adn that surprises me big time. Anyway any thoughts you have are welcome. Good luck.
Drew says
re: Can someone tell me SPECIFICALLY how they feel better
Hi Lloyd,
I would be really REALLY innterested to hear more. You said you feel "a lot better" now off caffeine. Can you be more specific? How do you feel better? More energy? Sleep better? I'm 35 and drink astronomical amounts of caffeine. I mean normally 10 cans of diet coke a day PLUS 2-3 cups of coffee. I have done considerably more at times. I know I know. And now I quit MAN do I have a headache. Really surprises me. Im otherwise in good shape work out 3 times a week and do sports. Any please tell me more I'd love to hear it. Good luck and thanks!!
snowy72 says
re: No more caffeine for me
Very true,Wyoming.I regret having drunk cola over several years.Although my teeth are in good condition - having had a recent check up,and drinking it through a straw - I don't know if it has harmed my bones.
I stopped drinking my last can last Monday,and I have felt awful since then.I haven't experienced awful headaches,though did have a slight one on the third day.What I have experienced instead is feeling tired,but being unable to sleep properly,cramp in my arms and legs,feeling unable to think straight and having rumbling feeling in my stomach.Has anyone else experienced this?
I know I'll never touch it again.I thought as it was the weekend,I would have one can last night - and maybe best to ease off it gradually,which should maybe have done at the start - but as soon as I had a few sips,it didn't feel right,and I threw it down the sink.
I don't drink tea or coffee,nor eat chocolate which has it in it and am now going to concentrate on eating healthier all around,and drink more milk,etc to build up my bones.
Women should be aware that caffeine can aggrevate pmt and the menopause,as well as affect their cycles.It supposedly can make you go through the menopause earlier - though my gp said it goes by family history - and can bring on a miscarriage.Early menopause caused by this can supposedly be reversed by diet,though.
Anyway,apart from the side effects,I generally feel calmer and it's hard to imagine that I didn't seem to realise what was making me more agitated all along.
lloyd says
re: hang in there
i drank large amounts of coffee for 20 years...i stopped in jan 08....i've had all the withdrawal symptoms you have...its been four months now that i havent had any caffeine...i feel a lot better now....i'm glad to be free of the addiction....lloyd
User says
re: This is harder than giving up smoking
I'm day 7 into giving up caffeine. I tried cutting back to a can of diet coke per day for the first 3 days and for the last 4 I have gone cold turkey. My head hurts, pounding throbbing sore head that feels like its under 200lbs of pressure. My legs and back ache like mad. I feel like I've done 2 hours of spinning class non stop. My muscles just don't want to work. I'm taking Nurophen to try and ease the pain. How can a substance this addictive be so readily available to the general public?. Stopping smoking was far less painful. At least that was just mental habitual cravings. Caffeine withdrawal seems to have similar symptoms to crack or heroin. I hope it stops soon!
User says
re: I only drink pepsi and tea
I only drink pepsi and tea but I can tell you this caffeine withdrawal is real. I am 49 and my 20 year old daughter called from college on Wednesday. She had been to the hospital and diagnosed with a severe UTI with lots of bleeding. I decided then that I would not drink anything with caffeine. I was fine for the first 48 hours and then I was hit with an intense headache, severe nausea and vomiting. I could not keep my balance, was sweating and very clammy. This is not fun and I think the slow withdrawal is a better idea. This is the third day and I'm beginning to feel another wave of the same.
Max says
re: Did it once...need to do it again.
Nearly 2 years ago after stomach problems, I swore off caffeine going to the cold turkey route. It was hell...headaches were the worst of it for me. Those lasted about 10 days straight, fluctuating between a full blown migraine to just a dull roar. I was tired and groggy for about 3-4 weeks....sleeping at least an extra hour or two each night. The 2 month rule makes a lot of sense. I started really feeling better about everything after about that time frame...energy returned, slept soundly and just 'felt' better.
During the last 6 months I've fallen back into the black hole of caffeine addiction. It started with a morning coffee, then 2 morning coffees, then back to the diet cola, etc. Little by little I've got myself back up to my previous caffeine intake and feel just horrible. I'm literally scared to get this back under control because it was such hell the last time. I also know that I have to get a handle on it.
Thanks for all the comments, I hope again break the caffeine addiction!
Ed says
re: ...
Please tell them also to bring english dictionary and interpunction tutorial.
User says
re: palpitations
my father-in-law has been suffering from palpitations since he was a boy, and now they last a few hours at a time. my husband also gets them. we were wondering about the palpitations being hereditary. we`ve also recently discovered that acid foods cause alot of problems, and have found a food chart on the internet that shows acid/alkaline foods. we`ve started to eat more alkaline foods and found that it works.
acid/alkiline
NBTeacher says
re: Quitting
I'm going to quit caffeine too. I love Coke. I love it a lot! But it's time to quit. I haven't had a good night's sleep in years. I can't quit right now until I have a few days off work. I get headaches when I drink less caffeine. This site is great... I will need your support!
Alex says
re: My dear Irn Bru...
I'm addicted to caffeine.. maybe not as badly as some of you guys, but still.. I'm only 16 and I used to drink about 2 litres or more of Irn Bru a day. Now I'm down to quite a lot less than that because I'm out more and I can't get hold of the stuff, but still, as soon as I don't drink it for a few hours, I've got a big headache and my already low ability to concentrate gets practically non-existant. I've got hell-loads of college work to do over this Easter holiday, but this lack of caffeine which has given me one of said headaches today is crippling my chances.
My recommendation to anyone that hasn't tried caffeinated drinks is don't unless you want to become a slave to it one day.
I've helped friends quit smoking, and it didn't seem as bad for them as this.
Don't start, kids!
Nigel Moran says
re: At 22 I ended up in hospital with heart palpitations
hi all, when I was little i use to drink coke, then at 12 went onto coffee and tea. At 22 I ended up in hospital with heart palpitations (felt like a heart attack). Drinking 20-30 teas and coffees a day. Im now 25 and since then have cut down to about 3-6 a day half café. After doing some research into this drug I couldn't believe my findings. They say coffee is good for you!!! Surely having withdrawal from a food or drink is very bad and caffeine doesn't do anything good for you, its what they put in coke, smokes, e, speed, etc so you get addicted to it. Sometimes I lie in bed and think I'll die from a heart attack by the time im 30 because of coffee, also ive never had a good sleep im always having to go to the loo 3-6 times a night!! Always making to tired. Now I need to do something about it. The net says there's 3 cans of coke in one coffee. So if you drink 5 coffees a day thats same as 15 cans of Pepsi or coke. I just come back from my holiday where I only drank 4 coffees for the whole time (about 5days). And since then have drank tea and couple cups of coffee one per day. But today I got massive headaches, that fogbrain feeling and very tried, also slight depression. At first thought the tiredness was jet lag but it was only a 2 hour flight, or a disease but ive had blood tests. So its defo the caffeine. Well I don't think I can completely come off it the feel of depression is nasty. As I dont know how to come off stuff im going to have one a day. Ive quit wanking for 2 months, quit smoking, quit weed, but this is the hardest thing ive done!
User says
re: Trying to quit caffeine also
I am also in the same age range, going through anxiety & depression (therapy is mandatory) and trying to cut out the one thing that I think or thought made me happy. I 've come to the conclusion that in order to get better I should listen to what my dr.'s are saying. Which is to cut down on the caffeine & exercise. I'm not over weight but the exercise is good to work out the aggression. I will say coffee is one of the things I look forward to in the mornings. I have a busy schedule every day & relaxing is just an option for me. But now, I'm starting to realize if I don't take the necessary steps to take care of myself, sooner or later I won't have that choice. Not to mention diabetes runs on both sides of my family. So basically I am guranteed. Well, I can say I am trying, its not easy but I'm willing to give it a try. So I just wanted to let you know you are not alone and best of luck. Heres to good health.
want to be free says
re: Trying to quit
I have been addicted to caffeine my whole life. When I was a baby my mother put Pepsi in my bottle because, according to her, I wouldnt drink water and she didnt want me to get dehydrated.
As a little boy, I drank approx 5-6 Pepsi's a day. In college I discovered coffee, and by my mid thirties was up to 5-6 large cups of coffee a day and one or two Cokes.
For the past three weeks I have been cutting back on my caffeine. I am now down to two cups of green tea in the morning, and the rest of the time I drink mint tea.
I am having some difficulty with "brain fog" and mild headaches but am also feeling a huge decrease in stress and that makes it all worth it.
I have been keeping a daily journal, much of which has documented me getting off of caffeine. If anyone else would read it they would probably be incredibly bored and think that I was nuts. But, it is amazing how much that drug has affected my life. It truely is an addiction.
I am glad to have found this board, and to read that I am not alone.
Wanna Be
wyoming says
re: get off cola, too!
Cola is bad news! It's very high in phosphoric acid which is toxic to the body. Basically, your system will get rid of good stuff (vitamins and minerals) in order to flush out the toxins. If you don't have a good diet to begin with (not enough fruits & vegetables), then your body will likely tap into your bones to get the stuff it needs to flush out the acid. That's not good. You don't want to arrive at your golden years a cripple because you had a thing for Coke.
This is true for diet cola and non-caffeinated cola, too.
G says
re: Glad to have found this site!
I have been home sick from work all week, due to an intense UTI. Therefore, involuntarily not drinking coffee or alcohol. I thought I was feeling a bit better after day three of being home, except for a headache, until day four. I had the most massive headache I have ever had in my life, and pains in parts of my brain that I had never felt before. I too had (still have a little) the hot & cold sweats, which I thought were gone after one night I woke up and my entire bed was drenched. To my surprise the same thing happened the next night! I have also been having some of
the most disturbing dreams I have ever had.
I thought that this was all from the infection, and was wondering why, when I was told I should start to feel better after a few days, I was still feeling so crappy! Hence why I came to the computer to look up the effects of caffeine withdrawal and found my answer.
Now myself, I just turned 31, and have been drinking coffee since I was 12, so I can be pretty sure I will still drink coffee, but will definitely cut back! Now knowing what it entails to be rid of it, I will be prepared for the day when I do decide to fully cut it out of my life!
Nermash says
re: Forced withdrawal
Due to homeopathic treatment, I have been off coffee for 36+ hours now.
I'll tell you one thing; I have quited smoking cold turkey for nearly 2 years now, but I can't wait for a day when this treatment will be over.... I will head out to nearest coffee shop and go on a spree! All the usual suspects are here, very light headache, foggy vision and feeling, sleep craving, inability to focus and do work.
Something Has to Give says
re: Well Here Goes...
So I set an appointment with a therapist today because I felt that I was going thru some sort of midlife crisis (I'm 28). I have depression rampant in my family and feel that I may have it from time to time but nothing supreme. I have felt however, that anxiety has begun to consume me. This is not a normal feeling for me and one that has had a profound and obvious negative affect on me. So i just figured I must be going insane. I had no idea that any of it could be linked to caffeine.
I drink a lot of caffeine, and have for quite a while. Today I had 4 shots of espresso, and 2 diet mt dews (20 oz) and at least 2 green tea bags. That daily intake is pretty normal for me. I have a pretty addictive personality so for me, it's all or nothing.
I have quit caffeine before in the sense that I've stopped for 2-3 weeks. But always find myself back at it. I, until reading these posts, have never tied my axiety or slight depression to caffeine. I am so glad I have stumbed upon this site. After a few days of severve anxiety and severe ups and downs of depression I have decided to quit all out for good. It can't hurt. I looked at these posts and figured it may be fun to post and follow my progress.
I need a clearer mental state and hope that this has a very positive affect. Good luck to all...I'll be keeping in touch.
This is What Happens after a month and a half says
re: This is what happens after a month and a half....
Ok, well you've stumbled on a dark secret relating to caffeine addiction....at a month and a half a black unmarked van will stop at your home or your work (I think Coke and Pepsi backs them financially) and they abduct you and take you to a lab where you are forced to ingest caffeine by the gallon to re-establish your addiction......heh.....
Actually, I think what happens is people feel better and no longer think about this site. I know I've been gone since about December of last year. After two months life gets back to normal, actually, perhaps better than normal. I no longer needed the morning pick me up. The brain fog does indeed depart. When I was on caffeine it seemed like I had boundless energy but at a great cost when I crashed and how much did I accomplish with the energy? Not much. Now it does seem I have a bit less but liken that to still being not as physically active as I should be and allergies (which improved after I was off the caffeine but do still bother me some).
Two months does indeed seem to be the magic number give or take a couple weeks, no two people are the same. Hang in there, join the rest of us on the 'other side" of addiction.
Footnote: Even once you're off the drug you may still find times you crave it months later, I know I do, but...remember how hard you fought to get past the withdrawal and ask yourself if you want to do it again...I know I don't.
Past Two Months Here says
re: I made it...way past two months...
Okay, I decided to stop by the site today and look around. It was a big help to read people's comments last year (Oct. 07). Yes, it did indeed take about two months to get over everything. The chills, and shakes passed within a week. Most of the physical symptoms are over first. The anxiety? Well I had it very bad and initially didn't know what it was from (before I found this site)...so I went on anti-anxiety meds. I stopped at three months to see how things "felt" and they felt great so I stayed off of them.
So now I've been telling people about caffeine, become somewhat of an anti-caffeine evangelist. Actually been helping folks some by passing info on. Most people know about headaches but none that I've run into know about the other symtoms. I spoke to one woman who as fate would have it had drank a Red Bull and and starting having anxiety, this with no history of problems. I told her my experience and she swore off Red Bulls from that point.
It does get better, much better at two months. I wake in the morning usually quite refreshed and no longer needing the caffeine hit that I had to have to get the day started. I have strayed sometimes back to caffeine in the form of tea and chocolate and discovered much to my dismay that a fruit juice I had bought on Amazon had nearly the same amount of caffeine in it as a cup of coffee...great...
All in all I have no regrets for giving caffeine up, apart from my wish I had done it years ago. Good luck to anyone reading this, hang in there its tough if you're doing it cold turkey, try to ease out of the addiction. The anxiety combined with the physical effects make you think you've got serious problems, don't sweat that. Read all the posts on here and see other people have have the same thing, many have been to doctors and from what I experienced and read here most times the doctors don't even ask about caffeine use. I ran into the ER doctor I saw when I first developed symptoms and told him what I had learned....he smiled and said he drinks a pot of coffee a day....later I asked the nurses about him and they said he is a bit uptight...wonder how much that is about caffeine and not just job stress. I'm trying to get all the information I can up on a website for folks...its http://www.thehiddenaddiction.com....hope it helps someone.
Caffiene Free says
re: Its a good time to stop...
Hi, I read your post. Its a good time to stop the caffeine, just don't do it cold turkey. I did, and it took a while and was not pleasant at all. So...here is how to do it, simple...cut back gradually, very gradually....five cans of coke a day...do 4 a day for a week-10 days...then do 3 a day for 7-10 days, then 2...etc. This will really reduce the effects of withdrawal. I bought and read, "Caffeine Blues" from Amazon.com....good book, the author is a doctor who got off Caffeine. I encourage you to stick to your guns and get off of it, don't let it continue to control you. Good luck. Paul
Max Peck says
re: Resuming Caffeine
Sounds to me like you need to go ahead and get on with getting off the stuff. The very fact that you crashed like that is pretty strong indication that you're suffering from an addiction.
Dunno about how it will affect any children you might have - but substance abuse, regardless of how "benign" it might appear to be is abuse nonetheless. You might want to try to come off it gradually. If it caused that strong a reaction when you quit then sounds to me like you need to get rid of it.
-Max
Janna - Student, Caffeine Addict, Working on Chem. Project says
re: Testing this...
Well, I've been working on a chemistry project about caffeine, it's affects and its purposes.
I run on caffeine every day, and knew I needed it. I had four to five cans of Diet Coke a day. I decided, to get a better understanding of how much I need caffeine, I stopped taking it. I completely cut myself off. It was HELL!
I couldn't think, I couldn't focus. I was prone to being snappy and aggressive, and nearly got in a fight. The headache started on my third day, and persisted for a good time after. At one point, I got home from school and just crashed. I dropped my stuff on my bedroom floor and dropped right along with it. I woke awhile later with a migrane that made it feel like I was being shot every 30 seconds or so. It was terrible!
So I resumed my typical caffeine intact, and fully recovered. But I'm worried about how my caffeine needs will affect my children, if I ever get pregnant... =/
ads says
re: pepsi addiction
hi there
i was on the internet to check if lemonade has caffeine in it. i am 41 year on female and all through high school i drank nothing but coke and since 18 years till xmas 07 i have drank nothing but pepsi
although i do not drink tea or coffee
in the new year i changed from pepsi (full strength) to lemonade i cant tell you how bad i have been feeling
totally exhausted, constantly angery my husband and 7 year old son and work mates can do nothing right
i have only 2 days ago linked this to giving up pepsi -hey slow learner
today i have been to the dr to have blood test to rule out low iron etc but i now bet that stuff will be ok after reading this site. I nearly reverted back yesterday and had over 2 litres of pepsi and could not get to sleep last night -not doing that again but during the day i felt wonderful best i had felt since stopping it just shows how addictive it really is. anyway good luck with your journey.
Ed says
re: Constipation 🙁
Hi Going to Give up the Java,
eating fruit should help, as should anything with lots of fibre.
Also check out earthclinic.com - great site with lots of home remedies with comments from people who've tried them.
Ed says
re: Hi Flip-Out Wilson and all
Hi Flip-Out Wilson and all other ex-caffeine users who have seen the light. 🙂
I really enjoyed reading that message. It's very encouraging for us all.
I gave up alcohol at New Year as an experiment for 2008 and after the first few days I've not missed that at all. However, what has surprised me is how much caffeine has had a hold on me all these years.
As I mentioned before I was just a moderate white tea drinker but two cups would make me miserable, even though I loved the taste and the fact that it is supposedly healthy.
I see it as a spiritual thing as well. I feel like I'm not as nice to people (or myself) as I know I really am. Caffeine makes me snappy and anti-social. It makes my thinking very linear and uncreative. I have recurrent memories, ruminant thoughts with no resolution. I don't get things done. It makes me lack self-confidence.
It's spiritual poison.
Physically, it's bad for my skin. I seem to age 10 years when I'm on it. I've noticed it makes me physically weak.
What clued me in (after all these years) was one Sunday when I was working in the garden. The weather was sunny. I didn't have a care in the world. Then I decided to write down my thoughts over the morning. It was glaringly obvious how just one cup of tea had completely changed my train of thought. I was writing down things about how people had upset me, let me down, etc. Crazy!
I've had days in the past when I've had absolute clarity of thought. I want that back on a frequent basis.
It's Day 6. The headache and general feeling of having my head in a vice has pretty much gone but I'm still feeling bad about myself. I need to keep going with this. My eyes are clearer. I just want my thinking to be clearer, too.
Kindest regards.
Ed.
Max Peck says
re: Caffeine Withdrawal
In my 5th or 6th day off caffeine. (Have done this before). Quit on Thursday or Friday of last week. Had lousy weekend - head in fog, muscle aches, irritable. Having trouble staying asleep after mid-night bathroom trip.
This morning my head starting to clear up. Feeling circulation in my system (particularly extremities) that I haven't felt in quite awhile. Maybe it will take 2 months to completely purge this stuff out of my system but I can definitely tell the difference already.
-Max
Wasabe says
re: Caffeine Withdrawal and Thirst
I have been off caffeine for about a week now and I still have a mild headache after averaging about 400 mg a day for months. This takes a while. I sleep a lot and I don't have a lot of energy, but I figure eventually things will even out. I notice too that my mouth is very dry. I drink more water. On the other hand if you have been drinking tea or coffee, you need to be drinking something else to replace the fluids.
mraddict says
re: withdrawal
i'm a long time coffee drinker...normal for me was 10-15 cups a day...i cut down to 4 cups a day a few weeks ago and stopped altogether 7-9 days ago,i dont rememember...i've had all the symptoms i've read about here...headache,joint and muscle pain,back pain,thirst,brain fog,irratability,depression,ant-social attitude,blurred visin...in the last 16 years i have been freed of addictions to alcohol,drugs,cigarettes,and a behavoir addiction which i'm still getting free of...every one of these addictions had severe withdrawal symptoms,and in every case it was rough but well worth it...those experiences and this site are helping me to hang in there..i know someday it will get better...thanks
mraddict says
re: spirituality
thanks for sharing your benefits of freedom from caffeine......its encouraging
Going to Give up the Java says
re: This post (Re Spirituality)
This post (Re Spirituality) has added to my desire to stop all caffeine--THANK YOU. After reading this I feel that I can quit and will have much to look forward to.
One thing I'm not seeing in these posts, though, and would like help with--is the resultant constipation that comes with giving up coffee. In my past attempts, it was this problem (constipation) and not the others (headache, brain fog, etc) that had me go back to consuming coffee. Any thoughts?
bporter says
re: symptoms after 1+ month
It seems reasonable to me that quitting caffeine is not the end-all to lousy health. Perhaps if you're still experiencing lack of concentration and a mental "fog," then there are other areas of your life that need adjusting. How's your diet? How's your exercise routine? Are your getting sufficient sleep? Concentration and oxygen efficiency are dependent on our physical health. Or it may just be a matter of practicing a few concentration exercises.
I've long had difficulty concentrating. I quit coffee three days ago and have experienced haze and headaches since then. I've quit in the past, but find that grad school often reels me back in to caffeine dependency.
Don't lose heart. Even if you don't find salvation in cutting caffeine, you've at least done something honorable that many other Americans aren't able to do. Perhaps this commitment will lead to greater life changes.
flip-out wilson says
re: Spiritual recovery from caffeine
Hello friends,
I am now months off of all caffeine (coffee, chocolate, tea, cokes) and I do appreciate all of the input on this forum. Please believe me when I tell you that the discomfort will pass, and the brain fog will clear up (although, it still does occur, even after three months!) and like Ed (I think it was Ed) said, we are coming back from an altered brain chemistry. It is AMAZING to me how much damage caffeine does to our systems, and how it shapes our personalities.
It is a serious drug, and like Ed also said, coffee is a pesticide in its natural setting. This junk wouldn't be approved to go to market if it were a new product.
Some of the benefits of quitting caffeine has been the elimination of arthritis, bladder/urinary problems, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, bowel issues, rough skin and yellowing teeth. But another benefit is also important--my improved spiritual life. I'm telling ya, I have felt a weird, but wonderful, peace of mind that I never had in my younger years. I finally feel 'centered,' and 'mature.'
You know, like a self-realized adult should feel. I never thought I 'd get to this place, this place of inner comfort. I have more patience and understanding of why people behave funny, or are annoying, as they no longer bug me as much. I seem to have more compassion for people and animals in general.
And it mostly due to letting go of a life long addiction to a stimulant that has shortchanged me out of a healthy and peaceful life. Maybe its just good karma because coffee and cacao beans are picked by child slaves, and I am no longer participating in that evil, I don't know. Maybe caffeine is the anti-Christ drug!
anyway, I don't mean to get weird or religious on you guys and gals, just letting you know that you are doing a great thing for yourselves and the world.
I would love to hear your spiritual experiences as well if any of you would care to share them.
the_dead_gamer says
re: getting off the pepsi
i have been a pepsi drinker for years now atleast 7 years or so and that is pretty much all i drink is pepsi and that is the way it has been for the last 7 years and i am getting off of it today i have finshed off all the pepsi in the house and there is non left and have told my friends if they come over and brings something without caffeine and all i am going to drink is smartwater when i tried this once before it seems to help a bit that and the vitamins ( all organic mens vitamins ) that and support from my wife and other people going thru the same thing i am i hope to get thru all of this i am just hoping that i will be able to play video games so i can keep my mind off of this
Courtney says
re: HEADACHES are terrible
To respond to what you are saying about headaches..I have given up both caffeine and meat for 18 days now and I have been experiencing long-lasting, annoying headaches every one of those 18 days. I tried multivitamins, but many made me nauseated. I also feel very lethargic. Being a college student, I cannot feel tired and experience bad headaches on a daily basis because between school and work, I need to be able to concentrate, focus, do well and be energized. Therefore, I have went back to drinking a mild amount of diet soda and some meat because in my dorm setting, I am not able to cook meals for myself--I do not have access to the right amounts of protein, iron, etc. Thus, I encourage those who are feeling lethargic, unable to concentrate at work or suffer from bad pains or headaches to possibly wait for a better time in your life to start your caffeine withdrawls because it could tear you down more than it may help. No one will judge you. =)
off_the_mountain says
re: RE: brain fog
Thanks for empathizing. I'm really looking forward to that two month mark you've pointed out. I've definitely noticed it, too, based on forum posts. I've also noticed that the physical symptoms of caffeine dependence take a week or two to get over, but the emotional dependence is much more powerful and deep-rooted and takes much longer to get over. I was definitely using caffeine as a mood enhancer/brightener and relying on it to get me through the long work week. I think my sedentary desk job has caught up to me, too. I've been trying to exercise three times a week to keep my health solid. They say physical exercise is vital to mental well-being... I agree. Keeping an inventory of days experience sounds like an excellent idea. The worst days do make it seem like it's been bad all along.
Anyway, good luck to you, and everyone. When you see the light at the end of the tunnel, please post your success.
Ed says
re: 2 days ago
Good on you.
I'm one day caffeine free and woke up with a headache. I know it'll be worth it, though. Even white tea messes me up.
What people don't realise is that caffeine is nature's pesticide. It's in the leaves of plants to kill insects.
I don't see why we should ingest that!
Ed says
re: One month without caffeine
Hi off_the_mountain,
sorry to hear that going caffeine free has been so tough.
It's such a worthwhile thing to do as well.
I quit caffeine yesterday. I was just a moderate "user". 5/6 cups of white tea a day. Still enough to make me depressed. Woke up with a headache and feeling very tired. Have taken the day off work.
Am wondering if your blood sugar is low. I've read up a lot about "reactive hypoglycemia" and how it affects us. I've suffered from that all my life, without realising it.
There are supplements you can take like vitamin B-complex which may help. Cinnamon and chromium picolinate are very good for low blood sugar. Also, keeping hydrated will really help.
Kind regards, Ed.
dclegg says
re: brain fog
Off the mountain, I, like you, am prone to anxiety/depression and that makes us especially prone to addiction to drugs like caffeine. I don't know how soon relief is suppose to come but I'm riding it out like you. I'm at 38 days and have just gotten over a rough week of depression and brain fog. You know a person is having a tough time quitting caffeine when they count their time by exact days and not weeks. It looks like we are on our own here as far as knowing when relief will come, not many people come back to post results in the 2 month range. I don't know why that is, if they gave up or are just feeling better and don't see a need to come back to the site. I'll guess we'll be the ones to do that. I believe that once all this has run it's course we'll be better off mentally. I don't believe that caffeine is necessary for well being or that it is necessary for a person to function normally. Our brain chemistry is altered because of our caffeine use and it takes a long time to normalize and find a balance again. Unfortunately it takes way longer than we would like. At this point you have come way farther than most people who try to quit and you have beat the worst of it more than likely. You may just have to grit your teeth and bear the tough days and enjoy the rare moments of peace you get. One thing I've done from the start is to keep a record of how I've felt since I've started. Using a scale of 1-10. It helps to look back and see that I've had some decent days in there. It's easy to think it's been bad the whole time on those really rough days. My fitness level has dropped way low since I've quit also I've realized since I'm a lot more sedentary now. I've started walking on a treadmill mornings to get the blood flowing and to regain some of what I've lost. I think being out of shape makes the withdrawal worse. Hang in there, I can't speak from experience because I haven't recovered from this yet but it can't last forever. If caffeine makes us feel better than it has to be the whole reason for feeling bad in the first place
off_the_mountain says
re: One month without caffeine
What an ordeal quitting caffeine has been. I've been caffeine free for a month now, but not without some true tests... 4 trips to the doctor; 1 week home from work, sick; extreme anxiety, depression, racing thoughts and feelings of unreality/fog; and I still don't feel close to normal. I probably wouldn't have quit caffeine if it weren't for undergoing an extreme anxiety attack antagonized by a two week period of six to seven Mountain Dews a day with a Red Bull thrown in here and there. I decided to quit caffeine in all forms because of my anxiety, but I did it cold turkey. The day after I quit caffeine, I went to the doctor, on walk-in, thinking I was losing my mind. I was going through this cycle of extreme anxiety, then depression, then feeling outside of my body and like nothing was real. It was this feeling of me/the world not being real (depersonalization/derealization) that caused me sheer terror and made me think I was going crazy.
I went on anti-anxiety/sleep meds to get me through the withdrawal period and get some good sleep to help reset my mind and emotions. This set me on the right track but after I came off my 10 days of meds, I relapsed back into the depersonalization and depression. I went back to the doc a couple times, once thinking I had diabetes because I was so thirsty/urinating a lot. I was put on blood pressure meds to help combat the physical symptoms of the anxiety. My low bp number was 30 points above normal and my heart rate was 20 bpm above normal. Which was scary to me, because I'm very athletic and am used to having low vitals. No diabetes thank God. But after all this, I still feel the depersonalization a lot and am having racing thoughts that I can't quiet and I can't ignore my inner monologue. It's scary, but after reading a ton about it on the net, depersonalization/derealization are defense mechanisms against the extreme emotions I was/am still feeling. People normally go through depersonalization in life threatening situations and go back to feeling normal when they're safe. But it's been constant and pervasive with me.
In conclusion (sorry about the short essay) it's been a month, and I still feel the 'brain fog' everyone's talking about. I'm considering going on anti-depressants, but I'm trying to give myself the 3 month thing and see if I can't naturally reach an emotional/cognitive equilibrium. I think that caffeine is a serious drug when you develop an emotional and cognitive dependence on it. I do have a history of anxiety/depression but not anything near as extreme as this. I'm not saying that all my symptoms are chocked up to caffeine but my caffeine binge/quitting cold turkey sure was a catalyst for it. This site has been helpful in knowing that other people are going through similar things as me due to, at least in part, caffeine withdrawal. Any constructive thoughts on all of this are appreciated.
TBoss says
re: About two days ago I just
About two days ago I just decided to stop drinking soda...so I haven't tasted Pepsi in two days!...People..I am shutting down...seriously...I'm at work and I'm so sleepy it hurts...I don't even want a Pepsi...I like not feeling "bloated"...mind you, I would typically consume an average 4 pepsi's a day......my head feels groggy..I wanna go somewhere and sleep for the rest of the week!...anywho, I really want to last..I'm trying to get in shape and I figured so much soda probably wasn't conducive to that effort......but geez..I didn't think it would feel like this! My comforts are my significant other who tells me I'm doing a "great job"....and this blog....sharing the pain with fellow caffeine quitters.....all together now..."I will survive..."...
Johan says
re: Due to stomach ache quit
Due to stomach ache quit coffee about one week ago.
I usually drink quite a lot, and after 2 days got a very strong headache. Leg muscles no effect. My sleep is 100x better, don't have any problems at all falling asleep anymore.
Downside? Less energy, a bit less drive. Feeling a bit sleepy during the day. I read about a 2 month period in this article? Maybe I'll give it a shot! Anyway good luck to everyone!
help me says
re: I can totally emphasise with
I can totally emphasise with you situation and a think im at exactly the same point as you are at the moment. I quit the coffee and Soda around 7th jan this year as I believed my over use of caffiene was causing bad sleep and general lethargy. I've noticed some strange things, my sleep is far better these days however i seem to get tired easily and never truely seem to be firing on full cylinders, i too get a brain fog and find it hard to concentrate on anyone or anything. And I also get irritable. Its not that I miss coffee at all but I don't feel myself.
I was getting very achey legs but i think these are getting marginally better.
My goal like yours in to get to the two months mark to see if there is any truth in it. As I see it you've done the hard work and owe it to yourself to stick it out.
My situation may be different however, as I gave up cigerettes around the same time and have an unstimulating job at the moment which is getting me down as well.
I take comfort from the fact that no one seems to post over the 6 weeks mark and still complain, so i'd stick with it.
dclegg says
re: Long time caffeine quitters please post your progress
I'm 35 days in with no caffeine. Still waiting, hoping that my energy levels come back. Still in kind of a brain fog. Not having any kind of cravings for caffeine or having headaches or aches and pains, just a case of the blahs thats lingering on and unrefreshing sleep. I'm hoping it lifts soon. If there's any truth to the book "caffeine blues" it can take up to 2 months so thats what I'm shooting for. I don't see many people who have posted in the past come back to this site after they've gone a month or 2 without caffeine. I'd like to hear some updates from some people like the poster "never again" If you're out there I'd like to hear an update on your progress. I know you had similar problems that I'm experiencing. There were several other posters who sorta dissapeared after the month -month and a half mark. I was just wondering if you are still plugging along without caffeine and if you've noticed any improvements after the 1 month mark. I've quit for 1 month in the past and ended up going back to caffeine because I didn't feel any better but what I remember is feeling really good for the next few weeks back on caffeine. That led me to believe that I was not over the withdrawal yet, so it may take more than a month for me. Thats what i hope anyway. My fear is that I just dont' function well on or off caffeine. I may have other problems but at least this can rule out caffeine being my problem and to rule that out I need at least 2 months off of it to see if it makes a difference, even a little. For the people who have just now quit and are looking for inspiration don't look upon my situation as how it's going to be for you. I think that I am a rare case and most people don't have withdrawal for near as long as I have had it. I am prone to anxiety and depression so it doesnt take much for me to slip into a bad state like I'm in. So anyway. I know this site wasn't designed to be a caffeine quitting help forum but thats what it as has turned out to be for me. It is what is is I guess. So long time caffeine quitters please come back and post some words of inspiration or if you have bad news to tell, don't hold back that either, I just need the truth. Is there any relief in sight after 5 weeks of brain fog?