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
Sarah says
re: Quit cold turkey, from a case per day
I used to drink a minimun of 10 pepsi's (usually more) per day. I quit cold turkey. Some things I experenced are:
-headaches
-shakes
-tiredness
but on the plus side I lost 20lbs. The symptoms only lasted 4 or 5 days (well the headaches lasted a little longer)
I do have to say I feel a lot better without it and really don't miss. I'm glad I gave it up!
kikaida says
re: Caffeine Rejection
Hi Patrice,
I wrote in another post that I accidentally drank half a bottle of vitamin that had caffeine in it. I must have drank only about 25 mgs. I felt sick after I drank it. I wish I had the reverse affect like you did with good sleep when you relapsed. I couldn't sleep at all. My mind raced all night and I had to resort to taking the sleeping pill again which I was off for a week. I hope that this doesn't start the withdrawals all over from the beginning. I will make sure from now on to read the labels of everything I eat or drink to make sure there isn't any caffeine in it. My insomnia has been really bad. I have muscle twitches which makes it hard to fall asleep. I hope things get better soon. I don't know how much more I can take of this.
Kikaida
Another Kim says
re: Just an added testimonials of
Just an added testimonials of the nightmares. I scream in my sleep and scare the living daylights out of my husband. My poor brain is trying to figure itself out without caffeine!!
User says
re: 5 DAYS YES i AM COUNTING!
First off I'd like to say bravo to all of you cutting the C from your life! My head is still throbbing but way less than two days ago. This will be my 3rd cold turkey adventure, I always cleanse myself once a year but this is the worst attempt by far. Good grief!
Denise says
re: Kikaida - isn't it
Kikaida - isn't it interesting that you had such a quick reaction after such a tiny bit of caffeine? Thank you for the warning - manufacturers don't seem to have to indicate the fact that they add caffeine to food and drinks - ug!
I don't know if anyone else does this, but I really enjoy a cup of hot water. It warms me up and has become my morning ritual now instead of coffee. I read this quote somewhere: "Water is the only beverage the human body was designed to drink". I wish I could remember who wrote it, but I believe it wholeheartedly! Best wishes.
Denise says
re: In my post below I referred
In my post below I referred to strange vision problems that I have experienced when going through caffeine withdrawal. Sometimes my eyes would begin to itch or feel excessively dry. I noticed more "floaters" and I definitely, definitely looked extremely tired - and part of this was because of light sensitivity ... I would keep my eyes half-closed to block out the glare. I've said over and over again - I get "ringing" in my ears when I drink coffee (the medical term is "tinnitus") ... the ringing seemed to get worse the first week off of caffeine, as did my vision.
As for memory - I don't know what you are experiencing, but my short-term memory is crap since quitting coffee. I write things down just so that I don't forget them!
I'm seeing this through - I quit for good on 1/6. Good luck to you!
BANE says
re: Greetings all. Though I do
Greetings all. Though I do not drink coffee at all, I got my caffiene from drinking 8 to 12 cans of Dr. Pepper everyday. Yep, a case per day. I stopped cold turkey about 10 days ago. Here are the things I was suffering from durring the first 3 to 4 days.
I had a headache that was unbelievable and throbbed non-stop.
I couldnt watch TV because it was too bright and hurts my eyes.
I sleept alot.
I actually vomited and couldnt keep any food down.
But now I feel like a new person. I can concentrate and my mind is more clear. Feel like I have more positive energy too.
User says
re: And yeah what do you mean by
And yeah what do you mean by strange vision problems? Cuz i've been having strange things happen with my vision also. And my memory too
kikaida says
re: Beware of Vitamin Waters
Today I went to a health food store to eat lunch. I had a nice avocado w/cheese sandwich and a bottle of vitamin water. After I drank half of the bottle of water I felt weird. My body started to feel warm and tingly. I didn't know it contained 50 mg of natural caffeine until I finally read the label on the bottle. Since I drank half of the bottle, I must have had 25 mg of caffeine. I worked so hard to cut caffeine completely out of my system. If I had known it had caffeine in it, I would have not purchased it. Has this ever happened to any of you? Does this mean that this will set me back again with withdrawals?
User says
re: I'm so glad I found this
I'm so glad I found this site! I've been sick for 4 months now. I had horrible stomach problems, nausea, couldn't eat and lost 20 lbs. My gastroenterologist found I had reflux, gastritis and a hiatal hernia. I've been on meds to heal my stomach, but the last month I began to notice new symptoms: very shaky, dizzy, headaches, ear ringing, memory loss, etc. I had an MRI that showed I have a small white spot on my brain, but the neurologist said he was very doubtful that it's MS or anything to worry about. A friend suggested maybe it was due to caffeine withdrawals. It's true that I'm a coffee addict, who's gone back and forth lately. If I was nauseous a day I wouldn't have any, but if it was a good day I'd drink a few cups. I gave up caffeine for good a week ago, and had all those "mind" symptoms ten-fold, but today is better than yesterday, and I just have to believe it will continue. It had never dawned on me that all these horrible symptoms would be related to caffeine, but thank goodness my friend suggested it. It may just be the answer, since the doctors can't explain it. It sure seems like many of you are dealing with the same thing! Good luck to us all!
Amy says
re: Quit coffee cold turkey
I started drinking coffee/tea only when I was about 23. I take coffee only twice a day, one with breakfast and another after lunch (actually only 2 tsps of instant coffee per day or 2 tea bags). Recently, my routine blood test showed I was iron deficient. My doc said, I should try to cut down caffeine as it doesn't help iron absorption just in a matter-of-fact manner, not even stressing on it. I didn't think it could be any difficult and I thought I should drop the habit if it's not helping and stopped a couple of days back. I'm surprised to find out how much of an addict I've become in just those two tsps a day. I'm experiencing nagging headache through out the day. I hope this thing goes away soon. I didn't know the pleasure of coffee was this pricy! Had I known, I wouldn't have even started in the first place. I was never in need of it...feel awful!
matt f says
re: Thank you for replying to my
Thank you for replying to my post, sometimes its hard to reassure yourself when crazy things are happening to you. And when its somiething that has never happened to you its freaky. I also feel like im forgetful and i assume that is a factor from the withdrawals. Thank you for the reassurance it really helps alot
kikaida says
re: Re: Congratulations, Kikaida!
Thanks Denise for your posting. The only thing that I do have to deal with yet is insomnia which is getting better by the day and digestive problems like irregular bowels and a little bit of acid reflux. But other than that, things are improving. I use to panic when I had the withdrawal symptoms but I've learned that getting anxious and stressed out about it will make matters worse. Trying to relax and take it one day at a time is the best we can do. Hang in there Denise!
Kikaida
Teresa says
re: Thank you Dave MM
Thank you for the information, it gives me hope I thought the discomfort in my legs could be associated to something else, my doctor said Restless Leg Syndrome or Multiple Sclerosis and frightened me more made the anxiety worse. My doctor prescribed Magnesium to help with the leg discomfort apparently caffeine inhibits the absorbtion or Magnesium or something like that. The afternoon after my first post I took the first dose of Magnesium and like a miracle my leg discomfort almos disapeared I was able to sleep that Friday night, last night it wasn't as good but I'm up and running I'm not going to let this feeling keeping me from doing what I need to do and I'm not going back to drinking coffe again.
Melatonin seemed to help me sleep the first night I took it was great the second night not so good.
I thank you all for the comments and experiences you are sharing there words of encouraging and consolation for me.
Say No To Joe says
re: Hey Matt. Although I never
Hey Matt. Although I never experienced light sensitivity, I did have bad anxiety and depression. I quit cold turkey a little over four months ago. To relax, I found bedtime tea to be very helpful. It always helped to calm my nerves and prepare me for sleep. Another tactic I learned was to try my best not to acknowledge my anxiety. Whether my anxiety was very high or non-existent, I'd try to pretend that I didn't matter. I found that dwelling on it always made it worse. Anyways, I hope this helps at least a little bit. Just take one day at a time and remember that you're not crazy!; you're experiencing this stuff because of caffeine.
Denise says
re: Hello Matt,
Your light
Hello Matt,
Your light sensitivity might be related to your cranial nerves and veins starting to relax from the constricted state that they were in when you used caffeine - something like the light aura/light sensitivities experienced by those who suffer from migraines. From my own experience, the withdrawal period is full of strange vision problems and I also get ringing in my ears when I drink coffee. As for your mind racing with dark thoughts, yep - that, too, is a side effect. I found that this withdrawal (I've tried to quit numerous times in the past!) - my dark thoughts were manifesting as horrible nightmares - vivid and disturbing. Luckily, they seem to have stopped now (18 days in).
Good luck to you, Matt.
Denise says
re: Greetings, Dave and fellow
Greetings, Dave and fellow recovering caffeine addicts! 🙂
As I posted to Kikaida, below, today is Day 18 for me. I experienced the usual symptoms ... headache, body pain and feeling out of sorts, but there was a new twist this time ... horrible, graphic nightmares. Good Lord. The first week - all I did was dream scary stuff that would leave me feeling sick to my stomach when I woke up. Thankfully that seems to have passed now.
I don't know if this will help anyone else, but this time I started a food diary on the computer. It might seem a little far-fetched, but it really has helped me examine exactly what I am fueling my body with every day. The first few days I needed aspirin for the withdrawal, but now I am able to concentrate on good, clean water, lots of veggies and fruit, lean proteins and low sugar. I think your suggestion of overcoming sugar is an important one, Dave - I certainly feel better with far less sugar and ZERO caffeine!
Over these last 18 days, I've even managed to brew coffee for people without wanting to give in. I take a big deep breath of the freshly-brewed stuff (LOVE that smell!) and then remember how quickly that cup will get cold and how quickly I could ruin my health and become an addict again. I am starting to feel like a strong warrior in this battle!
Love you guys! Denise
Denise says
re: Congratulations, Kikaida!
Congratulations, Kikaida! Thank you for updating everyone - I'm glad to hear that things are looking up for you. It's amazing that it takes a complete withdrawal and living through the awful effects to realize exactly how bad caffeine is and the damage it does to a human body. Today is Day 17 for me and I would say that some of the most awful withdrawal symptoms for me were not insomnia, but nightmares! Really bad, scary dreams. But like you, I know that this time I'm really, truly through with the drug. Best wishes - Denise.
Dave MM says
re: I'm in the same boat as you.
I'm in the same boat as you. I've been drinking a small cup of green tea to help me study. I agree that it is a good substitute for trying to slowly wean off of caffeine. Best of luck.
Dave MM says
re: Continuing Struggle; Denise
I'm not off of caffeine, but I'm doing pretty well. I'm down to one can of diet pop and one small cup of green tea each day (less than 100mg total). This is hardly being free from caffeine, but is a considerable improvement over my previous caffeine use (700-1000mg/day!). As before, quitting sugar has definitely helped me in this struggle. I would submit to anyone that stopping, or at least cutting back on your sugar intake will make the caffeine withdrawal easier; it always has for me. But unless you are some kind of superhuman, I would not go cold turkey on sugar and caffeine at the same time. I tried that, and will likely never do so again.
Also, I started taking 100 mg of 5-HTP each day, and that seems to have helped. I would recommend reading about 5-HTP for anyone who is battling the anxiety/depression that comes with caffeine withdrawal.
And last but not least, thank you for the kind words, Denise 🙂 I've always appreciated your positive attitude and comments here. You're a great help to this board and everyone who is trying to kick the caffeine habit. How is your own caffeine struggle going? Best of luck.
Dave MM says
re: Teresa:
Yes, I've experienced
Teresa:
Yes, I've experienced hamstring and lower back aches every time I've quit drinking caffeine. This appears to be a symptom for heavier and more long-term users. It will go away in a few days, but I know from experience that is a not an easy symptom to deal with. If you read back on this board, you will find many people complaining of similar pain. Now, do you want to know the scary part? No one can tell me why those symptoms occur! I've talked to medical professionals, long-term caffeine users, etc. and no one can even give an intelligent guess.
You will feel like yourself again, it's just going to take some time and patience. Best of luck.
matt f says
re: 21 days
I've been 21 days without caffeine and the first week was really bad. I find myself to be sensitive to light, like anything bright. Just wondering if that's normal. I also have anxiety pretty bad, i just think everything is going wrong with me and my mind just keeps racing. How do you stay calm and relaxed?
Teresa says
re: I quit drinking caffeine 5
I quit drinking caffeine 5 days ago, I wonder if any of you is experiencing leg pain in my case is keeping me awake and I get this sensation of like a hot flash that scares me is like heat getting through my upper body and does not let me sleep.
I was drinking between 10 - 12 cups of coffee a day I'm stopping because I think I have an ulcer. I feel like crying in fact I'm crying frightened from the feeling that I may never feel like myself again. It helped me reading your experiences. I'm not really craving coffee but I don't know what to do to feel better. Thank you
kikaida says
re: Update:
It's been 6-1/2 weeks since I quit caffeine cold turkey. I know for sure that I will never drink caffeine ever again. Three years ago when I first attempted to quit caffeine the only withdrawal symptoms I had to deal with were mild headaches, constipation, acid reflux and insomnia. This year, my second and last attempt to quit caffeine, the withdrawal symptoms were tension headaches, muscle twitching, constipation, acid reflux, panic attacks, agaraphobia, night sweats, hot and cold feelings, numbness and tinglings all over, extreme anxiety, and most all insomnia which was the worst I ever had to deal with. I actually became afraid to sleep because of all the withdrawal symptoms I had to deal with. The good news is that my insomnia is getting better. I am not completely out of the woods yet, but things are looking up. The one advice I can give to those who are extreme caffeine addicts like myself is to seek professional help. I am lucky. I found a very understanding and patient doctor, psychologist, substance abuse counselor and support system (friends) to help me cope with. I tell you I must have drove my doctor up the walls. But I have to say that the man above sure works in mysterious ways. Have faith in yourself and if a higher power works you then use it. I will keep you updated on how things goes whether its good or bad but I am hoping things are going to keep getting better from here on.
kikaida
Murielle77 says
re: I was drinking 3 cups of
I was drinking 3 cups of seriously strong coffee everey day and quit cold turkey. Why I quit the week that school started, IDK?! But I have serious flu symptoms, it's exhausting just to walk to class. I have to study so I went ahead and had a green tea to substitute and although it didn't give the jolt coffee did, it made it bearable to do my work. When I looked online it has about 1/3 the amount of caffeine depending on which one you get and if you have important things to do would be a good alternative for a short time to wean off the coffee and caffeine. I didn't put sugar in mine and it is extremely bitter but lot's of good antioxidants too!
kikaida says
re: Hi Paulo
I still have insomnia after 6 weeks of being off caffeine. How bad was your insomnia? Did you have to take a prescription sleeping pill? How many hours of sleep did you get? What was your sleep pattern like? My whole sleep cycle is all messed up right now. I use to sleep after midnight till about 6 am, but now I have to sleep a lot earlier in order to fall asleep on my own without the use of a sleeping pill prescribed by my doctor. I have an anxiety disorder called OCD-Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder which makes my mind think too much. That's probably the reason why I can't seem to sleep on my own because OCD causes anxiety as well as from the caffeine withdrawals. I asked my doctor today how long is he going to keep me on the sleeping pill. He said as long as it takes for my body to complete this transition that I am going through with the acute caffeine withdrawals. It's scary having to deal with insomnia and not knowing how long it will last. From reading your post that it took you 4 months for your insomnia to go away, I guess I will have to be patient and take it day by day. The more we try to fight it, the worse it will becomes. My psychologist told me that I have two choices, take the sleeping pill or end up in the hospital from being crazy from sleep deprivation. That was harsh to hear but its reality. Caffeine is something I will never take again. I don't want to go through this ever again!
User says
re: keep truckin
hey paulo. i quit cold turkey four months ago too, and also continue to have mild anxiety and depression. as with you, mine was much worse the first month or so. after doing research over the past four months, it seems as though our bodies can take 6+ months to return to normal hormonal levels. my advice is to just keep reminding yourself that the withdrawals are causing anxiety and depression and that you're not going crazy. this approach has seemed to help me a lot. unfortunately i didn't find this site until about two weeks ago, or i would have been on it constantly. anyways, my point is that we have to just keep moving forward and remember that the symptoms will eventually be completely gone.
keep us posted!
User says
re: hang in there!
Jack-
I know it's rough man. I quit cold turkey on September 15 after drinking 10-12 cups per day. My withdrawals were mainly intense anxiety, depression, inability to concentrate, and fatigue. It all slowly gets better. Although they're not all completely gone, they're 10 times better than they were when they first came on. I'd venture to guess that your withdrawals (with 3 cups per day compared to my 10) will persist for a much shorter time. You've already made it two weeks. See how much better you feel in another 2 weeks. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
Aloha to Anxiety says
re: Anxiety Waves
Glad I came across this website. I've been drinking 2 cups of Joe daily for at least a decade. Last weekend, i experienced strong slow heartbeats, as low as 44 bpm. They were the kind of beats that you could feel in your chest, causing me to cough with every thump. In response, I stopped drinking coffee. Tried green tea for 2 days, then a Starbucks decaf on Friday. On Saturday evening, i began to feel weirdly ill - waves of anxiety, nausea, nervousness. After several hours of this, I admitted myself to the ER at 2:00 a.m. The EKG, blood and urine tests were normal. The ER doc said it could be stress, although I'm not experiencing any major challenging situations. On Sunday and Monday (yesterday) the headaches and tiredness came ~ flu symptoms without the body ache and fever. Normally, I'd drink coffee to address those symptoms - which got me thinking it was the lack of caffeine in my system that was making me feel crappy. The more I research, the more I believe that this is the cause for my unexplained anxiety waves. I'm going to stick this out.
Jack says
re: the never ending headache
hey guys i just want to thank everyone for sharing what they are going through..I was drinking atleast 3 if not more cups of coffee a day and decided to give it up for the new year. I went cold turkey and im paying the price..my head has been rocking for 2 weeks now along with neck pains and a little nausea..im kinda torn as to what i should do..should i keep drinking coffee to get my body back to where it was and try to stop slowly? or should i just stop all together and deal with the pain? of i forgot to mention anxiety! thats so much fun...feed back would be great. thank you again.
Jack
User says
re: withdrawls
My son consumed about 4 big gulps a day of caffiene Mountain Dew was his hit and he quit cold turkey it started today the 1st day of agony he has the chills, sweats all the symptoms of the flu he is absolutely miserable cant eat and his stomach is killing him and he has the growling of the stomach to i feel for everyone he has been taking those night time pills like tylenol sleep aids like 5 a night wow its very upsetting to see my son go through all this i had no idea that caffiene could be so bad for someone....mary
Dee says
re: Caffine and heartburn
Hi Paul - interested to read that you quit caffine because of heartburn! I have been suffering with heartburn for a short time only but read that it can be caused by caffine - i drank around 8 cans of diet coke everyday. So i went cold turkey ( this is day 4 ) and have had the usual headache. So far the heartburn hasnt really improved but i'm hoping it will : ) Having read what other people have posted on here i'm slightly worried about the anxiety and depression : ( I suffer from bouts of depression and hope it doesn't make it worse!! Anyone had similar worries??
Dee
User says
re: Mountain Dew Junkie
I would have a mountain dew every morning when starting work, by late afternoon I would have a mild headache. I did what we all have done, had that period of I am quitting caffiene cold turkey. A few days would go by and I would be back on it. Well this weekend I went on serious caffene overload. On Saturday I had two mountain dews and a five hour energy and on sunday I had half a 5 hour energy and some sips of mountain dew. On Sunday morning i was already feeling like crap, I felt like I was swaying and my head spinning. I went home early, ended up treating a fever and a pounding headache. I stayed in bed from 10 am sunday to noon monday. The worst of the what seems like the never ending headache is over, now it is just 5 steps below pounding which is 1/2 taken care of by ibruprofen. The good news is that I get sick even looking at soda now. I just pray that this headache goes away.
paulo says
re: caffeine withdrawl hell
hi everyone. i had been drinking 2-3 litters of diet coke for the past 5 years last september 2010 . i quit cold turk . i had no idea how hard it would be. i got intense anxiety and depression + insonia. now 4 months on the insonia is gone. but i still got mild depression and anxiety. some times i think i have gone crazy. in the first month was the hardest, but ibecause it has been 4 months i fear it is not going to get better. before i quit i was fine and never had this problems before. how long is it going to take to feel normal again? please help thank u. keep on fighting this drug,.
kikaida says
re: P.A.W.S.: Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome
Hey Everyone,
Does P.A.W.S. : Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome apply to caffeine addiction also?
Matt says
re: Seattle: coffee capitol
I like to drink a single cup of espresso based coffee a day when working. When I am not working I easily can do without. Unfortunatly I have discovered, like clockwork, that I will get a vicious headache accompanied by nausea, three days after stopping. (I don't seem to have the same issues with tea.) I have found that limiting my intake to two cups a week with at least a day between keeps the headaches at bay. Any more than that and I risk the misery that everyone else talks about on this site. IS this a smart tactic? I don't know. It sounds a little like an addict trying to hold on to his addiction with some kind of justification. If I treat the headaches with a triple dose of Advil when they are in their early stages, I can sometimes avoid them. I have also found that if I do about 45 minutes of hard cardio in the early stages I can get rid of the headaches. Dropping everything for 45 minutes of cardio is not a ready solution for me however.
Patrice says
re: Thanks for your comments
Hi Kikaida!
I can empathize with you about the insomnia. I've been having sleep issues since I gave up caffeine, which is kind of funny, because you would think without the caffeine the body would sleep. The insomnia and the anxiety go hand in hand with this withdrawal, along with overwhelming fatigue at times.
Then only thing to do it wait it out, I guess.
I'm trying to eat healthy and take extra B vitamins which help the nervous system. I hesitate to take any kind of drug for myself, but I understand if you feel you have to in order to get over this.
One of the reasons I wanted to give up caffeine, is I've been suffering from some health issues and was hoping that eliminating caffeine would help. It took a long time for these health issues to sneak up on me, so I know it will take a while to be healthy again.
However, this step of giving up the caffeine drug is the best we can do for our bodies, so don't become discouraged. I'm in it for the long haul.....hope you stay on it with me!!
Patrice
kikaida says
re: Hi Patrice
I am the one who wrote "One Month Later." The hardest withdrawal symptom I have is insomnia. I have been taking a sleeping pill to help me sleep but I only take it every other day. I only get about 3-4 hours of sleep per night. Sometimes I wonder which is the lesser of two evils, quitting caffeine or having to deal with weeks of withdrawal symptoms and having to take prescription medications to help relieve the withdrawal symptoms. As far as my digestive system, sometimes I have constipation or diarrhea. My stomach rumbles once in a while which can be annoying. I am trying my best to take things one day at a time but its very hard. I quit the day treatment program I was in because the people in there are dealing with more hardcore drugs and I felt very uncomfortable. I think once I establish a normal sleep pattern again, I will be more happy. I can sympathize with what you are going through. I did have one relapse about 3 weeks ago. I drank a 20 oz of brewed iced tea. After drinking it, it made me feel sick. So, no more to that. Please keep posting updates and keep in touch. Reading your updates has helped me a lot.
Kikaida 🙂
john starks says
re: @Say no to Joe
I've always
@Say no to Joe
I've always been fond of caffeine drinks. I would frequently buy energy drinks and other random drinks with caffeine in them, though not to an extreme amount. About 5 months ago, I started working at a coffee shop -- free drinks while working. I can't say exact amounts but I was having a couple caffeinated drinks each day I worked, even putting a few espresso shots in smoothies and such.
A couple of months ago I was doing some reading and drank 3 cups of coffee pretty quickly. I decided against a fourth for whatever reason. A short while after finishing the 3rd, I felt something coming up (that's how I'll describe it, I just knew something was about to "come up"). I had a damn terrible anxiety/panic attack, and even felt a couple heart palpitations. Anyone experienced with them knows the initial burst of anxiety itself can quickly lead to more anxiety. So I was pacing around my place, trying to distract myself and calm myself down. I felt as though I would lose control and/or go crazy at any moment. Thoughts of the hospital raced through my head, and I was a second away from knocking on my roommate's door like a lunatic, just to have someone to talk to and distract me from my racing perilous thoughts.
The only other time I can remember having these sort of attacks was a short period about 6 years ago, for unknown reasons. I mention this because I feel like this experience made me "remember" these attacks - how I can trigger them, what they feel like, and such. Anyway, since that night, I've quit caffeine cold turkey.... and of course, I've had issues. I've been susceptible to anxiety and panic since then, though never at the severity of that experience, although one was particularly bad. I'm just going to keep trucking, and hope it eventually fades and I again forget the feeling; I have no interest in trying to medicate for the anxiety. Good luck to anyone who's experienced something similar.
Patrice says
re: Trying to get a handle on my symptoms....
Hi Everyone!
This past Sunday was the beginning of my fifth week of being caffeine free. I'd like to say I feel terrific, but that is just not the case. My anxiety levels are so high; my legs feel like rubber when I try to walk, and I am so tired and lethargic. The headache seems to have subsided quite a bit, and that is one good thing.
So yesterday, I decided to do an experiment to see if some of these symptoms would calm down if I had a cup of coffee.......it sounded legitimate to me at the time and being a cold, snowy day, a coffee sounded sooooooo gooood!
WHAT A MISTAKE IT WAS......after my cup of Starbuck's Italian Roast, my anxiety skyrocketed and, although I was really pumped up for the entire day, I felt like I had 5 coffees, not just 1.
Oddly enough, I had the coffee at 10 am and slept like a baby at night.
I will not be doing that again, and will continue to put up with these withdrawal symptoms. I pray the anxiety goes away soon, it is very unnerving and a little scary.
I want to be my old self again.
For some of us who are extremely sensitive to caffeine, I think these symptoms will last for a while yet. This just goes to show me that I shouldn't be drinking this substance anymore.
For those of you who are suffering, hang in there, you're not going through this alone.
Patrice
Rachael says
re: Day 1...
I'm on Day 1. About 10, the headache started. By 1:00, I had to take a nap. It's 6:00 and I'm so tired, and irritable, and cranky. Sigh.
User says
re: One Month Later
I have been off caffeine for one month. I am still experiencing withdrawals from long term caffeine abuse. The main problems I am experiencing are anxiety and insomnia. I am taking a benzodiazepine type of medication which is in the same family of drugs like valium which was prescribed by my primary care physician. He prescribed it for my insomnia but it also helps with the anxiety. This drug is highly addictive if taken for a long period of time. But at this point in my life, with having to deal with the bad insomnia and anxiety, I have no choice but to take this medication in order for me to function daily. If I don't take it as prescribed, I will be depressed and be home bound which I don't want to be. I am also in this day treatment program for substance abuse which has been helping me out tremendously. I am learning coping skills to deal with the caffeine addiction problem as well as anxiety. It is a three month program that I go to 3xs a week for 4 hours. It takes a lot out of me to get myself out of the house to attend these classes even though at times I feel sickly. I know these acute caffeine withdrawals will last for several months because I did attempt to quit caffeine a few years ago which lasted me 5 months which eventually ended with me going back on caffeine again. It's a real struggle especially when one experiences so much health issues as a result of years of caffeine abuse. What stresses me out the most is uncertainty of not knowing how long the healing process of quitting caffeine will take. I guess all we can do is hope for the best and take it one day at a time.
GwenP-Chen says
re: 10 days and counting
For half of my life I never liked coffee or tea. But the advent of sweet frothy espresso drinks got me interested. I knew I was sensitive to caffeine in terms of it keeping me up at night, so I avoided it in the evenings. But I didn't know it was connected with headaches. I'd have a drink once in a while. And once in a while, I'd get unexplainable headaches.
Once I started working in an office, I'd drink 1 cup or so during weekdays. But not on the weekends. Then I'd get a bad headache by Saturday after lunch and just suffer through it. I thought I was justing getting old and not getting enough sleep. Then sundays I'd need to take a long nap all afternoon. I'd feel so guilty for being lethargic and slothful.
Later I became dependent on coffee. For the last 5 years, I had to religiously drink 1 or 2 cups before noon, otherwise I'd suffer headaches starting in the afternoon and all through the night (sometimes bothering my sleep & rudely waking me with its very presence the next morning). This kind of headache would be intense in pressure in some local area (temple, side of head, down the neck, anywhere) and not relent with acupressure massage, ibuprofen, etc.
I've also been a night owl most of my life, and I could never get myself to wake up early in the morning (I always felt like a "slacker mom"). I told myself if I could just go to bed earlier, then I could rise earlier and be a better parent! But little did I know that the 1 or 2 coffees was regulating my sleep; that is, it was preventing me from feeling tired earlier, which made me stay up late, which made me wake up late, which made me feel run down the next day...
Long story short - I involuntarily stopped caffeine last week. One day I felt headachey late in the morning (got too busy to drink my 1 cup of coffee), then I got feverish and muscle-achey by the afternoon. I barely drove home, went straight into bed, and slept (terribly) for 18 hours with about 100F fever. I thought it was either the flu or a stomach bug. But it didn't turn out to be either. In the later part of the 18 hours, my head was pounding all over, but especialy in the back. My dreams were repetitive and weird. I woke up, ate something and slept another 5 hours. Ate dinner and slept again. By this time I had diarrhea but it went away after 24 hours, along with the headache, fever, and body aches. I got very thirsty and drank lots of water with a tiny amount of tea added.
It's been 10 days since stopping caffeine (excluing a few bits of chocolate). There was an additional day of headache that was resolved with another long nap. Also, some lower back ache - but it could be attributed to my sciatic nerve issue that started 1/2 a year ago.
What I'm happy to report is the great sleep! I've been waking up naturally before my alarm goes off. I used to be a terrible slave to the snooze button, hitting it every 5 minutes for up to an hour!
Also, no craving for coffee. Hopefully there won't be anymore of those drilling, squeezing, and pounding-in-my-sleep headaches. Even though it was just 1 cup, I could do without the sugar and non-dairy creamer (lactose-intolerant). I'll have to be careful around colas and intense dark chocolates!
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there. I'm just happy to be free. I really appreciate everybody's contribution to this blog. (And thanks to the moderator for allowing this on a pro-Coffee site!)
Denise says
re: Hi,
Say No To Joe! is going
Hi,
Say No To Joe! is going to be my new mantra ... thank you! 🙂
Previous to this new withdrawal I am currently in (today is Day 3), I was able to stay clean for four months and I can attest that even then, it was not clear sailing. It's interesting that you mention not wanting to interact with anyone and at times feeling like you've gone crazy. I had the same reaction, especially at the beginning of Month 3. I was almost too tired to want to take a shower, put on makeup, get dressed. I don't know I was actually tired or if this was depression, but it sucked. I gave in to coffee again in the fourth month, but honestly, CAFFEINE IS NOT THE ANSWER! The first few cups are like a gift from Heaven, but pretty soon you are once again addicted and tired of the whole rollercoaster.
All I can tell you is that this time, I am giving my poor, abused body one full year. I honestly don't think a few months is enough time to heal from caffeine abuse. If by January 6, 2012 I haven't completely turned around the health issues I have and if being caffeine-free hasn't made a huge difference, then I'll go back to drinking coffee.
I wish you all the luck in the world. Stay strong, friend!
User says
re: Who knew the road would be so long?
Like all of you, I am fighting in the war against caffeine. I started drinking coffee and energy drinks regularly in college. At my prime, I was consuming 600-700 mg of caffeine per day no matter what. As my body continued to build up its tolerance, I continued to ingest more and more caffeine. I didn't really think about it until I began to feel anxious. This anxiety was tolerable at first and only came on in the hours following my caffeine consumption. Pretty soon it became more intense and would come on at random times. This was an odd thing for me, as I had never felt anything like it before in my life. Then out of the blue, this past September, I had what I believe to be a panic attack (again, not sure. i've never had one prior). This experience scared the hell out of me and led me to decide to become caffeine free.
Instead of weaning myself off slowly, I decided to just quit all together. This has proven to be a bad decision, as the withdrawal symptoms have been quite intense. At the time, I didn't know any better. I did no research, but instead just decided to stop immediately. The worst symptoms by far have been anxiety and depression. I lost interest in regularly exciting activities and didn't really want to interact with anybody. I truly have felt at times over the past few months that I've gone crazy. Aside from the ups and downs of these two symptoms, I experience extreme fatigue and body aches for the first month or so, but nothing other than that. It has now been just under four months. The bouts of anxiety and depression are much better than before but are definitely still with me. In time, I would hope that they completely subside so that I can fully enjoy the benefits of a caffeine free life.
My question to the world: Have any of you out there had a similar experience with these symptoms and/ or the amount of time they lasted? When will they be totally gone?!
Say no to Joe!
Denise says
re: Dave MM and Lessons Learned
Hi Everyone,
I read each and every post on this board and wish I could respond to all of them, but I'm sure that's not what EspressoCoffeeGuideistrator Daniel has in mind, and I'm no Ann Landers for sure! I do know that I've gotten tremendous comfort and support here while going through caffeine withdrawal and I hope others do as well.
Dave MM - you have been a particularly helpful e-buddy and I hope that you are successful in both your medical school pursuits as well as once and for all finally getting off of caffeine. Keep us posted on your success. 🙂
Today is Day 2 for me. I would love to say with 100% certainty that I'll never succumb again, but I've learned my lesson - caffeine is A DRUG. A serious, body and mind altering drug. If anyone ever doubts our claims, tell them to just try to live without it for a few days. Like any recovering addict, I can see this is going to be a one-day-at-a-time thing.
Best of luck to everyone.
Denise
User says
re: I have been a heavy coffee
I have been a heavy coffee drinker since I was in school even though I am quite sensitive to caffeine. I stopped taking caffeine last Thursday. Usual withdrawal symptoms set in after 48 hours. I had headaches but no migranes, flu like symptoms and was extremely irritable. The flu symptoms went away with simple pain killers (aspirin, paracetamol etc). Caffein withdrawl symptoms are a distruction but do not affect your ability to do mental or physical tasks. So going on with my everyday business to keep my mind away from the symptoms was really helpfull. Also naps after lunchtime really helped make me feel better. I also had difficulty falling to sleep at night the first 2-3 days after the onset of symptoms probably because the brain gets over-exited. By today all the irritating symptoms have gone and I'm feeling great. What you have to do is keep in mind that symptoms usually only last for less than a week so all you need to do is try to keep your mind off the symptoms and you'll be great.
kikaida says
re: re: It's been rough!
Hi there,
My neurologist told me that caffeine withdrawals should only last up to 9 days. I disagree big time! He prescribed me a medication that is used to treat restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's Disease. My regular doctor told me not to take it. He said that the muscle twitching is normal and when we are going through caffeine withdrawals it's more pronounced. He also said that even though the caffeine may be already out of our system, it doesn't mean that the damage that was done from caffeine is completely gone. For example, I have really bad constipation. The doctor told me that because of caffeine abuse, the colon slows down. He said it could take months before the colon functions normally without the caffeine. The caffeine acts as a laxative which is not healthy for us. I am still dealing with insomnia and I am using a benzodiazepine sleep medication that is helping me deal with the anxiety as well as sleep problem. I am concerned taking this medication because it can be addictive. I already gave up the caffeine addiction, and I don't need to add another addiction to my plate. I am going back to see my doctor next week to discuss with him about the pros and cons of using this sleep med. The one thing I can say about caffeine withdrawals is that it can take months before our body gets back to normal. Having to deal with taking medications to counteract the caffeine withdrawal symptoms can be a real pain.
Dave MM says
re: Great to see on here again!
Great to see on here again! As for me, the sad part is that I never made the connection between the sleep problems and continued caffeine withdrawal. I had been free of caffeine for over a month and felt great, so it did not occur to me that my problems were caffeine-related. Now, after reading your story and the stories of others, I strongly believe that caffeine withdrawal was the culprit. Since being on caffeine, I have not had one experience of waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep. If these problems occur next time, I'm going straight to the doctor, and hopefully he can help.
I've taken the last few days off of caffeine in an attempt to lower my tolerance, as I was drinking way too much. My head is killing me and I threw up several times, and was also up for quite awhile last night. Thankfully, the worst seems to be over. I truly hope your latest attempt at withdrawal goes well. Please post and let us all know that you are okay 🙂 You have my total e-support.
Dave
Offcoffee says
re: withdrawal
I have also quit coffee before in my younger years and felt great. I knew I would feel better not drinking it. I have had aches that I attribute to coffee. Plus I could only drink coffee with non-dairy creamer which does nothing for the waistline. Since Jan. 1 no coffee. But wow do I have withdrawal symptoms. I expected the headaches but the aching that seems to move through my body was unexpected. A day or two into it and I was so depressed and sleepy. It has been 6 days and I'm just starting to feel better. I am so glad I read these comments because I was starting to feel like I had a serious disease! I hope when I am feeling great again I do not go back to drinking it. I am going to be a better golfer!! I can hardly wait. 🙂