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: Thank you so much, that is a
Thank you so much, that is a relief to know, I think it may take me longer to recover than you did, given my age and the length of time I have been drinking caffeine. I also have anxiety etc., all the symptoms you mention. It is so weird, I have fallen out with a lot of my friends too, and the rest I just don't have the energy to socialise with, I just hope I can pick up again when I am better.
It is encouraging to hear that it can take a healthy 28 year old a year to recover, because that means that somebody in their 70's may take longer so if it does I can still hope for recovery. Thank you again.
One more question: Did your recovery happen gradually, in fits and starts , or did all the symptoms suddenly stop?
Jayson says
re: YES! Although I was more
YES! Although I was more concern about my mental health at the time. I had short-term memory loss and it was pretty bizarre. I literally would be in the living room working on my term paper and I would think about getting a snack, so I would stand up and walk to the kitchen. Moments later, by the time I get to the kitchen, I'm dumbfounded. I'd forgotten what it was that I came to the kitchen for. It happened frequently. Additionally, fatigue and muscle weakness was tremendous, but I wasn't working at the time so I stayed home and remained unmotivated. Mood swings were present as well. I had falling outs with a lot of my friends. I was also experiencing a sensation where I would wake up in the middle of the night and wouldn't be able to move a single muscle for a good minute or two. It only ever lasted for a couple of minutes, but still terrifying nonetheless. I never had stomach problems though.
I experienced the most of these symptoms after about a year of being caffeine-free. My mental faculties were back to its old factory settings. I never sought any medical help for the symptoms you mentioned, but I did tweak my diet and everything disappeared. 🙂
User says
re: Jayson thanks for coming back
Jayson thanks for coming back with your good news. Could you tell me if muscle weakness and fatigue were part of your caffeine withdrawal - I am 9 months off caffeine (a 60 year habit) and am still having these symptoms, along with body aches, gut problems,memory problems etc. They have all improved but I am still not functional, and my horrible mood (anger at the slightest thing) is driving me mad.
I'd be grateful to know if you had any similar symptoms……….
Lisa says
re: Jayson
I feel freaking nuts all day.. I am having a very hard time .. I still wake up in panic everyday and I feel like I'm losing my mind on a daily basis... My brain and my body are in constant overdrive.. I have the weirdest symptoms imaginable .. I wish you would describe your anxiety cause I keep thinking I'm nuts.. I will not take meds and I have loads of them as well.. I am still very non functional cause of the crazy symptoms and the fear of them .. I am trying very hard to accept this but I am really having a very very hard with this .. I'm in Bed a lot shaking and I can't believe still this is happening.. I don't even know how to cope with the constant panic and anxiety.. I pray my brain slows down .. Please tell me more about how it felt.. I also think the guys have it easy cause of no hormones.. Thanks again, lisa
Jayson says
re: @ Lisa
Hi Lisa
It was really bad for me. And I'm not going to go into too much detail about it for your sake. But yes, at 3 1/2 months, I was still very anxious and pretty much immobilized. Everything started for me when I had a panic attack out of nowhere. Somehow I knew it was the caffeine (the pre-workout supplements I've been taking), but I knew very little about anxiety disorders, let alone panic attacks. So I didn't know what was happening to me in the beginning.
Everything got better for me when I began to know more about anxiety. I was empowering myself through books and this very forum. Knowing that I wasn't the only one going through hell was very empowering. Also, the simple realization that what I was experiencing was a simple case of a withdrawal symptom made the journey a little bit more bearable. At least for me. Because I knew that everything was going to be okay as long as I stay the course. This was at the 6th/7th month of being caffeine-free.
I remember asking those same questions: Am I damaged for life? Is it too late? Am I going crazy? What if I go to sleep tonight and I wake up completely schizophrenic? I couldn't shut my mind off. I also developed various phobias along the way. I went to see different doctors, all prescribed me anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds and I never took it. I was 25 when it happened. I'm 28 now and everything is 100% gone. It's as if it never happened in the first place. I'm in the best shape ever and my mind is extremely sharp.
Just remember that anxiety tends to manifest itself. So stay off the news and current affairs while you recover. The internet is also an outlet for a lot of negative things, so definitely watch out for that as well. Stay in touch with your doctor, especially if you're taking other medication for something. Also, NOBODY DEVELOPS ANXIETY/MENTAL DISORDER OUT OF NOWHERE WITHOUT ANY GOOD EXPLANATION. Even type 2 diabetes and dementia/Alzheimer's. People don't just wake up one day and they're crippled by such a disease. You eat your way towards it. So definitely watch what you eat, for you might be indirectly consuming caffeine by means of eating a dessert or drinking it. Now would be the best time for you to pursue the things that you couldn't pursue before. Maybe start a business? Take online classes? Make Youtube videos? Learn the piano (You're never too old for that!)? You get the idea.
I hope you make a speedy recovery and everyone else who are suffering. 🙂
Lisa says
re: Jayson thank you!!!<3
I just want to thank you for the validation.. I am 3 and a half months off caffeine and I am not soon well at all.. Been to numerous doctors , ran tons of tests and all say I have anxiety .. I'm still such a mess and often wonder if ill ever be normal... My mom is coming here to take care of me and my home and kids cause my anxiety and depression are so bad I can't do anything .. I was totally totally normal on September 8 and that was the last day of my life thus far.. I have vision problems , off balance, shaking, anxiety, crying spells, no emotions , body pain, fear, weird head symptoms , electricity and basically I feel like I'm a neurological disaster.. Caffeine withdrawl hit me hard too!!!! I woke up in complete panic this morning with anxiety and tight muscles and my vision all off.. I'm sure my hormones are playing a part cause I think the caffeine withdrawl prob messed them up and I am breastfeeding .. Please tell me how you were at 3 and a half months out? You give me hope where this morning I had none.. Sam hasn't been around and he is wonderful... I pray my body is able to heal and I can keep going.. I have been so suocidal as well and I have never had those thoughts:(.. Thank you for your post.. My sleep is also messed up too.. This is all a crazy mess.. I hope im not permanently damaged
Jayson says
re: Hello all
Hi everyone. I posted here a couple of years ago, detailing my battles with severe case of anxiety due to excessive caffeine intake. Now I'm back and just simply wanted to add some bits of info based off of my experience. Firstly, I want everyone to know that I'm completely, 100% back to normal now. Back then, my anxiety and depression were so severe that I was seriously considering ending my life. How did it come to that? I was using all sorts of pre-workout supplements to get the body that I wanted (I'm a gym rat). I was consuming an upwards of 500 mg of caffeine on a daily basis for a year. And like many posters here, I quit cold turkey and came the excruciating withdrawal symptoms. I also went to different doctors multiple times, everything checking out perfectly normal. So I endured the withdrawal symptoms for 6 months and gradually improved and finally took control of my life as 6 months turned into a year.
To those who quit caffeine cold turkey and are already more than 2 weeks into it, just keep going. It could take months, but it's well worth it. Another thing I'd like to note is that quitting caffeine can trigger a hefty appetite for sugary, carbohydrate-rich foods. Sweets and carbs (especially wheat and whole grains) are seriously addictive and can mimic the same symptoms of caffeine overuse (it's hard to believe, I know, but there are a handful of books out there already detailing the dangers of eating carbs). Sleep is very essential (well duh!). Though the sleep I'm talking about is the "deep sleep" (4th stage of the sleep cycle). When you've been on caffeine/carbs for a long time, even for a little while, 90-100% of the time your sleep cycle becomes disturbed. Meaning that you're getting the sleep you think you need, but in reality you're not entering the 4th stage of the sleep cycle, which is the most important. Some people claim that they only need 4-6 hours of sleep. That's because when they fall asleep, they immediately enter that 4th stage I've been blabbing about, so they wake up with energy. On the other hand, some people sleep for exactly 8 hours (even more) and yet wake up feeling all groggy and tired, which causes us to head over to the coffee maker. It's because we were never in the 4th stage of our peaceful sleep. The "oh I'm not a morning person" response is totally bullcrap. Adding all that together: caffeine + no deep sleep + extremely carb-rich foods (or bad foods in general) = a very viscous cycle that is absolutely detrimental to our overall health, including our mental faculties. We just don't know it because it doesn't happen right away.
I highly recommend visiting a sleep clinic and really push it to be caffeine free and eating the right food. To those who are suffering right now, I was there with you guys and I know how immobilizing it can be.
Happy Holidays to everyone! 🙂
Jayson
User says
re: But good luck with your cold
But good luck with your cold turkey over Christmas, if it only lasts 5 days that would be fine by me, but in my case I am not so lucky, but anyway, I hope you manage to have a good Xmas.
Peace man
User says
re: In that case perhaps you
In that case perhaps you might be wise to add the occasional "in my opinion" instead of stating everything as a definitive fact..
Just because your experience is that caffeine withdrawal is a minor event, does not make it the same for everybody. It was the arrogant way you expressed your opinion that irritated me.
Rob says
re: A couple of things....
Lisa and User – just because someone doesn’t agree with you or say what you want to hear, doesn’t make what they say “bullshit” or “crap”. It’s just a different opinion, let’s be adult about it ok ?
John C – very good question about why I went back onto it ! If I’m honest, it was because I wanted the buzz and thought it would be different this time – despite having been through this cycle a number of times before and knowing deep down it wouldn’t be different at all. I am in recovery from other (some would say more “serious”) addictions using a 12 step programme; in my experience caffeine addiction involves the same behaviours and challenges, although nowhere near the same severity of consequences.
This is partly behind my comments about withdrawal and severity of it below. Let’s be honest, this isn’t alcoholism or addiction to hard drugs, legal or otherwise.
With recovery, I find there’s a constant battle between the addict (“one won’t hurt”, “this time it’ll be different”, “everyone else is doing it” etc.) and the true, rational, logical voice (“it always makes me feel ill”, “it’s just an addiction”, “it won’t make me feel better” etc.). If I don’t keep reminding myself of the truth of the situation and/or if there is the wrong combination of circumstances – I’m feeling particularly bad (or sometimes good), tired, fed up etc. - then I think “what the hell” and persuade myself I’ll just have one and it will be OK. One is all it seems to take for me to be back on it and before I know it I’m a few weeks down the line, feeling exhausted and depressed, banging my head on the wall and asking how I fell for it again !
So the short version of how not to relapse is take it one day at a time and don’t forget the consequences. Don’t think of the one coffee (or whatever) you’re planning, think through the full scenario and where it will end up. Anyway, I shall be going cold turkey again over the Christmas holidays, hopefully for the last time (a day at a time….).
User says
re: Why do you want to stay
Why do you want to stay clean? If that were clearer in your mind, that might be a help.
JohnC says
re: How to stay clean?
I keep relapsing - would welcome any ideas? mindsets? actions? many thanks for any thoughts
JohnC says
re: Thanks for the post Rob. Good
Thanks for the post Rob. Good challenge. I also find the first 5 days of withdrawal tough, esp. with anxiety, but that things then improve rapidly.
I think one thing that would be useful is to discuss how people resist temptation/weakness when they are clean; i.e. how they stop falling back into caffeine use.
Why did you go back on to caffeine recently?
JohnC says
re: yes well said.
yes well said.
Lisa says
re: Thank you anon.. This is just hard for me
I am still having such eerie head symptoms and I have had tons of tests done.. It's just so disheartening that its lasting so long.. And I have a ton of anxiety still and I had zero:(
User says
re: Every one has a right to
Every one has a right to express their opinions.. If you say your doctor told you withdrawl can last months than why do you doubt him and keep asking for validation? You'll get better! If not, than have caffeine! No one called you crazy.. Your getting there - be strong!
Lisa says
re: Thank you anon!!
That's cause it's bullshit!! Anyone reading through the posts here can see that some people are very sensitive to drugs and caffeine.. Read caffeine blues!!!!
User says
re: I don't like his post lisa,
I don't like his post lisa, that's another anon. I think it's crap too.
Lisa says
re: Sorry rob but that's a load of crap!
I am still sick after 100 days!! And I don't have an underlying anxiety disorder! I was totally freaking normal until i quit caffeine! And you made me very angry tell me to see a doctor.. Guess what ! My doctor said caffeine withdrawl can last months for some people!! That really upsets me to not be validated!! Anon I can't believe that you actually like his post.. Your still sick too! What the hell.. Whatever.. I'm
So mad at your stupid comments
I know how I feel and I am not crazy!!
User says
re: THANK YOU, ROB!
This is the most real, thorough post I have read here in months! I applaud you for your honesty and your willingness to state what many, many readers of this forum know, whether they admit it or not. The cold, hard fact is that if you want to exclude caffeine from your life, you just have to do it. Tapering is still ingesting the drug, and psyching yourself up for some hellish "forever" withdrawal is ridiculous. Even if you are feeling shitty for a long time after quitting cold turkey, every day you stay away from caffeine will make you more and more strong in your resolve. There is NO caffeine left in your system after months - NONE. If healing takes time, so be it. Be proud that you've left it behind. And if you can't live without caffeine, that's OK too. But make up your mind one way or the other and get on with living! Rob, you rock, man. Peace.
Rob says
re: Can we get some perspective here ?
It seems to me there are a whole load of things going on here, only some of which have to do with caffeine and caffeine withdrawal.
I’ve quit caffeine a number of times over the years. There are 2 basic ways to do it – taper or cold turkey and I’ve done both. How long you taper for is up to you, but if you’re looking at taking more than 3-4 weeks you need to get honest with yourself as you’re playing with it and you’re probably never going to make it. Taking 18 months is ridiculous. If you’re serious about quitting, you need to step up and quit, not dance around it. Of course it’s unpleasant, it’s a drug and you’re breaking a drug addiction, but it’s a very minor drug in the great scheme of things. Read up about Johns Hopkins and their Quit Caffeine clinic – they reduce intake in steps of 25% over 3-4 weeks. Having done extensive research on caffeine addiction, I think they know what they’re talking about.
In my experience, a better way is cold turkey. It hurts more but it prevents prolonged withdrawal and gets through the pain quicker. Pick a long weekend or some time where you aren’t required to have a lot of mental energy and just do it. Drink plenty of water, get lots of rest and expect to feel bad for a few days. But it is only for A FEW DAYS. After 5 days I started to feel a whole lot better. Not 100%, it does take a few weeks/months to get back there, but you’ll be a whole lot better in a few days or a couple of weeks tops.
I’m sorry, but if people feel as bad as they say they do after 100 days, it’s not caffeine withdrawal. It just isn’t. There may be a whole load of things happening – neurosis, underlying anxiety conditions, other physical or mental causes, but it’s not caffeine. Caffeine is simply not a powerful enough drug to do that. Your brain is pretty has pretty much wired itself back to normal after a month. If you are feeling bad, you have my sympathy, but I really think you need to be talking to a doctor and/or psychiatrist not a message board. Maybe people pander to you here and that’s what you want ? If so, good luck, but it won’t get you better.
As for the advice to go back on caffeine to deal with anxiety (particularly if you’ve been off it for 3 months), well that’s just the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. If you’re off it, stay off it. As someone who recently went back on it after 4 months off, I can guarantee that without it I felt calm, with it my anxiety is through the roof. Going back on caffeine will NOT calm you down, quite the opposite.
User says
re: and Jackie took 18 months to
and Jackie took 18 months to taper off and was still feeling ill, although I hope her non appearance recently means that she is feeling a whole lot better now. I think your accidental cold turkey is to blame.
User says
re: Well I would be in the same
Well I would be in the same boat if I had carried on with my cold turkey from caffeine, as it is, I am still unwell after 3oo days
Lisa says
re: Anon-100 days off
This seem to be the worst wd I have ever experienced.. I wonder I ill ever get better.. Pretty scared right now..why do you think that I'm still slammed ? Any suggestions?
User says
re: Sorry to hear about the
Sorry to hear about the kidney stone, no wonder you have been feeling so nauseous, I hope you are drinking lots of water. I thought you were going to go back on caffeine and taper off - that is what I did and it worked for me. It was difficult getting back on to it, but I did it over about a month, the worst thing about it for me was nausea, but I persevered and then cut down over some months (as I described n earlier posts). I am still feeling unwell, but it is getting better and it is manageable, unlike how it was when I cold turkeyed off caffeine.
Lisa says
re: Sam are you around anymore
Well it's been 97 days and I still am not doing well. Maybe I'm doing something wrong .. My anxiety is still very high almost everyday .. That's crazy becase I didn't have a speck of anxiety until I quit caffeine.. I have a ton of depression, despair, sadness, weird head symptoms still, my vision is still messed up.. Went to the er again today cause I have been really nauseous and they found a kidney stone.. That just adds to my panic and anxiety.. I feel so bad like I will never be myself again.. I just don't understand what happened to me.. I'm
Not anything who I was and its very disheartening .. Will
I ever be myself again:(.. Still have fear and occasionally terror and depersonalization... I feel so defeated and destroyed.. All my bloodwork was perfect again except the catscan showed the kidney stone and I had blood in urine.. So wish I could I back in time .. I would never have quit caffeine
User says
re: Lisa this is from another
Lisa this is from another site about another drug, but it may help you
How do we know that the physical side effects we feel are real? the feeling is real but is it just something we perceive?
For instance, Ghost Limbs. I used to work with a guy who had his leg amputated as a teenager and he was in his 50s. He said almost every morning the bottom of the foot on his amputated leg would itch, and obviously it isn't even there. The nerves to the foot are still there, just cut short, and the brain is still wired to think there is a foot so if that nerve gets triggered then the brain thinks it is from the foot. He had to except it. He obviously couldnt scratch his foot and he couldn't rewire his brain to have a "no foot' section so he had to except it or else it would drive him crazy.
So, (with exceptions of course and when cleared by a doc), isn't possible that there is nothing physically wrong with us, only that we perceive it to be? So there may be something wrong with our nervous system communication/interpretation/signaling but not actually physically wrong with our brains or body. Like the old telephone days when you couldn't hear someone and each end kept blaming the other "it must be something on your end" "no it is on your end" when it is really something wrong in the line or interference.
For instance
Tinnitus - it has been determined that there is no physical cause for the ringing. Obviously there is no boy with a dog whistle hiding behind the couch, so it isn't real, isn't caused by a physical defect, I only "think" i hear something...
Muscle Pain - My chest muscles 'feel' so tight I swear they will snap and they hurt and burn, yet when I touch them they don't really feel any tighter or knotted. So perhaps the nerves for the chest muscle has some interference that makes me think there is pain or tension, but there isn't. (of course, once you think there is and then you start compensating, rubbing, stretching, taking motrin, etc then it creates something)
Heart palps - Yes I get them sometimes, but I swear it feels like something is going on most of the day and EKG and even past holter monitors show nothing. So perhaps there really is nothing except some static in the line the tells the brain something is wrong.
Dizzy - again no physical reason, so perhaps some static telling the brain that equilibrium is off.
Short of breath - I have felt short of breath for a few days now. My breathing rate is fine, my oxygen level is fine so isn't it possible that there is no real reason to be short of breath other than some static that says hey we need more oxygen???
and on and on for everything that is wrong. Now what does this change? Not really anything because if we feel it then that makes it real. However, just like everyone says to try and tell yourself that negative thoughts and depression and anxiety are not real, perhaps if we tell ourselves the same thing about the physical it will remove some of it's power to induce even more panic or depression or worry. If we convince ourselves that it is real, then our conscious and unconscious mind starts trying to fix something that isn't broken to begin with and when you fix something that isn't broken, then you break it!!
Now yes, something is wrong somewhere, but just like the telephone analogy, we are blaming each end of the line when it is something along the line. We spend so much time trying to fix the brain when it is just receiving bad information and we spend so much time trying to fix the physical issue when there is nothing wrong to be fixed. Another analogy - like some jerk that keeps running back and forth between two lovers lying about what each is up to. Now, if either end believes the info that the jerk is giving them is true then things build up, resentment grows, new issues arise, etc but if they each ignore that jerk and have faith that the other one is doing what is best for the relationship and would never do anything to harm to the other then things only get stronger and continue to grow - and eventually the jerk goes away.
(as I try and put this new wisdom to work telling myself the dizziness and shortness of breath and tinnitus I am experiencing are nothing to worry about haha)
Lisa says
re: 90 days off and sick as a dog
I can't believe I'm still this sick.. I have had numerous blodd tests done and they can't find anything but I have honestly never been so sick in all my life.. I feel like I am dying everyday still.. Have so much anxiety , nausea, back pain, my sleep sucks again.. Lots if strange sensations and weird pains.. I don t get this .. How come the docs can't find anything ? How can I be this sick from caffeine wd still? Still have the fear,, have panic still somedays .. I'm so dizzy and just plain sick :(:(:(
User says
re: for anyone tempted to use
for anyone tempted to use anti anxiety med to cope with caffeine withdrawal
Withdrawal of a benzodiazepine should be gradual because abrupt withdrawal may produce confusion, toxic psychosis, convulsions, or a condition resembling delirium tremens. Abrupt withdrawal of a barbiturate is even more likely to have serious effects.
The benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome may develop at any time up to 3 weeks after stopping a long-acting benzodiazepine, but may occur within a day in the case of a short-acting one. It is characterised by insomnia, anxiety, loss of appetite and of body-weight, tremor, perspiration, tinnitus, and perceptual disturbances. Some symptoms may be similar to the original complaint and encourage further prescribing; some symptoms may continue for weeks or months after stopping benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal should be flexible and carried out at a reduction rate that is tolerable for the patient. The rate should depend on the initial dose of benzodiazepine, duration of use, and the patient's clinical response. Short-term users of benzodiazepines (2–4 weeks only) can usually taper off within 2–4 weeks. However, long-term users should be withdrawn over a much longer period of several months or more.
User says
re: Did you find the website
Did you find the website called "caffeine cup of pain"that anon posted in answer to one of your questions, about back pain?
User says
re: back pain? How many times
back pain? How many times have I and others mentioned back pain I wonder?
dav says
re: Has anyone else had back pain
Has anyone else had back pain from all of this? It is the majority of what i'm dealing with right now and it really bothers me. Most of my symptoms are not bothering but i get this pain in my back that just drives me crazy. I wake up in the morning and its all tight and hurts until i twist from side to side and it pops like mad. The doctor has given me muscle relaxers and ive tried everything from vicodine to asprine and nothing seems to help. Its seems that it is worse at some times of the day than others and is also in different parts of my back as well. Mostly in my lower back. Ive had all kinds of symptoms but this one seems to be the most annoying. After having x rays taken of my back and going several times to the chiropractor nothing seems to be wrong but it hurts almost every day. Like a dull pain sometimes throbbing or burning in various places.
Sarah says
re: NOT failure
Dear Lisa,
I second Anon's comment - whatever your decision to ease your healing and recovery (caffeine, medication) is NOT an act of failure dear. Moreover, you are NOT dying. Your body is TIRED!!!! Your nerves are COMPLETELY spent. And even if you've never had an anxiety "disorder" before (P.S. I despise the word "disorder" - I instead call it "anxiety episodes"), developing one now is NOT the end of the world nor is it a sign of weakness or character flaw. It just is. That's all. Some people are extremely sensitive to substances, and you are one of them. Caffeine (and now the lack of it) is tormenting your body. The anxiety from the withdrawal is probably what's causing most of your physical, mental, and emotional sensations. It IS scary. But your kids are NOT losing their mommy. Their mommy is going through a tough time - probably the toughest in her life. But you are also showing them resilience.
Try your best to show yourself some compassion. Cut yourself as much slack as you can. You have made it 3 months!!! You are trudging through the fear and uncomfortable sensations and STILL you wake up every morning and try your best. That's something to celebrate, Lisa.
We are all different and have our own coping strategies and varying levels of anxiety. Do what works for you and accept it for what it is. If that means going on medication temporarily or reintroducing caffeine...I totally get wanting to try any and all options and wanting your life back! In fact, I have uttered the same exact words! Try your best not to judge yourself or the recovery process. I'm finally at a point where I'm not ashamed of having anxiety or choosing to go on medication temporarily. It just is and it doesn't define me. As a matter of fact, this experience has shown me just how strong I am. And it's made me face and accept the less desirable aspects of myself AND improve on them. I have come out better, happier, and stronger as a result; yet, I know that it's a process. And not necessarily a linear one.
Your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are likely out of balance; do what you can to bring balance back to your body. Stretching, going on walks, listening to your favorite music, yoga, hot baths....also do things that will release endorphins. And if you don't notice a difference, don't sweat it! Just keep trying. You will get there. You will!
All the best,
Sarah
User says
re: Lisa I told you how I did it
Lisa I told you how I did it in an earlier post. Don't have the energy to tell you all over again. You will have completely lost your tolerance by now, so it may be even more difficult. Good luck, take it slow. Don't think of it as failure, just taking it slower, but better in the long run
Lisa says
re: Going back Ono
Really think I need to go back on caffeine.. I don't know how to go about it.. My anxiety is taking over my life and I need to function again.. How can I do this?
User says
re: Jackie, I didn't find your
Jackie, I didn't find your post till today, glad you enjoyed the concert, and yes I am in the uK (we have had this conversation before). How are you these days, how is your sleep? I haven't heard of that group but then I am not well up in pop after the stones.
I have got another new symptom a constant runny nose and crippling cramps in my left foot every night - plus all the other stuff - but I noticed this morning that I look really well which is confusing because I feel really horrible still. My sleep is still all over the place too, sometimes I feel really sleepy and am convinced I will get a good night, but the minute my head hits the pillow, my feet start vibrating and I wake up and feel horribly alert, almost a panic state.
I hope we can all get over this asap, it's a drag…..
Lisa says
re: I swear on the holy bible
I swear that this stuff is honestly the most horrible strange sensations I have ever felt.. I think the terror and fear make it way worse cause I don't know what's coming. Next.. This last ten days I have had the scariest head symptoms.. I literally cry all day because my anxiety is so high from them .. It's so hard to not be scard when my own body is attacking me.. I can't relax, get comfortable, be calm because if I do I always feel like oh god I'm too calm now what?? This is a freaking nightmare .. What symptoms make you scared and make you think your dying? I have this calm hallow feeling inside me and it gives mess much fear.. This is crazy.. All of it.. My body also had so much tension in it.. Like I'm so stiff and then I get weak.. .. Can't breathe from the anxiety all the time.. I feel like im freakung falling in my bed laying down.. This is all freakin bizarre.. I have vertigo still
Sometimes.. Spinnig . Ugh.. And I was totally 100 percent healthy and it was gone in 24 hours.. So either I am dying it this is some seriously messed up poison.. I do not nor have I ever had an anxiety disorder.. I'm 37.. Hmm but I do now!!! So so so mad to be suffering like this.. Do you have anxiety dav? Have you ever before? Are you still on meds? .. Keep in touch please.. I'm losing hoppe .. How far off are you?
dav says
re: lisa dont talk like this! we
lisa dont talk like this! we are all in this together and even though i feel the same way you said yourself it just takes time. There were plenty of times i felt like i was gonna die and was even scared to go to sleep because i didnt know if i would wake back up. There were also times where i feel good and it makes it easy to forget about everything until it comes back. Its a dirty trick! I cant even get done with work and have a beer because it makes me feel even worse. just look forward to when you will feel good and try not to dwell on things. I know its next to impossible but im feeling it too. If this is what is wrong Ill have learned a big lesson and never again. i hope we all feel better soon and i hope everyone had a great holiday!
Lisa says
re: Devastation.
Head sensations are making me think that something is very wrong .. I have this empty feeling in my head, weird sounds, cold tingling, burning in my head.. All these wierd sensations and a ton of fear.. I have that impending doom feeling all day.. I honestly am terrified and I have never felt any if this in all my life.. What the heck is causing all this!! I'm almost three months out!!! It's ruining my life:(.. I feel like my life is over.. :(..I am absolutely without words anymore.. I must have an unknown diesease or permanent damage..my kids are losing their mommy more everyday
User says
re: Lisa, don't forget that I was
Lisa, don't forget that I was not drinking as much caffeine as you were and I also tapered off over 4 or 5 months - if I had not done that I am sure I would be or have been as bad as you. My anxiety is getting more and more manageable, it is just a complete pain to have it, and it does vary. Any stress or big physical effort will ramp it up. My bad mood is the same, stress and effort make it v bad. I still have fatigue, sore eyes, joint and back pain, memory issues, intrusive thoughts like yours, shakes, vibrations in my feet, balance problems, and I am incredibly clumsy and weak, insomnia etc, they are all improving very very slowly but I still feel crap most of the time, I simply don't ever feel comfortable in my own body and I don't care what I wear or how I look, which is not like me at all. Washing my hair is an ordeal, I don't seem too have any coordination, and absolutely everything I do is too difficult.
Lisa says
re: Dav and anon
Yes dav I also have that weird head stuff.. I cannot believe that I am still this sick.. I have no drive, no ambition and the anxiety and depression are really hard to handle everyday.. This hit me HARD.. Like a truck.. I feel joyless and miserable. I can't stand the thought of taking meds but there have been many times I have almost reinstated on them.. I also had a baby so I I'm sure this withdrawl has kicked the postparum stuff into full gear... I haven't had much of a life since sept 8 when I quit cold turkey... It's simply baffling that I am going though this. My boyfriend thinks I should slowly introduce caffeine because of how sick I am .. I have thought about it but I'm scared.. I may do it though.. I just can't live this way anymore.. I'm gonna end up on meds .. The anxiety is the worst and the fear ad depression.. I want my life back .. I'm going to fight as long as I can but I am losing so to speak because right now everyone in my house is suffering.. I'm riddled with grief over this.. Yes I have weird electrical sensations as well anon and my symptoms change constantly dav which makes me think I'm dying of some unknown illness... I don't know what to say or do .. My body hurts so much and my back feels broken.. And yes I get new symptoms like crazy.. Will this ever end:(.. I can't survive much longer, Lisa .. Anon how are you ? Are you more functional? How were you at 3 months? Is your anxiety a little more manageable? I hope so .. I also have some intrusive thoughts, memories .. Bad thoughts too which I have never had:(
User says
re: I get that vibrating feeling
I get that vibrating feeling in both feet, it is so weird, it often happens when I am trying to get to sleep, and when I do get a headache, (not often any more) it is exactly as you describe it.
PS I hope you are not on the anxiety meds any more, because believe me, this is a picnic compared to getting off those in my experience, (I will not mention this again)
dav says
re: Its kinda funny. My syptoms
Its kinda funny. My syptoms are pretty much consistant but right around the time one goes away i will start getting something new. Some day the twitches are really bad and other times not at all. my ears are always ringing and my neck seems stiff quite a bit. I also get this strange vibrating feeling in my left foot. For the most part nothing has really changed but nothing has improved as well. I find it weird though that when my back doesnt hurt i get this weird headache and when it doesnt hurt my head feels clear. I wish I could describe the headache but its so hard to explain. All i can say is its like nothing ive ever had and its a really scary feeling like something really wrong is going on. I would say that it probably contributes to some of the anxiety. Its in the front top of my head and if i could guess what brain damage feels like its feels that way. Not cool. Its really scarey to have this headache and have your ears ringing the whole time as well. My whole body feels weak and it seems like all i want to do is sit around or sleep. I was probably the most outgoing person you would meet and now im the complete opposite. I feel like my drive is gone and allot of my ambition. I will never drink coffee again if this is the cause and i will urge others to do so as well. I just hope this is for surely the cause of all of this because not knowing is what bothers me most. I just have allot of variable in my situation. If i had quit drinking coffee and all of this had started i would know for sure. But having some of these symptoms before hand make its kinda confusing. Im sure with the amount i was consuming that some of the things are definitly due to caffeine withdrawal but i wanna get back to perfect. That is the only thing i want right now. All the rest can wait until i feel better. Ive kinda experiance the electrical thing as well that you speak of like a wierd zapping or something in my neck. where do you get yours?
Lisa says
re: Dav I am 76 days off caffeine
I also feel very very strange and i can't describe it either.. All I know it that I went from normal to straight to hell in
24 hours .. I was fine and then I wasn't . I quit the caffeine old turkey after only 10 months of heavy use.. I also realized something yesterday.. In November 2010, I also quit caffeine after 25 years of use cold turkey because I also had a huge panic attack and I cm got scared.. I quit opiates as well and gues what .. I feel exactl like I do now!! Took me a while to realize it.. I can't believe I did this to myself twice!! I am sick over it.. I feel like fear every single day.. Yesterday was the first day in 75 days that I had a four hour window of clarity.. Today I'm in bed again sick as hell.. Caffeine hates me.. I still have a ton if symptoms like this horrible chemical fear, muscle pain, anxiery which is really bad sometimes ,cannot handle stress, weird weird head symptoms , feel out of my body , shaking , electrical sensations , just horrible horrible stuff.. Wake up sometimes at 4 am and want to run out of my skin.. Burning sensations in my body.. Just weird weird stuff.. The only thing changing is my stomach issues and my nights are a bit calmer .. I feel like hell 24/7.. Like I can't even describe it .. Feel detached, out of my body, jut scary, scary.. I was totally normal !!! My mom thinks I had nervous breakdown and I need to be medicated.. Well that is what I did last time and I got worse.. Had to taper so slow and either way it took a year to heal from
The caffeine.. Caffeine is poison in my book.. Unless its just a coincidence that I quit caffeine and had a nervous breakdown in the same day.. I have horrible thoughts somedays, racing thoughts, this is all so scary to not be able to make it go away.. I remember last time it took 6 months for me to be semi functional .. I am praying my life comes back.. I feel damaged.. So scared still.. It's actually been 82 days but about a week after I quit I had a small glass of ice tea.. I have horrible head pressure, sinus pressure, neck pain, dizziness, panic attacks .. Just horrible horrible stuff.. I pray I heal a second time.. I'm so scared its something worse too but I have been to the doc numerous numerous times and nothing was found.. I'm sure anxiety is kicking the crap out of me too.. I haven't had it in almost 2 years and then all te sudden after I quit bam!! And the same thing the last time... I don't know what to say but I am praying its the caffeine and I will be ok too.. Let me know how you feel .. I just feel so creepy.. Caffeine is nooo joke
Jackie from the U.K. says
re: Anon
Thanks....no I understand, it's reassuring. I used to think that everyone else was doing so well and I was left in the so it helps to know that, for some, it takes longer. Well, I'm not sure if you're in the States or the U.K. but I just went to see a band with my daughters that they used to love in the 90s - 5ive (Five) - if you live in the States, you wouldn't have heard of them. But it was a great night - they were very loud, they absolutely rocked --- and I did scream and woop lol. Really enjoyed it, though, but I love music, anyway. Well, hope you're managing to stay the course. Thinking of you and wishing you well, Anon. Jackie
Jackie from the U.K. says
re: Dav
Dav, first, you didn't start any arguments, no worries 🙂 I would say that, from my experience, it's normal to start to feel really rough before you stop coffee. The more I had, the worst I felt. It's because your body gets used to the drug and needs more and more to get that 'high' but eventually, it stops working and then you need it, just to feel 'normal'. Before I started to wean, I was having about 6-8 large mugs a day - some instant, some filter - and I was having ALL the symptoms of withdrawal already. In fact, looking back, it makes me realise that I am a lot better now. Also, eleven tablespoons of coffee is massive - so no wonder you were feeling rough, already. Anyway, 3 weeks off is great! Good luck and I'd say just try to work your way through the symptoms, you will improve but it will take time. Btw, I can understand you wanting to be tested for Lymes if you found a tick on you but glad you got the all clear. TC. Jackie
User says
re: Hello Dav
back pain and panic
Hello Dav
back pain and panic attacks are side effects as well as wd effects from caffeine, there is another good site called something like "caffeine cup of pain" that describes these symptoms. Your body may have started to react to your high intake of caffeine before you actually stopped it and hit withdrawal.
dav says
re: hello
i tried writing a post a few days ago but apparently it didn't work. I wasn't tryng to start any arguments on here all i wanted was some advice. I really do hope it is the caffeine, because at least i would know for sure what is wrong with me. I guess im just a little scared. Ive barely ever had a cold and now i feel like hell and no one knows for sure what is wrong. As far as the lymes the reason why i cant dismiss this is because i did find a deer tick on me just prior to when all my symptoms started. As well as a ring on my leg. But with all the tests coming back negative i began starting to think of any thing else in my daily routine that could be causing this. Eleven tablespoons in a pot of coffee cant be very good for me one way or the other. The ting that confuses me is the sore back and panic attacks started before i quit coffee I went to a lyme specialist and he started me on antibiotics just to play it safe. I havent had any caffeine as well for three weeks now and dont plan on touching any just to be sure. All i want is to feel better and forget about all of this as well. I really appreciate the replys and it is good for us to talk and read about this just to keep our sanity. My ears have been ringing steady for about a week now and my back will hurt like mad and then just stop. Same with my neck. Some days the twitches i get are worse then others. All i know is this headache i get is like nothing ive ever had before. It feels really strange and is really hard to describe. Not like any ive ever had before. Im really happy that i found you guys and I hope that we all get better asap! I would do anything to feel better. This has ruinjed my whole summer
User says
re: I wonder who you are going to
I wonder who you are going to hear? I was feeling v discouraged because I thought you had recovered, so I am sorry that you are still feeling crappy, but a tiny bit relieved for myself (the horrible angry etc etc person) that you are still not right yet. I hope you have a scream and shout (in a good way) tonight!
Jackie from the U.K. says
re: To Anon
Yes, I know what you mean about leaving the tired, worn out, angry etc person behind. I feel like I sometimes turn into the worst version of myself. I've read (and it seems clear) that we not only detox our bodies but also our minds and emotions. I know I have 'detoxed' emotionally. All that pent up rage, hurt, resentment etc etc. Sometimes, that's even harder than the physical. But then, it's just occurred to me that every time we're angry or irritable or whatever - we're getting rid of it. Can't last forever if we're not putting in any more toxic rubbish!vaitvpe any Take care, Anon, and keep going. Jackie P.S. I'm going to a pop concert tonight so might act like a teenager and have a good old scream and shout lol! Might get rid of some of that energy!