Caffeine Detox Time

  • Thread starter Thread starter LiE
  • Start date Start date
LiE said:
It's a slippery slope. Soon you'll be taking caffeine pills, then you'll be crushing them and sprinkling them on your cereal :D
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Don't you shame me!

In honesty though, quitting the caffeine itself went ok. Tapered down to 1 cup a day as intended, then stopped that completely a few days before my medication started (mid August).

I feel amazingly consistent with energy levels now - but to be really really clear, the medication is a stimulant I take every morning so obviously that's having an impact. It's basically impossible for me to figure out whether the no-caffeine, medication or both are helping.

Either way the feeling of not being groggy and sleepy for the first 4-6 hours of every day is remarkable. I haven't woken up feeling rested and normal since I was about 22 (34 now). I don't plan to stop the medication but if I do, I'm definitely sticking to no caffeine.

On a side note, I've developed some digestive issues that are new to me and quite challenging. Again this could be down to drastic changes all at once - no caffeine, I cut most biscuits out in favour of nuts/seeds/fruit, medication causes me to forget meals... Going to the Dr this week to see if it's something that should pass.

It's just a shame I can't get a decent decaf tea brewed, I usually make my tea offensively strong and dark. At least I've gotten used to it I guess :(
 
I started drinking coffee again sometime around mid December and for a short while it was great... but then tolerance kicked in and I found myself back at the point where I'm drinking coffee just to feel normal.

Over the last week I've been tapering down again and feeling really good actually. Only a single cup of black tea in the morning for the past 3 days. Going to see how it goes on this dosage for a little longer, then potentially cut it.

My main motivation is I keep having huge crashes in the afternoon where I need to lay down and sometimes nap. I think it's stress caused by caffeine. The past week this has reduced drastically.
 
SideWinder said:
It is amazing how you can rely on coffee to 'start the day'. I used to hate it around 5-6 years ago and started on mochas. Then it went to flavoured lattes, flat whites and now I am on all black. :o

Never more than 2 a day and also never after 1pm unless I am going out. :p
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I think the whole caffeine addiction thing is relative. I have one cup of black coffee in the mornings and that's it. Been that way for years. I can't imagine that's causing any issues.
 
LiE said:
I started drinking coffee again sometime around mid December and for a short while it was great... but then tolerance kicked in and I found myself back at the point where I'm drinking coffee just to feel normal.

Over the last week I've been tapering down again and feeling really good actually. Only a single cup of black tea in the morning for the past 3 days. Going to see how it goes on this dosage for a little longer, then potentially cut it.

My main motivation is I keep having huge crashes in the afternoon where I need to lay down and sometimes nap. I think it's stress caused by caffeine. The past week this has reduced drastically.
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I'm more aware of @LiE 's coffee drinking habits than I am of my own :D
 
I have a coffee most mornings and maybe one in the afternoon - I barely notice the effect of caffeine and if I dont have a coffee in the morning it doesnt really bother me. I think I am more addicted to the process of making one than the effect it gives me.
 
sHo0sH said:
I have a coffee most mornings and maybe one in the afternoon - I barely notice the effect of caffeine and if I dont have a coffee in the morning it doesnt really bother me. I think I am more addicted to the process of making one than the effect it gives me.
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I think I'm with you there. The grinding, and the smell of the coffee in the morning is such a nice mindful routine I follow. That said I can go for days, if not longer without hankering for a coffee, but I just enjoy the routine (and the taste / smell of it!).
 
ODuffer said:
I'm trying to give up myself, 48 hours now without coffee now... A banging headache to show for it :cry:
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I've found tapering is best. Today is day 3 for me with no caffeine.

Freefaller said:
I think I'm with you there. The grinding, and the smell of the coffee in the morning is such a nice mindful routine I follow. That said I can go for days, if not longer without hankering for a coffee, but I just enjoy the routine (and the taste / smell of it!).
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You must have a low sensitivity to caffeine :D
 
Almost 1 year since the last update, how are people doing?

My usage is creeping into the “need lots just to function” territory which usually prompts me to cut back.

I’m tempted to come completely off again but always slip up when work is busy and I’m a little under the weather.
 
LiE said:
I started drinking coffee again sometime around mid December and for a short while it was great... but then tolerance kicked in and I found myself back at the point where I'm drinking coffee just to feel normal.

Over the last week I've been tapering down again and feeling really good actually. Only a single cup of black tea in the morning for the past 3 days. Going to see how it goes on this dosage for a little longer, then potentially cut it.

My main motivation is I keep having huge crashes in the afternoon where I need to lay down and sometimes nap. I think it's stress caused by caffeine. The past week this has reduced drastically.
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Caffiene does raise cortisol(stress) so your probably right
 
I'm still having 1 sometimes 2 cups a day. All hormones and blood profile is good as is blood pressure. It's a pleasure to have a nice coffee. I get more seratonin out of it than if I didn't. I function fine without it but I just like the routine and flavour and enjoyment of having a coffee.
 
Freefaller said:
I'm still having 1 sometimes 2 cups a day. All hormones and blood profile is good as is blood pressure. It's a pleasure to have a nice coffee. I get more seratonin out of it than if I didn't. I function fine without it but I just like the routine and flavour and enjoyment of having a coffee.
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What does your morning coffee look like?
 
LiE said:
Almost 1 year since the last update, how are people doing?

My usage is creeping into the “need lots just to function” territory which usually prompts me to cut back.

I’m tempted to come completely off again but always slip up when work is busy and I’m a little under the weather.
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3 weeks off caffeine for me now.

Energy levels feel similar, falling asleep slightly improved (possible placebo).

Biggest change for me is my anxiety has been dramatically reduced. I journal in a mental health book every now and then, one which comes preloaded with a tonne of emotion/feeling options you can tick off with how you’re feeling (think, tick all that apply, kind of thing, with about thirty options), and then and I realised that what I have been recently ticking off are massively different to what I was ticking off when on caffeine.

There may be no relation, but I’m happy to forego my daily coffee/energy drink for longer now since it’s such a massive change to my overall mood.

Honestly if there’s anyone here who struggles with anxiety and or depression, or low mood of a similar kind, and you’re knocking back a few coffees every day, I’d recommend reducing and or completely removing it and seeing how you feel.

No coffee/caffeine is tasty/pleasant enough to put up with undue anxiety.
 
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