I have been caffeine free for 24 hours. My head hurts A LOT! I have prayed. I have had a lot of water. I have taken ibuprofen. My body is suffering from withdrawal.
This is not a lecture to anyone about caffeine. I have only quit because my cardiologist asked me to try it for 30 days.
It is, however, an observation about being addicted to things to "get us through the day." Sweets. Soaps. Celebrity gossip. TV. The Internet. We gasp at the plight of addicts. Why can't they just STOP smoking, drinking, snorting, looking, eating...?
I am one if them.
I miss the aroma of my morning coffee. I miss the fizz of my Diet Coke. Everywhere I look I am reminded of what I cannot have.
Quitting is hard. It will be better for my heart, my bones, my hydration and therefore my blood pressure. I know all the reasons to quit. Yet, my body craves caffeine.
I have been told it will just take a couple of days to feel normal again, but this experience has given me a different outlook on people I can otherwise be quick to judge.
18 comments:
My hubby won't drink caffeine now b/c he did the same as you. He started shaking and even vomiting. He didn't want to be addicted like that. Good for you!
Easy for me to say since I'm not in your place at the moment I know...but it does get better around the 3rd day or so. We do a church wide fast in January every year and there goes my coffee...which I drink like 4-5 cups daily and it is sooo hard. But after the beginning, you will feel better than you have in a while. It will be totally noticable.
Seems like since I know this...why do I keep going back? Why the self-torture? I'll need your prayer in January. God bless!
I just quit 2 weeks ago. My head felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. It hurt for 4 days. Finally, it stopped.
This sounds crazy, but I feel great. Better than I did when I was pumped up on caffeine. I have more energy and my skin looks better.
I know its only been 2 weeks, but I think this may stick. This time.
Hope your head feels better soon.
I feel your pain. I have to do the same thing. I'm just procrastinating a little longer. I don't think I can do it till my toe heals up a little better. i can't handle pain with no caffeine. Keep us posted, so we can applaude your success.
Andi and I were just discussing this the other day - when I have caffiene withdrawal and it feels so horrible - how do people addicted to hard drugs feel when they try to come off of them?
don't normally share this much with people whose blogs I read but yours triggered it.. I regularly get caffeine deposits in my breast tissue and it causes and enormous amount of pain. I had to quit caffiene completely for a while cold turkey and then gradually just allow myself a little bit back at a time. Now, anytime I get that nagging little feeling starting to come on, first thing I drop is the caffeine for a while.
Hope you feel better! Drink water and the headaches from withdrawal don't seem to be so bad :-)
Oh how I hurt for you. I simply could not do it, yes, we must not judge others too quickly. Be it caffeine or cocaine, what keeps us going? I know it really should be solely the Lord, but the Diet Coke sure helps. I will be thinking about you and praying for you. Just eat lots of energy bars!!
Good luck! I know this is so hard. I shudder violently whenever I think about giving up caffenine. Caffenine free Coke in an ice cold can gave me the right amount of fizzle to fool me when I was pregnant. Not only did I miss caffenine, I missed the joy of having a coke.
Man I am convicted! I am definitley addicted to Diet Coke! To encourage you I did give up caffine for two whole years when I lived in Nashville...it can be done...but I know right now...it has got to be hard! I may try to do it again myself...I love your thought process about the things we do to get through the day...I heard Brennan Manning talk about that one time and it really made me think...all those things we do to escape reality...the things like you said that seem benign...but help us escape or give us pleasure...why is it so hard to live in the present? Thanks for making me think this morning!
P.S.***What a HAPPY SURPRISE!!! Stuck in our back door yesterday!**** You all were so dear to do that! He was thrilled! Thank you! I may steal it to go visit David! : )*** Have a blessed day! Emmy
I have been caffeine (and actually soda) free for over a year. It was so hard the first couple of weeks (yes, for me it was weeks) and the headaches were the worst. I did kind of cheat on the caffiene as the 1st thing in the morning on week 1 of no caffeine I took 2 Excederin (which have a bit of caffeine in them) before the headache had time to start and it seemed to keep it from happening...then on week 2 I only took 1 Excederin and by week 3 I was caffeine free and headache free! I was so addicted and was floored by how much I wanted my diet coke! Now I don't drink sodas at all. Keep praying and hanging on!
I am so proud of you! And, yes, you are right...we all have something we are addicted to. Mine is sugar. :-0
Oh, Jmom, I totally feel your pain -- no, really! I went off of caffeine in June for health reasons and spent a few miserably pain-filled days while my body got used to operating without what it could not have.
I will be praying for you during these difficult days, knowing God WILL meet you here, too.
I can tell you from the other side that it will get better, and you will feel better knowing you are not dependent any longer.
Freedom!!
I remember when I went caffine free ... ugh the first few days are hard but I promise it gets so much better!! The headaches will go away. I had to do it for my chronic fatigue and it helped a ton when I got to the other side. I'll say a prayer for you!
Yes, isn't it. I haven't had any type of coke (and I have never enjoyed coffee) in over 9 years. But I had to go off of ALL dairy and anythign that had dairy in it for my entire nursing with Jackson and with Creighton it was like that for almost 8 months. It was the hardest thing ever and I only saw what I couldn't have. But once my craving for it was a bit controlled and I realized what I COULD have, it make it much more bearable...but I guess I was doing it for a good reason too! :)
Oh sweet Jesus - no caffeine?! Bless your heart! I know I would have a hard time with that one. I love my coffee and I may have to repent and ask the Lord's forgiveness for just how much I love a Starbucks Caramel Machiatto. Blessings...
How very brave of you :) I've never tried to go off caffeine altogther. But I noticed a big difference when I switched from coffee to tea in the mornings -- just as awake, but less artificially, sort of like a serene alertness. Best of luck to you!
Let us know how this goes! I DO notice that on the days I don't drink caffeine I do sleep better! Terribly hard to give up though!
Sweet blessings!
Renee
I went caffeine free when I was pregnant and still am 24 months later.. I drink decaf coffee and I drink diet Sprite/diet 7Up which are both caffeine free. (Most clear sodas are.)
Kudos if you can keep it up!
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