How do I get off of caffeine?

[Rapidmc]

I have been a three to four cup coffee drinker for many years. I am down to to cups a day so far. The last time I got down to one cup I started getting nasty headaches. I really want to be completely off of it but the headaches really make it hard. Any one have any suggestions?

[genuine]

I have been a three to four cup coffee drinker for many years. I am down to to cups a day so far. The last time I got down to one cup I started getting nasty headaches. I really want to be completely off of it but the headaches really make it hard. Any one have any suggestions?

I had the nasty headaches too, but from diet coke not coffee.

I tapered off slowly. Drink a little bit of caffiene and take ibuprophen when the headache starts. Then start just taking ibuprophen for the headache, no caffiene. Soon your body will adjust and you won't keep getting the headaches. It worked for me.

[Vort]

Worked for me in quitting caffeine. You feel awful for a day or three, but within a week or less your body adapts and you're fine. Just don't start up again once you've gone through withdrawals.

[annewandering]

It took me a week and a half to kick pepsi. I hid in my room under a pillow and slept it off. With ibuprophen. You can do it and it will be worth it.

I have read that it is probably better to talk to your doctor first. He may be able to help you out. Withdrawal is a serious business and can be a real health issue.

[Rapidmc]

OK. I'm gonna try one cup tomorrow. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[annewandering]

Good luck! You really can do it.

[Leah]

Have you asked for a priesthood blessing? I know a woman who returned to the church after decades away. She was a smoker. Received a priesthood blessing and never smoked another cigarette. No withdrawal, either.

[pam]

I moved this thread from the "how to" forum as it isn't about how to do something on lds.net.

[Eleven]

Something that Ive heard that has always helped is keep a drink near by. Drinkers, whether its coffee alcohol soda.. sugared drinks for diabetics.. sometimes the mental habit of simply having a drink of anything helps the addiction of caffeine.

So grab your favorite drink. I used to be addicted to red bull, im partially an insomniac and tried it and it turned out to be a great mistake.. i just kept orange soda around because its a favorite next to code red mountain dew, but i didnt want something that also had caffeine. after my headaches went away, i enjoyed a coca cola or mountain dew occasionally

[funkenheimer]

Giving up caffeine is similar to overcoming any addiction. You need to approach it in a similar manner. I have been a heavy caffeine drinker for many years and just recently gave it up. Granted, giving up caffeine is probably easier than harder drugs or alcohol. But caffeine is still physically addictive.

Excedrin helped with the headaches. It has a small amount of caffeine that seemed to take the edge off the headaches. On the third day when the headaches were unbearable my wife purchased a 12 oz. can of caffeinated soda. That helped. I would not recommend keeping "emergency stashes" on hand as it is too easy to revert to old habits.

I did it cold turkey after one night getting ready for bed I was having some trouble breathing. My wife drove me to the hospital and my blood pressure was extremely high (195/145) and I ended up in Intensive Care. The doctor told me I needed to change my eating habits (low fat, low sodium, and low sugar), exercise more, and quit drinking soft drinks or I wasn't going to live to see 50. I am 37 years old and have a 7 week old daughter at home. Just the motivation I needed.

[Maureen]

I have been a three to four cup coffee drinker for many years. I am down to to cups a day so far. The last time I got down to one cup I started getting nasty headaches. I really want to be completely off of it but the headaches really make it hard. Any one have any suggestions?

I'm assuming you're trying to quit because of the WofW, which is understandable. But just in case your reason for quitting is entirely different, I will link this interesting article for your reading pleasure:

Mystery Ingredient in Coffee Boosts Protection Against Alzheimer's Disease, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (June 28, 2011) — A yet unidentified component of coffee interacts with the beverage's caffeine, which could be a surprising reason why daily coffee intake protects against Alzheimer's disease. A new Alzheimer's mouse study by researchers at the University of South Florida found that this interaction boosts blood levels of a critical growth factor that seems to fight off the Alzheimer's disease process....

Mystery ingredient in coffee boosts protection against Alzheimer's disease, study finds

M.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Maureen

[applepansy]

I quit all sources of caffeine.... headache for a few days and then I was ok... until three years ago.

I couldn't do what I needed to do without more energy and I started drinking Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi again. That was the biggest mistake I made. I don't know how I would have survived that first month with my grandson and his sister but somehow we would have made it through.

Now I'm really struggling to quit again and grandson is a very active 4yo (and getting more active by the minute). My other health issues don't help at all but it was easier the first time.

Don't start again after you quit.

[Rapidmc]

I think I am gonna go cold turkey starting Friday. I have a three day weekend and am thinking it would be better to do the first days when I don't have to be at work. My job can be kinda stressful and is not a good place to be irritable with a headache. I like the idea of substituting with a different drink. According to the WoW, is drinking decaf coffee and decaff tea ok?

[beefche]

No, decaf coffee and decaf tea isn't abiding by the WoW. Hot drinks was defined as coffee and tea--so, any version of those isn't acceptable.

[Suzie]

Okay, I wasn't going to reply to this thread because I didn't want to be the cause of someone vomiting if they were eating while reading this thread but I can't take it any longer...

Coffee smells like poo therefore it's easy to give it up. Who wants to drink poo anyways?

[Toby]

Why isn't caffeinated medications against the Word of Wisdom? For example we can take Excedrine which one of it's generics name is "Migraine Relief" which has 65mg of caffeine but we can't drink a Coke that has 35mg of caffeine. Can someone explain.

[Dravin]

Why isn't caffeinated medications against the Word of Wisdom? For example we can take Excedrine which one of it's generics name is "Migraine Relief" which has 65mg of caffeine but we can't drink a Coke that has 35mg of caffeine. Can someone explain.

You can drink a Coke, caffeine is not against the Word of Wisdom.

[Vort]

Why isn't caffeinated medications against the Word of Wisdom? For example we can take Excedrine which one of it's generics name is "Migraine Relief" which has 65mg of caffeine but we can't drink a Coke that has 35mg of caffeine. Can someone explain.

The explanation is that your assumption is faulty.

[annewandering]

The explanation is that your assumption is faulty.

In so many ways. We can drink coke. We can use caffeine. Therefore you have no valid argument or question.

[annewandering]

Okay, I wasn't going to reply to this thread because I didn't want to be the cause of someone vomiting if they were eating while reading this thread but I can't take it any longer...

Coffee smells like poo therefore it's easy to give it up. Who wants to drink poo anyways?

and Pepsi/Coke smells the same. Like cow urine. Fermented.

[Toby]

Sorry, I was just going by the ward I go to they don't allow caffeinated sodas and chocolate candy is also a no no along with coffee and tea. Thank you for your correction.

[Vort]

Coffee smells like poo therefore it's easy to give it up. Who wants to drink poo anyways?

I have loved the smell of coffee since my earliest childhood. My grandparents drank coffee. The aroma reminds me of them. But I understand coffee is bitter and rather awful-tasting, so I have never been even tempted to try it.

Münster cheese smells like dirty baby diapers, but tastes absolutely wonderful. Strange though it may seem, things do not always taste like they smell.

[Vort]

Sorry, I was just going by the ward I go to they don't allow caffeinated sodas and chocolate candy is also a no no along with coffee and tea. Thank you for your correction.

Not sure what you mean. Many Latter-day Saints and LDS institutions do not approve of colas and other caffeinated drinks; for example, you can't buy colas or Mountain Death or other caffeinated soda pop at BYU campus. I happen to agree that caffeinated soda is a bad thing (though I do drink it), so I'm not a bit put out that BYU doesn't sell the stuff. So if you mean your ward doesn't provide it at ward parties, I'm not surprised, and I think it's probably good.

But if you mean your bishop asks you about your caffeinated soda pop consumption during temple recommend interviews, that's kind of sketchy. There is nothing technically prohibited about drinking caffeinated soda pop, no matter how unhealthy it might be for you.

[annewandering]

Sorry, I was just going by the ward I go to they don't allow caffeinated sodas and chocolate candy is also a no no along with coffee and tea. Thank you for your correction.

Your ward doesnt allow them where? This is not church doctrine but church buildings that have pop machines do not usually carry caffeinated drinks. Like at BYUI. I have never heard of anywhere that you can get candy you could not get chocolate. If chocolate was banned I swear a lot of people would have the strongest test of their faithfulness ever.

[Suzie]

I have loved the smell of coffee since my earliest childhood. My grandparents drank coffee. The aroma reminds me of them. But I understand coffee is bitter and rather awful-tasting, so I have never been even tempted to try it.

It's interesting you say that because it brings back memories about my grandmother. She used to give my sister and I lots of coffee to drink during winter time (long story). I never liked the smell but didn't mind the taste once it had a lil milk.