Caffiene Widthdrawl

[dropthefloor93]

This is kindof a personal issue, but I need some advice.
I was addicted to caffiene for about 2 years, drinking a full 4 pack of monster to keep me balanced throughout the day.
I had to kick the habbit of it though and now im on my 5th day free of the caffiene. The migranes are horrible and wake up with a pounding feeling in my sinuses.

I coincidentally went to Six Flags New England the day before i quit caffiene and hurt my back on Cyclone.

So are these horrible headaches from the caffiene widthdrawl, and if so how long do you think they will last, and what can i do for them? or is this possibly related to my back from Cyclone? my neck was very stiff after my visit (also the Vekoma SLC probably played factor in that).


Also, if anybody else has had experience in caffiene widthdrawl please pitch in your experience. I feel like a load of **** since i kicked the caff.

Thanks guys
-Hal

 

[furie]

About 18 months ago I started having problems with a skin rash (hives). I have no idea what causes it, but fed up around this time last year, I went on an "exclusion diet".

Essentially you cut back to very basic foods and eat (and drink) pretty much the same things all the time.

So I only drank water, and only ate simple, natural foods (nothing human made, so no bread, etc).

About four or five days in, I started getting bad headaches, After just over a week I think it was, I had to give in and start drinking tea again. The withdrawal was 100% caffeine withdrawal and it was surprisingly nasty.

It was a bit of a shock to me, as I don't drink massive amounts (four cups of tea/coffee a day weekdays) and usually have weekends off not drinking caffeine at all.

Drinking caffeine immediately stopped the horrid headaches.

So yeah, it's almost certainly the caffeine.

It's worth noting that caffeine isn't particularly evil, but it IS addictive and you need to treat it with temperance.

So it's up to you now where you go. For me, I couldn't do the withdrawal AND work. So I never gave it up and I'm back to tea again. However, limit the amount you have. Your body will get used to lower quantities. The addiction will remain, but just take it easy in future and only have enough to stave off the headaches.

However, if you're a couple of days into withdrawal and it's not stopping your life, I'd man up and break the addiction to be honest. It will be well worth it in the end. Like, seriously, seriously well worth it.

 

[dropthefloor93]

Thanks.
The reason i started caffiene was that i have such severe ADHD, that my left brain requires stimulation to work properly. However because i was adaptin to caffiene, i was perscribed a Focalin XR medication. But in my stupidity, i almost gave myself a heart attack by combining energy drinks with the Focalin XR. i started adversley adapting to the XR and i was put on an amphetamine based Vyvanse. however because its Amphetamine based, I cannot consume caffiene, so im forced to kick the habbit.

Until caffiene or any of these stims, i would hardly talk, get off the couch, or make food, it was pretty bad.

about it stopping my life, im practically unable to concentrate at the office, and as a result i spend all my time on CF again lol. it doesnt matter to my boss though shes cool with it. But it has kept me away from driving, conditioning for Curling and Lacrosse, and doing anything else.

I will be needing to drive and be active, as I have to drive about an hour to go to my Modeling training. I begin work for through my new rep in November so ill have time to let this blow over until then, but this dizzying headache makes it incredibly difficult to drive up to the modeling office. its about 70 miles away. Training starts first week in september, do you think this will be fine by then?

 

[furie]

I think the withdrawal headaches last about a week or so, so you're pretty much there anyway.

Ian is the person to tell us about it, as he kicked Caffeine a couple of years ago.

 

[dropthefloor93]

haha, alright, thanks!

 

[Snoo]

Once you kick it, staying off it can be quite easy imo. Avoiding such drinks as Pop, Tea, Coffee.. isnt too hard. In your case, if you need stimulation, you need to contact a doctor for advice.

 

[dropthefloor93]

yeah well its the new stimulant that they put me on that makes me have to avoid caffiene. so im set for that. But i generally just drink this like water thing... in italian its Aqua Frizzante... idk what you call it here its like Seltzer or club soda but has like Aqua Minerale in it...

but yeah i generally avoid pop, and i stoppd drinking tea and im allergic to coffee, so all i gotta resist are those darn energy drinks. My car is just like full of empty redbull cans, its like somthing out of YesMan.

 

[gavin]

a pounding feeling in my sinuses.

I read that quickly, and incorrectly, and giggled...

 

[dropthefloor93]

^ well that can go many ways if you read it incorrectly lol

 

[Hyde]

I drink a cup of green tea a day for the antioxidants (as far as caffeine goes, green tea is at the bottom of the spectrum), but avoid pop and coffee all together.

Just stick to it! I had a friend who had the same scenario with diet coke, she would drink at least 5 cans a day. She just slowly weened herself off, decreasing the amount of coke a day, and then moved to tea, then decaffeinated tea.

 

[dropthefloor93]

^There is a huge difference between 5 cans of coke and 5 cans of monster. Coke has roughly 25-35 mg of caffiene in it. a can of monster has a solid 320 Mgs of caffiene in it.

but luckily my headaches are going away

 

[Ian]

Ian is the person to tell us about it, as he kicked Caffeine a couple of years ago.

Are we sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin!

During my early 20's, I suffered from terrible, paralyzing migraines. The doctor recommended that I try cutting out caffeine.

I took it seriously and decided to go cold turkey. I replaced all my caffeinated drinks with non-caffeinated. If somebody offered me a caffeinated coke or a cup of tea, then I'd settle for a glass of squash or lemonade.

I don't really remember experiencing any migraines when I went cold turkey. I do remember feeling tired throughout the day, but a splash of water in my face and I was fine.

After a while, I noticed that I stopped getting migraines alongside other benefits, such as no more up and down moods, constant energy levels and feeling more hydrated.

I've been mainly caffeine free for five years now. I do have the odd glass of coke or cup or caffeinated tea when I'd really flagging, but that's it.

Oddly enough, last Friday, I went to the Isle of Wight and had three cans of energy drinks which are high in caffeine. On Saturday, I went back to being caffeine free. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday last week, I suffered from terrible headaches, ending with a full blown migraine on Tuesday evening. Obviously my body is very sensitive to caffeine now. One can of coke will send me loopy, three cans of Monster and I'm suffering for days.

As for advice getting over the migraines, it's the usual stuff. Strong pain killers ever four hours, plenty of rest in a cool, dark room, drinking at least two litres of water a day, avoiding tv, computer or anything too involving.

With the amount that you're used to drinking, it'll take several days for your body to rid itself of it all. Just stick it out, you'll feel tonnes better for doing so.

 

[dropthefloor93]

^ Thanks Ian, I should be fully back in buisness by next week. I have been rather Irate all week, in addition to some family issues, so that may have been a factor to my recent anger... but I Just go on CF to lighten my mood.

And yes Ian, Monster is insane, just... Insane. to think id down a case or two of it (2 cases = 8 cans) is just unimaginable.

I generally avoid TV and Videogames, however, I could not be stopped from No Limits. That took a toll on me for sure.