Quitting huge caffeine addiction

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blue topaz

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I was always a coffee lover but around 18 or so, I started taking caffeine pills - alot of them, up to 6 at a time. Occasionally I would get really jittery but most of the time, just energetic. I would stop using them on and off but over the next 25 years, I steadily increased the duration of using them 'til it became a daily habit. I never returned to using more than one at a time but I was using one at a time several times during the day ON TOP OF drinking my 3-4 shot straight espresso drinks each day. Of course, as I got used to the strength, it wouldn't work so I would either stop for a week or so, or switch it up and drink energy drinks or buy instant coffee and make sludge.

In any event, I have noticed an increase in my anxiety which is slightly affecting my current relationship. Fortunately, I have a very understanding boyfriend and he is completely behind me in quitting this caffeine habit. I have also had sleep issues my entire adult life and have to take meRAB in order to both fall asleep and stay asleep. Every now and then I try to see if I can sleep without them and I literally sleep for 15-20 min. increments at a time. But even though I sleep mostly through the night with the meRAB, it leaves me with such a groggy feeling during the day that it creates the vicious cycle I've been in for so many years.

I'd like to hear from others who have dealt with this. I am now 1 week into being free from caffeine but I am more tired now than I've ever felt and am struggling so much at work not being able to concentrate, I have no motivation at home, and still can't sleep without the meRAB. I've read that 2 weeks is the typical timeframe to be rid of all the withdrawals but I'm wondering if mine will last longer because of the amount I was consuming. I can't stand how tired I am. I feel like I'm in such a fog and thatI haven't slept at all. I don't want to go back to how it was but want to know if this ever gets better!
 
Hang in there, it gets better. I didn't drink much coffee. 2 cups in the morning, 1 at break time at work and 1 in the afternoon. One day my hubby and I had to take a long drive so I didn't have any coffee that morning as I didn't want to make pit stops. I got so sick, headache, throwing up and confused. I was completely down for two days, shaking with a headache. I didn't stop then. Years later,
the cardiologist told me to avoid caffeine as it was contributing to my rapid heartbeats. I now have a big cup of coffee in the morning, that is it. I tried having a cup in the afternoon, but within 2 days I was addicted and if I didn't have it, back came the headache and the overwhelming fatigue.
I felt sluggish, shaky, blah, and disorientated. It took several weeks. With the amount you drank it wouldn't surprise me if you need more time.
When you get the caffeine backlash over, then maybe you can start weaning off your meRAB....I would imagine slowly. Then try nighttime tea, magnesium, calcium, more natural ways to get some rest. Good luck. Your body will thank you. Great you have the support of a good guy.
 
I have been a caffeine addict for at least 10 straight years. Some things I've observed in my vast experience: While the addiction is powerful and very difficult to break, in my opinion the withdrawal is often said to be worse than it really is.

I used to have a very large habit. Yet if I couldn't have any caffeine for a day or two, I would have headaches and tiredness, but nothing too unmanageable. However some people apparently get worse effects or they find the low energy too difficult to cope with. In this case, the trick is to wean slowly off the caffeine, rather than go cold turkey. If you're having the equivalent of 10 cups of coffee per day, try reducing to 8, and then 6, and so forth.
 
I was a caffeine adict - 8-10 coffees, Cokes, etc a day...lots of chocolate. I had to quit due to irregular heatbeat and pain from fibroid cysts. It took me a long time to totally get off it. I had the headaches, nausea, etc. So i just gradually cut back. Just hang in and it will eventually get better.

You might also try switching to benedryl for sleep. It's what they put in Tylenol PM and it's easy to get off of.
 
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