Caffeine Withdrawal

[Brian in Montana]

It's real.

I'm a coffee drinker, probably a little more than I should, but I go through about a pot of coffee a day - between about 6:30 AM and 2:00 PM. A couple days ago I came down with a one of those 24 hour stomach bugs. It really kicked in shortly after my first cup in the morning. I got it choked down, and then the puking started so I doubt I got much out of it. The spewing bodily fluids persisted all day and into the night. The next morning I had a headache and still felt queezy so I skipped the coffee. The headache got worse and worse until it was an all out throbbing explosion behind my eyeballs. It was genuinely debilitating. I suffered most of the day thinking I was just having a hard time shaking off the bug. At about 3:00 the thought occurred that it could a a caffeine headache... Yep. I made myself sit up and force down a cup of coffee; felt better almost immediately.

It was a little surprising. There's been times in the past where I didn't have my coffee fast enough and got a headache, but it never got anywhere near that. So, yeah, the experience has inspired me to renew my dedication to maintain my few remaining vices. I quit chewing about 15 years ago; that was horrible, but I don't think I remember it being this bad.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Caffeine pills.... we buy the big jars. I bring them for hunts as I often don’t want to mess with coffee in the morning and my wife takes them in lieu of coffee when she has to be at the hospital before 5am.

 

[rwc101]

I limited myself to one caffeinated beverage a day back in January. It was a terrible week and a half before it subsided. I'm debating giving up the one drink a day since I don't really need it anymore.

 

[ImBillT]

I don’t get the headaches, but when I skip the caffeine I’ll be groggy as heck and there’s no such thing as sleeping enough.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Caffeine pills.... we buy the big jars. I bring them for hunts as I often don’t want to mess with coffee in the morning and my wife takes them in lieu of coffee when she has to be at the hospital before 5am.

On camping-hunts I used to take those little instant coffee singles and just dump one in my mouth and chase it with a few swallows of water. I've since discovered "Grinds" and I always take those along.

I've thought about taking caffeine pills along, but the Grinds work well, keep the monkey off my back anyway. As for the pills, how many would be equivalent to the average cup of joe?

 

[rtraverdavis]

I’ve been there. Dizzying headaches. I will say though, not as bad as the crazy/sparkling rage of nicotine withdrawals.

Coffee is one thing that I’ll quit, or even cut back on, ONLY IF my doctor tells me it’ll kill me if I don’t. I’ve quit drinking, quit chewing tobacco, cut way down on sugar so if they come for my coffee they’re going to get a fight.

 

[Arctic_Snow_Seeker]

Coffee is life.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I think that was the biggest difference between quitting nicotine; the headache was also significant, but I also just remember wanting to hit everyone I looked at right in the mouth. Everything anybody did or said made me insanely irritated. I kind of had sweats off and on too.

Like most, it took me several attempts before successfully quitting. The last time, I planned it out. Tossed my can on a Friday afternoon as work was wrapping up, then quarantined myself in my apartment all weekend to get through the worst of it before having to be around people again. I was a single bachelor in those days, so I could do that.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

On camping-hunts I used to take those little instant coffee singles and just dump one in my mouth and chase it with a few swallows of water. I've since discovered "Grinds" and I always take those along.

I've thought about taking caffeine pills along, but the Grinds work well, keep the monkey off my back anyway. As for the pills, how many would be equivalent to the average cup of joe?

Average cup is 95mg of caffeine and pills are typically 50mg.

 

[Muskeez]

I had never been much of a coffee drinker until I gave up Colas. That sucked and I had instant headaches as well. So, I decided to start drinking more coffee. I'm sure it can't be good for me either but surely not as bad as Pepsi. Oddly I just bought some caffeine pills today at Walgreens. They are 200 mg and are supposedly the same as one cup of coffee. If you get some, read the box. Mine says only take 1/2 or 1 tablet every 3-4 hours and one dose = 1 cup of coffee. They were located next to the No-Doze. Probably about the same thing. I bought generics and did the same thing a few years ago for backpack hunts when I couldn't carry a case of Pepsi with me. They worked, but I wonder how bad they are for me. Hopefully I get my caffeine intake down by hunting season and just skip it.

 

[ShadowFast1]

I quit drinking coffee before my last hunt. I knew I wouldn't have access to coffee and I didn't want to carry any with me. I had grown addicted to it and I don't like to have those kinds of dependencies. The withdrawal headache lasted a couple of days but after that I was good and physically felt better. I plan to stay away from it as much as possible from now on.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Friday morning Bonus Coffee on deck, plus the regular:

Feeling ready for morning—content and cozy with my dependency.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

I respect your determination. I dont have many vices but coffee is one of them.

HTers should be aware of the many benefits to black coffee consumption. It is an antioxidant and helps keep many diseases at bay. Do your research, its shocking!

 

[LuketheDog]

So, yeah, the experience has inspired me to renew my dedication to maintain my few remaining vices.

I'd give you a big supportive bro hug right now and tell you...You can do it, be strong and don't quit, it's not worth it!

 

[hank4elk]

Why? I don't get it,giving up JOE....my life vice of choice.

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Try a cup of black tea.

 

[Gunner46]

A couple years ago I pretty much cut caffeine out of my life style. I wasn't that hard into coffee, but was slugging down a couple liters of soda too frequently.

Just out of the blue I decided to add at least a liter a water a day.

In less than 2 weeks I was on 1 cup of coffee ( when I woke up), and zero soda's. 100% water.

Hell, some days I don't even have the coffee...….

Hydrate. Caffeine/Alcohol are a dehydrator.

 

[pre6422hornet]

Man I can usually go a day ( miss one full day) before I get a headache, but I only drink maybe 2 cups in the morning. I don't drink caffeinated drinks except for the occasional rum or bourbon/coke.

But I couldn't imagine not having a hot cup of coffee in the morning while backpacking/hunting. There is just something about sitting up in my quilt and warming up with a quick cup. Takes less than 5 minutes and I use the Starbucks Via singles. A little pinch of sugar, which also goes excellently with freshly harvested backstrap cooked over a fire, and I am good to go.

Also helps keep the lower intestines clean....

 

[R.K.]

I was drinking way too much coffee last summer (at least a pot a day), and decided to get off it since I was absolutely worthless on the weekends until I had a couple cups in me. So I went cold turkey. Haven't even drank soda or tea since then, really.

Felt downright awful for about 2 weeks, but everything has been a lot better since then. I don't need as much sleep, I have more energy throughout the entire day, and I don't have to deal with "being on the clock" after the first cup in the morning. It makes being in the backcountry a lot simpler.

But I do miss the flavor some days, and waking up to my place smelling like a fresh pot of coffee. Been trying to find a caffeine-free substitute that actually tastes good and doesn't cost an arm and a leg- I'm open to suggestions on that one.

 

[noharleyyet]

I sip til it cools then pour another hot...just the opposite with beer