So, I’ve been feeling dreadful for a good few days now. Which was odd as I’d stopped smoking a good few weeks ago, and had drastically reduced my sugar intake by giving up coffee etc.
Hot and cold, bit of a temperature and the most blinding migraine type headache waking me up at night, which has lasted around 4 days now. The headache sits behind the eyes and into the very front of the forehead. I knew it wasn’t a migraine as it wasn’t light sensitive.
I went for an eye test, got my blood pressure checked; all fine.
I though it must be related to kicking the fags but I have been using nicotine replacement so was a bit confused.
Then purely by accident I found an article about caffiene withdrawl.

Headache
A caffeine headache usually starts behind the eyes and then moves up the front of the head.
Sleepiness
This just isn’t your normal tiredness, this is sitting up straight but still can’t keep your eyes open tiredness.
Irritability
Everyone and everything gets on your last nerve. It’s best just to lock yourself in your room during this stage.
Lethargy
Forget about productivity at this stage because you’ll be unmotivated to do anything.
Constipation
Caffeine stimulates the bowel, so without its daily dose the colon gets a little cranky too.
Depression
Caffeine withdrawal can take away all hope for living. Temporary blues are one thing, but if you already struggle with depression this could be a big issue.
Muscle Pain/Stiffness
If you normally have some caffeine prior to exercise then during caffeine withdrawal you could feel as though your muscles have weights strapped to them.
Lack of Concentration
Forget school, studying, brain surgery, or jet engine repair during this stage of withdrawal.
Flu-like symptoms
Stuffy nose, blocked sinuses, and even vomiting have been reported by people withdrawing from caffeine.
Insomnia
Some people actually can’t sleep when going through caffeine withdrawal.

Only really posting as I had no idea whatsoever that kicking Caffiene would have such drastic results (I’m not overstating the headaches; they are revolting). It’s made me completely reevaluate my future coffee intake.

Oh aye. My folks drink copious amounts of decaf tea, and my aunt and uncle (in their 80s) drink lots of normal tea. They’d always get terrible headaches when they came to visit..

Who’d have thought such sweet old people were junkies?!

Yip caffeine can do that to you – it’s not all bad though.

How much were you drinking before you quit? Maybe I should cut down 🙁

Sounds exactly like the headaches, tiredness I experienced after giving up caffeine. Passed in a few days. Now drink decaf tea and coffee.

and had drastically reduced my sugar intake by giving up coffee etc.

Why not drastically reduce your sugar intake by not having sugar in your coffee?

Anyway, I quit coffee last Friday for various reasons. Only drank 2 cups a day,and not noticed nothing major. Ironically, getting to sleep seems to have been affected

Edit: You get your list from here: http://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms-top-ten ?

Not the most impartial of sources, perhaps.

Why not drastically reduce your sugar intake by not having sugar in your coffee?

I thought this!

Are some people more susceptible? I can go quite a while without any caffeine, then have quite a bit, never really seemed to affect me.

Why not drastically reduce your sugar intake by not having sugar in your coffee?

I don’t like unsweeted coffee and it’s a trigger for the fags. In fact since kicking the cigs, I really don’t want any coffee and have just been having redbush tea.

Not the most impartial of sources, perhaps.

I didn’t really think about it, but the info there is widely reported.
https://www.headaches.org/educational_modules/caffeine_module/withdrawl.htm
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press_releases/2004/09_29_04.html

I don’t think it’s even disputed.

Please don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any kind of “anti-coffee” agenda. I was just sharing something which surprised me is all.

Well done on the fags, it gets easier but dont get complacent

Well done on the fags, it gets easier but dont get complacent

Thanks mate. I don’t know how many times I’ve stopped before and always messed it up (complacency).

Well done on the fags, it gets easier but dont get complacent drunk

This for me.

That’s interesting, my caffeine intake is all over the place, sometimes a strong coffee in the morning then nothing for the rest of the day, sometimes a couple of instant coffees then tea, sometimes just tea. I’d always thought it averaged out as a sort of low to middling intake.

Nonetheless, I get a lot of the symptoms above, wonder if you can experience them despite not really withdrawing from caffeine…

This for me.

Whilst I’m happy to admit it’s not ideal; using a vape thingy has completely removed temptation. Despite being half cut, you actually smell tobacco smoke for the disgusting thing it actually is rather than the delicious nectar you normally think it is when pissed.
I don’t intend on being a vapist forever, but it is (by a very, very long way) the most effective NRT I’ve tried and it is very obvious by the way I, and my organs feel that it is a LOT better for you than the fags.

I swore off caffeinated tea a while ago, but do treat myself to proper coffee some/most mornings. However, I do watch my intake and try to steer clear of the hard stuff during the week because I like to sleep. It takes longer to get out of your system than booze you know….

Good job on kicking smoking though. You are making a change that is nothing but positive for your life.

You are making a change that is nothing but positive for your life.

Thanks. Oddly, my life isn’t the primary reason!

using a vape thingy

Ah that may be the difference – I don’t have a vape thingy, I just went cold turkey. I don’t ever feel like a cigarette when sober but after ~3-4 drinks I’m useless.

Back to the coffee, I also drink far too much of this stuff, and do suffer from headaches – I always assumed it was lack of water not too much coffee. I’d knock it on the head but giving up coffee, and cigarettes, and cutting down on the booze all seems a bit much.

Is there any good healthy stuff?

Is there any good healthy stuff?

Nope. That’s why ultra healthy people are sooooo boring.

I used to work in an office with a load of software developers. There was always coffee on the go that was like rocket fuel for them to keep them awake. Every time I fancied a break, I had a cup as it was there.

I then went away for a week and we only took decaff and I felt absolutely terrible for 2 or 3 days – definitely withdrawal. It did make me think carefully about just how much of the stuff I had.

I do drink lots of tea, however. I should really find a decaff tea that I like. Any good ones out there?

I drink alot of tea/coffee, and do get headaches etc – not a problem a drink of tea/coffee solves the problem!

my question is what acually wrong with having lots of caffine?

my question is what acually wrong with having lots of caffine?

According to the NHS, it can be bad for blood pressure. I dunno. I’m just weary of anything which causes a withdrawl like this.

I should really find a decaff tea that I like. Any good ones out there?

Tetley decaf is just tea to me, now. Tastes fine.

Anywya – a little bit of coffee is actually good for you. Just don’t drink loads.

Knock the caffiene withdrawal on the head with the occasional bump of M-Cat.

Makes you realise that most of us are in the habit of using large amounts of a highly habit forming drug just to get through the day.

Luckily it’s one of the legal ones.

I had better knock MTB on the head too then

I’m a right miserable **** if I don’t get out enough

Just because something is addictive, does that make it bad?

I’m on the nicotine battle ramparts myself this morning..

In the last week I have cut down from around 20-30 fags a day to just 3 or 4, with no smokes so far today and only 1 nicotine lozenge..
I thought I was ready for cold turkey this morning, but light headedness and becoming increasingly distracted and breathless necessitated the lozenge

I had better knock MTB on the head too then

I’m a right miserable **** if I don’t get out enough
Yeah. That’s exactly the same thing mate……great comparison 😯

can you vape caffeine?

On the subject of fags, a mate has an app that tells him how much he’s saved and how many fags he hasn’t smoked.
At the last check, I think it was 11,500 cigs & £4000.

I have one or two cups of coffee a day (breakfast and lunch, only any later exceptionally) and yet that’s enough I’ll get the odd caffeine withdrawal headache if I don’t drink any, e.g. at the weekend.

Yup three days of a slow decline into irritable hell.

It helps to UP your sugar content when trying to leave the caffeine alone. Can recommend orange juices and tangfastics.

At the last check, I think it was 11,500 cigs & £4000.

It’s the NHS stop smoking app and I’ve just downloaded it. Thanks very much! 😀

It helps to UP your sugar content when trying to leave the caffeine alone.

I think I’m going to follow your advice.

On the subject of fags, a mate has an app that tells him how much he’s saved and how many fags he hasn’t smoked.
At the last check, I think it was 11,500 cigs & £4000.

I have a similar thing, at the moment it’s clocking just over £31,000 🙂

Six years next month.

I should really find a decaff tea that I like. Any good ones out there?

PG and Yorkshire both good, very hard to tell from the caff versions tbh.

PG quite mellow, Yorkshire got bit more of an edge IMO.

I had better knock MTB on the head too then

I’m a right miserable **** if I don’t get out enough

Just because something is addictive, does that make it bad?

You just can’t argue with that logic.

I cut out caffeine to see if it helped my guts. Seems to be working, as I am back to 3’s and 4’s, and sitting down on the thunder box is no longer like the start of a pigeon race.

Thanks for that chakaping and molgrips… Right going to whizz off to the shops and get some Yarkshire tee decaf then…

No doubt be taking headache tablets with caffeine in them by this time tomorrow then 😉

I have been waking up in the middle of the night with my mind racing (lots on) so I think eeking myself onto decaff won’t do any harm.

It took a while to kick in for me. I was very dehydrated, so drink loads of water, and sugar has helped 😀