Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I'm addicted and I want off this roller-coaster called caffeine! I am especially addicted to coffee. I had an episode last night of hyopglycemia that scared me -- it scared my family as well.

Can you help?

My husband quit a 40 year coffee habit last winter. He did it slowly, probably over a period of about 6-8 weeeks, slowly cutting back. When he gave up his last 1/2 cup he had a headache for several days, and now doesn't miss it at all. Previously he drank about 4-5 large (12 oz?) cups a day. I, on the other hand, still drink my tea, but only drink about 2-3 large cups a day. He gave up the coffee because of a strong family history of osteoporosis.

50spark wrote:I'm addicted and I want off this roller-coaster called caffeine! I am especially addicted to coffee. I had an episode last night of hyopglycemia that scared me -- it scared my family as well.

Can you help?

I stepped down gradually over 4 months. Every week I reduced it a little bit. Went from getting triple shot soy lattes to double shots, then short single shot lattes. Then I started to just drink regular coffee with fixings, then went to black coffee, then I started drinking half café, then caffeine free, then I cut those out too. I wrote down a gradual 12 week plan and stuck to it. That was 4 years ago. Since then I’ve relapsed twice, each time for a couple of weeks, just a single cup in the morning, but then quit again.
Letha

Myself, I'm on day 2 of caffeine withdrawl. I do it cold turkey, because I just am no good with prolonged bouts of feeling unwell--and I do feel exquisitely unwell, even if I quit decaff--or deprivation.

I did pick to do it, however, when the brain fog, isn't a huge problem for me. Physically, the aches and headache have responded to aceteminophen (just one 325 mg tablet today, so that's probably all), so all in all, it hasn't been too bad. By tomorrow I'll be ready to give away all the coffee I let creep into the house since the summer.

Why do I do this to myself? Why? I went a whole year without caffeine, had some diet coke in Mexico when I got bored of drinking water all the time--lying to myself that it would just be for a treat--and then I find myself back, royally addicted again. Oh well. At least by Thursday I should be myself.

I went through caffeine withdrawal from tea twice, then decided after a period of time, that I was going to drink tea, and not ever quit again. I would LOVE to drink coffee, but even one cup in the am disrupts my sleep that night. Dr. Mcdougall has an article in one of his newesletters about the value of tea.

Once you have defined the problem as an addiction, I think you have your answer. There is a lot of experience with addictions. Although some people with addictions can taper off slowly, my observation is that this seldom works long term.

How many people have you seen that have totally resolved addictions to alcohol, nicotine, or drugs by cutting back? I haven't seen many.

Have you seen Dr. Lisle's video on The Pleasure Trap (view at Veg. Society of Hawaii)? You will know what you are in for. Block off some time and know that there will be some short term misery in store and just get stubborn is my advice.