I had similar experience around the author's age, but I love my coffee too much. I decreased slowly over the years. First, not having coffee past 9, then 5, then 3, then noon. Now, I have two small cups in the morning, it does jolt me awake, and outside of the rare exception, that's all I get. Sometimes I forget my second cup. It's a missed opportunity on flavor, but I don't have withdrawal headaches.
I quit caffeine
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Re: I quit caffeine
#12I've heard (but not verified) that ibuprofen is a vasoconstrictor like caffeine, and can be more helpful in easing withdrawal symptoms than other OTC pain meds. That said, it's likely also tolerance-inducing ( https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stopping-the-vicious-cyc... ), so don't overdo it.
Actually ibuprofen is a vasodilator unlike caffeine.
Re: I quit caffeine
#13I had this exact same problem just back in November.
Regular coffee drinker (1-2 cups), having pre-workout before the gym.
Starting having an absurd amount of anxiety and what I can best describe as a panic attack or flu-like symptom making my heart race & feelings of palpitations.
Go to the ER, they find nothing wrong. Doctors say "cut your stimulates and lower your stresses".
Seemed to be a combination of work stress & the stimulates. Ever since going cold turkey, I've been better than ever. I continue to get headaches but they are manageable with plenty of water.
Re: I quit caffeine
#14I had similar experience around the author's age, but I love my coffee too much. I decreased slowly over the years. First, not having coffee past 9, then 5, then 3, then noon. Now, I have two small cups in the morning, it does jolt me awake, and outside of the rare exception, that's all I get. Sometimes I forget my second cup. It's a missed opportunity on flavor, but I don't have withdrawal headaches.
same with me
Re: I quit caffeine
#15No post body was provided.
Re: I quit caffeine
#16I do one reasonably weak cup with lots of creamer first thing in the morning with breakfast. Then, on a normal day, I have mostly water. This solves two problems for me: (1) by the end of my typical day, enough caffeine has flushed back out of my system that I have no issues falling asleep, but also (b) I'm maintaining a tolerance, so if I'm out with friends I can have a glass of whatever and not totally wreck my system doing so.
I've considered ditching the coffee entirely; it's mostly the routine I enjoy, and I could probably replace it with an herbal tea. My system on an actual energy drink is just as jittery and anxious as the author describes. But for now, keeping my intake low seems okay.
The biggest surprise for me was really switching to plain water as my beverage of choice. Growing up on sugary beverages I craved them something fierce; now I actually crave water, and enjoy the taste. The only downside is that at restaurants, the servers will swing by and refill an ordered soda (or tea) endlessly, and they get this funny look if I try to explain that "no really, just one is enough."
Re: I quit caffeine
#17I noticed how much caffeine was affecting me when I started getting way too sleepy at a certain new job after lunch. It was weird, because before I didn't really feel tired after eating unless I stuffed myself, but now I was really tired and sleepy and could barely function.
Turns out that this new job offered free coffee, so I was drinking one cup of coffee before commuting, another one when I arrived, and maybe one or two more later, but before lunch. The only reason I was sleepy was coffee: I was making my body dependent on caffeine to function normally in the morning, and I wasn't giving it coffee in the evening.
Luckily I caught it early and could quit without problems, but it was interesting to see how quickly your body builds a tolerance and makes you dependent on a drug. I back up the advice of the OP and I'd suggest to everyone who drinks coffee regularly to check themselves, because they might be addicted even without having those noticeable symptoms the OP talked about.
Re: I quit caffeine
#18I used to take a large number of black coffee throughout the day. Otherwise just feel tired even though I am fully rested.
Recently started experimenting with nootropics as a replacement for coffee. Started L-theanine + caffeine capsules. Surprisingly, feel attentive throughout the day and better sleep at night too. Workout is better as well. Don’t know how long these effects will last. But for now, I have quit coffee for good.
Re: I quit caffeine
#19Same experience. I didn’t quit completely, but I do limit myself to one cup of coffee in the morning. The rest of my fluid intake is water. I don’t have trouble sleeping anymore.
Re: I quit caffeine
#20I didn't quit caffeine, but I cut down massively by keeping it in a Zojirushi mug that keeps it hot all morning instead of drinking from a regular mug. Because it stays hot, I just sip it, and that way I only drink one mug in the morning and occasionally one in the afternoon, instead of the 3 or 4 mugs I would drink previously.
+1 for Zojirushi. I do wish they made something shaped more like a traditional mug than a travel mug. I've tried various brands of insulated mugs, and at most they let me stretch out my cup of coffee to 45 minutes. With a Zojirushi I can make a cup last hours.