Well, I've Done It Now
This is day seven with no caffinated goodness. I'm decaff'd.
For months now, I've been scolding myself about coffee, wanting to get off of the artificial highs and lows. I've been prone to wild mood swings, too, and disrupted sleep, so I figure while my coffee consumption isn't excessive, it's probably not helping.
It went a little something like this:
Day 1 - 8AM
Blurg. Bleh. Bluuuugh. Drink water to help flush system.
Day 1 - 3PM
HEADACHE. My eyebrows fall off. Drink more water.
Day 1 - 8PM
Asleep on couch, thanks to tylenol.
Day 2 - 8AM
Blugh. Blah. Bluuuuuuugh. Bloated. Drink more *&(&@%& water.
Day 2 - 3PM
HATE. Hate you and you and you. And my head hurts. I'm tired of peeing. This is like being pregnant. Meh.
Day 2 - 8PM
HEADACHE. And also, I hate everyone. Drink more water, so that I can maintain my peeing every half hour schedule.
Day 3 - 8AM
Bluuuuugh.
Day 3 - 3PM
Isn't this headache stuff supposed to be over? God, I think my left eye just fell out of my skull.
Day 3 - 8PM
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Day 4 - 8AM
Hey, not so bad! I'm awake! I'm not a slave to coffee! Yay me!
Day 4 - 3PM
()*&(&^)*&!! Headache. Again. Drink water. Pee. Drink. Pee. Drink. Pee.
Day 4 - 8PM
Chocolate has caffeine in it, right? But only a baby amount, so I'm justified in eating an entire bag of Dove eggs.
Day 5 - 8AM
Bluuuuuuurgh. Oh, wait. No? No. Huh.
Day 5 - 3PM
Headache? No? Hello? Huh.
Day 5 - 8PM
QUEEN OF THE WORLD! I have taken control of myself! I have gotten through the worst of it! I will consume more chocolate to celebrate! And wash it down with some *&^&^$( water.
Day 6 - 8AM
FIne! Groovy, in fact! I'm up, and I'm okay! I'm not exactly what you would call perky, but I'm upright, and I'm not cussing, so small victories, right?
Day 6 - 3PM
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Day 6 - 8PM
Headache. The hell. Will blame this one running out of chocolate.
So far today, no headache. Also, plenty of chocolate. Yay!
Comments
oh Jenny! How familiar does this sound? LOL
Your writing was PERFECT for how I felt... especially the part about your eyeballs falling out. Why is that, exactly? I think it might be that you are full to the top of drinking !#@%* water and the pressure causes your eyes to feel all bloaty and HUGE AND HURTSES!
GAH!
Congratulations on making it to day 7! Long live the CHOCOLATE!
Posted by: wendy | April 16, 2006 11:16 AM
I did exactly this when I was training to be a group facilitator/counselor. We had to give up something to get a feel for what addicts go through. Yes, giving up caffeine feels like withdrawal! I hear you!
Posted by: Tracy | April 16, 2006 3:42 PM
I suppose I can still love you even if you gave up coffee. I might have to snub you--just a tiny bit-- for a while and perhaps sigh in disgust a when you talk to me about it. In fact, I think I just may even shed a tear or more over the AMAZING SENSEO you never stop telling me I need to have that is now useless and abandonned in your kitchen.
Yes, I'll still love you but you no longer get to share coffee with me and the T-man in the morning.
But I am glad your headaches are going away. Man were you a....I mean, I am sure they were hard on you! ;-) Mwah!
Posted by: Jenn | April 16, 2006 10:06 PM
Not me, no way, no how.
Posted by: Carmen | April 17, 2006 3:50 AM
Wait...no caffeine? Weaning yourself off of coffee? Does...not...compute.....Why else get up in the morning if not for that yummy, yummy, caffeinated beverage?
Seriously. Tell me. Why else get up in the morning????
Posted by: Melanie Lynne Hauser | April 17, 2006 6:25 AM
Wow, I am impressed! I need to kick out Dr. Pepper, but so far I just can't give up the crutch.
Posted by: R*Belle | April 17, 2006 6:57 AM
The last time I did the caffeine withdrawl thing, I had the flu. By day 3 of the flu, I had already gotten through the rest of it and could blame the crappy headaches and blahs to the flu.
I really should cut back the caffeine again although I don't drink near as much as I used to (1 or 2 sweet teas a day compared to the 4 or 5 Cokes I used to drink). Honestly, I guess I should focus more on increasing my water intake.
Hope the headaches disappear soon!!!
Posted by: Cary | April 17, 2006 8:19 AM
oh man you are one brave woman!!
I didn't realize I was drinking decaff for 3 days last week....couldn't figure out why I was dog tired and the headache would not subside even with dangerous amounts of advil!!!
I finally checked the label on the coffee can.....totally didn't see it before....swiss water decaff...what the...???
I quickly made myself a POT of leaded and got rid of my headache...it really did feel like my eyes had popped out of my head! My friend chastised me for drinking reg coffee....she said I was half way there....I said...who said I want to be sober??? like I am not ready to be free of my one addiction....well there is the chocolate addiction....and the occasional glass of wine!! ummmm well ya not ready yet...but good for you for being SO STRONG!
Posted by: Lala | April 17, 2006 9:14 AM
Ya know, I tried to give up coffee a while back. I hated myself. I hated hubby. I hated cooking. I hated cleaning. No, wait. I always hated cleaning... I decided to just cut back. Two cups a day. I'm good! I applaud your accomplishment. You're stronger than me!
Posted by: Erin (erin-erin-bo-berin) | April 17, 2006 11:18 AM
You are a stronger woman than I -- just the tiniest bit of a caffine headache has me running for the caffinated goodness -- in fact I just checked the fridge and we have JUST enough to get us to payday.
Posted by: Heather | April 17, 2006 7:10 PM
Yeah I tried that once. I'm a slave till the baby gets old enough to dress himself without needing me.
But good for you!!!!
Posted by: Melissa | April 17, 2006 10:11 PM
Congratulations! I gave up caffeine six years ago and have not missed it for even a minute. The first month was tough, though ... just like your post describes. After that first month, it was never hard again.
Caffeine really is one of those substances that you just do not miss after it has left your system. I wish I could say the same for sugar or chocolate, but those delicacies will likely forever be a part of my daily survival.
Oh, well. There are worse addictions in life.
Congratulations on your war on caffeine.
Posted by: Amanda Marlaena | April 17, 2006 11:50 PM
I've never tried to give up caffine. I didn't realize it was so hard.
Now maybe I'll never try.
Cas
Posted by: cassie-b | April 18, 2006 8:06 AM