Decaffeination

[Shelli]

Upon realizing yesterday that I have been consuming the caffeine from 18 to 21 tea bags daily, I've decided that it's high time for me to decaffeinate myself. Ya think? :stunned:

It's day one and so far today I've consumed the caffeine from two teabags and two generic Excedrine's resulting in an intake of approximately 230 mg. of caffeine compared to the approximately 600 mg. of caffeine I would normally have consumed by now.

I'm tired, I have a headache, and I wanna go home. :snore:

Everything You Need to Know About Caffeine (http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/caffeinebroch.cfm) :coffeeplz:

[Shelli]

Headache? No, I now have a full blown migraine. :headache:

I do believe I have found the culprit to my weekend migraines. It's called caffeine withdrawels from sleeping in and not getting my 9 cups of tea worth of caffeine by 10:00 am. And I knew that could cause migraines too. Idiot. I am an idiot. :facepalm:

[Watser?]

:(

[livius drusus]

If you're getting migraines on weekends and from reducing your intake by less than a third, why not go cold turkey? It can't suck much worse, can it? And at least once it's over you'll be weaned off this heart-racing migraine-fodder for good.

[Dingfod]

Oh god, I hated coming down off the caffeine one time 10 years ago, headaches for three days. However, on the 4th day the headaches subsided and then that night I slept 14 hours straight. I think I'm going to quit cold turkey (said, coincidentally as I munch on a cold turkey sandwich) starting this evening when I get to work.

The bad thing about the caffeine addiction, it's a real addiction with real withdrawal symptoms. Like heroin, an addict like me can never slip up and have a little of it without becoming a junkie again.

[Uthgar the Brazen]

You can dooooo eet! :cheer:

[Shelli]

:(:squeezle:

If you're getting migraines on weekends and from reducing your intake by less than a third, why not go cold turkey? It can't suck much worse, can it? And at least once it's over you'll be weaned off this heart-racing migraine-fodder for good.Yeah, I had been considering it, liv, and now you've convinced me. Might as well just get it done with. I'm drinking a fruit punch Gatorade at the moment, rather than my usual three tea bag tea. :nojustno:


Oh god, I hated coming down off the caffeine one time 10 years ago, headaches for three days. However, on the 4th day the headaches subsided and then that night I slept 14 hours straight. I think I'm going to quit cold turkey (said, coincidentally as I munch on a cold turkey sandwich) starting this evening when I get to work.

The bad thing about the caffeine addiction, it's a real addiction with real withdrawal symptoms. Like heroin, an addict like me can never slip up and have a little of it without becoming a junkie again.Yeah, does suck but then thankfully subside, thank :tigger:. And yeah, it would seem that I'm not able to have just a little caffeine without my consumption eventually getting out of hand. :espresso:

Good luck with going cold :turkey: Ding. :goodluck:

You can dooooo eet! :cheer::8D

[Shelli]

My first Imitrex kicked in, lessening the pain and nausea, lunch from Subway was good and helped even though I, at first, had to force myself to eat, and then after I had a full stomach, I took my second Imitrex which will take care of what the first Imitrex didn't.

I already feel so much better and :thankee: everyone. :glomps:

[Ari]

Ah, caffeine, how I love and hate you at the same time.

Every so often I detox from it cause my tolerance builds and starts causing other problems (too much caffeine and my heart skips beats, it's cool :) ). For me a quick reduction to cold turkey is the way to go. Once I cut myself off, even a slight amount of caffeine starts the headaches all over again, so dwindling down over a long period is just prolonging the agony. It gets better after about 5 days or so.

[SharonDee]

I'm glad you're feeling better, Shelli. Those migraines of yours can't be fun.

But give up my caffeine? Nevah!
:nuhuh:

[Shelli]

Thanks, Sharon. Yeah, for a bit there I thought this migraine had gotten too far out of control for the Imitrex to work. Thank :tigger: that I'm not always right. :giggle:

And hey, if caffeine isn't causing you any problems and you enjoy it, why not keep enjoying it? :yup2:

[SharonDee]

Yeah, that's what I meant but, you know ... didn't feel I ought to rub it in.

Oops ... :blush2:

[Shelli]

Meh, doesn't bother me none. It is what it is, so no worries. :nope:

[Shake]

I don't have as much as other people I know, and I really can't understand those people who can have more than one Red Bull in a day. I've only ever had two total and I just tried it because I got one for free. I wasn't really thrilled with how it made me feel.

Good luck on breaking this addiction, Shelli!

[Listener]

Addiction's a funny thing Shell. I gave up smoking once years ago and I've never been tempted back ...

Alcohol is even easier - I've given it up loads of times and I know I can do it any time I like!

[Ensign Steve]

I need to decaffeinate myself, but I hardly have any vices as it is! I mean, unless you count pills and booze. But nothing I can take at work. Except pills. But my point is I have FBD and I'm on doctor's orders to not have caffeine, and when I disobey I end up hurting really bad. I'm back up to a cup of coffee nearly every single day (and two yesterday! and 3 diet cokes this week!! :ohnoes:), which is really a lot for me.

[Shelli]

What's FBD?

[Ensign Steve]

:blush: Its in the article you linked. I won't want to say it cuz it has a worty dird in it.

[Shelli]

Oh, okay, thanks. Pain = reason to not do something. :wink:

[Ensign Steve]

Yeah, but it doesn't work if the pain comes after. Like hangovers. That's called regret.

[Javaman]

My wife decaffeinated a few months ago when she got a benign (but painful) breast cyst. The doctors said caffeine can cause them and make them hard to go away as well. It finally disappeared a few days ago. I decaffeinated a month or two ago since I had sort of high blood pressure. The headaches for the first few days were awful. Finding good coffee is pretty hard but Whole Foods has some good ones. Good luck Shelli.

[Shelli]

Thanks, Javaman. Have you found that your blood pressure has gone down since you quit caffeine?

[livius drusus]

Damns. You know it's serious when the Javaman kicks the beast. :eek:

[Javaman]

Thanks, Javaman. Have you found that your blood pressure has gone down since you quit caffeine?I assume so but, since I'm male, I won't go find out. :D Actually, have a few more things to do for getting on flying status for work and then I'll go again to my regular doctor. It was the flight doctor that told me but I was kind of wigged out about other stuff (rush hour and fear of doctors). I have to go 'up' in the altitude chamber next week and then water survival sometime later.

[Shelli]

Yesterday I was lamenting that I didn't have any decaf tea in the house. :melo:

This morning, I went looking through my formidable tea hoard and found not one, but 16 different types of decaf tea in my stash. :excited:

I'm brewing a cup of decaf, China Pearl, white tea right now. :tea:

[SharonDee]

The good news is that the coffee makers have gotten better at decaf, so much so that they taste more like the regular.

[Listener]

Yesterday I was lamenting that I didn't have any decaf tea in the house. :melo:

This morning, I went looking through my formidable tea hoard and found not one, but 16 different types of decaf tea in my stash. :excited:

I'm brewing a cup of decaf, China Pearl, white tea right now. :tea:

If you find yourself in that predicament for real, decaffing tea is quick and easy 'cos the caffeine is very soluble.

Put a teabag of regular tea in a cup, pour on the hot water and as soon as the brew shows a little colour (a second or two later) throw away that first brew and make decaffeinated tea with that tea-bag and some fresh water......

[Shelli]

huh, Listener, I had no idea. :thankee:

[Shelli]

The good news is that I didn't have a headache today. It would seem that yesterday's headbanger was a week's worth in one. So, on that note.. :cheer:

The not necessarily bad news but not good news either is that I'm totally groggy, unfocused, and freakin' HUNGRY!!1! :hungry:

I'm happy about the 25 pounds I gained when I quit smoking, but I'd just as soon not gain another 25 from quitting caffeine, tyvm. :nuhuh:

The good news is that one of my favoritist snacks, which I'm eating right now is a healthy snack made up of white basmati rice, soy butter, chicken broth and pink beans. :eating:

[inland wave]

Pink beans?

[biochemgirl]

Good for you Shelli!

I'm trying to wean my hubby off of caffeine. He used to drink easily a pot of very strong coffee a day. And now I am finally getting through to him that that is why he can't sleep at night and probably a good contributor to his stomach ailments. He's gotten a lot better the past few weeks.

As for me...I never used to like coffee, but then I discovered the most wonderful coffee creamer. So now I have a cup every morning but I also very rarely drink pop. So I went to very little caffeine to a reasonable amount but I still think that is acceptable.

Shelli, total side note but I saw eggnog made from soy milk in the grocery store yesterday and thought of you. Have you ever had it?

[Shelli]

Pink beans?
They is the yummeh! (http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36058/pink-bean.asp) :link:


Good for you Shelli!

I'm trying to wean my hubby off of caffeine. He used to drink easily a pot of very strong coffee a day. And now I am finally getting through to him that that is why he can't sleep at night and probably a good contributor to his stomach ailments. He's gotten a lot better the past few weeks.

As for me...I never used to like coffee, but then I discovered the most wonderful coffee creamer. So now I have a cup every morning but I also very rarely drink pop. So I went to very little caffeine to a reasonable amount but I still think that is acceptable.

Shelli, total side note but I saw eggnog made from soy milk in the grocery store yesterday and thought of you. Have you ever had it?:thankee: BCG. I'm glad that you're getting through to your hubby. :thumbup:

I'd tried eggnog once years and years ago and I never tried it again, not made with milk or soy milk. :gross:

[Qingdai]

About FBD "The term "disease" in this case is misleading, and many providers prefer the term "change." From National Institute of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000912.htm)

My painful lump went away when I was in China and only had access to green tea for caffeine.

[Stormlight]

Upon realizing yesterday that I have been consuming the caffeine from 18 to 21 tea bags daily, I've decided that it's high time for me to decaffeinate myself.

:stunned:

Sound like a job for :larry:
You can do this, Shelli! :larrybounce:

[Ensign Steve]

About FBD "The term "disease" in this case is misleading, and many providers prefer the term "change." From National Institute of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000912.htm)

My painful lump went away when I was in China and only had access to green tea for caffeine.
Considering I've been living with it for 13 years, have had several surgeries, and I'm packed to the brim with cysts and not just one cyst, I'm going to continue on with calling it a disease.

[Shelli]

Thanks, Stormlight. :squeezle:

Let's stick to the unbouncy :larry: today though. My freakin' head is killing me. Oh my god I want to die. :headache:

[Ensign Steve]

How's thrusty? Is thrusty okay? :larrythrust:

[Stormlight]

Thanks, Stormlight. :squeezle:

Let's stick to the unbouncy :larry: today though. My freakin' head is killing me. Oh my god I want to die. :headache:

:cheerup:

[Qingdai]

About FBD "The term "disease" in this case is misleading, and many providers prefer the term "change." From National Institute of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000912.htm)

My painful lump went away when I was in China and only had access to green tea for caffeine.
Considering I've been living with it for 13 years, have had several surgeries, and I'm packed to the brim with cysts and not just one cyst, I'm going to continue on with calling it a disease.
Ouch!
On the opposite side of the spectrum, I had two lumps 20 years apart and was denied insurance because the insurance company diagnosed me as having the pre-existing condition of FBD.

This week on "when insurance companies attack."

[Ensign Steve]

Oh, man, insurance companies suck! I acted like I had no idea what he was talking about when the military doc told me about the cysts... now I can get disability! Whee!!

Man, I'm grossing myself out. Lets talk about tea s'more.

Celestial seasonings has a "tension tamer" that I adore! It's lemon flavored and if you ad splenda to it, it tastes exactly like those lemon girl scout cookies. :yum:

[Shelli]

Three Imitrex later and hours spent dozing on and off with an ice bag on my head, the migraine has subsided to a point that I got myself a shower and I think I can get my shopping done without killing anyone.

WTF? :blah:

[Ensign Steve]

Maybe you should kill someone. It might make you feel better. :shutup:

[Shelli]

It just might, but then all the blood would make me sick again. :gross:

[Stormlight]

Just poison them, then.

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Be careful of which poison is used. A number of them make people puke copious amounts of blood before assuming room temperature.

[Ensign Steve]

I saw that on Psycho IV. What did he use? Arsenic?

[biochemgirl]

Hang in there Shelli :snuggles:

[Shelli]

Thanks, BCG. :hug:

Nah, no one had to die today. :phew: I just took it nice and slow :walk: rather than my, "C'mon, c'mon, let's go, I've got stuff to do at home!" speed. :speedy:

When I got home, I had a nice hot cup of decaf Tulsi Tea. :tea:

I also packed up all of my caffeinated tea to give to my sister-in-law. :yup2:

[Shelli]

Another decaf day under my belt. That nasty headache is still hanging in the background just waiting for a chance to pounce. Go 'way, headache! Shoo! :shakecow:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

:hug:

[Shelli]

:vibes:

[Ensign Steve]

Go 'way, headache!
:shakebat:

[Shelli]

I think that mighta worked, Ensign.. well, that and the asprin I took this morning. It just doesn't want to die. Die! Die! :stab:

[Stormlight]

:cheered:

:larry:

[Shelli]

:giggle: @ :larry:

As long as I take asprin at regular, four hour intervals, I'm succeeding at keeping the beast at bay. :runsies:

[Stormlight]

I'm absolutely sure you will do this, Shelli! :unnod:

[Shelli]

:pounceglomp:

[Shelli]

gah, my head still hurts. How long does this last, does anyone know? :headache:

[Ensign Steve]

I think it's psychosomatic at this point. Or else you have a brain tumor.

[Shelli]

... or I was consuming approximately 1365 mg. of caffeine daily for months before I quit cold turkey.

Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12 to 24 hours after stopping caffeine, with peak intensity between one and two days, and for a duration of two to nine days. In general, the incidence or severity of symptoms increased with increases in daily dose, but abstinence from doses as low as 100 milligrams per day, or about one small cup of coffee, also produced symptoms.

Johns Hopkins (http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2004/09_29_04.html)


Time course of caffeine withdrawal. The caffeine withdrawal syndrome follows an orderly time course. Onset usually occurs 12 to 24 hours after terminating caffeine intake, although onset as late as 36 hours has been documented. Peak withdrawal intensity has generally been described as occurring 20 to 48 hours after abstinence. The duration of withdrawal has most often been described as ranging between 2 days and 1 week, although longer durations have been occasionally noted.

Information about Caffeine Dependence (http://www.caffeinedependence.org/caffeine_dependence.html)

Anyway.. ouch. :ouch:

[Ensign Steve]

Go 'way, headache!
:shakecow:

[Shelli]

:giggle:

:thankee: I'm sure it will. I'm just being whiny about it and it's my own damn fault. I just f'n hate headaches. Hate.

Apparently, I should stay far, far away from stimulants. Forever. And ever.

[Ensign Steve]

Except cocaine, right? :twitch:

[Shelli]

:chuckle:

Yeah, and :crack:. :yup2:

* Shelli runs next door to try get :crackup:.

Not.

[Shelli]

Well, what the hell, when I smoked, it was always 1 1/2 packs to 2 packs of nicotine a day. I if partake in caffeine, it doesn't take long for that to get out of hand either. Christ, if I ever tried crack, I'd be 10 pounds and toothless inside of 3 months.

No mo' stimulants for me. :smack:

[Ensign Steve]

Srsly. Switch to pot. Or valium or something. Chill.

[Prince Vegita]

It's fucking hard to quit, but I had to for the sake of my sanity. It set my anxiety disorder off big time. After I got the shit out of my system, which took a month for me to do because I realized it was hiding in just about everything I drank (did you know root beer doesn't have caffeine, EXCEPT for fucking Barq's? Did you know it's in practically every Coke product? Chocolate and even some green teas?), I noticed that I was much much more calm.

The worst part is, though, that there's a psychological craving that takes much longer to go away. In fact, it took me about a full fucking year. Worth it, but difficult. Now I don't crave coffee or tea anymore, or soda, and can take or leave decaffeinated beverages (I don't have to "replace" coffee with decaf just to get through the damn day or fill a hole in my cravings). Sometimes I like some sparkling water for the bubbles, on those odd days when I find myself missing soda.

Hang in there. I was a 6 cup of coffee a day kind of guy at one point. It's hard as hell, but you can do it.

[Shelli]

:thankee: Prince and good for you. :victory:

I like the taste of strong tea, especially in the morning. I bought a multi pack of Bigelow Decaf tea this weekend and finally found one that I like.. Bigelow's English Teatime. :aristea:

[Ensign Steve]

Diet Barq's doesn't have caffeine, Prince. Just FYI. Orange soda, does, though, which I think is weird.

[Uthgar the Brazen]

I'm not thoroughly and utterly decaffeinated, in the sense that I enjoy a bit of chocolate from time to time with no adverse effects. But anything more than that is bad, bad, bad.

I didn't know that about Barq's, which is okay, I suppose, since I think it's swill. ;)

[Shelli]

Yeah, I have no intention of giving up the chocolate I eat now and then; I just won't be consuming caffeinated beverages anymore. :reeses:

[Shelli]

Only a slight headache today but :yawn:ing like crazy.

* Shelli dreams of :hammock:

[livius drusus]

Shelli, do you have a juicer? Some fresh veggie/fruit juice might help clear out the nasties and give you an energy boost.

[Shelli]

Hey! Good idea, liv. :thankee: I do, in fact, have a juicer. I just have to get it out of storage where it went when I got out of the juicing faze I had been in. That sounds good though. Matter fact, a post of yours - yesterday I think it was - about a juice you made had me thinking about getting it back out. :yup2:

[livius drusus]

My juicer's been hidden away for a while too. I just fished it out after a recent spate of excessive Cherry Coke Zero imbibing. This morning I had carrot, celery, cucumber, apple and tangelo juice and it was damn tasty and invigorating. :)

[Shelli]

I think that's the juice you mentioned before. That sounds awesome. :drink:

[livius drusus]

It's almost the juice I mentioned before, except I added the celery today. It's yummeh. :yup:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Celery would be so much better for me, weekend snack-wise. But it tastes like what I imagine dirty dishwater does. At least to me. :sadcheer:

[livius drusus]

I don't like celery either, but in a juice as an accent flavor it totally works.

[Uthgar the Brazen]

:chin:

[Prince Vegita]

Only a slight headache today but :yawn:ing like crazy.

* Shelli dreams of :hammock:

Yeah, the tiredness will start to go away in about a month.

[Prince Vegita]

Diet Barq's doesn't have caffeine, Prince. Just FYI. Orange soda, does, though, which I think is weird.

Diet Barq's? Never even seen it. But I hate most diet soda anyway so it's kinda moot.

[Shelli]

Only a slight headache today but :yawn:ing like crazy.

* Shelli dreams of :hammock:

Yeah, the tiredness will start to go away in about a month.
A month?!! :eek:

Nonono.. I have to be able to do something to speed that up. Oops.. I said speed. :shutmou: Imagine if I ever got hooked on that? :backaway: :redpill:

[Sock Puppet]

Exercise first thing in the morning. That's what worked for me before I fell off the decaffeination wagon.

[Dingfod]

Diet Barq's doesn't have caffeine, Prince. Just FYI. Orange soda, does, though, which I think is weird.

Diet Barq's? Never even seen it. But I hate most diet soda anyway so it's kinda moot.I don't know about Diet Barq's, but Diet Mug Root Beer is some good stuff, if you can find it.

http://www.pepsiproductfacts.com/images/brandImages/mug.jpg

[Shelli]

Exercise first thing in the morning. That's what worked for me before I fell off the decaffeination wagon.Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. :yup2:

Now I just have to wake up without a headache which I haven't done since I quit caffeine. Bah. It'll end though. I know. :yup:

[Shelli]

I woke up without a headache this morning! :celebrate:

Today will make a week decaffeinated. :bowing:

And it's Happy Friday! :skittles:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
:livpope:

[Shelli]

:giggle: :thankee:

I'm still pretty groggy, but I don't care. I don't have a headache! :biggrin:

[Ari]

Woo!

[Dingfod]

That's totally inadequate. It's WOOOOO!!!1!

[livius drusus]

:shakegummibear:

[Ari]

I'll go for the large woo when the groggy wears off :D

[Watser?]

W00t!!

[Shelli]

Thanks, y'all. :vibes: All I can manage is a "woo" right now too. I am so totally draggin' ass right now. :snore:

* Shelli makes a note to clean up the trail of :shit: she left on the floor when she wakes up. :giggle:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Um, ewww? I never had that particular problem when decaffeinating...

[Shelli]

:lol: That was in reference to me saying that I was "draggin' ass" which my mind turned literal and next thing ya know, I had the visual of a dog draggin' it's ass across the floor leaving a trail of :shit:. :giggle:

Hey, that would make a great idiom smilie! :hellyes:

[seebs]

A week or so is about right to be over the bulk of the withdrawal.

[Shelli]

Yeah, I think I've over the worst of it. My head doesn't feel like it's going to explode. I'll tell ya though, I'm sooo tired. I could really go for a cuppa three tea bag tea right now. :shiftier:

Nah, I'm not gonna, no worries, I think I'll just snoo... :asleep:

[ceptimus]

Good work Shelli.

As you know, sleep is the answer to tiredness, not stimulants :tsktsk:

Hats off to you for your strength of character in the giving things up department - first smokes, now caffeine. What will be next, I wonder. :chin:

[Shelli]

:thankee: cep.

Well, I don't drink alcohol at all anymore either. I don't dare for fear of lighting up while I'm imbibing. :nojustno:

So, what will be next? Giving up being too lazy to get on the :tread: on a routine basis and get back into strength training. :flex:

[Ensign Steve]

As long as you don't give up your debilitating addiciton to smilies! :tiggermonkey:

[Shelli]

:gasp: Hold your tongue! :tongtied:

Neva! Nope. Not. Nada. Ferget about it. :not:

[Shelli]

I'm drinking an iced tea right now. So there. :girltong:

decaf :wink:

[livius drusus]

:phew:

[Shelli]

:giggle:

Truly though, I :heart: the taste of tea, especially iced, whereas I rarely drink soda, so decaf it is so I can still have my favorite drink. :biggrin:

[Shelli]

Well, today if the official start of week two as a decaffeinated :tiggermonkey:. :victory:

Going decaf can be some tricky business. Per instance, I have an x-mas party to attend tonight and it just occurred to me that I'll have to pick up some caffeine free Coke to bring with me. :idea:

I'm not sure what I'll be able to drink during my work's outside of the office x-mas party. :wha:

[Ensign Steve]

Don't forget that sprite and 7-up are caffeine free. There's also lemonade.

[Shelli]

:thankee: I also found some Powerade in my house today. I'll be taking that to the party in a few minutes. :yup2:

[Shelli]

Oh yeah, I also woke up with another migraine this morning. Here's hoping that tomorrow morning is not a repeat. :crossed:

[Shelli]

Slight headache this morning, but no migraine, thank :tigger:. :worship:

[viscousmemories]

I wonder if there might be another cause of your headaches. I know I grind my teeth when I sleep, sometimes (though rarely) enough that I wake up with a tired jaw and headache.

Anyway congratulations on kicking the habit. For some reason I've never been addicted to caffeine, despite compulsions to smoke and drink alcohol. I drink caffeine, but when I realized I was too agitated too often I slowed to only two cups in the morning, and that's enough. I get a mild headache if I don't have it, but I know if I quit having it that would pass in a couple days - at least that's how it's been when I've quit before. I just don't have any desire to quit the two morning cups - it's a comfortable ritual with no real obvious ill effects.

[Shelli]

The only reason why I'm pretty sure that the caffeine withdrawal is the reason for my headaches now is because I didn't have headaches every day like this before I went from the caffeine of 18 to 21 tea bags daily to none. I also remember being headachey for awhile when I quit caffeine years ago. So, I'll see what happens in the coming week. If the headaches don't subside soon, I'll probably give my doctor a call.

:thankee: for the congrats, vm. :=)

[Shelli]

I don't have a headache! Yay! :celebrate:

[Shelli]

AND... I'm not all groggy either and I even got to bed later last night later than normal. I'm awake and in a laid back good mood. :tmcool:

[Shelli]

I never want to be addicted to nicotine or caffeine again. :nojustno:

Maybe I'll try crack next. :crack:

Not on ur life! :backaway:

[livius drusus]

Good on you for not giving in to the beast under all the headache and fatigue duress, Shells. :cheer:

[Ari]

WOOOOO!!!1!

[livius drusus]

:iswydt:

[Shelli]

:thankee: & :thankee:

and...

WOOOOOO!!1! :celebrate:

[Ari]

:iswydt:
:shiftier:

[Shelli]

I bought myself some decaf green tea & decaf English Breakfast tea this weekend. :yup2: Right now I'm having a cuppa decaf green tea. :tea:

[Prince Vegita]

AND... I'm not all groggy either and I even got to bed later last night later than normal. I'm awake and in a laid back good mood. :tmcool:

That laid-back good mood is what makes it all worthwhile. You think you're calm now? Wait until you stop obsessing over caffeine and it's truly out of your system. Then you can focus on real problems again, but do it with a cool head.

[Qingdai]

So how is your brain?
Coffee protects 'female memory' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6930114.stm)
Results preliminary!

[Shelli]

AND... I'm not all groggy either and I even got to bed later last night later than normal. I'm awake and in a laid back good mood. :tmcool:

That laid-back good mood is what makes it all worthwhile. You think you're calm now? Wait until you stop obsessing over caffeine and it's truly out of your system. Then you can focus on real problems again, but do it with a cool head.Yeah, it's a sigh of relief actually. I had wondered where my laid back mood (for the most part) had gone. Killed off by excess caffeine is where it had gone. :doh:

So how is your brain?
Coffee protects 'female memory' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6930114.stm)
Results preliminary!I don't care if it increased my memory 10 fold, it still wouldn't be worth it to me. :nope:

[Shelli]

I'm finding decaf green tea to my taste today. :tea:

[Shelli]

I'm not sure what I'll be able to drink during my work's outside of the office x-mas party. :wha:I drank Shirley Temples last night. :cherry: :yum:

[livius drusus]

Mmm! I love Shirley Temples.

[Shelli]

Yeah, they were yummah. :hellyes: I've always liked them, but never asked for them because of the social stigma attached to drinking not only a non-alcoholic drink but a "kiddy" drink such as a Shirley Temple is thought of. :mocking: This year, I said, screw it, I just don't care. And I didn't. :nope: And I had a good time. :nod:

ETA: One of my co-workers must have thought I was drinking since I was so talkative because she looked surprised at my answer to her question as to what I was drinking. :giggle:

:tiggermonkey:

[Prince Vegita]

Can I suggest that you try Rooibos (red) teas? They're caffeine free and are quite tasty with a little sugar. If you find yourself missing vanilla flavored sodas, a nice mug of vanilla rooibos tea really hits the spot. I imagine it would be pretty smashing if it were iced too.

In the summer especially, I also like a Moroccan Mint iced tea instead of caffeinated iced teas, or a mint rooibos. Very refreshing, and it hardly requires any sweetener. You can find lots of decaf teas at Tealuxe, a tea bar & cafe. Your online source for tea (http://www.tealuxe.com) Be sure to look and make certain that what you're buying has a "0" for caffeine amount (note that their Moroccan Mint has some caffeine, and that many green teas actually do contain some caffeine). The tea thing is a lot of fun; herbal teas don't contain caffeine unless they're mixed with a green or black tea, and there are endless varieties to try. Get yourself a good gold pour-through in-the-cup fine mesh filter; don't mess with those crappy tea balls. You can get really good ones from Teavana - Home (www.teavana.com) which also has a fuck ton of herbal teas you can try, along with fancy-schmancy expensive tea kettles.

Yogi Tea - Organic herbal tea, organic green tea with natural antioxidants and organic black tea including earl grey tea. (www.yogitea.com) makes some excellent licorice teas (not anise-y at all), which are very sweet on the palate. One of them is really good for soothing a sore throat. Come to think of it, if you're in Massachusettes, there may be a Tealuxe store near you, and if not then maybe a Teavana one (which is awesome because you can smell all their 200,000 teas in stock). Good hunting!

[Shelli]

Wow, :thankee: for the info and all the links, PV! :biggrin:

[livius drusus]

I second the Teavana suggestion. Ever since I discovered their Swiss Gold filters and rooibos teas 7 years ago, it's pretty much all I drink. I love combining different teas, like roobios peach, roobios vanilla and rooibos caramel, or Egyptian chamomile and peppermint.

[Shelli]

I've had roobios tea but I didn't know that it came in so many yummy flavors. :excited:

[Watser?]

Rooibos is pretty good. They sell it as ice tea here too (in cartons).

[Shelli]

Yeah, it sounds like it would be awesome :icecube:d. I'll have to pick some up today when I go shopping and give it a try. :tea:

[Prince Vegita]

I second the Teavana suggestion. Ever since I discovered their Swiss Gold filters and rooibos teas 7 years ago, it's pretty much all I drink. I love combining different teas, like roobios peach, roobios vanilla and rooibos caramel, or Egyptian chamomile and peppermint.

If you still drink real chai (not that sugared-up mixer crap from the chains), check out Tealuxe. They have a great selection.

[Shelli]

Oooo! I'm all :excited:! Today I bought vanilla maple decaf which is decaf black tea, roasted barley, roasted chicory, natural vanilla maple flavor, roasted carob, maple sugar crystals, and vanilla bean. I'm having a cup of that now. :tea: :yum:

I also bought madagascar vanilla red rooibos tea. :eager:

AND...

I picked up some chocolate syrup and caramel butterscotch topping so I can make up some yummy iced chai's. I think that the vanilla maple decaf is going to be awesome iced with some syrup added to it along with soy milk. :hellyes:

[Shelli]

If you still drink real chai (not that sugared-up mixer crap from the chains)...ewww to sugared up anything. :gross: I put a little bit of honey in my tea or nothing at all depending on the tea and my taste at the time. :bee:

[Shelli]

I made a cuppa vanilla red rooibos tea, added soymilk, a little honey and cinnamon, and... :tea: = :yum: !

[Shelli]

It'll be 3 weeks this Saturday. My caffeine withdrawal induced headaches have been gone for days now and I'm feeling more energetic, yet in the calm way that I hadn't felt in awhile since I had increased the caffeine dose to unprecedented levels. :espresso:

:cheer: :tiggermonkey: :cheer:

[Caligulette]

Excellent!

I do not know about the caffeine content- but I did switch to matte for a long while and felt very good. Don't try it until I research it. Be right back.

from the wikipedia:

Mate contains xanthines, which are alkaloids in the same family as caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, well-known stimulants also found in coffee and chocolate. Mate also contains elements such as potassium, magnesium and manganese.[12] Caffeine content varies between 0.3% and 1.7% of dry weight (compare this to 2.5–4.5% for tea leaves, and 1.5% for ground coffee).

Mate products are sometimes marketed as "caffeine-free" alternatives to coffee and tea, and said to have fewer negative effects. This is often based on a claim that the primary active xanthine in mate is "mateine", erroneously said to be a stereoisomer of caffeine. As it is not chemically possible for caffeine to have a stereoisomer, this claim is false. "Mateine" is an official synonym of caffeine in the chemical databases. [13]
-------

So, a bit. Don't do it.

[Shelli]

:thankee:

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Ooh, Shirley Temples, yum! Someone please tell the bartender from my cousin's rehearsal dinner earlier this year that cranberry juice != grenadine.


What about Bigelow teas, Shelli? Do you like them? I know they have caff-free.

[Shelli]

Yep, Bigelow teas are sippalicious too. :tea: I bought a decaf variety pack when I first quit caffeine and there's not one variety included that I don't like. :cheerful:

[Shelli]

I need to decaffeinate myself, but I hardly have any vices as it is! I mean, unless you count pills and booze. But nothing I can take at work. Except pills. But my point is I have FBD and I'm on doctor's orders to not have caffeine, and when I disobey I end up hurting really bad. I'm back up to a cup of coffee nearly every single day (and two yesterday! and 3 diet cokes this week!! :ohnoes:), which is really a lot for me.Hey, Ensign! :bgirl: Because you posted this, I put two and two together and I found the cause of my severe breast pain during for the two weeks leading up to my period! :hyper: It was all the caffeine. It had to be, because I just realized today that I'm a week away from my period and hadn't realized it because my bewbs don't hurt like they usually do by now. Then I remembered your post on this :idea: and looked it up to see if caffeine was a proven cause of breast pain in general and it is. :yup2:


Diet and breast tenderness (http://www.wikihealth.com/Breast_tenderness)

Caffeine. Many women complain that caffeine can make breast tenderness worse. In fact, caffeine generally contributes to breast lumpiness at any time of the month. It is especially recommended to avoid caffeine all month round if you have lumpy breasts, and for the week leading up to your period if you only have breast pain.

Just one more reason to never go back to caffeine. :nope:

[Qingdai]

Yeah for lack of pain!
My breast lump/pain went away when I was studying in China and could only drink green tea. I had a desperate coffee addiction.

[Shelli]

Yay for kicking harmful habits! :cheer:

[Shelli]

At dinner tonight, I told my 21 tea bag story with the end result that I no longer drink caffeinated beverages.

After dinner tonight, my sister-in-law informed me that coffee was ready. :stwitch:

I politely said, "No :thankee:, I'm decaffeinated."

She replied, "It's half-caff." and stood there with the pot in her hand.

I said, no :thankee:, I don't drink caffeine at all.

She looked at me like I was a :martian: and finally put the coffee pot down.

It's just as unacceptable in some circles to not drink coffee as it is in some circles not to drink alcohol. wtf? I don't want any. That's it. That's all. I'm not putting anyone out by it, so what's so hard about that to accept? :?

[Qingdai]

Cheesus, I just think, "more for me," if someone refuses something like that.

It's not that hard to accept at all.

[Shelli]

Right? All I can think of is that whoever that would bother can't or won't compute that not everyone is just like them. :brainsurgery:

[Qingdai]

Wait? You're not all like me?:shifty:

Forty year old women with toddlers? :rockingbaby:

:pram:
That explains the lack of nursing, circumcision and diaper smilies!

Some people just feel threatened when you don't conform to their lifestyles, sometimes it's the little things that they react to since the big social issues they might have used some logic or rationality to figure out.

Annddd, back on topic, Tazo Tea decalf black chai again for me, which is good. The old tea bags certainly smell funky, I think it's the rooibos.

[Shelli]

Wait? You're not all like me?:shifty:

Forty year old women with toddlers? :rockingbaby:

:pram:
That explains the lack of nursing, circumcision and diaper smilies! :giggle:


Wait? You're not all like me?:shifty:

Forty year old women with toddlers? :rockingbaby:

:pram:
That explains the lack of nursing, circumcision and diaper smilies!

Some people just feel threatened when you don't conform to their lifestyles, sometimes it's the little things that they react to since the big social issues they might have used some logic or rationality to figure out.Makes sense. With a little work turning around their feelings of insecurity though, they wouldn't feel threatened by stuff like that. :nod:



Tazo Tea decalf black chai Oh yeah, I wanted to try that. This weekend I'll have to go back to the health food store. I'm pretty sure they'll have it. :tea:

[Suds]

Hurray for cutting out your addiction.
I cut out coffee to some extent ages ago, and tea. If I had a cup of either after 12 pm then I would not be able to get to sleep. I love the taste though. I used do caffetiere coffee a lot.
I miss out on post dinner coffee.
Last week I bought Douwe Egberts decaff coffee. I had some last night and didn't get to sleep till nearly 2am. That was quite a week cup as well. It might have had something to do with eating a bit late though.

[Watser?]

Douwe Egberts

Dutch comfort :D

I don't usually drink coffee at night. Don't usually drink more than one cup a day. Sometimes two and very rarely more.

[Caligulette]

There are days when I drink five cups. It really is my only liquid vice (sugar is my more solid vice, just so's there's no wondering). Maybe this year I give one of them up.

[inland wave]

I gave all of it up once upon a time. Then I decided to get back with the in group at home. Stupid me......Jan 1st. I will again put my best foot forward and start getting with the program. I will have to get through the hangover from the night before. Actually that should be what gets this off on the right foot. :chin:

[Shelli]

I'm happy to say that at this point, except for the occasional time when I'm dragging and think, "I could really use a boost right now.", I don't feel like I gave anything up. In experimenting with different caffeine free teas, I found quite a few that I really liked. Not only that, but as of this morning, I have my own herbs in order to mix my own teas. It's fun :=), it's yummy :tea:, and it's healthy. :cheerful:

Among others, I can make my own chai tea now! :excited:

[Shelli]

Oh! The coolest thing is the mesh tea ball that I picked up for only :dollah:2! It's so cool because of what I added to it. :biggrin:

It has a chain attached to pull it from your cup, but the chain has a habit of slipping into the cup. :idea: I went looking for something to attach to the little hook at the end of the chain to weigh it down and came up with a smiley face that I used to have a attached to my keychain and taDA! :beaugest:

[Guinevere]

Since I've had terrible insomnia this year, I've given up caffeine. Initially I'd drink decaf lattes, but now I'm almost completely off coffee and back to decaf tea, 'cause I sleep better on no-coffee at all days.

Any good decaf tea reccys? Particularly of the green variety, genmaicha, in particular.

[livius drusus]

I've never come across decaffeinated genmaicha, I'm sorry to say. Sencha is naturally low in caffeine, though, and the toasted brown rice doesn't add add any caffeine, so you could probably get it pretty much caffeine free just by steeping it once, throwing out the tea, and drinking the second steep.

[Ymir's blood]

:shakeskull:

[Shelli]

Any good decaf tea reccys? Particularly of the green variety, genmaicha, in particular.I haven't experimented with adding different herbs to green tea yet, but I've been pining after the chocolate/caramel chai that I love, but I could only find it caffeinated in the stores. :sadcheer: Tonight, I tried to make it but it still didn't come out the same; it came out better! :cheer:

Shelli's Special Yummeh Chai :tea:

Ingredients for the tea infuser:

decaf black tea
ground cinnamon
ground ginger
ground cloves
ground cardamom
ground nutmeg
ground black pepper
ground anise
teaspoon baking cocoa powder


Add boiling water and let steep for at least 5 minutes :kettle:

Remove infuser, letting all the spicy, chocolatey goodness drain out of it into your cup. :chocohol:

Add a spoonful of caramel or caramel/butterscotch topping and a spoonful of honey, add milk or soymilk, stir well, and enjoy! :tea:

:aristea:

[Guinevere]

I've never come across decaffeinated genmaicha, I'm sorry to say. Sencha is naturally low in caffeine, though, and the toasted brown rice doesn't add add any caffeine, so you could probably get it pretty much caffeine free just by steeping it once, throwing out the tea, and drinking the second steep.

My sleep doc says one cup of caffeinated green tea per day, max. I could drink genmaicha (with vanilla soymilk) all day long. Yummmmmmy.

[Guinevere]

Shelley, that sounds really really good. Dang, I was just at Whole Foods and could have grabbed those spices I don't have, plus some caramel, and tried it tomorrow -- which is going to be a snow day here!! :blizzard:

[Shelli]

Second week in a row without a migraine! :w00t:

Also, the couple I had before that were spaced apart more and not as severe. :cheerful:

It's so nice to wake up on a Caturday without a :headache:. :bundance:

I haven't had a regular headache in quite awhile either except for when I had a cold a bit ago. :larrybounce:

[Watser?]

:larrybounce:

[Shelli]

:chairdance:

[Prince Vegita]

Second week in a row without a migraine! :w00t:

Also, the couple I had before that were spaced apart more and not as severe. :cheerful:

It's so nice to wake up on a Caturday without a :headache:. :bundance:

I haven't had a regular headache in quite awhile either except for when I had a cold a bit ago. :larrybounce:

Yeah man, it's shit like that which finally got me to realize that even trying to mess with just a little caffeine just ain't fucking worth it. I never realized I could notice the lack of something so starkly.

[Stormlight]

Second week in a row without a migraine! :w00t:

Also, the couple I had before that were spaced apart more and not as severe. :cheerful:

It's so nice to wake up on a Caturday without a :headache:. :bundance:

I haven't had a regular headache in quite awhile either except for when I had a cold a bit ago. :larrybounce:

Yay for Shelli!! :larrybounce:

[Shelli]

My wristwatch style blood pressure monitor that I ordered came in today and my average blood pressure is back down to my normal of 105/60! :w00t:

(When I had it taken at the doctor's office that fateful day that it dawned on me that I might be indulging in just a little bit too much caffeine, it was 145/80-something! Holy fuggin' chit, mahn. :stunned:)

[Shelli]

It's going on 5 months and I'm still caffeine free! :w00t:

(actually, it's early and since I don't partake in caffeine anymore, I don't feel very :w00t: right now, but it deserved a :w00t:)

EDIT: My BP was 113/66 this morning. :heart:

[Shelli]

I was reminded that it's been 6 months since I quit caffeine because the doctor's apt. that I made 6 months ago (after the apt that showed my blood pressure had gotten very high compared to my norm) was today and I found out that quitting caffeine has most definitely paid off. :=D

My blood pressure is back down to 110/80! :powerwoot:

Shelli :rarrow: :victory: :larrow: Tiggermonkey

[Ensign Steve]

:w00t:

[Watser?]

:larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce: :cheer: :larrybounce:

[Shelli]

Thank youse. Thank youse very much
:ovation:

[Shelli]

Wow! Shortly, it'll have been a year since I got off the caffeine. :w00t:

[Kael]

Nice! :thumbsup:

I actually had my first cup of coffee in almost 2 years the other day. I don't drink it very often, usually less than once a week, but the only good coffee shop in town has been too far out of my way since the last time I moved to bother. Then, I got up to the university, and they had a new cafe attached to the library that serves their coffee!

So, yeah, I bought one, drank it... and slept not a wink that night. Didn't crash 'till about midway through the next day.:tired:

[Shelli]

Wow! You didn't sleep all night due to one cup of coffee? :stunned:

:espresso:

[Kael]

Pretty much. Like I said, it'd been almost 2 years, and I hardly ever have caffiene in anything else. I mean, I have a Mountain Dew or something once in a while, but that's it. I guess I just had no tolerance for it anymore. It quickly passed though, and I'm back to where I used to be. One cup just perks me for a few hours.

[biochemgirl]

That's awesome Shelli! :thumbsup:

[Shelli]

:thankee:

[Shelli]

Still decaffeinated after all this time!!1!
:leadsing:

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

:w00t:

[Caligulette]

Good for you!

[Shelli]

I got back on the caffeine :train: at the beginning of April after my mother-in-law died, which was just the beginning of nasty, stressful things to come in the next few months. :dominoeffect:

I never did get back up to the caffeine intake that I was at before I quit back in '07 so the withdrawals aren't nearly as bad this time, thank :tigger:, but I've still been experiencing withdrawals since I quit it again two days ago. I'm zombie tired :zombie: and headachy/migrainy :headache:. My migraine pills kill the migraines but I'm just going to have to wait out the tiredness. :snore:

It apparently shows, because a co-worker just pulled me aside and asked if I was okay because it's not normal for me to be so quiet. :loud: When I told him what was up, he said, "Oh, okay. Good to know because I was about to give you a smack upside the head just to see if I could get a reaction out of you. :giggle:

So, it's back on the decaffination wagon for me. :bandwagon:

Hey, at least I didn't start smoking and/or drinking again. Caffeine is nothing compared to that. :phew:

[Garnet]

I haven't quit caffeine entirely but I have cut way down on my intake.

The problem is, I haven't noticed any health benefit. Not a single one.

How has being completely off caffeine helped you, Shelli?

[Ensign Steve]

Are you sure your migraine pills don't have caffeine?

[Shelli]

Are you sure your migraine pills don't have caffeine?The OTC pills I sometimes take for regular headaches have some caffeine in them, yes, but the Imitrex prescription I take for migraines does not. It has a hard to explain, weird side effect but nothing I can't tolerate and well worth it considering that the medicine completely wipes out the migraine. :relieved:

[Shelli]

I haven't quit caffeine entirely but I have cut way down on my intake.

The problem is, I haven't noticed any health benefit. Not a single one.

How has being completely off caffeine helped you, Shelli?It all depends on what benefit you're looking for. I wanted to gain some weight and getting off of caffeine is definitely going help most anyone with that. :gnoshing:

Also, I'm high strung as it is and try to control that aspect of myself. Nixing caffeine definitely helps with that. :hyper:

Last, but not least, I tend to be an "all or nothing" person. Just like it's two packs of ciggs a day or none, it's a boatload of caffeine or none. So, I end up drinking so much caffeine that I'm a nervous wreck, get more headaches, and elevate my blood pressure. :headasplode:

I'm pretty sure that if I ever tried crack, I'd be one of those people who'd lose everything and end up in a gutter dead inside of a year. :crack:

[Garnet]

Many thanks for that response, Shelli. Makes a lot of sense to me!

ETA: I think I've done the right thing for myself which was to cut down, but not cut it completely, and your explanation helped me see that. Different goals, ya know? I was just spending way too much money on soda and well, 4 to 6 liters of it a day was excessive by any measure.

[Qingdai]

With soda, it's (assuming that it's regular) the sugar, rather than the caffeine, that's the health problem.
I've seen research that concluded that sugar free soda is also provokes your body to produce more insulin (how are your taste buds going to know what kind of sugar it is, I guess) and makes you gain weight, just about as much as sugared up sodas.

[Shelli]

I woke up with a head banger of a headache again. :anvil:

It's not a migraine, so that's something, but still, it's pretty bad. :mutter:

The only thing that makes me feel better about myself having taken up caffeine again and subsequently putting myself through the withdrawals again is that it could have been so much worse. I could have started smoking again during the past few months and in the past, the events of the past few months would have had me headed to the store for a pack of cancer sticks for sure. :ccancer:

So, oh well, I guess compared to cigg withdrawals or caffeine withdrawals should I have taken my caffeine intake to a higher level, this isn't so bad. :phew:

So, rather than add some :cheese: to it, I'll end my whine on a high note... Go me! for not starting smoking again! :mvp:

[Garnet]

There ya go! Smoking is ever so much worse than caffeine.

[godfry n. glad]

Decaffeination?

Is that like definistration? Only they throw you through the restaurant, into the street below?

[Shelli]

For the first time since I quit again, I didn't wake up with a headache this morning. :=D

Still groggy as hell, but that dealable. :yawn: