How bad are withdrawals from caffeine?

Question

I'm a super-***** & unable to concentrate lately, I think coffee is the culprit. I've already quit drinking, drugs & smoking. How bad/how long are the withdrawals from quitting coffee?

Answer 1

A day or two at most. You will feel fuzzy and like crap but after that you will feel super clear minded. I have read in many places that an apple wakes you up better than coffee does anyway. If you want to keep up some sort of morning drink ritual, maybe switch to Berocca or some other effervescent vitamin supplement to get your day going.

Answer 2

Honestly I believe it depends on the individuals amount of consumption and years of consumption. I had no respect for caffeine as a drug. For over 15 years I consumed energy drinks about 60 oz or more daily. My blood was so thick while cutting my neck in the shower the blood just beaded up. The water did not thin it. I started feeling heart palpitations like heart attacks so I decided to quit cold turkey. Day one... Consumed a coffee which upset my stomach no other effects. Day two no caffeine consumption let to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever chills, powerful migraine, a very bad attitude... Day three was the same half way through then the migraine left... Attitude was a little better... Fever.chills are gone... Not sure what day four will bring but hopefully I can keep some food down. I can say I had no respect for Caffeine as a drug. It is a drug... I learned and am currently learning the hard way.

Answer 3

Listen to this story! Monday thru Friday I use to average appox. 10 to 15 cups a day. On Friday night I would go out and party. I would sleep in late on Saturday, I would wake up with a bad headache. I contributed the headache to having to much to drink. It just would not go away, even after taking aspirins and other meds. This would continue until Sunday morning when it suddenly went away. I finally went to my doctor who told me that I was stupid. That having all that coffee during the week and not having any for a period of time causes a caffine withdrawl, therefore the headache. On Sunday morning when I had a cup or two of coffee the headache would disipate because of the caffeine. Start by lowering your conswumption of coffee until your down to one cup a day and then quit. The transition will be easier.

Answer 4

I suffer from Migraines and decided to quit coffee.5 days after I quit, I got a headache,after 12 days of the worst pain you can imagine I finally went to the ER.After asking questions and numerous tests, I complained how" I had made total lifestyle changes and this is what I got." The dr. figured it out quick. My prescription was to go home and drink a pot of coffee.And to never try to quit again.Coffee keeps certain blood vessels dilated and prevents a lot of migraines. If you have recently quit drinking, drugs, and smoking, you have removed a lot of stimulants from your system and you could still be having withdrawals from those also.

Answer 5

I was told that the "coffee migraine" lasts for two weeks.

I stopped drinking coffee cold-turkey last September. The first day, I was feeling really tired, but that was okay.
Then the headache started ... it was really bad!
BUT it was GONE by 3:00 p.m. It only lasted for about six hours! The tired feeling took a bit longer, but it wasn't very bad.

Now, I don't have trouble sleeping anymore, I don't wake up at night or have morning headaches, no insomnia problems, my moods are better and more even, no jitteriness anymore, or trouble concentrating. My doctor almost quit drinking coffee after I told him how much better I feel!

Answer 6

What are the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal?
Submitted by Daniel on Mon, 2006-01-16 01:08.
Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. When caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine. In response to this oversensitiveness, blood pressure drops dramatically, causing an excess of blood in the head (though not necessarily on the brain), leading to a headache.

This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as aspirin. It is also alleviated with caffeine intake (in fact several analgesics contain caffeine dosages).

Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable, unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as having a headache. In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been reported.

References.

Caffeine and Health. J. E. James, Academic Press, 1991. Progress in Clinical and Biological Research Volume 158. G. A. Spiller, Ed. Alan R. Liss Inc, 1984.

Answer 7

It's worse for some. I had a friend that had migraines. Don't quit cold turkey. Just drink less for a few days. Caffeine allows me to concentrate better.

Answer 8

When my wife went off caffeine during pregnancy, it took her a few weeks to get over the effects. She definitely had to increase her amount of sleep, as she was sluggish in the mornings, but that may have been partially due to the pregnancy itself.

Answer 9

nowhere near as bad as withdrawal from smoking or booze or drugs. just a bit of a headache for a day or two. you can take aspirin for that.

Answer 10

Headaches
Upset Stomach
Shakiness
Dizziness
Nervousness
Irritable