Caffiene addiction and withdrawal

[JAK]

Thanks for all the comments and advice. Thinking about my increasing caffeine consumption over the past 10-20 years. Noticed a trend towards more and more caffeine in the marketplace, in various forms, and a lot of marketing to go with it. 30-40 years ago McDonalds was Big Mac, Fries, and Shake. For the past 20 years it has become more about the Big Coke, and now they are pushing the coffee, which is really good by the way. Can't fault them for keeping up with the trend. The marketing of energy drinks to kids by Red Bull etc does concern me. Gotta keep a closer eye on caffeine consumption. These headaches and aches and pains piss me off. I know a big coffee would fix me right up, and that pisses me off even more. Gonna try cold turkey for a few days. When I do go back, it will be a smaller coffee, good quality, and just one in the morning. Cheers.

[rocketsocks]

The over the counter drug Excedrin has caffeine in it, when I get a headache a small cup of coffee can sometimes fix me up.

[hikerboy57]

from wikipedia
Withdrawal symptoms – including headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia, and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints – may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from 2 to 9 days.^[79] Withdrawal headaches are experienced by 52% of people who stopped consuming caffeine for two days after an average of 235 mg caffeine per day prior to that.^[80] In prolonged caffeine drinkers, symptoms such as increased depression and anxiety, nausea, vomiting, physical pains and intense desire for caffeine containing beverages are also reported. Peer knowledge, support and interaction may aid withdrawal.

[Astro]

from wikipedia
Withdrawal symptoms – including headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, insomnia, and pain in the stomach, upper body, and joints – may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from 2 to 9 days.^[79] Withdrawal headaches are experienced by 52% of people who stopped consuming caffeine for two days after an average of 235 mg caffeine per day prior to that.^[80] In prolonged caffeine drinkers, symptoms such as increased depression and anxiety, nausea, vomiting, physical pains and intense desire for caffeine containing beverages are also reported. Peer knowledge, support and interaction may aid withdrawal.

Does not sound like a very appealing way to start a hike.

[Coffee]

I find that I need two via packets to get going in the mornings. I drink around 6 cups of coffee normally so that is a reduction and, apparently, the minimum "dose" required to not suffer withdrawal. I tried quitting coffee cold turkey once when I used to work in an office environment. After a bathroom break on day 2, I found a starbucks gift card on my desk ... no doubt a message being sent.

[garlic08]

Hiking is a way for me to detox, both caffeine and alcohol. One cup of regular coffee, while it definitely increases performance, is too much for me--I get jittery and a little dizzy, not a good combination on a challenging hike or ski trip. Alcohol puts me under right away, but disturbs my sleep later in the night, also not a good thing when sleep is needed. So the decision to quit both is easy while hiking. My hike is better without them.

But both are enjoyable in moderation otherwise.

[Wise Old Owl]

When its really bad and you have too much caffeine is the bright white floaters in front of your eyes. Its actually in the brain not the eye, and lasts for 1/2 an hour.

[Dogwood]

Hiking is a way for me to detox....

Isn't that exactly what so many like John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Teddy Roosevelt, Daniel Boone, Lewis and Clark, writers like Richard Louv, indigenous Native Americans........... have been saying?

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." - John Muir

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike. - John Muir

Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. - John Muir

Some don't want us to detox, cleanse, refresh, connect, and reconnect with Nature, the Universe(God if you prefer), with all of humanity, AND OURSELVES as that competes with their selling of their drug(s). They want to keep us distracted in order to get us hooked on their products, services, beliefs, way of thinking. They are pushing us to behave as they want us to behave attempting to keep us from being free thinking self aware sober decision makers. Look behind the curtain. All is not as it seems.

[perdidochas]

Can't see this being a very popular thread.

Any experience out there with caffiene addiction and withdrawal. Loking for general comments and specific advice as to whether it might be OK to drink more coffee when hiking, and whether it might be easier to go cold turkey while active, or not. Trying to quit because I seem to be getting more severe caffiene withdrawal symptoms, probably because I have been drinking too much strong coffee, and I am not sure but I think the caffiene might be messing around and interfering with my anti-depression medication.

I'm a caffeine addict. If I don't get at least one cup of coffee by 10 am, I get a raging headache. Caffeinated drinks aren't sufficient, even in quantity, needs to be a cup of coffee. I've reduced my coffee intake in the past successfully. best way for me was to taper off. If I were concerned about caffeine (I'm not, I don't see any real indications that it's harmful), I'd taper off and stop before hiking the AT.

[ChinMusic]

I haven't read all the thread. I am as addicted to caffeine as they come. I took Jet Alert tabs (caffeine pills) with me on my thru and had to take one after being out of town for a day. I thought I would wean myself off the addiction on the trail but I never did.

[Odd Man Out]

I don't drink coffee and tea for the caffeine. I drink them because I like them. That doesn't change when hiking.

[CarlZ993]

My caffeine = Diet Coke. Same as my wife. But, we both drink a lot of it. Withdrawals? Usually I don't have any. Maybe a slight headache. My wife? She'll get migraines. So, she takes No-doz tablets (cut in half) several times a day when were out hiking.

[ChinMusic]

My caffeine = Diet Coke. Same as my wife. But, we both drink a lot of it. Withdrawals? Usually I don't have any. Maybe a slight headache. My wife? She'll get migraines. So, she takes No-doz tablets (cut in half) several times a day when were out hiking.

exactly my plan. Not only did I get headaches but my mood would suffer during caffeine withdrawal. I would get grumpy even more than normal. Popping half a Jet Alert was like Popeye dropping some spinach.......

[aficion]

[QUOTE=rocketsocks;1816178]The over the counter drug Excedrin has caffeine in it, when I get a headache a small cup of coffee can sometimes fix me up.[/QUOTE

The caffeine is included to speed the effect of the active ingredient.

[Dogwood]

Sometimes I think its as much then ritual of making the cup of coffee...
Attachment 24833 Attachment 24834

Uhh, I've heard coke addicts say uhh the same thing.

[Dogwood]

I don't drink coffee(alcohol) and tea for the caffeine. I drink them because I like them. That doesn't change when hiking.

That's what I've heard a few alcoholics say at the bar/club about their drug. I don't drink alcohol for the alcohol in it. I drink alcohol because I like it. At that pt one guy who said this fell off the back of his stool and was promptly tossed from the bar. Another, a woman at a different bar, got red flagged, which she obviously disagreed with, started a fist fight with the bartender assaulting her(catfights are entertaining, when one cat is shartfaced and the other sober and pissed off and knows a few self defense moves, it's not that entertaining), started smashing glassware, threw several plates of other customer's food on the floor, and was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct and public intoxication after she staggered out of the bar. Ever see some of those irate nasty annoyed jittered up I need my coffee(drug) I'm in a hurry types at Starbucks? I've seen many. They are waiting in line like crackheads at the front door of a crack house awaiting to be serviced by the dealer. Drug addicts come ion all forms though. Addicts at Starbucks mostly wear nice clothes, caucasian, and drive nicer cars.

[Dogwood]

[QUOTE=aficion;1816367]

.... when I get a headache a small cup of coffee can sometimes fix me up.[/QUOTE

The caffeine is included to speed the effect of the active ingredient.

More addiction voice talk? I had a 16 yr old female heroin user, a beautiful girl by all other measures, offer me an explicit sexual favor for $20 outside a homeless shelter where I was volunteering one Thanksgiving as I was attempting to leave. I told her how beautiful she was. She had so much to live for. I declined the illicit offer. I asked her why she was destroying herself. She said she she just needed a quick fix pick me up to set her straight.(I guess from getting dope sick because she was addicted). That really choked me up.

[hikerboy57]

[QUOTE=Dogwood;1816395]

More addiction voice talk? I had a 16 yr old female heroin user, a beautiful girl by all other measures, offer me an explicit sexual favor for $20 outside a homeless shelter where I was volunteering one Thanksgiving as I was attempting to leave. I told her how beautiful she was. She had so much to live for. I declined the illicit offer. I asked her why she was destroying herself. She said she she just needed a quick fix pick me up to set her straight.(I guess from getting dope sick because she was addicted). That really choked me up.

did you at least buy her a cup of coffee?

[aficion]

[QUOTE=Dogwood;1816395]

More addiction voice talk? I had a 16 yr old female heroin user, a beautiful girl by all other measures, offer me an explicit sexual favor for $20 outside a homeless shelter where I was volunteering one Thanksgiving as I was attempting to leave. I told her how beautiful she was. She had so much to live for. I declined the illicit offer. I asked her why she was destroying herself. She said she she just needed a quick fix pick me up to set her straight.(I guess from getting dope sick because she was addicted). That really choked me up.

[QUOTE=aficion;1816367] Originally Posted by rocketsocks
Excedrin contains caffeine.... when I get a headache a small cup of coffee can sometimes fix me up.[/QUOTE

The caffeine is included to speed the effect of the active ingredient.Quote: Aficion





More addiction voice talk?Quote: Dogwood

Uhhh no.

[Freedom Walker]

I don't drink coffee and tea for the caffeine. I drink them because I like them. That doesn't change when hiking.

I love coffee as well. I drink it year round, whether winter or in the heat of summer. However lately because of stomach erosions I have had to cut back and only have a cup or 2 after eating. Its not the caffeine, but the coffee. I am considering giving it up completely and drinking more tea. Making a cup of tea is easier for me while hiking.