Suggestions For Quitting Diet Soda

[eight_gregorys]

Okay. I REALLY want to give up my Diet Cherry Pepsi. I'm addicted to the stuff. The problem is when I have to tried to give it up in the past, I have had major migraines!!! I made it about 6 days the last time, I tried to quit before I just couldn't take the migraine anymore. Has anyone been there, done that? I'm trying to cut all artificial sweeteners out of our home and I've been successful, except with this one thing. I'd love any suggestions to curb the "withdrawals".

[Wheres Toto]

I first switched from diet sodas to regular soda - to get rid of the artificial sweeteners without the caffeine withdrawal. Then I slowly replaced one caffeinated soda with a non-caffeinated option, increasing the decaf every couple of days. I HATE the taste of decaf colas so that usually means Root Beer or Ginger Ale. Now that I'm drinking mostly decaf sodas I've been replacing them slowly with other things - homemade decaf iced tea or water.

 

I found that if I drink cans instead of out of bottles, I don't feel the need to finish it in one sitting and I drink less. A can I'll put back in the fridge for later but once I pour out a glass, I feel the need to finish it.

 

Good Luck. The caffeine withdrawal headaches are the worst.

[amydavis]

I weaned myself down. I was drinking a lot of diet pepsi...A LOT. It was probably close to a 2 liter a day. Anyway, I switched to cans and allowed myself three a day. Then only 2. Then finally one. My reasoning for quitting was not only the health issues, but the cost. I replaced the 2 liters with a big pitcher of water and a big pitcher of iced tea. I finally got to where I was drinking only tea and water, with only an occasional diet pepsi on pizza night or something like that. I am now trying to replace that occasional diet pepsi with just a regular cola.

HTH!

Good luck!

[emubird]

My husband did the same thing -- from diet to regular. Then he cut out the regular by replacing with water, and juice mixed with soda water. He had a suspicion that he was actually somewhat addicted to the aspartame as well as the caffeine so he was only breaking one habit at once. I don't know if there was any truth to that.

 

He was pretty headachy and crabby, though. Actually, he still is.

 

I'd plan for a lot of walks and naps. Don't have anything during that period of time that you really HAVE to get done. You'll notice the lack of caffeine even more if you've got deadlines.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Another way to wean yourself is to first drink a glass of water before reaching for the soda. Then, if you absolutely "have" to have it, mix a little soda water in with your DCC to cut it. Gradually change the ratio to reduce the amount of dcc until you can go off without headaches.

 

Also, substitute some healthier drinks like tea and juice spritzers so you drink less of it. I used a similar method when I had to wean myself off Diet Coke before getting pregnant. Cold turkey was a disaster and we had free pop all day where I worked.

[Snickerdoodle]

Why don't you cut out 1/4 (original) volume every week? That's what I do when I cut out coffee. You have to be really diligent about it, don't have extra.

 

So if you normally have 4 cans a day, drink 3 for a week, then 2 for a week, etc.

 

I think cold turkey would be very hard for diet soda (I've never drank it) because it's possible you are addicted to more than the caffeine.

[mommabird]

My husband replaced his DP addiction with unsweetened tea. It worked for him.

[SailorMom]

Yeah - I think it depends on why you are wanting to stop. Is it the caffeine or just soda itself?

I drink coffee in the morning and iced tea when it is hot. If I don't have my morning coffee - I have a horrible headache now. but I really enjoy coffee!

If you want to get off caffeine - then stepping down gradually is the only tolerable way I know....

[eight_gregorys]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Glad to see other people have been able to kick this habit. If I had known it was going to be so frustrating to quit, I wouldn't have started in the first place.

[amy g.]

I watched this movie.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQ5IWS

 

and could never take another sip of soda.

 

I drink unsweetened tea, Perrier, and milk and water.

[EKS]

First I replaced regular diet coke with caffeine free diet coke. Then I replaced that with club soda. But most of my caffeine was in the form of coffee in the morning. Just be sure to go slowly, then the caffeine withdrawal won't be bad.

[tikitorch]

About 5 years ago I switched from regular to diet soda. From there I was able to slow my intake down to 2 12 oz cans a week. I think that is a pretty good point to be, I just can't cut it out all together :grouphug:

[kalanamak]

Weaning and using seltzer with a shot of juice in it.

 

YOU can DO it.

[eight_gregorys]

Amy G.

 

Thank you for posting this. I'll have to take a look at this movie.

 

I watched this movie.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQ5IWS

 

and could never take another sip of soda.

 

I drink unsweetened tea, Perrier, and milk and water.

[melissel]

I agree with the weaning down. If you're not opposed to natural supplements, I recently quit sugar and coffee cold turkey with the help of 5-HTP and had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever for the coffee (normally I get headaches like you described if I even skip my morning cup). I suffered over the sugar, but couldn't even have gotten as far as I did without the supplement.

[Susan in KY]

You could replace it with iced rooibos.... mmmmm....

[DianeW88]

I've replaced my Mountain Dew with a bottled water and an Excedrin for a few days. Then I cut the Excedrin in half for a few days and then just drank bottled water after that. That did it, but it took two weeks.

 

If you don't want (or need) to dump the soda pop right away, just decrease your intake gradually over about two weeks to avoid those nasty caffeine withdrawl headaches.

 

I once knew a drug addiction counselor who told me that the only drug she wouldn't quit cold turkey was caffeine. The withdrawl affects are nasty and since there aren't any immediate health risks in continuing to consume the drug (unlike, say....heroin) withdrawing slowly is the way to go. If you want to stay sane and pleasant while purging it from your life, that is. :lol:

 

Diane W.

married for 22 years

homeschooling 3 kiddos for 16 years

[Veritaserum]

I recently read a great book about migraines (all headaches, really). It was written by a neurologist and it's called Heal Your Headaches. He says that caffeine is pretty much the worst thing a headache-sufferer can consume. Initially it will relieve swelling and make your head feel better, but then it causes a rebound headache later. He advocates cold turkey and waiting out the ensuing migraines because life will be better on the other side (only if you stop caffeine, though). Good luck! :)

[Maddysmom26]

:iagree: With the weaning.. I did this with coffee.. I went from one to 2 cups.. and then if i missed a day .. wow headaches .. so I started drinking one regular then a cup of decaf.. now I still drink a cup but I usually just have one or do half decaf and half reg.

 

Definately have to wean to prevent headaches.. I stopped the soda too.. I rarely drink soda, its reallly sooo bad for you.

I drink ice tea or snapple teas.. and lots of water! :D

 

* Not that this was an issue for me,, but also people would be shocked at the weight loss they would experience just by cutting out soda!

[Maddysmom26]

This just made me flash back to ...:D

When we were kids my mother use to buy frozen concentrated juice and we would mix it with selzter... insta soda/juice... its really good, havent had it in years !

[Stacia]

I used to drink a ton of Diet Coke. Eventually, I switched to the caffeine-free version (though I wasn't necessarily trying to cut out caffeine & I love regular coffee). After months of that, I quit cold turkey. It was fine & I didn't have major headaches or anything.

 

But, if you're getting a headache, I'd suggest taking an Excedrin. Those work great on headaches, imo.

[MorganClassicalPrep]

I was addicted to Dr. Pepper. It was bad. Real bad. :D

 

Then I started taking Topamax for migraines and couldn't drink ANYTHING carbonated. All carbonated drinks taste flat to me. It was a pretty effective way of getting off soda!

 

Obviously I'd never suggest taking medication to get off soda, but it worked for me. :lol:

[iammommy]

I had to stop cold turkey. I know this will sound weird, and I am SO not into weird medical stuff, but I had aspartame (nutrasweet) poisoning! I was getting sicker and sicker...dizzy, light headed, tingling in my face, down my arm, in my brain. I felt like I couldn't even walk a straight line. I was convinced I had a brain tumor or MS. I finally felt SO ill I went to a neurologist (VERY mainstream, head of local hospital's neuro department), and after a normal neuro exam, he asked me how much diet coke I drink a day. I told him probably 2 liters. He immediately told me I had nutrasweet poisoning, and that I could NEVER have nutrasweet again. He is seeing case after case of healthy young people with nutrasweet poisoning.Because I had so many symptoms we did a brain MRI to rule out any other things, and it came back normal. He said it would probably take me 6 months to start feeling better, and it did. I would say that it took a full year of NO nutrasweet before I felt normal again. So now I check every.single. label.

 

If you're not feeling ill, I would switch to regular soda, then eliminate that. Or just tough it out and go cold turkey.

 

Nan

[Tutor]

I've replaced my Mountain Dew with a bottled water and an Excedrin for a few days. Then I cut the Excedrin in half for a few days and then just drank bottled water after that. That did it, but it took two weeks.

 

This is what I did as well. It worked wonderfully!

[Excelsior! Academy]

I had to stop cold turkey. I know this will sound weird, and I am SO not into weird medical stuff, but I had aspartame (nutrasweet) poisoning! I was getting sicker and sicker...dizzy, light headed, tingling in my face, down my arm, in my brain. I felt like I couldn't even walk a straight line. I was convinced I had a brain tumor or MS. I finally felt SO ill I went to a neurologist (VERY mainstream, head of local hospital's neuro department), and after a normal neuro exam, he asked me how much diet coke I drink a day. I told him probably 2 liters. He immediately told me I had nutrasweet poisoning, and that I could NEVER have nutrasweet again. He is seeing case after case of healthy young people with nutrasweet poisoning.Because I had so many symptoms we did a brain MRI to rule out any other things, and it came back normal. He said it would probably take me 6 months to start feeling better, and it did. I would say that it took a full year of NO nutrasweet before I felt normal again. So now I check every.single. label.

 

If you're not feeling ill, I would switch to regular soda, then eliminate that. Or just tough it out and go cold turkey.

 

Nan

 

I believe you. I am not into "weird" medicine either, but I have a friend that I am convinced got sick from nutrasweet. She was a BIG Weight Watchers person and would save her points for sweet things. She also said Diet Coke was a "free" food. Ugh! Now she has fibromyalga. (spelling?) I am positive it was the Diet Cokes that made her sick!