prairiewindmomma Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I’ve done it several times…and failed several times. I totally have to now for health reasons. Any advice? Commiseration? I have a lot of herbal tea to get past the social habit of warm cups of liquid, but the brain fog is rough… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Assuming you have been drinking coffee, could you switch to half-calf and then eventually decaf? Or is tea your warm beverage of choice? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie32 Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I didn’t completely quit caffeine but I have majorly cut back. I started with half decaf and slowly transitioned to 2/3 decaf. I get a small scoop of the real stuff in every A.M. cup. It’s done the trick for me. Took me a while to find a decaf I liked but am happy with my coffee now. If I have coffee after noon it’s all decaf. I could probably switch to all decaf fairly easily at this point but the low caf works well for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 9 minutes ago, Insertcreativenamehere said: Assuming you have been drinking coffee, could you switch to half-calf and then eventually decaf? Or is tea your warm beverage of choice? I like all of the things. I've been doing a wean down from 6-8 cups a day (trying to be functional with autoimmune issues) to 1-2 cups, but I got the medical directive that I need to be off entirely, now. I'm hesitant to use any type of decaf because 1. It's been my typical gateway back to drinking caffeine and 2. Most decaffeinating procedures are chemical solvents, and swiss water process products like Stumptown's Trapper Creek are harder to find, even though they are local for me. Like, I need to clean break, even if I'm white knuckling it for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Can you have green tea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lecka Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I drink green tea and I think I still get some stimulation from it, but I think it’s much less caffeine. But I think there’s something there that isn’t there with herbal teas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanin Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 18 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: Like, I need to clean break, even if I'm white knuckling it for a few days. So in the past, you've tapered down but then went right back to caffeine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Just now, Kanin said: So in the past, you've tapered down but then went right back to caffeine? No, I am old enough that I'm now at a 35 years long habit of cycling on and off.... I'll usually be off for a year or a few, and then have some crisis point where I have a string of migraines or a kid crisis and the habit creeps back in, gently, and then ramps up over a series of years. My migraines respond well to caffeine. My blood pressure and adrenals do not. I was at 1-2 cups a day last fall and it had gotten out of control again. Unfortunately, even with my wean down, my blood pressure is showing clear spiking with 1-2 cups of caffeine that is not responding to medication to lower blood pressure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Do you like chai? I like herbal teas sometimes (mostly as iced tea), but I feel like they generally don't have enough "body" to be a good substitute for hot coffee or black tea. Tazo and Stash both sell several types of decaf chai, and they only use natural decaffeination methods. Maybe decaf chai would have enough flavor and body to substitute for coffee, but also taste different enough that it would help break the coffee habit? 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Note Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 You may want to try Teecino. Order a variety pack, and see if you like any of them. My daughter and I love all the flavors we've tried so far. I'll put in a special plug for Dandelion Caramel Nut. I still need to try Hazelnut - that's next for me. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 Ooh! That is a good one; we do enjoy dandelion caramel nut. Unfortunately my body doesn't like chicory. Harney decaf Paris, Vanilla Comoro, Earl Grey, and Chocolate teas are probably my favorite decaf teas. https://www.harney.com/collections/decaffeinated-tea Today I'm mostly sticking with dandelion and raspberry leaf. I do better with doing just tisanes instead of decafs in terms of managing cravings. My house is still full of all of the good stuff. My systolic blood pressure is down precipitously from yesterday, no changes other than no caffeine. If I keep seeing this kind of change in my numbers, it's going to be easier to stay permanently off. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Just commiserating I also have had to give up caffeine. I feel fine now but like you I have done it before and it always sneaks back in not sure how to keep off forever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 When I've had to go off of coffee, I've gradually replaced regular with more and more decaf until it is all decaf. Also when I drank Diet Coke, I would simply switch to the uncaffeinated version all at once. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Consider cocoa powder or very dark chocolate (like 70-90%) to help with the brain fog. It's got a little natural caffeine but not nearly at the level of coffee. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanin Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 2 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: No, I am old enough that I'm now at a 35 years long habit of cycling on and off.... I'll usually be off for a year or a few, and then have some crisis point where I have a string of migraines or a kid crisis and the habit creeps back in, gently, and then ramps up over a series of years. My migraines respond well to caffeine. My blood pressure and adrenals do not. I was at 1-2 cups a day last fall and it had gotten out of control again. Unfortunately, even with my wean down, my blood pressure is showing clear spiking with 1-2 cups of caffeine that is not responding to medication to lower blood pressure. Oh, in that case I see that it makes sense to be off the stuff completely. However, you could wean down on your way to zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I haven’t had it, but there is a roasted cacao product that you brew like coffee beans. I’ve wanted to try it. I love dark chocolate. https://criobru.com/?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A18439514313%3A143633979499%3A634379950937&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=brewable cacao&nb_ti=kwd-1022221673704&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=b&tw_source=google&tw_adid=634379950937&tw_campaign=18439514313&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsp6pBhCfARIsAD3GZuZ6KwDB2pu9vysOm9W3uRd4k_XAVT1t8B_4EUhXZVdZQg8y4-haPfcaAqEgEALw_wcB I am a decaf girl for my bladder’s sake, though it’s still somewhat bothersome. Tea isn’t an option at all. When I feel better, it’s easier to accept the limitations. I hope you can transition and stick to it! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I'm in the process right now. I've been able to do it in the past cold turkey but this time is taking longer. I'm not a coffee drinker so I would have a morning can of soda. You'd think just one can a day would be easy to drop but it hasn't. To do a slow drop off, I started substituting a caffeinated drink powder each morning. Once those were gone I thought I would be good and I was for 2 days when I absolutely bottomed out. It felt like someone pulled the plug on my energy tank and the headache set in. This was near the end of the day so I tried over the counter pain killers with no success. The next morning with the headache still on full blast, I bought some more drink packets and had one. This was yesterday and so far today I've had none at all. Hoping this time I can finally call it quits. 🤞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I gave birth to 2 babies within 2 years. I stopped having caffeine for 4 years. I can't even handle caffeine everyday anymore. Some other tricks aside from just not having it is not all caffeinated things have the same level of caffeine. So a consideration could be to just go to a warm drink with less caffeine to wean off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 12 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: I’ve done it several times…and failed several times. I totally have to now for health reasons. Any advice? Commiseration? I have a lot of herbal tea to get past the social habit of warm cups of liquid, but the brain fog is rough… This probably isn't helpful but I estimate it took me ten years to stop craving it/sneaking it. It was HARD. And mine was only Dr pepper. I think something like coffee would be even harder. Good luck. I absolutely believe it is better/worth it. Anyone who needs a substance every day to function is not at optimal health. No offense to anyone but it's my opinion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarita Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 10 minutes ago, busymama7 said: I absolutely believe it is better/worth it. Anyone who needs a substance every day to function is not at optimal health. No offense to anyone but it's my opinion. As a previous caffeine everyday person I agree. I didn't even feel like caffeine affected me when I was doing it everyday. It feels really good not to need it and caffeine was masking some self care I needed (enough rest for sure). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 I largely only drank soda for the majority of my caffeine career. It’s only been in the last couple of years that I have gotten mostly off of soda and onto tea and coffee instead. Day one down. No issues other than a bit of fatigue and brain fog as the day wore on, which is normal with my AI issues. I had a 20 minute nap before I went out to exercise. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kela Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I've gotten off of it a few times, and then gone back. What helps me us cutting down a little more each day and then switching to Dandy Blend. Dandy Blend has helped me in the past tremendously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 My husband went without coffee for about a year. He tried roasted peanut coffee ("tasted like burnt water") and roasted date coffee ("smelled great but was bland"). He was most satisfied with Coffig. They sell two versions ~ the Original (roasted fig) and Coffig Gold (roasted fig and chickpea). He said that it is not coffee, but it has a similar richness, bitterness, and mouthfeel. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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