Quitting coffee

[velovoice]

Caffeine is added because people buy it. They may have added it originally because it makes the analgesic mildly more effective, but they keep making it that way because it still sells. The caffeine makes it 5% more effective across the board, but 100% effective for those whose headache is caused by caffeine withdrawal. I would estimate the latter is more customers than the former.

I have no studies to prove that.

No idea, either. Neurologists blame the pills for causing/perpetuating caffeine addiction... which keeps you taking the pills.

 

[John the Monkey]

Not stopped entirely, but I have one mug per day, usually in the morning.

I have a water bottle at work that I fill up at breaks & drink through the day. I don't keep coffee stuff at work, which helps.

 

[steveindenmark]

Why give it up? It's nice.

I agree. But I must drink over a litre a day.

I think it is excessive.

 

[Drago]

You can still type straight, so I wouldn't worry.

 

[mjr]

I agree. But I must drink over a litre a day.

I think it is excessive.

Probably. So cut down. Why give up?

 

[raleighnut]

I've supported SophRM through numerous abstentions and relapses. It is deviously hard to kick.

Good quality decaff and green tea are your friends.

Green Tea contains more caffeine than coffee, if you 'brew' it right. On the other hand my Mum makes coffee that probably has more milk in it than anything else.

 

[AndyRM]

Green Tea contains more caffeine than coffee, if you 'brew' it right. On the other hand my Mum makes coffee that probably has more milk in it than anything else.

True. But it's a slower hit than the smack around the face that a proper coffee gives you.

 

[User482]

I agree. But I must drink over a litre a day.

I think it is excessive.

What are the negative effects?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

What are the negative effects?

OP's in the loo, I expect.

 

[growingvegetables]

It is not as easy as I thought it would be.

I shouldn't tell you how gorgeous Vietnamese coffee is, then. It would only prolong the pain.

 

[Cubist]

I'm one of those people who get hooked on stuff. It took many many years to kick cigarettes, and even now I vape on a low nicotine liquid. Since my hip was diagnosed in late 2012 I have had to use codeine for pain relief. On good days I could get by on 30mg a couple of times a day, but by the time my hip was replaced I was on 60mg up to 4 times a day, boosted each dose with a gramme of paracetamol. I had a glimpse of how much I depend on it when the hospital gave me morphine and OxyContin after my op, and they didn't touch the pain. Codeine worked though. I'm in no doubt that it will take a while to get off them when my hip has settled.

I love coffee. Good coffee. A Gaggia classic and an iberital grinder give me a geek's ritual to produce a double espresso every day. I very occasionally have another later, but knowing what I do about my addictive personality, I keep it strictly limited. I'll do six mugs of tea a day as well.

 

[cyberknight]

Shift worker ..............

 

[smutchin]

On the subject of caffeine in medicines...

I thought Lemsip contained caffeine so I just checked the packet to find out exactly how much, and the answer is... none!

Solpadeine contains 65mg caffeine per tablet, so a two-tablet dose is roughly equivalent to a double espresso. I don't think that's likely to be for the purpose of getting you addicted to it though - no need when it already contains the highly addictive codeine (as per @Cubist's experience).

 

[mjr]

I shouldn't tell you how gorgeous Vietnamese coffee is, then. It would only prolong the pain.

Is that a euphemism?

I thought Lemsip contained caffeine so I just checked the packet to find out exactly how much, and the answer is... none!

It's Lemsip MAX Lemsip MAX capsules and Lemsip MAX Day and Night which has the caffeine, isn't it? Lemsip uses the Schwalbe Marathon approach of using the same name for similar-but-different products, which I feel is far worse because people tend to be under-the-weather when taking it and the boxes are often only a word or two different.

(Edited because even with a clear head, I got the name of the caffeine one wrong.)

 

[steveindenmark]

What are the negative effects?

I was finding getting to sleep difficult and was a bit jittery. Ive only been off it a couple of days and I am a lot calmer already. In fact I have been out all day and have not had a coffee. But we were in the supermarket and automatically picked up a jar off coffee, before realising what I had done.

I put it back.