About a week and a half ago, I quit consuming caffeine. It was about as much fun as you’d imagine, and only the past 3 or 4 days have been headache free. I actually think my plan to taper off was dumb, and I should have quit cold turkey. I ended up with a headache for over a week rather than the 3 or so days I was expecting.
I’m a little surprised at how things have turned out.
I miss the caffeine. I really do. For the life of me, however, I can’t figure out why I miss it. Perhaps it is a status symbol. I’m a computer guy, and consuming mass quantities of the precious molecule sorta goes with the territory. Also, Coke Zero doesn’t come in decaf — which totally sucks.
What surprises me is that I’m not tired in the morning like I used to be. Oh, I’m still tired because I’m not a morning person in general. But I’m not tired nearly as dreadfully when I was hooked on java. Also, I don’t get sleepy around 1:30PM like I did just a few weeks ago. In fact, I find myself being perhaps more jittery than I was when I drank 3-4 pots of coffee a day.
Maybe I’m using the wrong words. Maybe it’s not “jittery” and it’s just “energetic.” That could be it.
So while I still miss the coffee culture, and the caffeine “cool factor” — I guess at the end of the day I’m happier without it. How weird is that? Don’t answer. I already know. 
#1 by Michelle K on January 29, 2009 - 10:39 pm
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Welcome to the club!
I have a cup of tea in the morning, and for the most part, that’s all the caffeine I have.
The nice thing is that if I need an extra burst of energy, a glass of iced tea will do me just fine.
#2 by Candy on January 29, 2009 - 10:43 pm
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I quit drinking so much caffeine myself a while back (good for you!). I still have a soda now and then, but it’s rare. I feel SO much better. It’s weird… I’m like – well, awake, in the mornings and I don’t fall into bed exhausted. Well I do now, but that’s because I’m overworked and in a really foul mood overall LOL
#3 by Crystal R. R. Edwards on January 29, 2009 - 10:45 pm
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I’m giving up a major vice already. All other vices become, by default, virtues since they’ll keep me from losing my ever-lovin’ mind. I’ll put down the coffee when you pry my BAM out of my cold, dead hand.
#4 by MWT on January 29, 2009 - 10:49 pm
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Congrats on a successful decaffeination.
I found that after being off it for a while, I became a lot more sensitive. Half a can of Mello Yello is plenty if I really need a boost. Which I generally don’t bother with, except during Nanowrimo.
#5 by Shawn Powers on January 29, 2009 - 10:50 pm
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Yeah, I don’t understand feeling “energetic” without drinking eleventy billion cups of coffee a day — but as weird as it is, I’m going to keep doing it. (Doctor’s orders actually, I didn’t voluntarily quit the good stuff)
And Crystal, I understand completely. I didn’t *want* to quit.
#6 by catherine (FOOD SNOB) on January 29, 2009 - 10:52 pm
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Wow. Congrats. I’m glad you’re headache-free, finally!
I only drink a cup of coffee per day, (two, on very rare occasions,) and the potential for headaches is enough to make me keep drinking the java! Well that, and I love the stuff.
#7 by Brad on January 29, 2009 - 11:20 pm
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You sound like most addicts coming out of chemical dependency.
Normal is strange because it seems totally normal yet something is gone. What’s gone is the chemical addiction.
I’m typing all this in my garage having a smoke while it’s 15 degrees out and that seems totally normal. ie: addiction is not normal at all.
#8 by Vince on January 29, 2009 - 11:35 pm
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My world has very, very few vices. Caffeine is legal, and is my friend.
Having to give up caffeine because you have to is sad, but I know people who know they have a medical reason for changing their habits, but still don’t. So go you!
#9 by alphakamp on January 29, 2009 - 11:56 pm
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I never used to drink coffee until I worked in ‘IT’ For over 4 years. No I have to have CAFE BUSTELO with cinnamon.
#10 by mattw on January 30, 2009 - 8:24 am
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I’m usually a two caffeine drink per day kind of guy. I get plenty enough headaches without giving up that wonderful drug, so I only go off of caffeine if I really have to.
And did you really mean 3-4 pots of coffee a day or did you mean cups? ‘Cause 3-4 pots, yeah, I could see why your doctor would want you to stop.
#11 by Shawn Powers on January 30, 2009 - 8:56 am
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Sadly, I did mean “pots” as opposed to cups. It’s usually more the drive thru 20oz cups that add up.
I still miss it.
#12 by kim on January 30, 2009 - 8:57 am
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NO COFFEE?
I don’t think I could do it. It is 8:54am and I am on my 5th cup..and there will be many many more. My doc had once said I should stop drinking coffee…I was working days/afternoons and midnights all in the same week, and it was the only thing that kept me going. I let her live, cause doctors of course are in great shortage around here.
Yeah for being headache free..and you are a stronger man than I for making it through.
#13 by Josh Gelatt on January 30, 2009 - 9:27 am
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Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? What will your coffee buddies think of you?
You’ll have to get a new set of friends. Caffeine people can’t hang out with non-caffeine people. Sure, you can say hi and wave and stuff, but the inner circles must remain pure.
I don’t make the rules. Like Gravity and the universal hatred for polka music, this is simply a law of nature.
#14 by Kisintin on January 30, 2009 - 10:01 am
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I accidentally went without coffee yesterday morning. I couldn’t lift my head from the table until about lunch time. Now I have to say “sorry” to a lot of people at work and think up a story why I was in such a foul mood.
Addiction to legal stuff is Awesome!
#15 by Janiece on January 30, 2009 - 10:37 am
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*pssstt! Hey Shawn! pssstt!*
They make decaf coffee!
And no one needs to know!
#16 by mattw on January 30, 2009 - 10:39 am
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Janiece, Decaf? What’s the point of that?
#17 by Josh Gelatt on January 30, 2009 - 10:43 am
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I think caffeine people perform a ritualistic sacrifice on those in the inner circle discovered drinking decaf. It’s like calling your
#18 by Shawn Powers on January 30, 2009 - 10:45 am
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Ok Josh, I’m sure that was accidental — but your cut off sentence made me laugh out loud. Were you discovered drinking decaf? HA!
#19 by Josh Gelatt on January 30, 2009 - 10:45 am
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oops,
….It like calling yourself a vegetarian but eating fish, or a tree-hugger but having a real Christmas tree.
#20 by Josh Gelatt on January 30, 2009 - 10:46 am
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For a moment I thought the caffeine-drinking secret society was trying to shut me down!
#21 by Nathan on January 30, 2009 - 3:47 pm
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I’m a pretty lightly caffeinated guy, but I do need my jolt in the morning. I’m pretty useless without it. Because of the whole pancreas thing, I’m not allowed to touch a drop of alcohol for the next 6 months or so. (Doctor will reassess and let me know when light consumption may be permissible.)
On, the one hand, I really don’t miss having a drink when I want one (except for a mild pang when the idea first pops into my head), but I also find that I’m sleeping less soundly than I’m used to.
Any change in your sleep habits?
#22 by Patrick on January 30, 2009 - 8:05 pm
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I think I have caffeine immunity at this point. I can literally fall asleep in my big chair watching television as I’m enjoying a nice cup of coffee, only to wake up to the slurping sounds of my cocker spaniel standing on the end table with his muzzle in the mug drinking what’s left of the coffee.
Then HE’S the one who bounces off the walls all night!