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Back on caffeine

wordmunger

wordmunger

macrumors 603
Original poster
Sep 3, 2003
5,124
3
North Carolina
I gave up caffeine last July -- I had decided I really didn't need it. I was surprised that I didn't really get many headaches or suffer any withdrawal. But after I returned from summer vacation, I found I really wasn't as productive as I had been before. Before, I could maintain two blogs, occasionally post on MR, and work on larger book writing projects. But after giving up caffeine I was having trouble even maintaining one blog, let alone get any other work done. My days were seeming to waste away faster and faster.

So today, I decided to try reintroducing caffeine into my life (actually half-caffeine, half decaf, which is what I was drinking before). Right now, I'm halfway through my first cup. I've got to say, I feel great.

What's your story with caffeine? Is it indispensable? Or do you have other ways to stay alert/motivated?

Now I'm going to write that blog post I've been putting off for three days. I'll be back in a couple hours to check, so keep those stories rolling for me!
 
I am sitting here sipping my Starbucks iced venti black-eye (large iced coffee, two shots of espresso added). The baristas at two Starbucks know me and prepare my order when I walk through the door. I also brew coffee at home.

So, yeah, me likey the caffeine.
 
I don't notice a massive difference on days when I don't drink it; I tend to have a doubleshot of espresso in my morning latte and then I'm done for the day. I can't drink caffeine in the evenings though or I notice that I can't sleep.

However, I inadvertently made a quadruple shot of coffee the other morning in my coffee machine; made my usual double espresso but the seal wasn't tight so I figured that I'd make another single shot to make sure it was strong enough. Wow! I felt the synapses in my brain sizzling...
 
I'm considering cutting down or stopping my caffeine intake as over the last few days I've had difficulty sleeping and have been feeling a little edgy/hyper.

I'm starting to think it's down to the volume of strong tea I drink during the day at work..... between 8-10 large mugs. Never noticed any issue over the years but these days in the afternoon I start feeling hyper and almost feel the need to go running or something...... plus I start babbling..... a little like my typing here!

Basically at work we are coming to the end of a long cycle of software development and are now starting to hit pre-sales, sales and support all of which I am involved in..... getting hectic!
 
wordmunger said:
So today, I decided to try reintroducing caffeine into my life (actually half-caffeine, half decaf, which is what I was drinking before). Right now, I'm halfway through my first cup. I've got to say, I feel great.

What's your story with caffeine? Is it indispensable? Or do you have other ways to stay alert/motivated?
Click to expand...
Even decaf still had some caffeine in it... In high school, the only coffee shop nearby was a Starbucks (shocker, I know) so I would get a venti caramel macchiato (can't remember if I had to ask for 3 shots in the largest cup or if it is 'standard') every morning and another one at lunch. Then after school I would get pearl milk tea (stronger w/ more tea in it)... I did that for weeks. Not only did I lose loads of money, but when I went on a school trip to Mexico for 10 days, I had crazy caffeine withdrawal; headaches so bad they rivaled my migraines-- couldn't think straight and could barely get my eyes to open because my eyes were so sensitive to sun light.

After that I vowed never to get a fully caffeinated espresso beverage again. Almost always ask for decaf, but occasionally will opt for a half-caf. Plus, now I know better than to go to Starbuck. Peet's only for this little lady!
 
I am enjoying some coffee as I peruse this thread, hit the reply button, I've just put down my cup of coffee to type out this lame post....
 
I didn't notice much of a difference without the caffeine. I noticed that when I resumed the first few hits calmed me. I actually took it to calm me. I was stressed and it was caffeine or manslaughter.

I've seen people go through withdrawl though. Once it was boys at scout camp. They had lived on mountain dew.
 
I haven't had caffeine on purpose in almost 6 years, since my wife became pregnant with our first child and had to lay off the stuff.

I don't seem to have any alertness probl....

*zzzzzz*

wha? huh?

Oh yeah, I generally don't have any problems with staying awake or focused, but I've found that when I do have caffeine (I accidentally get regular coffee when I order decaf), it almost makes me sick, since it's been so long. I get the shakes.
 
Funny, I was just thinking about this this morning.

Went without any tea, coffee, coke, Red Bull etc. for about 3 months or so while being ill, just drinking water and juice. Felt OK too.

Get back to work and as usual, feel tired mid-afternoon so thought I'd have some coffee -- nothing fancy, just strong instant granuley milky comfortness...

20 mins later I feel I'm ready to jump out of my skin. Finish my project early, go home... and can't get to sleep till about 2am. :D

It's amazing how your tolerance to caffeine can build up so that even strong coffee can do very little except make you feel normal.
 
I drink too much caffeine for myself. I have to have a coke or dr pepper in the morning to help me wake up, and usually something at lunch. But for the past to years at lent (40 days before easter) I've given up caffeine.
 
I try to drink some black coffee each day.

I am much less concerned with caffeine than I am with sugar.

I'm sure you've all heard about the research showing that coffee provides the majority of antioxidants in the average American's diet. People who drink 5 or more cups of coffee a day have half the risk of developing diabetes when compared to those who don't.

That said, grande caramel macchiatos and the like are calorie/sugar nightmares. I try to avoid them at all costs.

Likewise soda is almost completely gone from my life.
 
Wow. Caffeine really works wonders! Less than an hour after my first cup and I finally finished that post I'd been putting off for days! It's not a work of art, but it's DONE!

All the stories here are great... It'll be a long time before I try to give up caffeine again.
 
I did go off coffee once. Knew about the headaches so I weaned myself, without side effects.

Just missed the coffee. It's a part of my routine. Fresh ground Starbucks beans in our grinder. Then add four scoops of grounds and water to our Hot Press. It makes for a better flavored coffee. So I'm enjoying my 16 ounces of Starbucks as usual.
 
one shot a day

I try to eat organic healthy food...I drink mostly spring water and green tea.
But I wont give up my shot of espresso in the morning, and a couple of glasses of wine at night.
 
doctor told me to lay off caffiene completely (or it could blow my heart up) coffee, tea, chocolate etc........ and i feel s++t, and so tired in eve's zzzzzzzzzzzz.

sorry about any misspells (before the spelling police chip in)
 
I recently didn't have a cup of coffee in the morning, and thought, hey, that was ok, I'll lay off for a while. By the next afternoon, had the most unbearable headache. On the third day of this (whilst failing to get any work done) I caved in and had a half decaf/half normal instant. I instantly felt better, so have been having one a day since. Although it does make me think I should be careful how much I have.

Oh, and if I drink a cup after about 4pm I can't sleep, so I don't have it after then. Only exception is after a good meal and a bit o' booze, then somehow sleep comes a bit more easily. ;)
 
Awe, caffeine. The newest addition to my daily routine.

Just can't seem to stay away from it especially at school. Need some sort of pick-me-up in the morning and in the afternoon as I can rarely get much sleep since my other suite mates are up way past midnight and of course there are always ruckuses outside the building (teens laughing, shouting, making god awful to much noise). Oh, and a 8:30am class 2 days a week.

Right now I don't really want to spend $1.60 or such just for coffee that I could make for way less but I am getting desperate.

I was falling asleep as I was reading this thread
 
You know, I think if they took away my caf I would die... I usually drink anywhere from 7-10 cups of coffee a day and 3-4 cokes. Of course I used to smoke two packs of cigs a day and I managed to give that up... You never know..
 
jsw said:
Didn't happen to replace the nicotine with caffeine, did you? ;)
Click to expand...
This might help...

starpatch.jpg
 
I had to get off caffeine because of some heart problems (which are now gone, btw! :D:D)

I had such horrible HORRIBLE withdrawal. I got headaches, I was really irritable, it was bad...

now, I have the occasional drink with caffeine, it's all good.

but getting completely off the stuff for 3 years was NOT FUN.
 
You stopped drinking caffeine when you were 15? WTF!!!1!!!!11! :p How long have you've been drinking?
 
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