Have you ever read a story and thought, are these people off their freakin’ rocker? Do they know what they are talking about? Well you all remember about my appointment I had with the oral surgeon and how I have to abstain from drinking tea for 7 days prior to surgery right?
Well this morning I turned to my friend Mr. Google to see if there were any good suggestions on how to quit drinking so much tea {caffeine}. I came across an article with a 17 steps. 17 steps, really? Seems to me like there would only be 1. Stop drinking tea. But what do I know?
How to Quit Caffeine in 17 Steps
1.Write down your reasons for quitting. Easy, I have to get some new teeth and the oral surgeon said I have to stop drinking tea for 7 days prior to surgery.
2. Put this list somewhere that you can see it regularly, like on your mirror or work desk {or both}. I don’t think I can do that. For starters, have you seen what my work desk looks like? And if I taped the short list to my bathroom mirror, it would leave a smudge.
3. Believe that it is possible to overcome your addiction. Oh I believe it is possible alright, it might not be pretty though.
4. Accept that the process will take as much time as it takes. No can do Bob, I am a goal oriented person, I need a deadline. Let’s make it 7 days.
5. Realize that quitting will require a significant effort on your part. Gee, really.?
6. Prepare for the withdrawal symptoms, which can begin within hours of your last caffeine fix, and may last for up to two weeks. Great. I leave for my road trip in 7 1/2 days. I’m sure my travel buddies will love this. {I am starting today!}
7. Introduce green tea into your routine. I actually don’t like green tea. And anyway, the oral surgeon said I can’t have green tea either.
8. Introduce water into your routine. Thanks, that’s brilliant.
9. Sit down and calculate how much time and money you actually spend on caffeine. Actually I use Vitacost credit and my free Amazon gift cards to support by tea habit. Plus, when the HH’s travels, I try and book his rooms at the Best Western {he’s not picky} because I can trade in the Best Western Points for Starbucks gift cards. He gets a place to sleep, I get trenta iced black teas {unsweetened}. It’s what I like to call a win-win.
10. Don’t go at it alone Oh please, I don’t know anyone on the planet who will give up their morning latte.
11.Increase your consumption of water. Wasn’t this step 8?
12. Reduce your intake gradually. Agreed. I’m not going cold turkey on this one.
13. Keep your “security blanket” close Who is writing this crap?
14. Allow lots of time for rest and recuperation. Yes. I’ll get write on that. As soon as I cook, clean, write the blog, take photographs, take my kids all over town and take Lucy for a walk.
15. Turn on the lights. See #13
16. Listen to your favorite up-tempo songs. Really? Do you seriously think listening to The Blacked Eyed Peas is going to make me forget the 20 cups of tea I’d normally be drinking any given day of the week? I think not.
17. Stop slouching – Seriously? See #13.
So for better or worse, tomorrow I’m going to start weaning myself off of tea. The road trip starts next Thursday, August 8th and I aim to be caffeine free by the start of the trip because a few days after we get back, I go in for surgery.
Yee-Haw. Let the good times roll.
~Mavis
P.S. If you have any useful tips on how to quit caffeine, I’d love to hear them.
Lisa says
I know it sounds pretty silly to ask, but how about drinking decaf tea? We go through multiple pitchers of iced tea a day during summer, and I make it with Tetley decaf black tea. I don’t like green tea. I don’t like Lipton’s decaf. Store brands are OK, but Tetley has no irritating paper wrappers or strings! When I have to open and de-string as many bags as I do a day, you start to appreciate no wrappers/strings!
I know a lot of the nice (more expensive!) brands come in decaf too.
Unless your problem is your “addiction” to caffeine! My 17 year old son denies it, but he has a Dutch Brothers ” Large Double Chocolate Mocha, blended, no whip” addiction! Seriously. Even the little ones rush caffeine to my head, so I can just imagine the large! The decafs aren’t very good though.
Dee says
The biggest part of drinking tea or coffee or anything hot is it is comforting.When its taken away its like someone stole your blankie. I have found replacing every other cup with hot water and lemon,you can even add a little stevia ( better for you than sugar)cuts down on the amount of tea or coffee you are consuming, the lemon water is great for you and you get the comfort from the warmness. Is warmness a word? im starting to wonder.. anyway.Im sure get what im trying to say. Or try decaf. And i agree ,green tea? Yuck! lol.
Mavis Butterfield says
He said no tea of any kind. 🙁
Barbara says
Verify with your doctor the REASON for no tea of any kind, just to be certain what it is you are avoiding. The caffeine withdrawal will not be fun, but the worst is over in a few days. And I would suggest trying herbal “teas” which are not really “tea” at all (and I believe it’s the tea plant your are needing to avoid). I enjoy Rooibos and Peppermint (both hot and cold) on a daily basis. Both are healthy for you, have great flavor, and should not cause problems with your upcoming surgery. I also enjoy a bit of fresh-squeezed lemon and a few drops of stevia (Vanilla Crème) in hot or cold water. You can do this, Mavis!!!
Miriam says
If you drink enough to go through withdrawl, you are drinking too much, in my opinion. I refuse to allow my body to be reliant on anything that isn’t a necessity for life. To each their own, but I won’t be caught addicted to caffeine or any other substance.
Andrea D says
i see on your doctor note you also can’t have any medicines, but if you are starting well before the seven days, have some ibuprofen nearby for those withdrawal headaches the first few days. as for #16- i don’t think upbeat music will go well with shot nreves and headaches. have fun 🙂
PattyB says
I stopped drinking coffee once and I got a horrible headache. Withdrawal from caffeine. Maybe that’s where the “security blanket” comes in handy. Good luck! It ain’t easy.
Kathy says
Grape koolaid helped me through my caffeine addiction. Gallons and gallons of it, frozen into slushies. I know, I know, that sounds odd and a bit gross but I love grape koolaid. And Ibuprofen like Andrea D. said, for those headaches. I just did it this past month when it was in the mid 90’s. I’m a Pepsi drinker and realized I was putting away way too much, along with my 6 cups of tea in the morning. Decaf tea isn’t the best (there is still caffeine in it) but I put a splash of local raw honey in it to help mask that eww factor and enhance flavor.
Catherine says
Absolutely scale back slowly and let your body adjust. At one point, I was drinking around 8 cups of strong coffee a day. I got sick with the flu and skipped a day. After that, I seriously thought I might be dying. I’m talking intense migraine, incredible nausea, mild hallucinations, and the chills. I called a nurse friend of mine a few days later when all I had was headache & fatigue – – she said that sometimes caffeine withdrawal is similar to withdrawal from strong narcotics. So yeah, ease into it.
If your life allows it, be open to the idea of naps (which will help with the sluggishness and headache if you get them).
Good luck! I’m back in the habit of drinking frightening amounts of caffeine and hoping to scale back again.
Laura says
I recommend Country Life L-Theanine — 200 mg since it is the chemical compound derived from green tea and it has B6 which gives you a natural boost to help alleviate that stress you are feeling. Also I love any good disolvable/sublingual Methylcobalamin Vitamin B12 (1 mg) with lots and lots and lots of water right after lunch to beat that afternoon burnout. These two supplements really help me. As with any supplement you should check with your doctor/dentist beforehand. Another good option is check is whether you can put slices of ginger in hot water…if the dentist is okay with that. When in doubt grab the apple cider vinegar plus some honey or black strap molasses to see if you can come up with a good healthy alternative for this temporary detox period. Good luck!
mari says
Okay, I am a ‘rule breaker’ by nature (call me a rebel without a cause, if you will) and I see no place on the instructions that says, NO COFFEE. I am assuming after the surgery (you probably plan on bringing a thermos of tea with you) you will resume your tea consumption, can you not switch to coffee for 14 days? A latte with flavoring, frappuccinos, iced coffee. This will alleviate the severe shock to your system of caffeine withdrawal, which could compromise your health (really poor idea prior to surgery). And will not send you into caffeine overload after surgery. Let me know in future if you need to wheedle around any other pesky rules or regulations :D!! Here’s to your great health!
Mavis Butterfield says
Ha! I though about that but coffee makes me gag. Can’t do it. LOL
Meagen says
Could you take caffeine pills? Then you wouldn’t “withdrawal”.
NancyH says
I used to have an afternoon soda EVERY day. If I didn’t have it, I would get a pounding headache. How I gave it up was I bought a bottle of caffeine pills from Walgreens (the bottle says “stay awake” and they can be found near the aspirin). On the first day, I took one pill about the time I drank my soda. The next day, I would add about an hour of time and take another one. I kept doing this over the course of a few weeks until I had them spread out a few days apart and then eventually I quit taking them and didn’t get one headache.
Penelope says
Honestly, I think you might just have to ride it out. A good attitude towards it will do a lot for you. I live caffeine free. If I have any, I can barely keep my temper and I get the worst headaches.
I would definitely push water, maybe with lemon.
If it is the comfort you need, try warm lemonade with honey.
Good luck. I really think that part of healthy eating is not consuming stimulants. They may be found naturally, but so is opium.
Heidi P says
You can do this Mavis! I’ve broken serious caffeine addictions before and it’s not too bad. If you can take ibuprofen the first few days that will work. Try to not let a headache get so bad that you can’t get on top of the pain.
You doctors instructions about using the restroom kinda made me chuckle. “Use the bathroom just prior to your appointment and additionally upon arrival at our office” Do people need to be reminded? I guess so or it wouldn’t be in the instructions.
Madam Chow says
Whoever wrote those tips is not very bright. Part of the “addiction” is just the love of the routine. So, I say substitute stuff. If you drink hot tea all day, just switch to peppermint tea or another one that you like.
Mavis Butterfield says
Go back and look at the fingernails. Seriously. I think the photos were shot over a 5 month period. Hilarious!
Cecily says
I see that you can’t have supplements or herbal teas but what about mint tea? Not those peppermint tea bags since some of those (though not all) can contain green tea and other herbs. Just fresh mint leaves steeped in hot water. I have lots of spearmint and chocolate mint and when I feel like I am drinking too much caffeine I make mint tea for a couple days. I agree with Madam Chow that a lot of “addiction” is the routine so a (doctor approved) replacement could be an option.
Janice says
He wants to minimize the bleeding so Ibuprofen is most likely a no. Tylenol will help. and slowly cutting back by 2-3 cups daily. I quit coffee for a long time but have never been able to give up my tea either. I only drink 3-5 cups daily but I would hate to have to give them up completely
Lisa says
When my daughter had oral surgery she wasn’t supposed to have hot liquids AFTER the surgery, no prohibitions before. Other than food after midnight of course.
I would ask the dentist if he/she meant caffeinated beverages. The instruction sheet (other post) mentions beverages that are caffeinated.
Also, be sure to obey to the letter the “no straws” rule! My niece didn’t and boy, did she ever have a lot of pain with the resulting infection.
My SIL had no adult teeth at all. She got her “new teeth” a few years ago, in her 60s.
As for #14. You will WANT to recuperate! Also, if you do too much, you’ll bleed. We understand if you can’t blog. Let your HH, Monkey Boy and The Girl… tend to you and the garden!
sharon says
The homeopathic remedy’s chamomile and nux vomica can help. But you cannot have any mint products when using homeopathy. Get 200 c.
Cecily says
Nux vomica!? Doesn’t that contain strychnine? I’m all for natural treatments for common ailments, but I just can’t get on board with the homeopathic tenet of “a little bit of a bad thing can be good”. I’ve known too many people who have seriously and irreversibly damaged their bodies (and one good friend who died) using homeopathic remedies.
sharon says
Really? I would love to read the report.
Cecily says
You want a report on my friends death, that’s kind of morbid don’t you think? Or maybe you want a report on the dangers of nux vomica a.k.a. poison nut? Even the proponents have warnings that taking too much can harm you. With continued use strychnine can build up in the body (see web md). Bottom line, follow your doctor’s orders. And, if you choose to treat homeopathically, make sure you are under a homeopathic doctors care. That is one of the biggest issues. People recommending a potentially dangerous treatment, that may have worked for them, but are not doctors and have no idea of other health conditions that may exist in the person they are recommending the treatment to.
Judy says
no tips here… think they covered it all..lol… well maybe one… remove all tea out of cupboards to avoid temptation and have HH or monkey boy bury it in the yard…of course out of the watchful eye of Lucy the puggle dog…cuz on day 3 1/2 when your willing to pay any amount of dog treats in exchange for the tea..,she might cave…lol
Mavis Butterfield says
Love it!!
Lisa says
I love your response to #14! lol
Mari says
Hi Mavis. I know what you are going thru. I have quit daffiness to try to stop the incessant sweating I do. I did feel tired and headachy for a couple of days but got thru it. I now drink herbal teas and fine the Rooibos Red Tea still gives the taste of ordinary tea, with out the aftertaste of the tannins. Here in NZ they do a nice Red tea with Lemon and Ginger which is really nice, but the plain one you can actually get away with putting milk in.
Mari says
Eeeek, look what spell cheek just did. It changed Caffeine to daffiness. OK might be quite appropriate lol.
I quit caffeine…. daffiness I still do. !!!!!
randy says
Hot water like you use for tea, squeeze lemon in it. Drink it. It has a smell and a pleasant flavor. It is hot. a touch of honey. I have a friend who loves it
Can you have hot cocoa? or hot cider?
christy says
I ‘quit’ caffeine every year for seasonal work purposes (long story).. but it usually starts with gradual weaning process.. black coffee to black tea for a couple of weeks to green tea to decaf tea.. really it is the headaches that are the worst when you quit too quickly. But I do enjoy the ritual of having a cup, so you should totally try decaf tea as a substitute for some of your cups a day to help wean you off the caffeine and then cut out the # of cups a day. This year I went back to coffee, but stuck with decaf! sometimes a little half-caff if needed. 😉
Good luck!
EI says
Tried it lots of times –voluntarily best way was just don’t even say the word in your head– it can be a game if you mark X on each day only the 1st 2 days did I get withdrawl…… Once I did a sleep study and they made me stop for 2 days —no you don’t actually sleep in a study they make you stay up late and tell you when to nap and when you fall asleep they force you to stay awake for 2 hours as soon as you do .. My favorite part of surgury is having your best friend spend a few nights to keep an eye on you afterwards. Take care.
DANA says
hey I love your site …. how about hot water, honey and a lil lemon. not the same but might help ….
Katie NC says
I gave up soda for Lent – I don’t drink coffee or hot tea, so essentially going caffeine free- and have stayed away ever since. The headache was rough the first day or 2 but nothing some Tylenol couldn’t fix. Try drinking hot water with some mint leaves or lemon, it will hopefully “fool” the mind because of the repetition and the instant gratification. You can do it!
Kathy says
Mavis, I have had to give up coffee AND tea and pretty much any other beverage except water. As the others have already said, it should be a gradual process if possible. Not everyone has the same symptoms, but I had the following: general body achiness, headaches, feeling like I had the flu, crabby, foggy-headed, drowsy, and just felt like crap. It lasted for several days or maybe a week, can’t remember. Lots of water and lots of fiber! Caffeine withdrawal can also cause constipation…yet another reason to feel crabby! LOL But seriously, you asked! Good luck.