How long for caffeine withdrawal?

isabella22

I, Isabella22, am a caffeine addict.

There, I said it

Yesterday I went cold turkey, and had a horrible headache on top of the nausea.  How long will the headaches last?  I drank a tiny glass of diet coke this morning, to try and prevent it.

goodheartedmommy

Just a few days. I gave up caffeine about 10 years ago and did it cold turkey, as I am incapable of just slowing weaning. It wasn't as bad as you'd think. Unfortunately, I've become addicted again. 10 years without but a few drinks of caffeine total, and I can't make it through my day without it again!

 I know my mom has tried to give it up and got really awful headaches, though, so if you're capable of weaning yourself, you might want to do that.

oparcm

I, am also an addict of caffeine and love my died coke.  When I was pg the doctor told me to drink 1 can a day but spread the can over the entire day.  So a few sips here and there.  Then slowly drop the oz from 12 to 10 to 8, and so on.  That way you avoid the caffiene headache.  I'm doing it now but I'm not pg so I'm dropping from 5 cans a day and I'm down to 2.  I tried cold turkey but I was like a rabid dog.

goodheartedmommy

Oh, and I have no idea if there is any clinical truth to this or not, but in my experience, caffeine majorly helped my nausea, at least temporarily. It would get a lot better with a caffeinated drink, and when I'd bottom out from the caffeine, it would be at its worst. So it may make your nausea worse for a few days. Again, that could be total crap, though, so take it with a grain of salt!

DaiLyght

It can last up to two weeks, but most people don't take that long. I would suggest weaning though. The headaches are not fun, and to be honest, headaches can be dangerous. Although the risk is small, it's not healthy to have a headache for more than 72 hours.

pincushions

I.would.die without caffeine.

No help, I lasted only a few days before I caved while pg with both kids.

stacynikki

I started weaning from coffee (my only source of caffeine) a couple of months ago.  It was bad for a couple of days but I still drink a 1/4 a cup of coffee.  I'm just waiting for that BFP to stop completely! 

KoriBrett

for me, cold turkey 4-5 days of bad headaches.  after that I was fine.

LeoChic

The only thing I could drink in my 1st trimester was coke without feeling like gagging.  And the headaches that come from caffeine withdrawal while you have everything else going on just isn't worth it.  Besides the safe amount of caffeine is 300 mg.  A 12 oz can of coke only has 34.5.  You would have to drink 9 cans of coke before you go over that.  It's the coffee's and the tea's that you really have to worry about.

Having said all of that, I would not drink Diet Coke because of the sweetners in it.

ETA:  Here's the link I use for caffeine content in drinks https://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database