Giving up cigarettes and caffeine - headaches!

[wiliferus]

For a reason unknown my brain flicked a switch and I decided now was the time to give up the fags. Been smoking 30 years (now 44) and have a couple of failed attempts to stop. Somethings different this time and it just clicked, and I’m actually finding it fairly easy.

The trick I think was also to eliminate triggers, so for me what also had to go was coffee. The natural partnership of a coffee and fag would have broken me back to smoking. So in one move I’ve given up the fags, and am also off hot drinks, so no caffeine and I’m also avoiding caffeine in soft drinks.

Doing the above has been remarkably easy, I feel much much better for it after only ten days - more energy, less brain fog, and generally feel a bit ‘clearer’.

However, since the day after I stopped what I am getting is blinding headaches everyday. To be expected I suppose and I thinks it’s probably the caffeine withdrawal rather than smoking related. It’s not a huge issue, but I would like an idea of when they may pass as it’s getting a bit tiresome.

For clarity it was a 3-5 coffees a day, 20 fags a day. I’m drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. Just curious to know when I may come out the other side.

Thanks

[Badda]

Well done!

You’re dead right about caffeine headaches, they’re the worst. I would have expected them to have settled by now though, 10 days seem a little excessive.

[sherman]

Only a masochist would consider giving up both of them at the same time.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Could you take perhaps half or a quarter of a pro plus tablet a 2 or 3 times a day?

[wiliferus]

Potentially right about being a masochist, I have questioned the sanity of my current predicament!

As for the pro plus, I suppose it would be short term solution, but seems a bit of a backwards step. I’m 10 days caffeine free, so to start putting it back in would only serve to prolong the issue surely?
That said the headache yesterday was so bad I did contemplate popping to Starbucks for an espresso

Sat here currently nursing a banging head. I suspect the answer is ride it out, it’ll pass. But as someone has said, I was expecting it to have subsided by now.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Ah ok, as you are 10 days in you must be past the worst. Do you feel better for giving up smoking yet?

[robsa]

I had the headaches for five days after quitting caffeine, twas dreadful.

[wiliferus]

Chainsaw Rebuild said:

Ah ok, as you are 10 days in you must be past the worst. Do you feel better for giving up smoking yet?

Yes, definitely some notable changes which is good as that’s the motivator to keep going. Obviously giving up caffeine and fags at the same time means it’s hard to pin down what’s got better and because of which ‘drug’.

Breathing is already clearer - was getting wheezy in the evenings and that’s stopped.
My senses of smell and taste have increased super quick. I popped into town yesterday and was quite taken aback at all the smells!
Mornings are easier - previously I couldn’t function without a fag and a coffee. I seem to be waking more energised which stays through the day, where as before I’d have peaks and troughs of energy and massive slumps early evening.
I’m sleeping better which was previously a problem (and has probably helped with the energy increase..) but I am having vivid dreams which is a new thing.

Overall, it’s obviously all a good thing, makes it easier to keep going.

[Knoxville2410]

Well done!

What about having the odd can of Coke zero for the caffeine? Surely should be quite easy to give that up once you're weaned off the caffeine.

You should try getting some exercise in too if you don't already. You'll feel a million times better again.

[wiliferus]

Exercise is next on the list as to be honest I’ve been bone idle for about 18 months.

Coke Zero isn’t a bad shout actually. I don’t intend to stop drinking soft drinks so there’s no point in dragging myself through this unnecessarily. Thanks for the tip.. might be just enough to keep the headaches at bay

[dieselgrunt]

Gave up caffeine a few months ago just to see if I could. I was surprised at how tired it left me for around a week. The headaches were awful as well. The whole experience was so bad I vowed never to get back on the caffeine wagon. I have an occasional green tea once or twice a month but nothing else. It’s nice not to be so dependent on it.

[Steve_H80]

Caffeine withdrawal is a weird thing, you just don't realise how much of a drug it is till you stop, but it does settle down after a while. And then stick to decaf.
What you mustn't do is allow someone to give you a cup of real coffee in a meeting, you know the speed scene from Train Spotting....
Don't ask how I know

[sutoka]

Very weird never smoked but know some people get very irritable when they decided to quit cigarettes.

Contrast that to a relativewho is not far off 90. He quit when he was 87 after smoking since he was 13. One day he just decided to quit, he didn't cut down, didn't use patches or vapes. He got his daily packet of 20 delivered one morning and they just sat on the table.

We thought it might be down to onset of dementia but he had a full assessment recently and he passed as sharp as a tack. He never had any cravings or withdrawal.

[Louis Balfour]

wiliferus said:

For a reason unknown my brain flicked a switch and I decided now was the time to give up the fags. Been smoking 30 years (now 44) and have a couple of failed attempts to stop. Somethings different this time and it just clicked, and I’m actually finding it fairly easy.

The trick I think was also to eliminate triggers, so for me what also had to go was coffee. The natural partnership of a coffee and fag would have broken me back to smoking. So in one move I’ve given up the fags, and am also off hot drinks, so no caffeine and I’m also avoiding caffeine in soft drinks.

Doing the above has been remarkably easy, I feel much much better for it after only ten days - more energy, less brain fog, and generally feel a bit ‘clearer’.

However, since the day after I stopped what I am getting is blinding headaches everyday. To be expected I suppose and I thinks it’s probably the caffeine withdrawal rather than smoking related. It’s not a huge issue, but I would like an idea of when they may pass as it’s getting a bit tiresome.

For clarity it was a 3-5 coffees a day, 20 fags a day. I’m drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated. Just curious to know when I may come out the other side.

Thanks

Last time I gave up coffee "cold turkey" I was still getting blinding headaches six weeks later!

Tapering off seems to be the way. Mix decaf with caf and over a couple of weeks increase the former and reduce the latter.