So I'm doing my pre-op diet. It's 5 days of a <1000 cal (low carb, high protein) and 3 days of Clear liquids. I'm honestly not minding the <1000 cal diet - it actually makes me feel in control. Logging my food has been great - my hospital provided me with a log but I decided to buy one on Amazon. It's called DietMinder and I love it!

Here is the thing that is killing me - No Diet Coke!!! I have a serious migrane in the front of my head. Basically my mom is addicted to the stuff and I grew up drinking it all the time. I'm only 22 - but this is a horrible habit of mine. I've gone 3 days without it and I'm proud of myself for that - but when will the headache go away!! I'm sure other people went through this

I'm looking forward to being Diet Coke free without the side effects!

You may be able to take a few excedrin for your headache. It contains a small amount of caffeine in it so it would act a bit like a nicotine patch. And when the headache goes away, then dont take the excedrin and switch to Tylenol.

Or you can tough it out until the withdrawal stops.

But I'm sure you can do it however way you choose to tackle it.

I was a Diet Coke addict for about 20 years! One week before surgery I just stopped cold turkey and now, 3 weeks post-op, I don't even think about it. Prior to surgery I did have headaches, but now I have none. I'm amazed-you can do it too!

You should be just about through it. I'm assuming your having caffeine withdrawal.

Of all the things I worry about, caffeine withdraw is my highest. I drink a little Mountain Dew every morning. I have a couple cans in the fridge and 17 days till surgery. Once these are gone, I will be done with caffeine, Hopefully forever. Soda definitely forever. I'm not sad about food. Honestly I've eaten enough crap for the next 42 years, but the thought of no more MD kind of makes me sad. It makes me sadder that I'm addicted to this drink that has no benefits at all.

You know I too was worried about caffeine withdrawal as well. I was a BIG Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi addict. I stopped drinking 2 days before surgery.

After surgery, I held my breath everyday waiting for the severe headaches. But they never came. It has been 1 month since surgery and still no withdrawal. It seemed as if my body had more important things to worry about (Protein, liquids, etc).

Hopefully, you will have a similar experience.

I was a diet coke addict. I switched to tea first, then I bought both decaf and regular tea for while and had half cafeinated and half decaf. Then I went to straight decaf. No headaches at all.

So I'm doing my pre-op diet. It's 5 days of a <1000 cal (low carb, high protein) and 3 days of clear liquids. I'm honestly not minding the <1000 cal diet - it actually makes me feel in control. Logging my food has been great - my hospital provided me with a log but I decided to buy one on Amazon. It's called DietMinder and I love it!

Here is the thing that is killing me - No Diet Coke!!! I have a serious migrane in the front of my head. Basically my mom is addicted to the stuff and I grew up drinking it all the time. I'm only 22 - but this is a horrible habit of mine. I've gone 3 days without it and I'm proud of myself for that - but when will the headache go away!! I'm sure other people went through this

I'm looking forward to being Diet Coke free without the side effects!

I HAD been addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper since ...forever. I haven't had one since the first week in May and I don't crave it at all anymore and I feel a whole lot better too. When I went off of it I had a "migraine type" headache for seven days. Hang in there....it's truly worth the detox pain! Now Vitamin Water Zero's, water and decaf green tea are my addictions. I hope I still like them after my surgery!

My surgeon said to go ahead and drink it if you want it up until surgery day. My philosophy--you will be dealing with so many other things after surgery you won't even notice the caffeine withdrawal......and I didn't.

I stopped drinking caffeine pre-op and I think my headaches finally starting going away around day 4. I could only take Tylenol too. Now 2 weeks out and don't need caffeine at all.

I miss diet Dr pepper, I don't need the caffiene, I just want those bubbles in my mouth. * cries*

So yea its safe to say I make a sad face every day knowing I can't have my diet Dr pepper or any carbonated yum yum ever again.

That being said, its still totally worth not being able to have it. Wish I could have both worlds tho *sigh*

my headaches were gone by day 4 ... u are almost there!! keep up the good work!

I had to have surgery last fall for kidney stones, and gave up caffeine in all forms at that point. I think I had a withdrawal headache for a couple days. For whatever reason, hot packs on the head seemed to help... weird, but true.

Woke up today with no headache -woohoo. Thanks everyone