I've got 11 days till surgery and I need to detox from caffeine. What's the best way? Cut down gradually, or go "cold turkey"? Right now I drink 2 large mugs (16 oz. each) every morning. I've already cut out the diet coke since I know I won't be able to drink it post op.

I went cold turkey and was miserable for three days but fine after that. I found it helped psychologically to make myself a cup of decaf tea in the morning -- even though I don't particularly like tea! But I missed the ritual of making a cup of coffee and sipping something hot, so the tea helped a little that way.

If you can find Tylenol without caffeine in it that will help with the headaches too.

I have quit caffeine many times, and I can tell you that it takes 5 days, so you should start with cutting your caffeine in half for the next three days, and then cold turkey on day four. The first day, you will feel alright, a slight headache and maybe low energy. Day 2 the headache will be much worse, but manageable with Tylenol, and you will start craving coffee and soda like mad as your body desperately wants it's caffeine fix. Day three is the absolute worst day. Your head will feel like it is going to explode, and nothing will make it better. You will want to literally kill anyone who comes near you, and the caffeine cravings will also make you want to kill someone for their coffee. You might want to call out sick on day three. Day four, the headache starts to fade and the cravings will also get better, and day five will be better than day four. By day six, the headache and cravings will be gone and as long as you are not in jail for actually having assaulted or murdered anyone, you are good to go!

I would definitely do this BEFORE surgery because you are going to be feeling bad enough the first few days to not have to add the caffeine headache and cravings on to everything else you will be feeling. And then, once you have kicked the caffeine habit, switch to decaf so you never put your body through that again! (Words of wisdom I wish I had taken myself many times through the years, but I have been decaf only for two years now)

I mixed my regular coffee with decaf. Have you seen those cute insulated glasses with the lid and straw? I drank 2 of those every day..... I also drank a TON of caffeinated beverages through out the day including Monster drinks.

What is funny is that now I can't drink coffee. I tried several times with Protein in the beginning. I couldn't do it! It was 'heavy and oily'. Go figure! Oh well, my grocery bill is a lot less without the coffee, creamer, sodas, and caffeinated drinks. :0)

Good luck!

I went cold turkey. I was miserable but so glad I got it out of the way pre op. I love my coffee. I drank decaf till I was cleared for coffee again at 3 months post op

Lynda

conventional wisdom is that if you are over 30oz to drop by half for a week then go cold turkey. you should have enough time for this. but you can also do a bufflehead suggests and get it over with.

what i cannot understand is how different NUTs are. my first one did not want me to drink even decaf coffee my current one (different surgeon) not only says that coffee is fine but that regular full test coffee is fine--say what? but she wrote it down for me, said the data was just not there to justify limiting the caffeine--go figure.

I still went to decaf before surgery and will wait another week before resuming caf.

I went cold turkey on surgery day. Since I was already doped up on drugs from post-surgery, the withdrawals weren't an issue.