I'm a week from surgery and trying to wean off coffee. Usually have 4 cups a day. I know I know, but I'm a nurse so it's an occupational hazard. Tried one cup today and had headache all day. Tylenol not helping and can't take Advil. Anybody have any tips?

How about half a cup morning, half a cup mid day and 1/2 cup afternoon for a few days and see how that goes? My dr said to gradually come off it, but better now than after surgery.

I weaned off caffeine about 2 months before my pre-op diet because I knew I would go postal if I tried to do that at the same time as my pre op diet, so kudos to you for doing it now. I started by replacing all my coffee with half caff (Folgers brand) and then slowly replace half of that with decaf. After 2 weeks I went to decaf coffee and decaf tea. I had a headache for about 4 days and then it started to dissipate. Drink LOTS of water to help with the DT's.

To be straight up, I had to buy some caffeine pills and would take 1/4 of a pill to stave off the headaches. I never had any ill effects from taking caffeine.

So my NUT advised me strongly to start weaning myself off my serious coffee addiction three months before my surgery. Of course I refused to listen. Well, I honestly could not imagine staring in day without my 20ozs cup of specialty brewed in my own kitchen. Ok, so I decided to kick the habit whem I started my two weeks pre op diet. I will make this short and sweet. I suffered. Extra strength Tylenol did not help. Yes, I took several, several times a day. No,, withdrawal did not last 3 to 4 days. By day 5 I simply stayed in my room, in my bed most of the day and tried to sleep of the pain. I think I felt better by day 8 or 9. Of course it's something that of a distant memory now. So, I wish I had taken her advise to gradually wean myself off my 35 year addiction. NUT advise was to mix half decaffeinated with regular and gradually increase the amount of decaffeinated. Best.

It took me about 4 days to feel normal again. I took excedrin tension headache because it has some caffeine in it. It took some of the edge off but I still felt like crap for a few days. I have to say I do feel better now that I'm not drinking any caffeine. I don't find myself yawning all morning or being so tired all morning. Hang in there. You'll feel better in a couple days. I do still 'crave' coffee. I think it's the habit of walking around with a hot cup of something. Decaf has been doing the trick. Good luck!

I'm a nurse as well and practically lived off caffeine. I had to give it up on 12/2 when I started my pre-op diet and I had 3-4 horrible days of headaches. I took the tylenol which I was allowed (although it didn't help any) and went to be super early almost every night. I'm now 12 days without it and don't miss it at all. You can do it!!!

I work nights so I live off coffee the night I work. I'm not looking forward to giving up my coffee! I'm looking at a feb surgery. So I guess I will start 1/1. Does decaf work?

Wow it feels good just to know I'm not alone on this one. I'm on day 3 and amazingly did not have a headache today.