I'm trying to kick my coke habit!

[vtmil]

Hey peeps,

I have been addicted to coca cola for years (especially since the dd was born 4 yrs or so ago).

I have tried to give up before but given in, and i could quite happily drink litres of coke a day. My consumption was on average 2 litres a day.

On monday, i decided to give up. I am tired all the time, and i was using coke to give me energy, but in turn I was getting more exhusted when my sugar level dropped again!!

Now, its been nearly 3 days and withdrawal is kicking in (big time!) and I soooo need that red can!

Anybody else feel the same/been through this. I feel sooo stupid but i am literally addicted!

vtmil x

[arealbasketcase]

yep, been there, in my case I was 17/18 years old and it turned out I had "needed" the coke....

I wasn't bothered about the fact I was down to a size 8 but my mum thought it weird that I had lost something like a stone in weight in about a fortnight and she sent me to the doctors, the locum I saw said not to worry it was puppy fat so I went away well chuffed. A week later and another 7 pounds lighter mum TOOK me to the quacks, my doctor (of 16 years) was horrified and took a blood test there and then. 6 hours later we got a phone call at home to pack a bag because an ambulance was on the way, it was a friday night too, I was well miffed.

Turns out I had hypo-glycemia, the sugar in the coke had been just about keeping me going but not enough, so I was burning body fat at an alarming rate.

I had to take glucose tablets for about 4 years whilst my body stabilised.

Honestly scary stuff, I lapsed into a coma at one point, about 2 days after I went into hospital. The doctors have always said it was triggered by changes in hormones, I am soooooooooo glad my mum is the determined person that she is, left to my own devices I would never have gone to the doctors.

[alwaysonthego]

It is the caffine you're addicted to! Drink plenty of water and keep busy! Good luck and if you start to head towards grabbing a can think of all the nasty chemicals it contains.

[G-G]

I love fizzy drinks, full fat or sugar free, I like the bubbles..

I limit myself now though as I know it's bad for you.

Well done for getting this far, don't give up, it will be worth it ;)

[Baybee1984]

OMG this is so me, addicted to coke at the mo. Its like I feel I 'neeeed' the sugar.

[Leopardlady]

I was addicted to the stuff, everyone thought i was lieing, but i would drink so much coke a day and not drink any water. It did get me through while i was unable to eat or drink anything else due to some stomach trouble, but since then i have given up, well i am allowed to drink it, but i tend to only have one glass when out, this makes it easier as i don't think i am never allowed it again.

Keep going and yes drink lots of water and anjoy the fact that you are cleansing yourself.

[melancholly]

i gave up caffeine last year and felt horrible - migraines, feeling dizzy etc - so had some to feel better. then i phased it out a bit more slowly (20 cups of tea a day to none was too much for me) and it's been much better.

i felt entirely pathetic that caffeine could do this to me - how people give up smoking or other more serious drugs 'cold turkey' is beyond me and they have my full admiration!

[Krasnoludek]

Hi

I was addicted to Coke a few years ago and only discovered it when I had high BP. Maybe try replacing it with fizzy water instead as you still get the bubbles ?? The headaches are rubbish but they will soon pass dont worry!

Well done its not easy, people think its a joke but its sooo not funny!

K xx

[robpw2]

my friend has a diet coke with cherry addiction he gets all agitated when he has no money to buy some .. I knwo i shouldnt but its funny to watch sometimes i have to smile . at least he has ciggarettes at the moment so he is kinda mellow

but i completley understand where you are all at.

My problem is im addicted to moneysaving and i hate it when i can save money

[Idiophreak]

I think if you try and focus on the "health" aspect of this, it really makes life a lot easier. I was drinking 4/5 cans a day a month or so ago (know that's not much in the scheme of things) - then I realised that it was adding up to something like 1000 calories a day - just switching to water may be hard, but it certainly wasn't as hard as running for an hour and a half, or any other way you'd burn 1000 calories in a day...

[greyskymorning]

Actually it's funny but my boyfriend recently went through the exact same thing... it's not the caffeine either, like people say. Look on the side of a coke can, at the GDAs... ONE coke can contains 36% of your daily sugar intake! In one can! So if you drink even four cans you're drinking well over your sugar intake for the day, and without eating or drinking anything else!

I'd say try switching to Pepsi Max, or Coke Zero, which have similar tastes but lower sugar content. You'll still get a taste of what you like, and satisfy your craving, but not get the same problems as you do with coke.

[MissPin]

I understand completely! I am a "recovering" Diet Coke addict. I used to be hooked on Coke but switched to Diet for the fewer calories(which actually does make a difference) but it's still full of nasty sweeteners and bad stuff! When I gave up (I have done this numerious times:rolleyes: ) I got the headaches etc etc but I find that if you don't give it up all together ie. have it only at weekends or limit yourself to one can/glass a day then it's easier, because you know that it's not forbidden and you'll enjoy it more when you do have it.

As for substitutes how about juice/squash/ sparkling flavoured water etc etc?

HTH! Good luck!

[vtmil]

Hey peeps thanks for the stories and support!

I am thinking of the health aspects (I have put on a lot of weight!) and it sooo full of chemicals. And i was spending £3 - £5 a day on coke! It's just like smoking!!!

I've not got headaches, but I have no energy at the mo! And i'm a bit of a crouch to be around (withdrawal ha ha)! I honestly feel better tho. And my teeth feel cleaner! And i feel thinner but that is probably a figment of my imagination!

I'm not going down the diet coke route (morning sickness put me off this years ago - regurgitated diet coke looks horrible! sorry TMI!). I'm just trying to stick to squash and water! Although i have just had some fanta - whoops!

I even had water at a pub! Wow! and thats true moneysaving because it was tap water so it was free!!

It's amazing that so many people have experienced it too. Perhaps we should start a support group!!

Thanks again peeps,

vtmil

[G-G]

You prob feel thinner because you arn't full of Coke gasses :tongue:

Well done so far ;)

& put the Fanta down! Don't substitute one for the other.. ;)

[jamespir]

i tried snorting coke once but the ice cubes got stuck up me nose:rotfl:

[heatherw_01]

I am the same, although for me it is pepsi max
I am totally addicted!

[mspig]

I've been there with the coke, can't stand diet coke or coke zero or even pepsi it has to be the proper stuff. I managed to get through the addicted stage by buying cans instead of a big bottle, then allowing myself one can a day then one every two days. I now only get a can when ever we have a take away as i still have to have my coke with my madras, lovely.

However my father in law stopped drinking alcohol and started drinking pints of coke instead, hes now put on two stone.

[puss14]

I am trying to give up coke again. My main motivator are my teeth and my main demotivator are the headaches I get when i stop. I try drinking lots of tea to replace the caffeine but i still get the headaches and no amount of painkillers help. I am so annoyed that I am in this situation as I didn't even drink coke til i was 18 and met my OH and all he ever had in his fridge was coke (so clearly its his fault;)) Ive got 2 bottles left and then the rule is none in the house, only am allowed it if going to a friends. I always follow my coke with water as my mum has kidney problems so h2o has always been minimum 8 glasses per day. Anyway wish me the best, to be honest I found giving up smoking easier and i did that cold turkey.

[Sentora]

I am in the exact same boat. I would love to kick my coke habit too. To stop the headaches try Tesco's Extra Power Pain rELIEF. They have Paracetemol, aspirin and cafeine in them. The cafeine withdrawal is what gives the headache.

[glowgirl]

Cold turkey is the only way to go so stick with it and well done:T, in a few days your skin will bloom and just to help you along each can of coke has 13 spoons of sugar in it:eek:

[FelinePrincess]

I used to have a diet coke problem, I probably drank about 1.5L a day, ovbiously I heard all the horror stories and the risks of it thinning your bones worried me most but not enough to stop, I used to find that if I didn't have a bottle of diet coke first thing in the morning I would end up with a terrible headache which no amount of of diet coke or ibuprofen would get rid of. I cut down so that I just had a can in the morning and didn't drink it for the rest of the day, then when I went self employed it broke my routine a bit so I really cut down on my morning cans then. I eventually cut it out completely as I was having anxiety problems and I found diet coke was bringing it on. I feel much better now I'm caffine free (I don't drink tea, coffee or energy drinks) plus I'm sure my teeth, bones, brain and who knows what else thank me for it!

Good luck! :D

[**Juice**]

Ohh, I know this addiction - I was obsessed with Pepsi when I was about 11/12, to the point where my mam literally had to wean me off it whilst I begged for "just a glass". Bit dramatic for a fizzy drink!

I didn't drink it for years until I started drinking alcohol and I found the nicest mixer was coke. As a result I used to crave it when I was hungover (sort of a sugary hair of the dog). It's made the enamel on my front teeth a bit "stripey" too.

I don't drink it much anymore as I hardly drink alcohol now, but I crave it when I'm tired, I think that's because I don't really drink tea or coffee.

[puss14]

Urgh I have such a headache and I am sure it is from not having coke. It is also very hot here in Oz after an unseasonably cold snap and i am hanging for a coke, I will stay strong:rotfl:(I hope:p)

[ailuro2]

Puss14 - if you have a headache and it's hot, then go have a big drink of water.

You might not fancy one right now, but it'll make you feel better once the water gets to work.

I love a glass of really cold water when it's hot, of course the experts say that shocks the stomach, but it's lovely on a hot day.

[puss14]

I do drink a lot of water, but i took your advice and drank some more. I managed to conquer my craving:D

[puss14]

This is very difficult, i actually think about coke everyday:eek: Tho atm I have absolutely no money and refuse to use my cc so it hasn't been as hard. My OH needed a haircut for this interview and it took the last of my grocery money for the week.

[puss14]

Gee its so hot here atm 35 celsius (95 faranheit) and I desperately want some coke:o I am not going to gie in thoas we need all r pennies for the rent. My OH is starting a new job in a few weeks permanent part time with a great compny, so we will finally have more regular income and not have to worry about his shifts getting cut:j