Fizzy Drink Addiction

stclair

I have a fizzy drink addiction HELP....

I can get through like 6/8 cans a day. At first I just thought I had an addiction to coke cola (caffeine) however it does not appear to the case as ill happily drink anything providing its fizzy.

I have never drank tea or coffee the only other thing I tend to drink is beer of a weekend obviously as most men do and strawberry milkshakes.

I get quiet a few spots and I'm beginning to wonder if they are being caused by drinking to many fizzy drinks over a very long period of time. Plus im also starting to get alot of headaches which makes me think that im really dehydrated.

Any adivce on stopping? Is it better to go cold turkey or will I be more successful in the long term if I do it gradually?

Katexx

I used to drink loads of Diet Coke - 2 litres a day probably. I stopped completely once and I had 2 weeks of feeling like crap, horrible headaches, all shakey, etc. Can't remember how long I stopped drinking it for but at some point I started again (drinking less though).

When I moved out from my parents I didn't have room in my tiny fridge for a big 2 litre bottle (and can't stand coke when it's not cold) so I started buying cans, and now I limit myself to 1 can a day and that's it. I very rarely have any at home, I just take 1 can to work as a treat at lunchtime, which works for me. I very suddenly cut down from 1 litre or so a day to just the 1 can and I was fine doing that. Can't say I noticed any obvious health benefits though personally...I just didn't like the thought of what it was probably doing to my insides! For me it's definitely the caffeine though, not just the fizzyness.

stclair

That`s the thing I have been drinking fizzy pop (mainly coke) for years and I dread to think what my insides look like now.

Im not by giving it up what it would do to my health. Im beginning to think I should try and drink water which would clean me out im guessing from all the naff stuff thats being pumped into my body from fizzy drinks.

jenniewb

I used to have one too, its hard getting free of it but can be done. I found it easier to just go cold turkey and cut it out, you can get side effects if your addicted to the caffiene or the sugar (if your not having the diet versions) but it is limited and after about 10-14 days you feel fine again.

I'd say stick to squash, juice and water but it depends on your reasoning for cutting out fizzy drinks (if its the fizziness, the caffiene, the sugar or whatever).

What I will say is that fizzy drinks don't directly cause spots but being an unhealthy weight or consuming too much sugar or caffiene (toxins) can knock your hormone levels slightly, these changed hormone levels can result in spots in some people but its in different ways for each so be wary when replacing fizzy drinks, what you replace them with.

I wouldn't imagine your insides are too terrible and if you are very worried see a doctor as they can help find out if anything is bad but just to say if your insides were wrecked you'd know about it and pretty quickly!

Try maybe instead of saying "I will not have any more coke/lemonade/fizzy whatever" try to say "I am going to have 2l of water every day" and then after that allow yourself a can of coke or whatever, its not going to make things magicly easier but I strongly believe that telling yourself no makes things harder then a more posative reinforcement such as I am going to do something rather then not going to do something.

trolleyrun

How about trying this:

Buy sparkling water and put dilute juice in it? That's what I did, and it worked a treat. Lately, though, I've found that fizzy drinks in any shape or form upsets my tummy (ibs), so no more fizz for me. I now drink lots of plain water (with dilute juice to make it less boring) and herbal tea.

Once I stopped the colas, I started sleeping so much better as well.

So, yes, it can be done. Try cold turkey with fizzy water. When you've weaned yourself off the pop and feel the addiction is under control, you can then possibly allow yourself a can as a treat.

emsbet

I've found squash and soda water hits the spot quite well.

xx

System

I get through about 5-6 litres of pepsi max a week. I dont worry about the caffeine consumption so much its the artificial sweeteners that worry me more.

anniemf2508

i had a fizzy addiction up until about 2 months ago, i started small by replacing one fizzy drink with hi-juice and went from there. Its got to the stage now where i only have about 1 500ml bottle of fizzy a week.

lizzyb1812

You have to drink something and if you don't have tea or coffee then your 6/8 cans a day are not excessive in terms of amount of liquid - try changing to fizzy water, perhaps mixed with squash - keep bottles in the fridge ready made up. Value fizzy water is just as good as any other and costs about 20p per 2 litre bottle. I have lime cordial with fizzy water a lot and don't worry about what it might do to me.

stclair

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and suggestions.

I have not had a can a pop all day im not sure if im having withdrawals or not. It was very strange not to have the fizzyness of pop in mouth today.

Im gonna see how I get on over the next few days... Today was not as bad as i thought it would be and even managed to save myself nearly 3 quid.

flutterbyuk25

I'm another one who says try fizzy water for the fizzy hit. I gave up diet coke etc for lent 2 years ago, and I did it, and now very rarely have any at all, unless I'm poorly or hungover (can of diet coke works wonders then!).

I started off drinking fizzy water with squash, but not I hardly even bother with the fizzy water and just have water or squash instead.

Good luck x