Raise your hand if you drink coffee during withdrawal

I gave up coffee for a few days during my taper and the headache was nearly unbearable, so back on the brown juice of doom I went. Just one cuppa joe a day for me and it doesn't seem to make any difference.

 

Anyone else drink coffee?

Ok, you got me.  I also tried to give it up....the headache about took me to my knees, so I now allow myself 2-6oz cups a day.

 

I love coffee,    it is a bright spot in my otherwise messed-up benzo-hell existence, and I really don't know if it affects me one way or the other.  I kinda feel like the little white pills have taken enough...they can't have my coffee, too.

 

 

I drank coffee and tea up until exactly 2 months after I completely stopped Xanax.  I can vividly remember the day I drank a large iced coffee and then had gone to the hairdresser's.  I felt dizzy, sweaty, paranoid, and kind of freaked out while sitting there--I had no idea that I was going through W/D.  I came home and seriously thought I was having either a nervous breakdown or a heart attack.  I lied down on my bed and waited for it to pass, and it did.  Now I realize that I was having panic attack from W/D.  I didn't dare to consume any caffeine after that experience.

 

Fast forward to 4 months after stopping Xanax, I was able to enjoy tea/coffee again.  Now at almost 8 months off,  I have 2 cups every morning without anxiety.

 

From experience, the headaches from eliminating caffeine will go away within a week.

A few cups of tea a day and the occasional Starbucks latte.  I can't let benzos steal ALL my pleasures away! 

I quit coffee (only used to have one a day) i am a HUGE tea drinker but prior to my taper, i switched over to decaf tea over a period of a month to avoid headaches... it worked...

 

Now i only have 2 cups of decaf tea a day, sometimes just one with a half a tea spoon or less of sugar... 

 

Oscar

A few cups of tea a day and the occasional Starbucks latte.  I can't let benzos steal ALL my pleasures away! 

 

me either! Starbucks is such a treat

A few cups of tea a day and the occasional Starbucks latte.  I can't let benzos steal ALL my pleasures away! 

 

me either! Starbucks is such a treat

 

What's worse is there's a Starbucks not even 10 feet from my desk at work!!! Now THAT's what you call willpower!!! 

I love the smell of coffee - roasting, ground, brewing, in my cup...

 

I figured the same thing - WD can try and take my sanity, but never my coffee. In know the headaches go away, but well, I just loooooooove coffee. 

I quit completely the day I started my taper. It did give me three days of brutal headaches and then let up (about the same as previous quitting coffee).

It s a bug treat -- to go into a Starbucks and have milk///  and it looks like I'm having coffee.

 

It's actually about the only place I  go -- so it really is a huge reward for me.

 

sofar

Mmmmm I loovve my coffee. I try for only one a day.  I know that it does increase my anxiety a bit, but it is an addiction. I have tried numerous times to quit, but it's the first thing I think of in the am........besides the morning anxiety terror.  At least it gets me outta bed.

I have 4 or 5 cups a day, usually.

 

Doesn't give me any anxiety at all, surprisingly.

If my stomach isn't messed up from tapering which is close to everyday, I 'll have an occasional decaf expresso with steamed choc milk. It was my only vice and I still try to enjoy it occasionally.

 

Recover

No, but I drink soda everyday....eek.  I try to go without it and the headaches are just too much, plus I need a reward in all of this too, I need my comfort things right now.

Gave up coffee during taper.  When I tried it and sodas (plus some alcohol) at 10 months off, had a moderate relapse (GI problems, elevated BP, cog fog...).  At two years off, I can have an occasional glass of wine or two and tea, but not coffee or soda.  I don't miss the soda or coffee either.  I also used to get acid reflux from the coffee and particularly soda.  I am in much better health without them.  However, if my wife doesn't get her java in the morning, look out!!!

 

Vertigo

I do.

 

I have one cup a day and I have not given it up during withdrawal. Although sometimes after a cut, when I felt a lot of intensity and anxiety, I wouldn't drink it. At that point it would make life pretty miserable, but those days, thankfully, were few and far between.

 

I would say, pay attention to your body. If your intensity level is even-keel than maybe a light cup of coffee wouldn't hurt. Also, it really depended on the type of coffee and how strong it is. It's definitely all about trial and error and knowing where your body is at that day.

Hi Java Lovers,

 

I have to admit I'm kind of a coffee fanatic.  I buy locally fresh roasted coffee, gind it and brew it in my treasure of an espresso machine.  I was pretty benzo dumb for most of my taper and drank my usual 1 latte of the day. After I jumped off I had an iced latte one day and my sxs went through the roof. So no more for me for a long time. After Christmas I started having a little decaf and while on vacation at our sons in January I accidently had the high test stuff. I was ok. Now I make a half caf latte in the am and none if my sxs are flaring up.

 

pianogirl

An addiction doctor I saw actually recommended that I add it back in. In December I did. It actually boosted my mood and cleared my head some. I have one and it isn't that strong.

 

If I felt it made my anxiety worse I would stop it as fast as I started it back.

Coffee is fine for me, I don't notice exacerbation of any symptoms so I just roll with it. At some point I might brave the headaches and let my caffeine receptors reset over a couple of months or I'll just drink slightly less coffee each day and not just drop off with a screaming three day headache that feels like my head is in a vice 

 

In the meantime, I'll brew up a pot of Sumatran dark roast and have a cuppa joe 

I'm envious of all of you! 

Enjoy a cup for me.

 

 

Guilty!! I have too as I work till 11 pm or I wouldn't make it. @ cups a day.

I'm not a huge coffee drinker, even though I like it.  Gave up Coke for Lent, so I drink a cup of coffee or Starbucks instead.  The caffeine helps my wd headaches.

 

It doesn't seen to bother me or rev up my sx.

I gave up coffee for a few days during my taper and the headache was nearly unbearable, so back on the brown juice of doom I went. Just one cuppa joe a day for me and it doesn't seem to make any difference.

 

Anyone else drink coffee?

 

I know the headache you mean after stopping caffeine. ugh!

I drink decaf and cannot tell the difference now, but to combat the headaches, I gradually introduced decaf into my much loved cuppas.

Start by substituting a little bit of decaf in with your normal coffee, and increase the amount of decaf, decreasing the amount of cafferinated coffee until you have all decaf. It will be a smooth ride, headache free, and you wont even tell the difference betwen them.

 

I mainly 99% use decaf unless I am tired and need a little pick me up.

I drink decaf and cannot tell the difference now, but to combat the headaches, I gradually introduced decaf into my much loved cuppas.

Start by substituting a little bit of decaf in with your normal coffee, and increase the amount of decaf, decreasing the amount of cafferinated coffee until you have all decaf. It will be a smooth ride, headache free, and you wont even tell the difference betwen them.

 

I mainly 99% use decaf unless I am tired and need a little pick me up.

 

Excellent idea - I didn't think of that!

I drink decaf and cannot tell the difference now, but to combat the headaches, I gradually introduced decaf into my much loved cuppas.

Start by substituting a little bit of decaf in with your normal coffee, and increase the amount of decaf, decreasing the amount of cafferinated coffee until you have all decaf. It will be a smooth ride, headache free, and you wont even tell the difference betwen them.

 

I mainly 99% use decaf unless I am tired and need a little pick me up.

 

I agree.  Great idea.  Thank you!