# Quitting caffeine?



## Myxini (May 22, 2013)

Waiting around for results and treatments, I'm trying to get as healthy as I can... (PCOS is known, not sure about other issues atm)

I'm a bit confused about how much of an effect caffeine has on your body, but I guess the general feeling is it's better to cut down when TTC. Obviously I'm keen to do anything to help our chances, and at least cutting caffeine can't hurt, right? Trouble is, I'm having really hard time with trying to quit my coffee, as stupid as that sounds!
In the past I've quit cigarettes, I've quit addictive medication, I've pretty much quit sugar too, all without too much trouble, so it seems bizarre I can't get rid of coffee. 
I have managed to cut down from about 8 mugs (!) a day to about 3 or 4 so far (with some dark chocolate every few days too). 
For a while I tried to only have one mug in the mornings and no more, but headaches and cravings were pretty horrible. 

Anyone have any sneaky hints? Or do you think it's best to bite the bullet and go cold turkey until the headaches finally stop?


----------



## Dani B (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi. I 'm also in preparation (for ivf) and like yourself, I love my cuppa's. I started drinking decaf coffee a couple of months back and tastes the same to me. Plus you can drink as much as you want of it   Try giving it a go. Hope this helps xx


----------



## emma81 (May 2, 2007)

I went cold turkey several years ago now. It took about 2 weeks to stop feeling so dreadful, so not long really.
I've always suffed from really bad heart palpitations and since giving up caffein they have pretty much stopped, so god knows what other effects it has on your body.


----------



## morganna (Sep 16, 2008)

i changed to decaf coffee
sainsbury's sell it for a large jar - £3.50
M. xx


----------



## Myxini (May 22, 2013)

Thanks folks. I'm a bit unsure about decaf really. The whole process of repeated solvent soaks to remove the caffeine sounds a bit dodgy; I don't know if it's actually in any way harmful though. 
Then again maybe it'll help with the withdrawals since you still have the cuppa and smell and taste... So I think I might just give it a go. I think the Millicano coffee is often actually cheaper as decaf, too.


----------



## NordicStar (Dec 29, 2012)

Hey I'm having the same kinda problems! Well I've gone from 4 cups a day to just a small one in the morning and I've made this one a lot weaker (just instant). My doctor actually said I shouldn't worry about coffee...but I am anyway as everyone seems to strict on cutting it out. I don't really want to swap it for decaff as I've heard just as bad things about decaff (something about the acidic not being good). 
I personally think its easier to gradually come of it...good luck! When do you start your IVF?


----------



## Myxini (May 22, 2013)

Hey NordicStar. Good luck to you as well - both with coffee and with all the rest of this all!  

No idea about IVF dates yet. We took several years off "all things (in)fertility" and are just now getting back to it, so we're having all the tests from scratch again, and then I guess it might be a long wait for IVF on NHS. I'm just really keen to make the best of the few goes we'll be able to have on NHS, since arranging money for private ones would be a whole new headache. I'll be older this time around, but I hope being less overweight, a longer term non-smoker and eating and living much healthier will help balance that out a bit.


----------



## JW3 (Apr 7, 2008)

I am also trying to give up caffeine but find it really difficult.  I pretty much only drink decaf but would like to give up.  Still a tiny bit of me wonders whether the two decaf starbucks I had on the day of my second miscarriage made any difference.  I know they probably didn't, but you just never know    I think it might be more realistic for me to cut down to one decaf a day first.  Otherwise I am feeling that I can't do anything because I am already not drinking at all and I don't eat chocolate, crisps or anything so coffee was my one thing.


----------



## Dani B (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi. I also pretty much only drink decaf and I know what you mean about even giving that up. I quit smoking in November, I'm not drinking or eating crap either and I love a cup of decaf. I have a few a day but don't think I could give it up completely, got to have some pleasure in life, even if it is a cuppa lol. I will try like you to cut down but don't think I'll ever get rid.

xx


----------



## Faithope (Jan 16, 2011)

Hi,

Just wanted to dive in and say that for this ICSI I gave up EVERYTHING that had caffeine in (you will be amazed at what products that have caffeine in!) and I am currently 15 weeks pregnant. All my other TX's I continued to eat chocolate and drink tea. As I have had 3 MC's, I wanted to give it up to give us the very best chance we could. I am so glad I did. A very small sacrifice for such a wonderful outcome


----------



## Dani B (Nov 8, 2012)

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Did you drink decaf when you were going through TX? 

xxxx


----------



## Faithope (Jan 16, 2011)

*Dani B* No hun because of the chemicals they use to replace the caffeine  I went cold turkey  thanks for the congrats, it's been a long time coming this baby


----------



## Dani B (Nov 8, 2012)

Yeah I can see you've been through a lot   you're a brave woman. Aww but I'm glad you got your BFP finally   I don't know how I am going to quit my decaf coffee  

xxxx


----------



## Myxini (May 22, 2013)

Congratulations Faithope!  Thanks for sharing that; definitely an extra dose of motivation. I really don't want to have to think all those "what if I'd done this and that" if our treatments fail... Having said that, I've taken the gradual decaf route for now. I'm on one cup of 50/50 coffee in the morning and decaf later on the day. Still no idea when we'll get to start treatment, so the plan is to cut all this out before then.


----------



## Faithope (Jan 16, 2011)

*Myxini*  thank you-I have already told DH that as soon as baby is born, while he has his cuddle time, I will want the largest mug of tea and a massive bar of Dairy Milk! He thought I was joking  I plan to breastfeed so still have to be careful about what I eat and drink but I think after all I have been through, I deserve it  Good luck xx


----------



## star17 (Oct 31, 2012)

I don't really believe that one cup of coffee a day makes mch difference, but maybe 8 might!  Having said that - anything that makes you go into ivf with the right positivity I say go for it.  Therefore if you think having caffeine will not help - try to cut it out - then you will never have that 'what if' feeling.

Decaf wise - there are lots of decaf coffees that have the caffeine removed using water which are much better for you than the chemical process.  I love the decaf cafe direct coffee (found in any good Sainsburys nr you!).  

Faint hope - very impressed! Congratulations.  Only onequestion - is one bar of dairy milk enough?!  

JW3 - please don't beat yourself up over a decaf or two.  There is no way that made any difference - please don't beat yourself up.  I have an ectopic that I am hoping will soon be gone - but I can tell you when Ifound out - I had wine, coffee, cheese (not allowed sort!) and even some cigs.  Embie still there growing away.  No impact at all!!  

Myxini - I have cut right down from many many cups to only 1 a day (and For a while now not even that).  Down to fooling myself using decaf and powering through the headaches (that were not as bad as I didn't go cold turkey - that one cup made it not too bad).  I found going cold turkey too hard - but cutting out the last one a few weeks later not too bad.

Good luck on your journeys all.


----------



## Cornishtwinkle (Oct 1, 2012)

I went cold turkey 8 weeks ago - headaches for 3 days but feel so much better now and even though I'm off my detox, I haven't returned to coffee. Berry tea for me all day long ! Good luck


----------



## Faithope (Jan 16, 2011)

I think watching Food Unwrapped on CH4 next Monday explains the chemicals they put in to decaff drinks (not all I am sure as someone previously mentioned), they showed a bottle with a person on it with a cross through it meaning not to be ingested by humans, yet is put in decaff drinks! Will be interesting x


----------



## Myxini (May 22, 2013)

That will be interesting. I had a rummage around about Kenco Millicano decaf, since that's what I bought for now, and they do say they use the water method.


----------



## frizzbomb (Jun 28, 2013)

Same here! I'm more of a tea person than coffee but still struggling to cut down from my usual 7 cups a day! Gave up drink and junk food so tea is the only small pleasure I still had.. ah well gotta do what we gotta do I guess!  I'm down to 2 normal teas a day now and one decaff interspersed witg a couple of green teas so I feel I'm still getting a hot drink fix..  I've felt knackered without the old caffeine though!


----------



## mamochka (May 23, 2013)

Ladies, for those struggling to give up coffee, useful tip would be to try drinking chicory 'coffee' drink (could be found in health food stores like H&B and others). obviously it is not the same taste but for me it worked as replacement therapy. i only had headache for one day. tastes like instant coffee. it is also very good for digestion and liver. good luck!


----------

