Stimulants [not sure this is even a thing, but] Anyone Ever Tapered Off Caffeine?

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I don't abuse it or take caffeine pills or anything. I probably average 4 cups of coffee a day (although, they are 16oz mugs and I do have it pretty strong).
Never really thought anything of it apart from that caffeine goes really well with Gabapentin.

Weekly "big shop" was delivered today. We were totally out of regular coffee so I'd only have one mug today and it was decaf. I've been REALLY exhausted all day. Everything aches and just moving at all feels like a huge effort. I have several chronic health problems so I put it down to that. But (it's 5pm) I just had one of my regular big/strong coffees like 20 mins ago and I already feel like 50% better than I did.

I hate the idea of being dependant enough on caffeine that it affects basic functioning if I don't have it, but I don't wanna just quit either as I've felt so shit all day. Anyone know of a kind of taper guide?

 

[someguyontheinternet]

Just taper it like anything else, small amounts at a time and give yourself like a week to adapt to the new dose. I make my coffee by measuring the weight of both beans and water and keep the ratio consistent so its pretty easy to taper off as long as you keep everything controlled. If you buy your coffee or have other people make it the dose can be an inconsistent crap shoot

 

[lecroute]

[not sure this is even a thing, but]​

It is, I have been around several people who wanted to reduce their caffeine consumption and many chose not go from 100 to 0 at once. The ones who did were either totally useless or impossible to deal with for several days.
I think tapering is the way to go.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

Just taper it like anything else, small amounts at a time and give yourself like a week to adapt to the new dose. I make my coffee by measuring the weight of both beans and water and keep the ratio consistent so its pretty easy to taper off as long as you keep everything controlled. If you buy your coffee or have other people make it the dose can be an inconsistent crap shoot

Like, measure the coffee grounds I add to the machine? I normally add 5 tablespoons (to make two 16oz mugs)...so maybe try adding 4 or 4.5?

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

It is, I have been around several people who wanted to reduce their caffeine consumption and many chose not go from 100 to 0 at once. The ones who did were either totally useless or impossible to deal with for several days.
I think tapering is the way to go.

Yeah, I turn into a raging bitch-monster shat out from the deepest bowels of hell if I go like 4-5 hours without a cigarette. I imagine the caffeine thing might be similar.

 

[lecroute]

Yeah, I turn into a raging bitch-monster shat out from the deepest bowels of hell if I go like 4-5 hours without a cigarette. I imagine the caffeine thing might be similar.

My best friend in high school was like that. Both caffeine and nicotine. I Renner well the many times we had to stop whatever we were doing just because she ran out of cigarettes and she had to go buy some. Her without her two cups of coffee in the morning was another drama, it was like being around a sleeping dragon you didn't want to wake up.

 

[someguyontheinternet]

I use a ratio of 15g water for every 1g of beans ground with a burr grinder set at a specific grind size for my pour over

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

I have found measuring coffee something I really can't do. I just pour the stuff and I can't follow any guidelines. And when I have brewed massive pot so that I can decide to save rest for next morning, I always drink the pot empty with no exception the same day. If you don't hate the taste, consider transitioning to black tea. I could ration my coffee consumption before I developed the deep end amphetamine addiction, but after that I have not had any control, really.

There is one study implying you can stave off most of withdrawals on 1/3 of caffeine dose you are used to. So, in theory, black tea does just fine.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

My best friend in high school was like that. Both caffeine and nicotine. I Renner well the many times we had to stop whatever we were doing just because she ran out of cigarettes and she had to go buy some. Her without her two cups of coffee in the morning was another drama, it was like being around a sleeping dragon you didn't want to wake up.

It's weird 'cause I'm normally super chill. Even in withdrawal from tranquilizers like alcohol, benzo's, barbiturates, opioids. It's very specific to nicotine that I have that reaction.
Or, or Soma (Carisoprodol). I can't take that because I have a paradoxical RAGE reaction. I took ONE 350mg tablet and couldn't stop screaming. Smashed up some furniture. Had to be restrained by my brother until EMTs arrived and shot me up with Lorazepam (luckily! They nearly shot me up with 5mg Haldol, but my brother convinced them 5mg Lorazepam would be enough).

 

[lecroute]

I have found measuring coffee something I really can't do. I just pour the stuff and I can't follow any guidelines. And when I have brewed massive pot so that I can decide to save rest for next morning, I always drink the pot empty with no exception the same day. If you don't hate the taste, consider transitioning to black tea. I could ration my coffee consumption before I developed the deep end amphetamine addiction, but after that I have not had any control, really.

There is one study implying you can stave off most of withdrawals on 1/3 of caffeine dose you are used to. So, in theory, black tea does just fine.

I drank so much bad brewed coffee at some time that nowadays I prefer not to drink coffee at all if there is no other choice. More often than not there some black tea available, and I fing it makes a good substitute.
I had an espresso machine once (those who grind the coffee per cup before preparing it) and my BF of that time was an expert in finding everyone's special amount and grade. I just punched the button, no matter what the settings. Now that I have reduced my material.poessions to a minimum I go with instant coffee. And the occasional Nespresso when I'm at my mom's.
Every now and then I stop drinking coffee and switch to tea for a few weeks, because I always need change (keeps the mind flexible).

So I guess black tea is def helpful here.

 

[Arnold]

In addition, research suggests that caffeine causes increased turnover of several feel-good neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline — all of which are involved in depression. These effects may also help explain why caffeine acts as a mild antidepressant for many people

Cold turkey, plus never take caffinated drinks right before or after a meal wait for an hour.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

basically cold-turkey what I also consider averaging best approach for stimulants; but other approaches could be also explored if other fail.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

I feel like black tea is like 2,7 % beer, I barely get motivated of its power. Whereas coffee is like wine or liquour.

 

[Jnowhere]

Severe caffeine withdrawal sucks. If it is real bad, headache of massive proportions, and other issues, taper

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

yeah, most other stimulants do not commonly cause same kind of agonizing withdrawals, that is true

 

[dopamimetic]

I get no effects at all from caffeine, even when I take 6 cups of strong coffee I get just a little ADHD like jitteriness. Not even real wakefulness, sometimes I drink a cup and can go straight to bed. I also don't seem to get withdrawal, sometimes I feel tired until I take my first cup, but more often not. I can skip days. Wish caffeine was better for me.

 

[Jnowhere]

Try drinking pot after pot of coffee each day for months, caffeined of course, and then stop. You'll be in for an unpleasant surprise.

 

[tryptakid]

L-Theanine (found in tea, but can also be purchased as a supplement) has a modulating effect on caffeine causing it to lengthen its duration of effect while diminishing potency. You could start to switch out tea for some of the coffee you're drinking. At this point, I generally only have a cup of coffee when I first get up, and then it's usually green tea mixed into juice/seltzer with ice for me after that.

 

[Jnowhere]

I just avoid caffeine, the withdrawal headache I got; really fucked me up and I was use to alcohol withdrawals and yet that incident with caffeine withdrawal, scared me bad.

 

[Conky]

Yes

caffeine pills combined with hordenine hcl to prolong the effects from small dose