I have given up caffeine in the past and it is a brutal thing getting off with the head aches and overall not feeling good but in the long run you do feel better and more pure so to speak. I have not done this since I have developed this condition or my other but one doctor suggested taking some extra type of vitamin c and only cutting down by a certain amount and doing that evey few days. I am not sure if you take otc meds but that may help with the hang over for a short term. As for my pain levels sometimes I see direct connections but for me sometimes it is random. I always say if I knew sometimes I would do the same thing every day for a good pain day.