Hi.

I am supposed to give up coffee due to GI problems. Probably I should give it up for good, but at least until symptoms subside.

I am SOO not up for it. I am a TOTAL coffee addict! And I make no apology for that... I just don't want to give it up! I'm addicted to the taste, but I'm especially, and in a big way, addicted to the caffeine.
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I am not willing to go cold-turkey on the caffeine. (Actually, I tried... it isn't happening. )
I know, I'm a total wuss. I do want to get well, but wow. Losing my coffee feels like I'm losing the air I breathe.
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So, anyway, as of today, I will be doing half-caf coffee. (I will make it with half decaf and half regular -- I use instant so I can vary proportions on the fly.) The intent is to make it weaker and weaker, and finally stop drinking it -- if necessary. I don't like decaf, but half-caf is drinkable... this can be a bridge.

I wanted a place where I could keep track of what I am doing with it, and any thoughts on the process... maybe even symptoms or the lack of them.

Thought welcome.

waves

I forget, is caffiene a trigger for your migraines?

No. Nothing to do with that.

I hear you Waves. I don't do everything a doctor tells me to do. I'll listen,and make the choice,or compromise,or flat out not do it.

The way I look at it is a doctor is just another person. He,or she is making a educated guess,but they could be wrong,or partially wrong.

A doctor telling you to stop drinking coffee is pretty drastic. BF

Yes, that is what I do, too. We have to think for ourselves... and in the end it is our bodies. IN this case, I'm kind of aware that I need to intervene on the coffee, but it is going to very hard for me. I've had to do it before... it is always very hard.
Yep, it feels reeeeeeally drastic!

It is documented that caffeinated coffee is supposed to be bad for people with reflux, but I think I tolerate it better than most. A few years back I had a problem where I couldn't tolerate lots of foods (caused pain). Coffee regular strength bothered me a little but 'weak' coffee felt ok. My stomach healed -- I was able to resume eating all foods -- so my watered down coffee must have been ok.

So yes, he could be "partially wrong" here -- I hope. He said that the no-no foods vary from one person to another, but that coffee is a no-no for all. Hmmm... methinks perhaps it less bad for some than for others? Mehopes! I might be overly optimistic because I dont' want to let go of it. We will see how I fare with reduced/weaker coffee, like the last time.

It if I get used to less caffeine, it will be easier to stop if I need to. Lately I've been drinking tons of it, up to 4-5 cups a day. That's too much anyway. I am a true addict when it comes to caffeine.

Thanks for the support, Steve.

I figure I need some goals.

Working current goals are to:

1. consume no more than 2 cups per day of caffeinated coffee of the strength I've been using. (Later will reduce to 1 cup)

2. consume said amounts 'diluted' into multiple cups of half-calf or 1/3-caf coffee, rather than all at once.

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Today is Day #2 of 28, of the PPI medication.

So far I've had one cup of half-caf. Am about to make another, which will bring my caffeinated total to 1 cup out of 2 allowed.

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While I'm cutting down, in order to minimize the impact on my stomach, I am mostly taking my coffee without sugar (I still use milk if drunk hot). I don't want to make this a rule, so I can have a sweet cup every now and then, but will be careful with those.

waves

I apologize if this (or something else I said) was misleading. I believe I have given the impression that I'm following doctors orders re: the coffee. Not the case.

The doctor did not order me to give up coffee, nor even reduce it, nothing. Sorry if I caused confusion by relating his stance on coffee/caffeine.

I am aware that coffee, among other things, aggravates the health problem I have. I am making several dietary changes to get better fastter. I started the limitations/changes when the doctor gave me the PPI. Getting the medicine was an additional motivator for me. I want to facilitate the therapeutic effects of the medicine. This is only sensible.

None of these changes are particularly agreable to me, but all are manageable. Limiting coffee, on the other hand, is excruciatingly hard. Hence the thread.

waves

I drank two other cups of half-caf today (one when I woke up in the afternoon, one after dinner). So, I've hit my quota for today. Assuming I don't drink any more (not a given, by any means ) I will not have exceeded the current limit. I will try to be good.

I didn't eat ice-cream tonight. That was good.

waves

Sorry if it's a silly question, but is it the coffee or the caffeine?

Can you still have some green tea or does that give you tummy troubles too?

Hi Lara!

I officially authorize you to say "I told you so!" because you asked about reflux and I said, oh no, can't be that, no way, or something... lol. Well, jury's out on whether it explains all the fizziness and prickliness and mouth and eye tearing... but imho it could be the indirect cause. It is definitely present however! (It turns out, it explains other, unrelated symptoms that I definitely have -- chest pain, cough.)

It's coffee and caffeine, both but the caffeine is a big culprit. I'm still looking into how bad decaf actually is, but I'm not too interested in drinking decaf by itself anyway, unless we can find a really good brand. Half-caf still tastes relatively normal to me. If I have to cut out all of the regular coffee, I'll drink something different.

My best guess is that green tea is ok.... when I feel like having it I suppose I'll find out. I am not having it often enough at the moment to worry about it though.

In terms of other beverages, there are many I can have, but coffee is the one I'll miss. Eventually, if I find I can't have it at all, I'll definitely miss tea as well. Coffee is the biggie right now because I literally "use" it like drug.

When I get into a tea mode, I'll drink tea, say in the affternoon and no coffee. However, if I need a caffeine fix then, I will drink A BOATLOAD of tea.. and I can't exactly do that any more, either. With green tea, it would take rivers of it to get that much caffeine.... lol.

Good to see you. I was going to PM you to invite you to tell me I told you so, LOL.

waves