Question:
I'm a serious caffeine addict. Should I try to break the habit?

Should I try to wean myself off caffeine before surgery? I'm getting TERRIBLE headaches. Or should I just plan on breaking the addiction during my immediate post-op recovery when I'll have morphine to help me?    — Kathy J. (posted on September 4, 2001)

September 4, 2001
I definately would if I were you. The reason is after the operation its very hard to get enough liquids in each day and caffine is a diruetic and will make you dehydrated in no time. I used to love my coffee. But after the operation I found that my creamer made me nauseas anyway and I really didnt like it without. So I have switched to decaf herbal teas in the morning. There good for me and are good for getting my liquids in. I like to add honey and OJ to them. It should be easy to do after you come home from the hospital because all your routines have been interupted. Good luck.
   — Jolie M.

September 4, 2001
Stop Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am 1 month and 2 weeks away from my surgery and it has been a month and a half since I have had a COKE! That to me is like saying I was a drug addict and I haven't had drugs in a month and a half. I was a major Coca-Cola addict. I drank about 5 cokes a day at work and a few at night and I lost count on the weekends. So for me to go cold-turkey was a MAJOR ordeal. But.....YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be so much easier to do it now than later I promise and actually it has made me feel good about myself. I look at that accomplishment and think wow I did that I know I am ready to take on the next challenge of this surgery. Just so ya know. Last night my brother was fixing himself a huge glass of coke and I decided to take a micro-sip. It tasted gross! So I guess I am done with them for sure! GOOOOOOOOD Luck to ya! You can do it!
   — Rachel E.

September 4, 2001
I didn't stop drinking coffee or soda when I was pre-op. After surgery, I didn't crave it at all. While in the hospital I didn't even think about eating or drinking anything and now the thought of soda or coffee makes me sick. It was hard to believe the posters that wrote that they no longer craved their most favorite foods, but it is so true (at least for me too.)
   — Dawn H.

September 5, 2001
I agree with the post below. I loved my diet dr pepper before surgery. Now I have NO desire for it. I tried a bottle of it about a week ago and it made me sick. Tasted like nothing but nutrasweet. PRe op - I would get headaches from lack of caffeine, but now I don't get any and I notice that I don't go to the bathroom as often nor do I crave it. The hospital stay was very cleansing for me in that respect.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 5, 2001
My doctor requires you be off caffine for at least 2 weeks before surgery. What I have started doing is mixing decaf and caf coffee and slowly start lowering the amount of caf coffee and increasing the decaf. You can do the same with tea. This should help your body withdrawl without all the side effects. God Bless you!
   — Kim M.

September 5, 2001
I went through my caffein detox while I was recovering in the hospital for 5 days. After that I was fine. I didn't have the headaches or anything. Or maybe I just couldn't feel them because of the pain meds. I drink decaf coffee now and no pop whatsoever.
   — Meredith A.

September 5, 2001
I see this is a minority opinion, but my surgeon says nothing against caffeine. In fact, they brought me regular coffee at my first 'meal.' I have, however, had to stop caffeine myself due to heart beat irregularities -- but I drank the real stuff for a year postop with no problems.
   — Cindy H.

September 5, 2001
I was a Dr. Pepper (diet) drinker as well as coffee drinker. Every time I decaffinate myself I go through the withdrawl headaches. Twice the withdrawl was post-op and even morphine didn't help those headaches, just my caffine fix. It really is up to you when you want to decaffinate.
   — Sandy W.

May 3, 2002
I kicked the caffine habit years ago and it was difficult at first. The way I did it was to start out in the morning with caffine-free drinks. As the day progressed and I started to get a headache I would get a drink with caffine and then go back to caffine free until the next headache. So slowly I was drinking less caffine but drinking enough to stopped the headaches. I was caffine-free in 7 days.
   — Carol D.

July 7, 2002
KICK THE HABIT! Caffine dehydrates you. Sorry, but caffine will dehydrate you. Once your body gets dehydrated, you begin to retain water because your body is trying to cling onto what fluid it has. Water retention along with dehydration can lead to serios health issues. I am almost 3 wks post-op and it is hard enough getting a total of 64 oz of fluids in per day, if I had caffine than I would have to drink/eat more liquids, that would be too hard to do. You will see after surgery you are not that hungry and have to look at the clock to remember to eat. I would make small changes right now with the caffine, maybe start with changing to decaf pop, or decaf coffee. I was never a big pop drinker, but tea drinker, I switched to decaf tea months ago, before surgery I probably had 1 can of pop per day, if that. Good luck to you!
   — stacjean

January 1, 2004
i was a serious caffeine addict; i weaned myself off by having one diet coke with tylenol each morning for 1 week, then quit.
   — sharon P.

Click Here to Return