Tapering off Coffee?

CyberSaint · 05-31-2009, 06:39 AM

As I have been at 8 mg of Paxil for a few days now, I'm noticing that after I drink my second cup of coffee, I am prone to "zaps." I had a very bad one yesterday. As the day progressed, the feeling of being tense and tight diminished. I'm thinking it is the caffeine in the coffee.

I LOVE coffee, but I love even more the idea of being healthier and being Paxil-free.

Has anyone else gotten to the place at which coffee became an issue? Did you drink something else, go to decaf, etc??

The support on this forum is great -- thanks guys (and gals)!

Jean56 · 05-31-2009, 08:38 AM

i haven't noticed it but a lot of people here get very sensitive to all kinds of things. you could try herbal tea.

LCrawford67 · 05-31-2009, 08:59 AM

I didn't touch coffee throughout my taper and not until about 6 months after I was off.

I loved and missed coffee so much and posted about it several times, LOL!! But, I eased my way back into it by starting off with Newman's Own Organic Decaf and that's what I'd suggest for you, too.

It's great tasting, organic, and you'll still get that "coffee fix" w/o the caffeine.

carolyn · 05-31-2009, 11:46 AM

Yep! I gave up caffeine completely about six months ago.

I'm normally pretty sensitive to it, but even my one cup of coffee and one Diet Coke per day was giving me jitters, headaches, etc.

I switched to decaf coffee/tea and to caffeine-free Diet Coke (my hubby still makes fun of me for that -- he calls it "brown water"

). Fortunately my brain isn't very smart

and when it tasted the decaf coffee, it still thought "oh, coffee! I should wake up now!".

I recently had to give up coffee completely, even decaf, because of heartburn and stomach issues.

I'm hoping to be able to add it back when the taper's over!

pokie · 05-31-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberSaint

As I have been at 8 mg of Paxil for a few days now, I'm noticing that after I drink my second cup of coffee, I am prone to "zaps." I had a very bad one yesterday. As the day progressed, the feeling of being tense and tight diminished. I'm thinking it is the caffeine in the coffee.

I LOVE coffee, but I love even more the idea of being healthier and being Paxil-free.

Has anyone else gotten to the place at which coffee became an issue? Did you drink something else, go to decaf, etc??

The support on this forum is great -- thanks guys (and gals)!

CS,
I dont touch the stuff soda or cofee caffinated. I will drink a decaf iced coffee and thats it. LC hasa good idea you sould probably try that.
Good Luck
Pokie

Songbird · 06-01-2009, 04:32 AM

Caffeine is a stimulant. Whether I can take it or not depends on my Paxil dose. At doses of 10mg or more I seem to need a couple of cups in the morning to become alert enough to work, I guess because paxil has a sedating effect. Last time I tapered I gave up both coffee and alcohol when my dose got down around 6 or 7 mg as they started affecting my ability to fall asleep at night. I switched to decaf coffee.

CyberSaint · 06-01-2009, 04:38 AM

As much as I hate the thought, I might have to taper my coffee as well. My maximum now is two cups -- it used to be four when I was taking 20 mg of Paxil. Making sure I have a good intake of water also seems to help take the edge off the caffeine. Decaf coffee to me is like drinking flat soda -- same stuff, but with a very important "zing" missing. Thanks for all the input!

rain · 06-01-2009, 11:56 AM

I love that first cup in the morning... occasionally two. (That's it for the day). One addiction that I don't want to give up!

onlylonely · 06-01-2009, 03:31 PM

oooh yes, this was a tough one for me, & yet surprisingly easy. tough because i LOVE coffee (especially my large in the morning), though easy because i simply couldn't take a nausea that came with it. i confused the crap out of the guy that serves me my large every morning when i started asking for tea, but i just couldn't bear what my stomach would feel like after after it. thankfully i adore chai tea & could appreciate that instead, but do i ever miss my caffeine!

i would -highly- recommend switching to tea. not only do i find it helps my stomach & my nerves, but it's simply healthier (at least compared to my double-double).

rain · 06-01-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onlylonely

oooh yes, this was a tough one for me, & yet surprisingly easy. tough because i LOVE coffee (especially my large in the morning), though easy because i simply couldn't take a nausea that came with it. i confused the crap out of the guy that serves me my large every morning when i started asking for tea, but i just couldn't bear what my stomach would feel like after after it. thankfully i adore chai tea & could appreciate that instead, but do i ever miss my caffeine!

i would -highly- recommend switching to tea. not only do i find it helps my stomach & my nerves, but it's simply healthier (at least compared to my double-double).

Of course the caffeine helps! But, it's the taste of the coffee that I like. Coffee with French Vanilla cream... hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! Sometimes at nite I'll think about my coffee in the a.m. Nutso... I know!
Yes to chai tea with whipped low fat milk... only second best though.

pokie · 06-01-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean56

i haven't noticed it but a lot of people here get very sensitive to all kinds of things. you could try herbal tea.

Sorry to hijack thread but Jean it looks like you are tapering fast.What are your tapers. Also you have been on ambien since 1998 and it still working? If I take it it only lasts for about an hour..

Pokie

pokie · 06-01-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rain

Of course the caffeine helps! But, it's the taste of the coffee that I like. Coffee with French Vanilla cream... hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!! Sometimes at nite I'll think about my coffee in the a.m. Nutso... I know!
Yes to chai tea with whipped low fat milk... only second best though.

Rain,
Babs is a big chai tea fan also.....I have to say I took a sip of hers and it was very good. I cannot have caffeine ....I can't even sleep as it is.
Pokie

LCrawford67 · 06-01-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rain

Of course the caffeine helps! But, it's the taste of the coffee that I like.

Me too, Rain! It's as much the taste as it is the caffeine. I was drinking coffee just fine, until recently, which is why I switched to the Newman's Own organic decaf.

I LOOOOOVE a good cup of Chai, though!

Pat Shields · 06-02-2009, 09:04 AM

Here's how I w/d from coffee (I tend to get gastritis every now and then); instead of my morning coffee I take 1/2 caffeine tablet, they are usually 200 mg so that means I take 100 mg, and orange juice or water or other non-caffeinated beverage. My body can tell the difference, don't get me wrong, but taking the caffeine prevents nausea and headache later in the day. I then taper from there, it is an easy taper. I just get a rush from the other things in coffee, the theobromines, etc. and I love the taste of good, black, unflavored coffee.

I have also quit coffee by drinking a substitute such as diet Mountain Dew or diet Pepsi instead.

I have TRIED to quit coffee cold turkey, but that has always proved more of a disaster for me than quitting Paxil cold turkey, and I am telling you the absolute truth here.

westeewoman · 06-02-2009, 02:09 PM

CyberSaint, I had problems with coffee jitters as i tapered (you can see i still have a long way to go). I started mixing half caf half decaf when I made it at home. Then I did decaf...then I had to just quit. But by then my caffeine intake was low enough that I didn't have too many problems. I miss it, but when I try even decaf, I get anxious.

05-31-2009, 06:39 AM	#1
CyberSaint Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: WV Posts: 119	Tapering off Coffee? As I have been at 8 mg of Paxil for a few days now, I'm noticing that after I drink my second cup of coffee, I am prone to "zaps." I had a very bad one yesterday. As the day progressed, the feeling of being tense and tight diminished. I'm thinking it is the caffeine in the coffee. I LOVE coffee, but I love even more the idea of being healthier and being Paxil-free. Has anyone else gotten to the place at which coffee became an issue? Did you drink something else, go to decaf, etc?? The support on this forum is great -- thanks guys (and gals)! __________________ CS Started -- 8/12/2000 30 mg -- 12/15/2005 20 mg -- 9/25/2006 15 mg -- 12/5/2008 14 mg -- 12/26/2008 12 mg -- 1/20/2009 10 mg -- 2/22/2009 12 mg -- 2/26/2009 10 mg -- 3/5/2009 9 mg -- 4/29/2009 8 mg -- 5/25/2009 7 mg -- 6/26/2009 Click for the Complete Serenity Prayer Last edited by CyberSaint : 05-31-2009 at 06:47 AM. Reason: typo

05-31-2009, 08:38 AM	#2
Jean56 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 584	Re: Tapering off Coffee? i haven't noticed it but a lot of people here get very sensitive to all kinds of things. you could try herbal tea. __________________ Paxil for depression since 1998; ambien for delayed sleep cycle since 1998. started tapering from 30 mgs Paxil in Dec. 08. Paxil free since July 7! Still on 10 mgs ambien for sleep issues.

05-31-2009, 08:59 AM	#3
LCrawford67 Moderator "Everybody poops" Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,493	Re: Tapering off Coffee? I didn't touch coffee throughout my taper and not until about 6 months after I was off. I loved and missed coffee so much and posted about it several times, LOL!! But, I eased my way back into it by starting off with Newman's Own Organic Decaf and that's what I'd suggest for you, too. It's great tasting, organic, and you'll still get that "coffee fix" w/o the caffeine. __________________ aka LC aka Laurie C. Paxil, 20 mg since 1997, for IBS Two unsuccessful attempts to quit. Started tapering 11/27/06 PAXIL FREE 12/29/07 If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants. ~Kevin James

05-31-2009, 11:46 AM	#4
carolyn Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,105	Re: Tapering off Coffee? Yep! I gave up caffeine completely about six months ago. I'm normally pretty sensitive to it, but even my one cup of coffee and one Diet Coke per day was giving me jitters, headaches, etc. I switched to decaf coffee/tea and to caffeine-free Diet Coke (my hubby still makes fun of me for that -- he calls it "brown water" ). Fortunately my brain isn't very smart and when it tasted the decaf coffee, it still thought "oh, coffee! I should wake up now!". I recently had to give up coffee completely, even decaf, because of heartburn and stomach issues. I'm hoping to be able to add it back when the taper's over! __________________ 10mg: 5/02 - 8/07 for panic disorder 20mg: 8/07 - 8/08 CBT: 8/07 - 2/08. Recommended! 1 unsuccessful taper in 7/08; went back to 20mg 2008: 8/2: 18.75mg 8/24: 17.25mg 9/28: 16.10mg 10/19: 15mg 11/9: 13.75mg 11/30: 12.5mg 12/21: 11.25mg 2009: 1/11: 10.6mg 2/1: 10mg 2/22: 9.4mg 3/6: 9.2mg (liquid) 3/29: 8.4mg 4/19: 7.6mg 5/10: 6.8mg 5/31: 6.2mg 6/21: 5.6mg 7/12: 5.1mg 8/2: 4.8mg 8/23: 4.4mg 9/13: 4mg 10/4: 3.7mg 10/25: 3.4mg 11/15: 3.1mg

06-01-2009, 04:32 AM	#6
Songbird Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 7,046	Re: Tapering off Coffee? Caffeine is a stimulant. Whether I can take it or not depends on my Paxil dose. At doses of 10mg or more I seem to need a couple of cups in the morning to become alert enough to work, I guess because paxil has a sedating effect. Last time I tapered I gave up both coffee and alcohol when my dose got down around 6 or 7 mg as they started affecting my ability to fall asleep at night. I switched to decaf coffee. __________________ Jul 01-Feb 02 Aropax Feb - Dec 03 Citalopram Jul 04 Aropax Jan 07 - Feb 08 20mg - 5mg Apr 4.5mg 5mg Jun 10mg zopiclone > seroquel Jul 20mg Aug + methionine Oct aropax > loxamine Dec off seroquel 7 Dec 17.5mg 30 Dec 15mg 24 Jan 12.5mg 16 Feb 10mg 10 May 9mg 30 May 8mg 5 July 7.5mg 2 Aug 7.25mg 1 Sep 7mg 9 Oct 6.75mg 8 Nov 6.5mg Appreciation is the antidote to stress - Trust is the antidote to fear

06-01-2009, 04:38 AM	#7
CyberSaint Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: WV Posts: 119	Re: Tapering off Coffee? As much as I hate the thought, I might have to taper my coffee as well. My maximum now is two cups -- it used to be four when I was taking 20 mg of Paxil. Making sure I have a good intake of water also seems to help take the edge off the caffeine. Decaf coffee to me is like drinking flat soda -- same stuff, but with a very important "zing" missing. Thanks for all the input! __________________ CS Started -- 8/12/2000 30 mg -- 12/15/2005 20 mg -- 9/25/2006 15 mg -- 12/5/2008 14 mg -- 12/26/2008 12 mg -- 1/20/2009 10 mg -- 2/22/2009 12 mg -- 2/26/2009 10 mg -- 3/5/2009 9 mg -- 4/29/2009 8 mg -- 5/25/2009 7 mg -- 6/26/2009 Click for the Complete Serenity Prayer

06-01-2009, 11:56 AM	#8
rain Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,888	Re: Tapering off Coffee? I love that first cup in the morning... occasionally two. (That's it for the day). One addiction that I don't want to give up! __________________ Currently 20mg Celexa 6/6/09 - 17mg appx. 7/6/09 - 15mg 9/7/09 - 12 1/2 appx. 10/24/09 10mg ...and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin

06-01-2009, 03:31 PM	#9
onlylonely Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 47	Re: Tapering off Coffee? oooh yes, this was a tough one for me, & yet surprisingly easy. tough because i LOVE coffee (especially my large in the morning), though easy because i simply couldn't take a nausea that came with it. i confused the crap out of the guy that serves me my large every morning when i started asking for tea, but i just couldn't bear what my stomach would feel like after after it. thankfully i adore chai tea & could appreciate that instead, but do i ever miss my caffeine! i would -highly- recommend switching to tea. not only do i find it helps my stomach & my nerves, but it's simply healthier (at least compared to my double-double). __________________ 2004: diagnosed with major depression & general anxiety 2004: prescribed paxil cr, 50mg & xanax 2006: stopped taking xanax, still reliant on paxil 2009: i want my sex-life & emotions back, let's get off these meds! 3/29/09: tapered 50mg to 37.5mg according to doctor's advice 4/12/09: 37.5mg to 25mg 5/20/09: 25mg to 18.75mg 6/18/09: switched to liquid prozac, 16mg 7/1/09: 14mg 8/1/09: 12mg 9/15/09: 10mg "This too shall pass."

06-02-2009, 09:04 AM	#14
Pat Shields Ms. Pee Pee!! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Missouri area Posts: 4,636	Re: Tapering off Coffee? Here's how I w/d from coffee (I tend to get gastritis every now and then); instead of my morning coffee I take 1/2 caffeine tablet, they are usually 200 mg so that means I take 100 mg, and orange juice or water or other non-caffeinated beverage. My body can tell the difference, don't get me wrong, but taking the caffeine prevents nausea and headache later in the day. I then taper from there, it is an easy taper. I just get a rush from the other things in coffee, the theobromines, etc. and I love the taste of good, black, unflavored coffee. I have also quit coffee by drinking a substitute such as diet Mountain Dew or diet Pepsi instead. I have TRIED to quit coffee cold turkey, but that has always proved more of a disaster for me than quitting Paxil cold turkey, and I am telling you the absolute truth here.

06-02-2009, 02:09 PM	#15
westeewoman Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 945	Re: Tapering off Coffee? CyberSaint, I had problems with coffee jitters as i tapered (you can see i still have a long way to go). I started mixing half caf half decaf when I made it at home. Then I did decaf...then I had to just quit. But by then my caffeine intake was low enough that I didn't have too many problems. I miss it, but when I try even decaf, I get anxious. __________________ [size="1"]Paxil 1993-1998 poop-out/ct Celexa 1998-2005 poop-out/ct Cymbalta 60 mg July, 2005 last propranolol 15 mg/day April 6, 2007 last Serax 10 mg/day April 6, 2007 Cymbalta 60 mg 8/23/07 to 50.5 mg on 2/24/08 in six drops Cymbalta 49.0mg 3/26/2008 to 40mg 2/6/2009 in nine drops Cymbalta 38.5mg 4/15/2009 Cymbalta 36.0 5/15/2009 Cymbalta 35.6. 9/15/2009[ Cymbalta 35.0 10/15/2009 /SIZE]

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