Quitting Diet Cokes...maybe

[Ole Cowboy]

Day 3 - I woke up slightly better in some ways. The all-over body pain is much reduced, though that may be due to the aspirin and Advil.

The biggest problem so far is the weakness. It hit me hard yesterday afternoon and continues today. I feel weak as a kitten. Just taking out the trash this morning left me wanting a nap.

Basically, I still feel like I'm coming down with a bad flu. I know I'm not so I'll keep on keepin' on but, sheesh, this whole situation sucks.

Sorry to hear and I can identify...

You might try Alieve if you have not done so. Its part of the sodium naproxen family of pain meds, works for me at 'wonder drug' status. Advil which is a ibuprofen has near zero effect on me. But worse is the stuff has so many side effects that it should not be sold to the public across the counter (quote from my doctor). I was on it for years and wish I had never see it, it destroyed my guts...

 

[winchster]

Sorry to hear and I can identify...

You might try Alieve if you have not done so. Its part of the sodium naproxen family of pain meds, works for me at 'wonder drug' status. Advil which is a ibuprofen has near zero effect on me. But worse is the stuff has so many side effects that it should not be sold to the public across the counter (quote from my doctor). I was on it for years and wish I had never see it, it destroyed my guts...

If you think ibuprofen is bad for you, naproxen (Aleve) is worse.
Potentially.

I've never been allergic to anything, yet 1 night I suddenly became allergic to naproxen. (Apparently it's common)
Throat swelled nearly shut, hives, the works. If I hadn't taken the benadryl in time it could have been ugly. Needless to say I no longer allow that stuff in my house.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

If you think ibuprofen is bad for you, naproxen (Aleve) is worse.
Potentially.

I've never been allergic to anything, yet 1 night I suddenly became allergic to naproxen. (Apparently it's common)
Throat swelled nearly shut, hives, the works. If I hadn't taken the benadryl in time it could have been ugly. Needless to say I no longer allow that stuff in my house.

I know and it all affects each of us a bit different. Standard dose for Aleve is 2 tabs, I take one and only a few times have ever needed 2. Its truly is a wonder drug for me even at the half dose level, so I have few side effects. But the prufens, WOW, useless to me, no effect at all even prescription grade, better off eating a jelly bean.

 

[gdouthit]

I decided starting today I am quiting all suger and caffine. Time to drop a few more pounds =)

 

[benenglish]

Lessee if I understand this. I'm in pain but Aleve, Excedrin, and Ibuprofen are all bad for me.

Does that mean I should raid my sis's morphine?

 

[winchster]

Excedrin will give you some caffeine to help when you get a headache from withdrawal


That was why I mentioned it.

 

[dwsintxs]

I am a junkie. My drug of choice is any of the following. Coke (the drink), Dr. Pepper, Root Beer. I can't quit them. Especially the root beer.

Set a real beer and a root beer in front of me, and I'll grab the root beer. This is how far I've sunk. . . It's shameful, I know. LOL

Also, I am a chocoholic

 

[Ole Cowboy]

So you want to kick the sugar, not so hard: Switch to 100% PURE Stevia for your use in teas and daily stuff.

So you love Apple pie (or whatever, could be Root Beer). Buy a pie or a 6 pack of Root Beer what ever and you now have two choices:

Cut the pie into slices and eat a slice a day for 8 days, or drink 1 root beer a day for 6 days.

BONK, wrong answer, you will never satisfy cravings like that. Best bet, sit down and eat the entire pie at one sitting, drink all 6 of those root beers.

Does it work, absolutely: For one, you will take in a lot less calories that way than eating a slice a day, your body can only absorb so many cals. Secondly it will satisfy your craving for that product for about a month to 3 months, longer sometimes (this is based upon personal experience) When I get a craving for something I go for it, gorge on it, then its months later I want it again.

Certainly works for me...

 

[benenglish]

When I get a craving for something I go for it, gorge on it, then its months later I want it again.

Certainly works for me...

I did that once with bagels. I made myself deathly ill via over-consumption. It was years before I wanted another one.

I once tried the same strategy to quit soft drinks but it didn't work. I simply couldn't take in enough to satisfy the craving, much less make myself sick.

BTW - It's day 5 (I think) and I've managed to limit myself to 1 or 2 Diet Cokes (12 oz.) each day so far. I decided to try the "tapering off" strategy since the symptoms were so severe.

I still feel sick but this morning it's (maybe, I'm not sure) a tad better. Head still aches, though.

 

[Burnt Jeep]

I didn't give up sodas all together, but I don't drink caffeine or sugary drinks after lunch. I did it to get a better nights sleep and so far it is working really well.

 

[benenglish]

...I don't drink caffeine or sugary drinks after lunch. I did it to get a better nights sleep and so far it is working really well.

No one's mentioned that yet in this thread, including me. That's an oversight. I'm really curious to see how cutting caffeine impacts my sleep quality.

 

[breakingcontact]

I didn't give up sodas all together, but I don't drink caffeine or sugary drinks after lunch. I did it to get a better nights sleep and so far it is working really well.

This sounds like a reasonable compromise.

 

[Bucky_Badger]

I cut that garbage out of my diet completely. started losing weight and sleeping better.

 

[dwsintxs]

I have tried that 'binge' thing mentioned in a post above, and all it does is 'up' my tolerance and makes me want to binge every day. I have been able to cut out the soft drinks in the evenings and as a result I sleep better and I'm not up 3 X every night to piss . . .

 

[dwsintxs]

Interestingly enough though. . . I was a 2 pack a day smoker in the 70's and 80's and one day in 1989 I said to myself (as I was about to light up), 'why am I doing this? I am a non-smoker!' and I tossed the cigarette and the pack I'd just bought and the lighter into the trash, and have never touched a cigarette since, and have never, not even once, had a craving. . . what did it? hypnosis.

strangely though, the hypno hasn't worked for me on the sweet drinks and sugar. I rarely drink alcohol, and can't stand the taste of beer.

 

[benenglish]

Today started out sort of OK so I cut back on the OTC pain meds and tried drinking just one Diet Coke. I pushed it too far. I gradually got sicker as the day went on and now I'm hot (despite the fact that I'm in a cold house), weak as a kitten, and my head is exploding. I just downed another Diet Coke. I don't have an OTC pain reliever with caffeine or I'd take that too.

Breaking bad habits always sucks, doesn't it?

 

[bones_708]

Today started out sort of OK so I cut back on the OTC pain meds and tried drinking just one Diet Coke. I pushed it too far. I gradually got sicker as the day went on and now I'm hot (despite the fact that I'm in a cold house), weak as a kitten, and my head is exploding. I just downed another Diet Coke. I don't have an OTC pain reliever with caffeine or I'd take that too.

Breaking bad habits always sucks, doesn't it?

You may actually be sick also. If you can tolerate aspirin I have always found it to be the best "Headache" medicine despite out cultures newer is better fetish and it certainly has less harmful side effects. Caffeine makes any painkiller more effective for headaches which is why Excedrin works so well. I'm cutting back my soda intake after just quitting smoking just a little while ago so I feel you pain, I have to say I never drank as much as you do even if I was a 4 to 8 soda a day person so I haven't felt nearly as bad as you are and some of my issues were sugar related. Even so your reaction seems extreme and if I was you I think I might stop by a doctor just to make sure everything is OK. Headaches should be expected but the fever and weakness?

 

[benenglish]

You may actually be sick also. ... Headaches should be expected but the fever and weakness?

You may have a point, especially since a mildly sore throat is happening, too. However, I only feel hot. The thermometer says I'm fine. I'm going to take two more aspirin with water and hit the sack.

I'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

If you guys and especially you diabetics want to lose weight, feel better and get you diabetic issues under control as in your A1C, mine if 5.3 here is how I did it:

This also applies to the women folk:

Breakfast: Bowl of mixed fresh fruit. Right now its strawberries, blueberries, mango, apple, banana, but mostly what is in seasons, a bowl full. Egg scrambled, fried or omelet, 2 eggs with salmon or ham cooked with COCONUT oil

Lunch: Bowl of soup and some left over meat from supper

Supper: Bison, Elk, Feral Hog, Goat, Salmon, Tuna, Oysters and GRASS FED beef and pork meats, fresh salad (pecans, cabbage, squash, carrots, celery, brocoli, spring onions, kale and just about everything in the produce section, sprinkle with any pungent cheese, Blue, Feta, Mexican) Salad dressing: Balsamic vinegar, oils - olive, avocado, walnut, hazelnut, coconut, pecan, (all oils are unrefined, cold pressed); lemon juice, lime juice

Late night snack: Fresh pineapple, watermelon

Portions: This is basically eat all you want, eat to be full

Drink: Lots of water, but I have my cup of Joe in the am, then drink herbal teas thru the day sweetened with 100% pure Stevia. Some of my favs are True Blueberry, Raspberry and Black Cherry, no caffeine, loaded with anti toxicants and inexpensive (Celestial, Lipton's etc all down at Wal Mart) I usually have 3 -4 cups hot per day.

Canned veggies, pasta, bread, rice, wheat, soy (anything), refined products such as sugar, flour, etc...JUST SAY NO! Leave the junk behind.

Yes I love my Mexican Coke, and enjoy them so much after a long hot day here on the ranch. I will drink about a case a year, yes we still go to the Chinese buffet and the Golden corral buffet and eat out plenty, LOVE my Whataburgers. Still eat bacon, in fact there is nothing I still don't eat, just don't eat or do it on a daily basis, its not so much WHAT you eat, but how often you eat it!

I do not go hungry, don't miss a meal and do not miss any of the goodies I have eaten all my life.

My wife: Well none of this has had much effect on her. She is still 5' 8", 132 lbs, +/- 2 lbs since she was 18, she even has a pair of jeans she wore for her 18th birthday party that she will wear from time to time...

I am nearly 70, every 6 months I have all my stuff checked by the doc. Everything they check for in a blood/pizz test, about 2 pages of stuff I am center of normal, weighed this am @ 192.3 lbs on my 6' 2" frame, wear size 34 Levis...

Now let me tell you about my days when almost NOTHING was in normal limits in my blood work. Cholesterol ran 800 +++, I weighed in at 212 and ran 5+ miles a day, often 2x. Granted I have never struggled with weight, but when I hit late 40's I was always at the top of the weight range for my age and height. Diabetes hit me in the late 90's and I struggled to keep it in check with A1C running in the high 6 to low 7's. Normal is low 5's where I am today.


Wife and I adopted the above approach about a year ago as a result of growing weight I was then around 220, struggle with diabetes. I was taking 1000 mg of Metaformin 2x day, since then I have gone down to 500 2x and now the doc has me on 200 2x...

I hope this serves as some motivation for you the readers in this thread...

 

[benenglish]

I hope this serves as some motivation for you the readers in this thread...

It does and there's a lot of good information there.

Just one tiny correction - It's only been within the last few years that the A1c level that's officially considered "controlled" has dropped from 6.5 to 6. Most endos still don't make changes until they see two consecutive A1c's, 6 months apart, over 7.

You're in the low 5's so, as a fellow diabetic, I can only say you have my great respect. That's a huge achievement.