Lifetime Caffeine A Holic

My name is Jim.. I am a lifetime caffeine addict.. In order to have a good understanding of my problem, I need to give a bit of background to my situation..

I have very few memories from my childhood regarding water, except a few arguments I had with my parents who wanted me to drink more water.. and as a stubborn kid, refused.. I just couldn't stand the taste (or lack of it) in my younger years.

It all started when I was in my late teens.. when my Dr Pepper addiction really began.. It all started out as an innocent few a week.. then a few a day.. and went only up from there with little to no self control. I was a wiry skinny kid.. with the metabolism of a hummingbird, so weight gain was never a factor, at least not during that phase of my life.

I never liked the taste of coffee (ever) and only tried 3-5 cups in my life (just to make sure).. this may have been a saving grace..

I went thru rest of school.. and began my work life with the old faithful can of Dr Pepper by my side (almost constantly) and thru much of my career consumed never (rarely) less than 8-10 cans of DP in a day, sometimes upwards of 12-15. This went on for several years.. until I met my now wife and got married. She never had a high impression regarding soda, and I only made that worse.

Also along the line, along with my Dr Pepper addiction, as well as a healthy appetite for various foods, my weight went up a bit.. I wouldn't say I'm obese, but probably 20 or so pounds overweight (in this, I actually feel a bit lucky). I credit my wife for this rather than claim some form of self control, as she is a healthy cook, and doesn't like a lot of meats or fatty foods.

Finally.. after years and years of the Dr Pepper legacy.. I gave up stocking it at home, and would only drink it from the local convenient store, or when on business trips (12 pack in the hotel room). but in this fashion, managed to only consume 3-5 Dr Peppers a week.

Which has evolved to now.. I stock Dr Pepper at home, but only have a single 16.9 oz bottle in the morning as a kick start, and another 2-3 when out and about during the week.

Also, as I cut down on Dr Pepper, I started drinking home brewed iced tea (with light to moderate amount of sugar).. about 2 years ago, have switched to iced Green Tea (sweetened with Truvia). A 20 oz glass of the latter has become my constant companion now.. and lately (last few weeks) have been consuiming quite a bit more water, which sometimes feels more refreshing than the tea.


I am now approaching my mid 40s.. I have sleep apnea (I believe mainly due to slight overweight factor) and my metabolism seems shot. and any amount of soda or tea doesn't phase me at all.. I can consume any amount of any caff beverage, and be ready to sleep almost anytime/anywhere.

I have tried a couple of times over the last couple of years to take caffeine supplements (NoDoz or Stay Awake) which is a 200mg supplement with no noticeable effect (at least heart rate or my general feeling of being awake). A couple of weeks ago I decided to try an extreme nodoz experiment.. so while checking my pulse periodically.. I took 2 pills (400mg caffeine).. no effect.. waited 2-3 hours.. took 2 more pills (no effect).. waited 2-3 hours.. took 2 more pills.. after the 3rd big dose.. I still had no increase at all of my heart rate, but I started feeling sick to my stomach and queasy.. I quit the pills and started feeling better a few hours later.. but in reading on-line determined these to be early symptoms of a caffeine overdose..

I have also been trying to take some cayenne pepper and green tea extracts to improve my metabolism.. I don't feel any worse energy wise, but not appreciably better.

I have deemed myself immune to the effects of caffeine, which I once considered to be beneficial (heart rate, focus & concentration, etc).

Now that I have given my life story, I'm not 100% sure what started the tirade.. but some questions that I have still remain regarding caffeine and alertness, as well as boosts in metablism.

I guess on caffeine am wondering if it will ever have the alertness effect it once bore, or will it just be another ingredient in the bottle with no effect?

regarding metabolism, I feel that I'm handicapped due to my lifetime of heedless drinking binges of my sugar laden caffeinated soda.. Is cayenne and green tea extracts the best option for improving my general feeling of constant fatigue?

Regards,
Jim

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In regards to re-establishing your caffeine tolerance levels, I think after taking an extended break from it (a month or longer), your tolerance levels will drop down. What's the longest duration you've gone without it?

Most brands of green tea also have caffeine in them, so if you're trying to beat chronic fatigue, you may be better off with juicing fruits and veggies daily. Cayenne pepper is great with lemons and honey in water; but I personally find that ginger is a great addition to apple juice and kiwi for a strong pick me up. The ginger tends to have a stimulating effect.

I hope this helps! Anyone else have advice?

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David,
Thank you so much for your reply.

Regarding complete abstinence, my first thought was there was a month back in 1996 (on a bet) and went without the Dr Pepper for a full calendar month.. However I was allowed to drink tea as a condition of the bet.. That said, I have never gone more than 2-3 days without for last (gulp) almost 30 years (gulp indeed)...

I think I will try the 4-6 weeks with no DP, Tea or chocolate.. and see if that restores..

Thanks for the tip on the alternatives.. I will likely draw on them during the caffeine downtime.. but I think the most important thing is to keep water as my primary hydration (and not just for the 4-6 weeks).. I just wish I had listened to mom&dad so many years back..

I will post again as time goes by with my progress, difficulties, screams of pain and final results.

Thanks and Regards,
Jim

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