I'm addicted to coke! (the fizzy stuff)

[Angiel]

Since I became pregnant with my eldest dd 6 years ago, I have drunk loads of coke. It was the only thing that helped my morning sickness.

I ran out of coke on Sunday and had a terrible headache all day. It went immediately I managed to get hold of some coke in the evening. I'm assuming it is the caffeine that is causing the problems and wondered if there is any easy way to wean myself off.

[EmmaTMG]

I had something similar happen recently but with tea. I always have a cuppa or two during the morning (Who doesn't) and for some reason had a few days when I missed my morning fix. By about lunchtime I had horrendous(sp?) headaches that I just couldn't shift with pain killers, however once I had a cup of tea it went and I put it down to the caffine fix I was getting, or not as the case may be.
I've stopped having having tea so much now partly because the thought of a hot drink in this weather horrifies me but also because of these headaches. It was just a gradual thing to cut out the tea so maybe that's what you need to do too. Cut down very slowly over a month or something, that should give your body time to adjust.
Hope this helps.

[SofiaAmes]

All that caffeine isn't good for your baby. The headache was probably withdrawal from the lack of caffeine (a known symptom of caffeine withdrawal), but then again it could have just been pregancy hormones. Can you try drinking caffeine-free coke instead. Maybe start with one normal and the rest caffeine free each day, before totally switching to caffeine free.
I'm a diet coke fiend, but luckily went totally off it while pregnant, so didn't have to worry about weaning myself off it.

[Angiel]

I'm not pregnant at the moment, I became hooked on it when I was pregnant with my first dd. I don't like diet coke, I don't like the taste of sweeteners, I think that sweeteners are more harmful than the full fat version anyway.

I don't drink coffee and I have decaffeinated tea. Unfortunately I don't like squash either and can't manage to drink lots of water. I guess I'll have to start cutting down gradually.

[Demented]

I love Diet Coke but try to aim for the recommended amount of water a day (2 litres I think), I am starting to find that I enjoy a glass of water just as much, if not more, I think it is just a case of getting used to it. I still go a bit Diet Coke and chocolate mad when pre-menstrual though.

[Oakmaiden]

there is not actually an awful lot of caffine in Coke - although there is some. Just for interests sake, she maximum amount of caffine they recommend you should have during pregnancy is 300mg per day, which is equivalent to:

4 average cups or 3 average size mugs of instant coffee
3 average cups of brewed coffee
6 average cups of tea
8 cans of regular cola drinks
4 cans of "energy" drinks
400 grams (8 standard 50 g bars) of normal chocolate

[Oakmaiden]

another thing - caffine is a diuretic, so you shouldn't count any drink containing it towards you liquid intake - and I have been told that you should actually drink extra liquids if you drink things with caffine. So if you drink 2 litres of water and a can of Coke, you should also drink an extra glass of water to "balance" the effects of the caffine in the Coke.

Although I have read no research to back that up - I'm not sure quite how much of a diuretic Coke is....

[Janstar]

I too am addicted to coke, in my case diet. I was never bothered about it until I spent 2 months in the USA about 17 years ago and since then I think I am doing well if I get through the day without some.

I love fried foods and wine, but know that I could give those up far more easily than my coke. At one point I used to drink a 2l bottle every day. I went to a natural therapist to see about making some improvements to my health and she did not seem overly bothered about the wine and crisps etc, although she told me to cut down, it was coke and orange juice she was concerned about.

I managed to cut it down to 1 glass a day but never could cut it out altogether. Sometimes when I am stressed out it creeps up to two or three.

The really funny thing is that sometimes I don't enjoy it at all, but I still want it every day. Weird or what? But I have read about it quite a lot now and it is certainly not a healthy drink. the headache thing is something that happens to me too. I feel like a bit of a sad git actually!

[SimonHoward]

Angiel

I was drinking upto 14 litres a week of coke at one point when I was working stupidly long hours and the only thing I can say is that cutting it all out and just putting up with the headaches and tiredness for a week or so was the only way I got over wanting so much caffeine.

[Angiel]

I tried to go without coke again yesterday. Ended up with a terrible headache again and pranged the car. Great eh?

[rawfinn]

I'm also a Diet Coke addict. I drink about 6 cans a day at work and very little at home. However, I alway find on my days off I have headaches, feel tired, almost ill and I'm convinced it's withdrawal symtoms. When I feel like that I always go out and buy a DC and I feel better. I tested it last week and on Thursday had no DC and felt terrible. Thursday evening bought a 2 litre bottle and drank it during the day Friday and had a much better day. I really must give up again. I managed to go without during my pregnancy so I know I can do it. Just don't seem to have the motivation! Bit like dieting really. I agree with the fact Full Fat Coke is better than DC but somehow drinking DC makes me feel better.

[judetheobscure]

I'm another coke addict but don't feel too guilty about it. Usually drink 2 - 3 glasses a day (1litre?); do occasionally, but not always get a headache if I haven't had any. I don't really worry about the caffeine element - after all 2-3 cokes = 1 mug of coffee and that's not a lot by anyone's standards. I would worry more about the sugar content - not so much for the teeth but because of creating high blood sugar levels and possible diabetes in later life. I don't think Diet Coke is the answer though. I find mumsnet and other internet activities a great help because they distract me from eating/drinking rather than watching the TV.

[dcolagirl]

Me too, I have at least 1 pint before I go to work (as soon as I open my eyes I reach for the fridge) then have 5 - 6 cans during the day at work, then another 2-4 pints at night (I use a pint glass because I get fed up with refilling). I know it's a lot, yet I don't wee very much (twice, three times a day and NEVER during the night except when preg!) but I don't drink, don't smoke, don't go out much so I figure I can indulge my one and only vice!! I get very irritable if I don't have coke by lunchtime, followed by the infamous headache. I tried to cut down when preg but only managed to get down to about 5 cans a day all told.

DH used to drink "fat" coke but after I shelled out nearly £300 on dental work I refused to buy it anymore and now he drinks diet but not as much as me.

[Bobsmum]

How many fillings must all you coke heads have??

I can't stand fizzy drinks of any description and am rather irritatingly smug about the fact that I have not one filling.

Now nesquik on the other hand....mmmmm

[Oakmaiden]

i drink far too much Coke (about 4 cans a day, if given the chance) and i must admit that I am a slob and don't brush my teeth anything like as often as I should.

No fillings though. My husband says it is very unfair - he has loads and is really careful about bruching his teeth several times a day.

[dcolagirl]

Ok, I have one tiny filling....and am 28, so that's not bad! In fact, I have very good teeth in spite of the amount of diet coke I consume, maybe it's because it lacks "proper" sugar??

My gums did bleed a lot when I was preg but dentist said that's normal due to hormones etc.

[judetheobscure]

I never had coke as a child and had several fillings (maybe 8 altogether). Since I have been drinking coke (nearly 20 years now) I've had one filling and that was to replace an existing one. hence not being concerned about fillings.