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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if anyone here has beaten a diet soft drink addiction?

184 replies

whothehellknows · 04/12/2014 20:26

Although I gave up when breastfeeding both of my children, I've somehow landed myself (again) with a full-on Diet Coke habit. I drink at least a liter each day and I'd be seriously distressed if I ran out. I'm sure I'll have at least a week's worth of headaches when I quit.

I know it costs a fortune. I know it's not good for me. But somehow it keeps creeping back in, and I honestly find it harder than I did to give up smoking.

So has anybody else kicked a diet drink habit? How did you do it, and do you actually feel better for it?

OP posts:
Mmmicecream · 06/12/2014 18:23

I found the first day really hard - got a splitting headache Sad But, am proud of myself for doing it apart from my one in the morning

How are the rest of you doing?

GingerLemonTea · 06/12/2014 18:55

I drink caffeine free tea too.

Sitting down watching TV. Really want one but resisting.
Think I will have a fizzy water, tea & maybe one beer.
Was out today at a cafe while my dd did her class. I always have one or two cans while waiting. Didn't have any. So 2 days almost done.

GingerLemonTea · 06/12/2014 19:05

Oh and how's this for addiction....I dreamt about diet coke last night. I was out at an event & there was done free in the waiting area & I was having a dilema over whether to drink it!

raltheraffe · 06/12/2014 19:06

BEATEN IT!!!!

Day 13 and I feel normal, back to my old self.

Really proud of myself now, last 2 weeks have been tough.

EsmeGruntFuttock · 06/12/2014 19:44

Well done everyone. Especially ralt. That's great.

I'm doing okay. I've not gone cold turkey. Yet. I had one tin yesterday and one today but for me that is amazing - not had so little in decades. Had an awful headache earlier.

watchingwaves · 06/12/2014 22:50

I've managed a second coke zero free day and my stomach feels a lot happier than it has for a while!

Original poster
whothehellknows · 07/12/2014 00:07

Second day was rougher than the first. I didn't take enough water with me when I went out and when I got thirsty it was soooo hard not to buy something fizzy from the canteen.

OP posts:
winkywinkola · 07/12/2014 00:13

This thread is so enlightening. I had no idea this was an issue. So it's aspartame that is the real problem?

All power to you for losing this addiction! Am most impressed.

Mmmicecream · 07/12/2014 01:50

Esme I'm glad one other person is still on one! I actually don't think I could go to nothing, but for me, one is amazing too.

Well done everyone else!

Alambil · 07/12/2014 02:10

I used to have 2l+ a day of diet coke... have cut down a bit but need to kick the habit really.

I lost weight and slept better when off it - don't know why I can't face doing it again!

Funnily enough, the only lemonade without aspartame I found was Sainsburys Basic at about 20p for 2 litres, which was marvellous cos I saved bundles! I mixed it with pressed red grape juice instead, but have got out of the habit of getting the juice in (converted to Aldi and they don't stock it)

I might need a trip back to Sainsburys...

BinarySolo · 07/12/2014 08:29

Right. I've half a bottle of cherry Pepsi Max left then it's cold turkey tomorrow.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 07/12/2014 08:30

Well done everyone. We held a party yesterday for 20 adults and kids so I didn't really keep track!
But back on today to cutting down. It feels so much easier knowing it's a "thing" that other people are doing too.

Original poster
whothehellknows · 07/12/2014 19:36

Today sucked. No sleep, plenty of stress and surrounded by kids swigging from cans at a holiday event. I had water, but it really wasn't cutting it, so I've been a miserable bugger.

OP posts:
itispronouncedpenguin · 07/12/2014 20:02

I wouldn't say I'm addicted to diet coke but I find if I have a can/bottle, I want another one the same day, and the next day etc. Its really hard to resist. If I don't drink one I can go weeks between it. Why is that? I drink about 2 cups of tea a day just to have a hot drink and don't feel addicted to that.

Original poster
whothehellknows · 07/12/2014 20:36

Maybe it's something in the combination of aspartame and caffeine that makes it more addictive than either chemical would be on it's own?

OP posts:
GingerLemonTea · 07/12/2014 21:04

Day 3 of no fizzy juice. Feel slightly better for it tho nothing specific yet.

itispronouncedpenguin · 07/12/2014 21:05

Maybe. Just spent some time googling and couldn't find anything concrete. Must be part of that 'special recipe'.

watchingwaves · 07/12/2014 21:13

Not such a good day for me as I had one and a half glasses of diet lemonade with my dinner in a restaurant but it could have been worse as it was't coke zero and it was part of a meal out. It's the mindless drinking of coke zero on autopilot all day every day that I want to kick!

BinarySolo · 08/12/2014 10:24

I'm on day one of kicking the habit now. None in the house and avoiding shops. I was just buying it for weekends but the habit slowly creeped back up so I think cold turkey is the only way.

raltheraffe · 08/12/2014 12:13

KEEP IT UP LADIES

I feel so much better now. Day 15 without caffeine and withdrawals stopped at day 13.

It is worth it to keep going. Now I am not drinking 5 litres of energy drink a day I can sleep better and not need a wee every half hour.

Now I am on day 1 of tacking the carb addiction I also have so no crisps for me and a long bike ride today!

Mulligrubs · 08/12/2014 12:28

I had a small glass of diet lemonade yesterday which is Ok (for me!) and today I plan on having a small glass of diet orangeade. I've cut the diet coke/Pepsi completely so now I need to work on cutting out fizzy drinks all together.

GingerLemonTea · 08/12/2014 16:12

Day 4, finding it quite easy this time. I guess it was more of a habit.

london13 · 08/12/2014 18:21

I rarely drink diet drinks now and feel much better for it .I drink lots of tea with skimmed milk and that helps .Just don't like the thought of all the chemicals that are in diet drinks.Sometimes have a full sugar version now and again

Mmmicecream · 08/12/2014 20:00

I'm doing OK - not gone cold turkey, but drinking much less.

Now the aim is to keep at it ...

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 08/12/2014 20:14

Wow raltheraffe was that really what you were drinking?

I'm doing ok cutting down a little bit. It just feels a lot more in control. Not having a can for breakfast helps; I feel like I need it a lot less for the restof the day.