To be addicted to Pepsi Max and scared about coming off it?

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Iv always been addicted to it. I drink probably 1.5ltrs a day, sometimes less sometimes more.

I don’t drink anything else other than water and I don’t feel rehydrated drinking water etc.

But Iv decided enough is enough. I’m so grumpy if I haven’t had any.

I worry about drinking squash, is it as bad?

Helpppp I’m an addict 😩😩

I don't think squash has the addictive qualities (but go for a sugar free one?) Can you cut down so start by having say three cans a day then reduce it to one every few days? Good luck.

Could you head off to a remote self catering spot for 3 nights. Take lots of good food, books, movies. Perhaps a selection of teas.

Make sure you are far enough away from any sort of convenience store that getting it is a hassle. Replace your habitual behaviour with another habutual behaviour.

Good luck!

I wish, that sounds bloody ideal 😂

Two years ago I stopped drinking Diet Coke - was drinking 6+ cans per day.

I can tell you that it wasn’t as hard as I thought. In fact it turned out to be much easier than I expected.

I no longer get palpitations or acid reflux!

It's the sweetener and caffeine you are addicted to so don't drink squash that uses the same sweetener!

Get some caffeine tablets from b&m. They're 50s and replace the shit from diet drinks canny. That's unless you drink caffeine in other forms.

I found quitting diet drinks worse than quitting smoking.

For me it was the bubbles, so these days I drink a lot of soda water.

Perhaps you’d like to join me stopping it for lent. I’m not religious (at all!) but the DC decided that to warrant massive pancake consumption on Tuesday they’d like to forgo something till Easter. My contribution, without thinking it through too much, was Diet Coke. I’ve done dry January and being honest I’m a bit of a caffeine head. In addition to the 2-3 cans a day I also drink about 4 strong coffees. I’ll worry about switching to decaf later but for now I need to stop the cans. I’ve got two left which I’ll drink tomorrow then that’ll be it. I know it’s gut-rot but like you I just don’t like much else.

I have stopped before (during pregnancies) but the bloody stuff has crept back in.

I have this problem too. If I don't drink any for a few days I get a headache that won't shift. Drink some Max and bamm - headache goes.
It's not good. I know it isn't good. I assume it's the caffeine. I drink caffeine free tea and don't drink coffee so this is my only 'hit'.
I do like fizzy drinks and sometimes buy the sparkling flavoured waters. They have the sweeteners but not the caffeine. Not sure if that's better though?

I quit drinking Pepsi Max (mostly the cherry one) about 3 weeks ago - it’s been easier than I expected after the first few days.
Reducing intake didn’t work for me, I kept finding excuses to have another can etc, so I’ve gone cold turkey.

Other than avoiding the Pepsi aisle in the shops, I’ve been finding fizzy water helpful. While it’s obviously not the same as Pepsi, the fizz is hitting some of the same sensory buttons when I want a cold drink.

Ooh giving it up for Lent sounds like a challenge... I might try that.

I've stopped it a couple of times, sometimes for a few months. I'm back on about 2 cans a day and want to quit again as it's full of caffeine. Its practically an energy drink. I get a bad headache for 2 days due to the caffeine withdrawal and then I'm ok.
It's just toooooo nice lol

I drink a lot of coke, have done for years. Had to stop it last year when I had a terrible throat infection where drinking it literally burned. Even drinking water hurt but coke was off limits. It actually wasn’t too bad. I’ll have a glass in the evening now, and not every night, but if I don’t have any in it’s not the end of the world.

I’d start by cutting down, one can a day rather than buying bottles, so you’re not crashing out completely.

Urgh. I stopped drinking the stuff a couple of months ago and my stomach and acid reflux issues got so much better. Still have leftover Pepsi Max in the cupboard. I gave in yesterday and had 2 cans. Upon drinking them I wondered why I lived this stuff so much. The taste was disgusting. I also have acid reflux again today.

Sorry no advice.

I was the same with Diet Coke. I quit cold turkey, drank shit loads of ice cold water instead. Was easier than expected and now I just have it if I go out for dinner etc!

Caffeine is addictive and people do experience mild withdrawals. Reduce by 1 can a day, a week at a time?

I did this... Pepsi Max too, usually 1.5ltrs to 2ltrs a day. I don’t drink water, tea or coffee and Pepsi just became my usual drink... I tried to drink less, but it wasn’t really working. It was really hard.

In the end, I went totally cold turkey for a year and I can now have a can every now and again if I want... I mostly drink squash now.

I am also addicted to it! Literally it’s all I drink, no water, just Pepsi max. Maybe 6-8 cans a day. Costs me a fortune. I don’t have any health problems from it and my teeth are fine but I can’t help thinking it’s not good in the long run. It has considerably less caffeine than coffee (I don’t drink coffee/tea). It’s also embarrassing and my kids are starting to see it as normal.
I kind of don’t want to stop though, I love it. But it’s expensive and bad for environment. Sometimes when I drink it at 8am or so I hide it from others as I know they will judge me for it!!

"If I don't drink any for a few days I get a headache that won't shift." typical caffeine rebound. taking caffeine tabs will not cure you.

Stop using it, and after a few days it will ease off. Like smoking and opioids, don't start again or you will have all the withdrawal problems again next time.

Once clean you can probably have an occasional can. Not in the morning to "wake you up" though or you will be dopey without it.

I quit Diet Come 5 years ago, when I had terrible health anxiety and became convinced it would give me cancer (even though logically I knew those claims are rubbish). At least one good thing came of the anxiety!

I very rarely crave it anymore - the taste doesn't appeal at all, it's the bubbles and coldness that were so good. I drink a lot of water now, and it's delicious.

Get lots of painkillers in.

If you do manage it, please don’t think to yourself in future ‘oh I’ll just have one can....’

I quit smoking three times before it stuck, that was about 12 years ago.

Since I replaced cigarettes with Pepsi Max and Diet Coke I’ve quit them at least 15 times, I don’t know if this latest attempt will stick as it started 2 days ago.

I'm with you OP. Not quite as bad as 1.5 litres but I'll often have 3 cans. I keep trying to replace with water but there's nothing that quenched my thirst, wakes me up and helps me concentrate like Pepsi max. I like the cherry one. Also I'm trying to lose weight at the moment so cutting out alcohol, cakes etc I need to have something.

It's the bubbles I love - sparkling water is a good substitute for me, I buy huge 2 litre bottles (tesco do them for 22p)
I still drink lots of tea, so caffeine from there - although I have switched to decaffeinated tea or rooibos tea in the evening - but I didn't get noticable withdrawal symptoms.

PigletJohn I can't decide whether to laugh or cry at what you wrote. It really is an addiction though isn't it? I currently have a 1.25 ltr bottle next to me. About an inch and a half left and it's gone flat. I will finish it but then that's it. I am gonna stop. I need to!

Me too. It’s the bubbles for me too, other drinks don’t hit the spot in the same way.

I don’t drink alcohol or smoke so I’ve never seen it as being ‘that’ bad, but it’s costing me a fortune. I’m drinking a 1.25 litre bottle a day which costs £1, that’s £365 a year on fizzy drinks

I might try the giving up for lent challenge, would be a good incentive to start trying to break the habit.