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Original poster

Quitting Pepsi Max in 2021 Support Thread

330 replies

NoZoomAtTheInn · 27/12/2020 20:48

Open to anyone who has already quit with their success stories or anyone who also wants to quit.

I’ve tried twice to stop in the past, once by just stopping and once by gradually cutting down. Both times the withdrawal headaches were awful. Have decided this time to speak to GP first to see if there is anything I can take - like smokers get nicotine patches/gum - while I wean myself off it.

OP posts:
Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 09/02/2021 21:58

Glad you’re feeling better hue. Just imagine if you hadn’t given it up and felt unwell/snowed in unable to get any! So double well done for getting past the really hard part before the snow came. Day 26 is just brilliant- just 4 more days and you’ve done a whole month!

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 42
Days since no cans at all - 24

I don’t even think about it now! Really hoping that if I get to 30 days of no cans, that will be a major turning point and I will never go back. I don’t think I’ll trust myself ever to have any kind of cola or diet cola drink again because thinking back over my past history, I really was addicted to it and never want to go back to that.

OP posts:
EssexLioness · 09/02/2021 22:06

Hi everyone, can I join you all please? My husband lives of diet cokes and until we lived together I rarely drank it. Over the years I’ve had more and more until I developed a real addiction. I hate it and it makes my IBS worse too. Since the new year I have cut down, first to two cans a day then one a day. I can go the odd day without any at all but never more than a day. Anyway, today was day 1 of no cokes/ fizzy drinks at all. I have one coffee in the morning and then plain water for the rest of the day

Gooseysgirl · 10/02/2021 07:43

Hi all, doing well here... still a bit headachey at times but hanging on in there! Reducing to two cans this weekend. Still at zero cans on weekdays 😊

Hueandcry · 10/02/2021 18:19

@EssexLioness the more the merrier Smile

For some reason I remembered this today... a woman I used to work with told me that her partner who was a surfer only ever drank cola after he'd been surfing as it 'nuked' all the bugs he picked up from the water Shock Thinking what it has done to my insides after 30 odd years of being hooked on it!

EssexLioness · 10/02/2021 19:49

Wow interesting about the surfer!

Day 2 almost complete... I find evenings the worst. I’m desperate for a coke right now but won’t give in. Will have a bath shortly to distract myself.

Had killer headache for last couple of days, now I’m thinking maybe this is due to withdrawal.

Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 10/02/2021 21:00

Welcome Essex and well done on getting to Day 2! Nothing but support here, if you read the whole thread you’ll see that we’ve all shared the good, the bad and the ugly : ) The tips shared have been amazing, hopefully they might help you too

Good going goosey! That’s wonderful reducing :)

hue that made me giggle. Suppose it’s a bit like the ‘top housekeeping tip’ that does the rounds - pour a two litre bottle of diet cola/Pepsi max into the loo overnight and next morning it will be clean and sparkling

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 43
Days since no cans at all - 25

OP posts:
demolitionduo · 10/02/2021 21:10

15 weeks clean this week for me. I honestly cannot believe I've kicked it.
The best bit for me is my migraines have almost disappeared.

I suffered 4 or 5 a month previously and I've had only one since I got over withdrawal in November.

Still feeling positive and confident I'll not be tempted back.

EssexLioness · 10/02/2021 21:32

Inspiring to see how well people are doing with this. I’ve just come out of my bath so going to read for a while then go to sleep. I did have a sparkling water in the bath tho, I don’t think this is a cheat? But it did help. Other than that and a coffee first thing, I have just been having plain water. When cutting down before I had the odd sugar free squash, but can’t even have that now cos I’ve started a FODMAP exclusion diet to try and work out the cause of my IBS. The cordial really helped, even though I would only have maybe one a day, so I’m finding it harder without.
Quick question, my husband is a complete addict and wouldn’t quit even under threat of death, so they are always in our fridge, tempting me. Anyone else have this? How do I deal with them always being in the house? I really want to give up for good as I know they make my IBS worse, among other things.

Hueandcry · 10/02/2021 22:10

aargh I would find that incredibly hard @EssexLioness!! I started this because I ran out, it wasn't exactly planned! I live alone so just don't buy any & there's no temptation. I think somebody said they keep cans in the garage? Would your husband be happy with that? At least they wouldn't be so 'in your face'. Sorry I can't be more help.

EssexLioness · 10/02/2021 22:39

Yes that’s a good idea. The last week or so he has been keeping most of them in his car and just bring in what he plans to drink that evening. Occasionally though he brings in an extra one or two that he doesn’t get round to drinking though and they call to me 😬

demolitionduo · 10/02/2021 23:08

@EssexLioness my boys still drink DC (nowhere near as much as I did!) so it's still in the fridge.

My tip is to make sure whatever you are drinking is a readily available. I'm on sparkling water or flavoured Volvic so I just make sure there is always a bottle in the fridge too, so I'm not waylaid.

EssexLioness · 10/02/2021 23:49

Thanks for the tip. I do find always having a glass of water topped up helps me as I sip throughout the day instead of allowing myself to get thirsty. It’s when I get thirsty that I will often just reach for a can without thinking

EssexLioness · 11/02/2021 14:01

Had a stressful morning and barely slept last night so fallen off the wagon. Had 3 cans Diet Coke this morning.... interestingly though I didn’t even enjoy them that much! Will start my count down again tomorrow.

Hueandcry · 11/02/2021 18:19

Don't beat yourself up @Essex. I've fallen off the wagon a couple of times too. Just think of it as an overall reduction & it won't seem so bad

EssexLioness · 11/02/2021 18:25

Thanks @Hueandcry, you’re absolutely right. And it was a good learning point because actually I wasn’t that fussed with the taste, I reached for it more out of habit than anything else. I will have to remember that next time I’m tempted, that actually it didn’t taste s good as I anticipated

Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 11/02/2021 22:37

Agree with Hue, don’t give yourself a hard time Essex - we’ve all been there and we tried again. It’s just finding the right combination of things - you’ll get there!

Definitely agree with having the horrid stuff out of sight - ask your DH if he is 100% in support of you wanting to kick the addiction. When he says ‘yes’ (he has no other real option!), say thanks darling, that means everything to me to have your support as I’m finding it tough - I need to not have the horrid stuff in sight while I kick it, so what options can you think of? And wait for HIM to come up with the answer

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 44
Days since no cans at all - 26

OP posts:
EssexLioness · 12/02/2021 10:20

Thanks @NoZoomAtTheInn. We agreed that he would keep them in the kitchen cupboard on the top shelf, and just put one int he fridge each time briefly before drinking them. I am short and our cupboards go right up to the ceiling so whilst my husband can reach them easily, I don’t stand a chance of getting to them even if desperate 😂
I did find on my FODMAP diet that I am allowed some cordials, yay! So I popped out and got a bottle today which I’m happy about. I mostly drink water now but cordial helps curb any cravings. I woke up this morning still feeling sick from the cokes yesterday so that’s a good deterrent

EssexLioness · 12/02/2021 10:24

@NoZoomAtTheInn well done on your journey. 26 days completely free is amazing... almost a month!

GwendolineWindowlene · 12/02/2021 13:36

Hello all, 1 month to the day for me! Feeling good.

I need to be more mindful to make sure I drink enough water. I've stopped Diet Coke but I don't think I've replaced it with the same volume of other drinks.

Hueandcry · 12/02/2021 21:17

Well done Gwendoline!! Day 29 for me, feeling good Smile

Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 12/02/2021 21:23

Aargh can’t believe I didn’t congratulate demolition on Wednesday for getting to 15 weeks. That’s fantastic!

Well done on hitting a month gwen! Agree that making sure you’re topped up with water really helps (even if you do pee for England) Grin. I’m still loving my vanilla chai tea and lemon & lime sparkling water.

How is everyone else doing?

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 44
Days since no cans at all - 27

OP posts:
Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 13/02/2021 20:25

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 45
Days since no cans at all - 28

OP posts:
Hueandcry · 14/02/2021 10:09

Well done NoZoom that's amazing!!

Day 31 for me - a whole month!! If anyone had told me a month ago I could do this i wouldn't have believed it. 2 in a month is way better than 150 or so Grin

Benefits so far:

I'm sure I've saved money but being on 80% income that can only be a good thing!

Vast improvement in sleep quality

Not sure about weight loss but I'm definitely less bloated, can now do up my waterproof trousers I wear for walking the dog 🐕

Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 14/02/2021 21:49

That’s fantastic Hue! Star. I’m so happy for you! Brilliant to hear of the other ways it’s benefited you as well

Like you, when I started this journey, I never thought I’d be posting within 2 months that I’d cut down so much!

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 44
Days since no cans at all - 29

OP posts:
Original poster
NoZoomAtTheInn · 15/02/2021 22:23

It’s Monday! How are we all doing?

My daily check in
Days since started to reduce - 46
Days since no cans at all - 30

I’ve done 30 days!!! Thanks for all the brilliant support so far, the success stories were inspiring and it’s been wonderful to be part of cheering others on their journey

OP posts: