Diet Coke Addiction

Please help me convince myself that I need to quit drinking Diet Coke. I am addicted to the energy boost that I get and can't imagine living my life being tired without it.

Sun. Dec 28, 11:10pm

Stained teeth
Deteriorating enamel
Heartburn
Being burpy
Caffeine withdrawal headaches
Being dehydrated
Paying $1-$5 extra for your meal (water is free)
The weight and cost of the extra groceries

These are all the things I'm not missing now that I gave up Diet Coke.

Giving it up was like giving up any addiction. When I tried to cut down eventually over time I started to drink more and more again. When I cut out all pop and chose water instead I never went back. I love and crave water now, and definitely don't feel bad about it.

Christine

Monday, December 29, 2008, 9:05 AM

Oh, and the feeling tired part won't last forever. When you are past your addiction you'll feel tired only when you normally should... sleep always helps fix that ;)

Monday, December 29, 2008, 9:08 AM

Gave it up a number of years ago and I am so glad I did too. I segued into seltzer water for a little while but I don't drink that much anymore either (except at parties). The first few weeks were rough but once I got past that it got easier. Giving up coffee was much more difficult.

Best wishes OP. It is definitely worth it. It's been about 15 years for me since I quit and I was hitting the drive thru at least once a day when I was on the road.

Keep us posted on your progress. Hey, New Years is just around the corner. Might this be a resolution?

Monday, December 29, 2008, 9:35 AM

I always see a slight increase on the scale the morning after I drink diet soda and if I let myself drink one reguarly I definately notice I crave/eat more junk food. I do let myself have one in place of an alcoholic beverage (if we are out at a sports bar or dinner), but that is only 1 or 2 a month.

Monday, December 29, 2008, 10:27 AM

A good friend of mine and her sister were both addicted to Diet Coke and each drank 7-10 cans per day. For over 3 years the sister had all kinds of unexplained health problems. First they thought it was lupus, then they thought it was cronic fatigue syndrom, then mono. There were even more erroneous diagnoses and countless tests and medical bills before they determined that her body was being poisoned by the aspartame in the Diet Coke. She quit cold turkey and has never felt better in her life! (Unfortunately, her sister / my friend didn't quit the Diet Coke. She says she feels fine drinking gallons a day!)

Good luck to you. How ever difficult it may be to quit, it will be worth it.

Monday, December 29, 2008, 12:14 PM

diet Pepsi was my thing

Courage! I am also getting off diet cola and coffee. I've done it before and know that I feel better off it. Addictions are very seductive. I do not have the same relationship to tea at all -- it never makes me feel either like I HAVE to have another cup and it never makes me feel jittery. Be prepared -- withdrawal from diet cola (coffee too) causes bad headaches, but they pass. Good luck. Cassie K.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 2:17 PM

I've been off 'the sauce' for 3 months now. This is after I've drank 1-6 bottles a day for 16 years. I'm not going to lie -at times it's really sucked. The tiredness was gone by the end of the first week (however I do make sure I get enough sleep). The desire for the sweet carbonation comes and goes though.

* I sleep better - more deeply and I get to sleep quicker
* I don't have to go to the bathroom every 1/2 hour.
* I don't feel bloated (actually I didn't realize how much I did until I quit)
* I eat healthier food when I drink water and my cravings have really changed - I don't really crave salty, greasy stuff anymore.
* the $avings are definitely nice
* I don't belch like my uncle Frank anymore ;-)
* my dentist is going to be thrilled.
* it really doesn't keep me awake and alert like I thought it did

BTW - thanks. It was kinda nice to write that out and affirm that I made the right decision. Best wishes!

Thursday, January 01, 2009, 3:11 AM

so, OP - are you convinced??

Thursday, January 01, 2009, 9:48 AM

Diet Coke addiction

1) a study that showed that drinkers of BOTH normal soda and diet soda gain weight.
2) look around that the other people drinking diet coke - are they slim and healthy looking?
It's making you fatter then you need to be

Thursday, January 01, 2009, 10:57 AM

I did it - you can too!

I was drinking about 5 Dc's a day and sometimes would even go through the day with no water at all. I knew the artificial sweetener had to be killing me, but I was scared to quit.

Then I went cold turkey for 6 months. Month 1 was really hard, but it got easier.

When I hit the 6 month mark, I allowed myself to go back to 1 a day (and I never buy it for the house - ever - don't trust myself), and this has been a happy place for me. I love DC and never stopped missing it and really enjoy it when I have it but now I drink much more water and tea and feel less like I have a monkey on my back.

I noticed an improvement in my skin right away (within a few days). That was a nice plus! I also noticed the change in my wallet!

Monday, April 12, 2010, 5:00 PM

Glad someone else has this issue, i gave it up for lent and went right back to it, but going to stop because i was drinking 3-5/day and last week had 5 cavities filled, the dentist told me regulat or diet the acid eats at your enamel, that was enoguh for me to quit... i felt 100x better without it.. think of the chemicals thats what I do when I crave one... good luck

Monday, April 12, 2010, 10:13 PM

The phosphoric acid leeches calcium from your bones, an especially bad thing for post-menopausal women. The caffeine isn't good for your heart either.

Here's what I did that helped minimize the headaches. Each day I reduced the number of cans I drank by one can. One day I drank 4, the next day 3, the next day 2, the next day 1. The day after that, I went without until I got a headache, then I had a can. The next day I did the same and by the next day, I wasn't even getting a headache and I was diet coke free!

Sunday, January 23, 2011, 6:12 PM

I also was addicted to Diet Coke and I still find myself craving it a little, so I have not cut it completely but limited it to maybe a bottle twice a week, but I used to drink 5 bottles a day at one stage. I know, it causes bloating, there's research it may cause cancer and it's bad for your teeth but, like you, I also feel a bit of an energy surge when I drink it. However, it's short lived and then I think of the money I'm wastiing. Yes, water does taste bland but it's so much better for you.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 7:28 AM

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