Giving up Soda

[cprcheetah]

So I have decided to cut back/quit drinking Diet Coke. I drink both the regular (cheap brand) kind as well as the kind with splenda in it. On a normal day I can easily drink 3 liters of the stuff. So I have decided to give it up. Does anyone know how long it will take to start reversing some of the bad things from soda? I know I am showing signs of aspartame toxicity with fingers tingling. I am most concerned about the water retention and the tummy bloat.

[Demonica]

I gave up soda last year for a few months but started drinking it again when I started working in a factory. I had a banging headache for the first three days, but was fine after that.

[afurrything]

I recently gave up my Diet Pepsi. Stopped drinking it last Tuesday, but then had one on Saturday at the grocery store.
I used to drink about 2 cans a day, and I say about 2 because my kids would drink it with me.
I probably won't give it up completely, will have one if I'm out. I wasn't having any issues from drinking it, just decided I didn't really need it and where I live they were about to tax it extremely! I would have been paying an extra $2something for a 12 pack!

[werkn'it]

I quit Diet Mt. Dew about a year back and had some issues. I wasn't expecting any side effects from quitting aspartame, so it took me a about a week to figure out what was going on. I knew giving up the caffeine might be an issue, so I was careful to drink plenty of tea and regular soda. I had no clue that there was such a thing as aspartame withdrawal!

I don't remember bloating issues, but I had tummy issues, achy feeling, headaches, and MAJOR grouchiness - don't even look at me grouchiness. I LOOKED ill - everyone at work and home was worried. It may have been easier if I had stepped down gradually instead of going cold turkey. It took about a month and half to feel better.

From reading these threads, not everyone has issues - good luck and keep us informed!

Aspartame withdrawal is not fun. I don't know about how long it takes to reverse its bad effects. The only issue that I was having that I might have attributed to aspartame was w/ my memory. Can't really say that THAT has improved. But lets hope, like quitting smoking, that there is an improvement in health immediately!

[Silverlynx35]

Good luck with it.
I will never give up diet soda. Never!!!
Sorry
My roundabout experience with soda is this: I tried Atkins about 20 years ago with moderate success. The one thing that came out of it was that I switched from regular soda to diet soda. 20 years later, regular soda still tastes too sweet for me. Back then I struggled to find good things to drink.
Now, I'm using my Sodastream and Mio, both in moderation.

[fun w son]

I used to drink 5 20oz regular cokes a day. then I went to a friends and they drink coke zero. I switched to that about a year ago and now I drink 1-2 coke zero's a day... the worst part of switching was the head poundings!! but not bad now. hopefully I can get off of them completely.

[snowangel9]

Congratulations on recognizing you need to quit. I'd say, I use to drink as much as you, at least. I drank it all day. I'd say 3-4 days detoxing, you the headaches etc. I don't remember it being too bad. However, how long does it takes your liver to recover is another question.

Good luck! I hope it's not too bad for you!

[TheBigKahuna]

I know for long term health reasons I should probably cut back on sodas, but it's not going to happen. I drink at least one diet soda a day, sometimes up to three a day. I'm not nearly up to the 2-3L a day...heck I know people who drink 4L a day! My FIL drinks several canned energy drinks a day! Don't know how he's still alive to be honest!

I tried quitting caffeine several years ago, and on day 3 gave up. Can't take the headache. And to be honest, I watched my wife struggle to find caffeine free drinks, especially away from the home. A lot of places simply don't carry them.

But I find it interesting that some people will drink 15 cups of coffee a day, and then tell you "those sodas will kill you".

[Partyof7]

Originally Posted by cprcheetah

So I have decided to cut back/quit drinking Diet Coke. I drink both the regular (cheap brand) kind as well as the kind with splenda in it. On a normal day I can easily drink 3 liters of the stuff. So I have decided to give it up. Does anyone know how long it will take to start reversing some of the bad things from soda? I know I am showing signs of aspartame toxicity with fingers tingling. I am most concerned about the water retention and the tummy bloat.

Hi Cheetah!
I had been a heavy soda drinker for 17 years. Never really drank water, it was coffee or soda. A 20 oz carmel mocha coffee and 2 liters of soda a day.
I was a Pepsi drinker, but when dieting it was Diet Coke. It is a hard addiction to give up, but worth it.
You know, I was too involved in conquering the addiction that I didn't really notice head aches and all that - I did switch to making iced tea so that caffiene switch may have been what kept head aches away. I had hardcore withdrawels in my head - I really wanted the fizziness.

It's been a year and I have not had a soda. I now know how bad all that carbonation is on a system and am thankful to have that monkey off my back! I also drink a LOT more water. I just feel cleaner and clearer.

Good luck and it can be done!!

[Partyof7]

Originally Posted by TheBigKahuna

But I find it interesting that some people will drink 15 cups of coffee a day, and then tell you "those sodas will kill you".

I think the difference is that most coffee can be considered 'natural', like tea..but soda is mostly a lot of chemicals and sugar or ..well you know.

I hear what you are saying though. It was like my friend chiding me for smoking, when she was addicted to tanning beds. Or my Mom warning me all about the dangerous toxicity of sushi...while smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day.

[AnneK]

I love soda and drink/drank way too much of it. The diet ones and not with caffeine, but still I feel too many chemicals.
What I am trying to do is replace it with Seltzer (plain) and somedays it works, other days I give in and have diet soda.
In my mind at least I replaced some of the diet with Seltzer. Hard to just drink water for me.

[e&m'smom]

Congratulations!! I know how hard it is to give up Diet Coke. I had to give it up when I was pregnant with my daughter, but had my husband bring me a huge cold icy soda the day I gave birth to her My doc allowed me 1 diet coke a day when I was pregnant with my son. I was completely addicted to Diet Coke - I even made special trips to fast food restaurants because as most of you addicts know some places have better tasting soda than others. Well, after feeling the effects of all the chemicals on my body I gave it up on January 15th of this year. The headaches were horrible, the cravings were even worse. I found myself several times heading to McDonalds just to get my 'fix' but never gave in.
I don't like coffee or tea, so Diet Coke was my thing. I never drank water, only DC! How unhealthy is that?? Now it's just water for me - no artificial flavors additives...just water.
I am very proud of you for giving it up. It took about 2 weeks before I started feeling better - hang in there.

[mimivac]

Originally Posted by TheBigKahuna

My FIL drinks several canned energy drinks a day! Don't know how he's still alive to be honest!

Well I don't think energy drinks are a direct cause of death!

Originally Posted by TheBigKahuna

But I find it interesting that some people will drink 15 cups of coffee a day, and then tell you "those sodas will kill you"

That is a lot of coffee, but I would guess people are referring to the chemicals in soda.

[TheBigKahuna]

Originally Posted by mimivac

Well I don't think energy drinks are a direct cause of death!



That is a lot of coffee, but I would guess people are referring to the chemicals in soda.

There's been a lot of debate over weather energy drinks have directly resulted in death or not. People have died, and their deaths have been attributed to drinking energy drinks. Emergency room visits also, get blamed on energy drinks as well. This was on the news not too long ago. People, especially young people, drink way too much of it.

My FIL smokes like a freight train, drinks energy drinks like most people drink water, and is overweight, and alcoholic. I stand by my armchair medical assessment.


I knew several coffee drinkers at work who drank 12-20 cups a day. They all also smoked and primarily only ate fast food at lunch. And yet one or two of them swore sodas were bad for you.

They may be....but I'd take a healthy lifestyle with a soda a day over 2 packs of smokes and 15 cups of coffee any day.

[Madmarsha]

I drink nothing but water, sometimes iced tea when I go out, and a couple cups of decaf coffee every day. I am glad that giving up soda, etc was NOT a deal breaker for me. For me, giving up ALL dairy -- meaning cheese -- would be a deal breaker. I used to be a water hater but I don't even use the Mio drops anymore which I used to just for a little more variety.

Every once in a while I get a hankering for a REAL soda but I keep it to one and even that has been a long time ago.

[paynts]

I just have to say it. There are many reasons for tingling in the fingers. Maybe you could do a quick call with your Physicians nurse?

[mimivac]

Originally Posted by Partyof7

Hi Cheetah!
It's been a year and I have not had a soda. I now know how bad all that carbonation is on a system and am thankful to have that monkey off my back! I also drink a LOT more water. I just feel cleaner and clearer.

Good luck and it can be done!!

I've haven't heard of that before. Why is carbonation considered bad on the system?

[Partyof7]

Originally Posted by mimivac

I've haven't heard of that before. Why is carbonation considered bad on the system?

There are several scientific papers on both sides of the fence on this subject. The "bad" side say that it can leech minerals and calcium from your bones, mess with your teeth, and just bad on your system taking things and upsetting acids and a whole bunch of sciency stuff I don't get.

The 'good' side says that outside of a couple studies (correlation not proving causation) there is no reason to think this.

I made my mind up when a restaurant my Mother use to work for used -of all things- carbonated water to get their silverware sparkling clean, remove spots, enzymes of food etc.
It worked on all kinds of nastiness.

Just made sense to me that its probably NOT good for your body.
I feel less 'bloaty' since giving it up and puffy...Thats my anecdotal story though

[mimivac]

Originally Posted by Partyof7

There are several scientific papers on both sides of the fence on this subject. The "bad" side say that it can leech minerals and calcium from your bones, mess with your teeth, and just bad on your system taking things and upsetting acids and a whole bunch of sciency stuff I don't get.

The 'good' side says that outside of a couple studies (correlation not proving causation) there is no reason to think this.

I made my mind up when a restaurant my Mother use to work for used -of all things- carbonated water to get their silverware sparkling clean, remove spots, enzymes of food etc.
It worked on all kinds of nastiness.

Just made sense to me that its probably NOT good for your body.
I feel less 'bloaty' since giving it up and puffy...Thats my anecdotal story though

Interesting. I can't stand carbonation, but didn't think it was bad for you. My mom is in love with seltzer water. Will have to look into this.

[Madmarsha]

Originally Posted by fun w son

I used to drink 5 20oz regular cokes a day. then I went to a friends and they drink coke zero. I switched to that about a year ago and now I drink 1-2 coke zero's a day... the worst part of switching was the head poundings!! but not bad now. hopefully I can get off of them completely.

Just wanted to say who dat!!

[webcrystal]

I don't think it was the actual carbonation but the fact that some sodas, especially colas, contain Phosphoric Acid. The theory is that your body directs calcium/magnesium to neutralize the acid instead of using the cal/mag for bone remodeling/repairing.

The other theory is that sodas displace otherwise calcium rich drinks such as milk in the diet which in turns gives one a poor calcium profile.

Of course with the last one there are plenty of rich calcium containing foods that are more bio-available to humans than milk .. so I don't really consider milk so calcium enriching.

just saying.

[Partyof7]

ita Crystal.
Yep, there is one fact about it all and that is : Everyone has an opinion.

[webcrystal]

Yep it's all theory. lol.. it slays me that scientists, etc. keep trying to find "causation" in their soda calcium leaching theories but the studies just don't really support it from what I can tell (although I am not a scientist AT ALL). But they keep trying

[dgidaho]

Originally Posted by Partyof7

Hi Cheetah!
It's been a year and I have not had a soda. I now know how bad all that carbonation is on a system and am thankful to have that monkey off my back! I also drink a LOT more water. I just feel cleaner and clearer.
Good luck and it can be done!!

I would LOVE to be there. And someday I intend to tackle that beast. But for now, I descend on Diet Dr. Pepper sales like a piranha on meat and hoard it as if my life depended on it.

[heidihoopi]

I quit for a month, no side effects whatsoever, no benefits either. I'm back drinking about 2 or 3 glasses a day.

[Partyof7]

Well, one monkey at a time dgid

[DiamondDeb]

Originally Posted by paynts

I just have to say it. There are many reasons for tingling in the fingers. Maybe you could do a quick call with your Physicians nurse?

I agree.

[dgidaho]

Originally Posted by Partyof7

Well, one monkey at a time dgid

True that....true that.....

[Peace]

I know you can do it! I feel sooo much better without it. Just more refreshed and healthier in general.

[85Cardinals]

I was a crazy Diet Dr. Pepper addict in the 90's. Thank God I quit that forever around the turn of the century. That's a nowhere road, at least for me. Coffee is enough caffeinated beverage for the rest of my life.