QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I cut coffee out of my diet about two weeks ago. Since then I've had one cup of coffee last Saturday and two on Sunday. I've had severe headaches for the two weeks. The coffee last weekend reduced the pain. Did it also increase the time to suffer with these headaches? It was less painful to quit smoking! I'm curious. How long do the symptoms last? I drank 40 ozs. of coffee per day. One 20 oz. cup in the early morning and the second at morning coffee break. I did my best to keep caffeine out of my diet the rest of the day so I could sleep easier at night. I was aware that I was addicted because if I didn't have a coffee by 10 am, the headaches would start. Commercial painkillers won't reduce the pain. I'm tired of the pain. I'm also on Serzone 150mg twice daily. I've self prescribed ginkgo biloba to improve my memory. What's you opinion please.
Thanks.
ANSWER:
Caffeine is an addicting drug, although it's not a dangerous drug. It's even
suggested that the risk of Parkinson's disease can be lowered by taking caffeine. The
major side effects from withdrawal are headache and jitteriness. The easiest way to solve
the problem is to slowly taper off the caffeine.
Withdrawal symptoms can last from 12 hours to 2 weeks, and they are relieved by ingesting
caffeine either in liquid or pill form.
Neither Serzone nor ginkgo will have an effect on caffeine withdrawal.
