Addicted to Diet Coke...

I know there have probably been several posts on this but I will ask anyway...

I am very addicted to diet coke. I love it. I know that it is bad for you and I have tried to stop drinking it. Within a couple days of not drinking it I will get a really severe headache, I give in, drink a diet coke and the headache is gone! It is this ongoing cycle.

So, is there anyone else that has gone through this that has been able to cut off diet coke forever? With me it's all or nothing so I would like to eventually stop drinking it all together. Also, does anyone know of any healthy replacements? I drink a lot of water but sometimes I need something with some flavor! Ya know?

I appreciate any tips, thanks!

I'm addicted to Diet Dr Pepper and i've been assured that it's Not bad for you and you can drink as much as you want! Oy.... where does it say it's bad?

Well I don't have a reference or anything but I have heard that mainly the carbonation and caffeine is bad for you. I have also heard the acid is bad for your stomach. There is also a lot of debate on artificial sweeteners and their long term affects. But I mainly don't like having dependence on the caffeine. I want to be able to not have caffeine and not get these annoying headaches! I also feel as if the caffeine is slowing me down after the "wake you up" affect wears off.

i used to drink a ridiculously large amount of diet coke! after hearing all the different things about how bad artificial sweeteners are for you, i decided i would try to kick the habit. well, that was over a month ago, and let me tell you, i've managed to do it just fine and i can't say i've missed them much. i still get the craving for the diet coke sometimes, but when i give in, it is never as good as i remembered.

is diet coke your only source of caffeine? if so, that explains the headaches. i also drink coffee regularly (no chance of me giving THAT up haha) and if i don't have my daily dose, i get a headache. if you can struggle through it, it will stop happening! i'd say your best bet is to start cutting your intake down slowly instead of quitting cold turkey.

now when i want a drink with some flavor i have a club soda with a splash of real juice.

Someone posted that the chemicals in sodas can strip your body of vitamins and other good things. 

Sarah:  have you tried the caffine free coke?  or maybe not quiting cold turkey.  Try wheening yourself off.  Maybe half one for a few days and then a quarter then none?

drink sparkling water that has flavors its awesome.

I'm thinking you get headaches from no caffine.  I noticed headaches when I weened myself off of sodas in general.  Try and drink coffee for that...but not with too much cream and sugar.

AND...speaking of drinking sparkling water...if you get the plain sparkling water and add Crystal Light Pink Lemonade...IT's AWESOME!! 

Very Important Info about Diet Sodas:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/13/hea lth/webmd/main701408.shtml

(WebMD) People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows.

The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at this week's annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego.

"What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."

In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas.

"There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says

Try squeezing a piece of lemon into regular water...but come off caffeine a little at a time so you don't get such severe headaches.  They won't last forever!  Good Luck!

Diet drinks are bad for you (artificial chemicals galore) so I applaud your efforts to stop drinking diet coke.

 I would definitely recommend tapering off of it - if you are used to alot of caffeine you will go through withdrawal if you cut cold turkey, this is what caused your headache. 

 Just like a drug or cigarettes, you will miss it less if you cut down by just a little a day, (from 2 cans a day to 1.5 to 1.25 to 1 to .75 etc.) even if it means throwing out half a can.  Think of it as money spent for your health :).  If you find you can't give up that last 1/2 can per day - at least you're drinking alot less!

If you can find them, get the smaller cans, and try to drink only one a day.  When you feel a craving coming on, get up and walk around instead.  After that, if you feel like you absolutely must have it, don't be too hard on yourself... just have a small sip, or try to drag it out over a longer period of time so you won't want more later.  In regards to the headaches... there are plenty of ways you can get caffeine without drinking soda - try a cadbury thin bar of dark chocolate - only 100 calories! 

I find that if you truly want to accomplish something, you'll find a way to do it.  :-)