At 18:18 -0500 13/12/02, Adrienne Smith wrote:

>black tea -- gradually cutting down to only green tea.  However, I feel like
>absolute crap -- really horrible fatigue, muscular aches, lethargy plus
>nausea but no headaches. Could this actually be withdrawal? I purposely have
>tried to slowly wean myself very slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms.  Last
>year ,when I was drinking much more coffee (3-6 cups per day) and quit cold
>turkey, I experienced awful headaches

I am a very experienced with caffeine withdrawal, as I am a recovering
caffeine addict and have given it up at least once a year for the last
six years. (Currently abstaining, but expecting to fall off the wagon
through the Christmas holidays.)

I can say that I do suffer withdrawal symptoms simply by lowering my
caffeine intake. Although I have also noticed that the really shocking
headaches only seem to happen when I go cold turkey. I have also
noticed that the headaches are different for coffee than for green tea.
Coffee headaches are much sharper... like someone sticking knitting
needles up the back of your skull, especially when standing up after
sitting for a while. Green tea headaches are more like having the back
of your head in a vise.

I find the best way to give up is to just stop. I simply don't have
the will power to have one pot of tea and not have another. I find it
much easier to simply draw a line -- with me on one side and caffeine
on the other.

I find that the headaches last about 2 days, but even after a slow
weaning, the headaches still kick in when I finally give it up
completely (perhaps not quite as badly, but still debilitating).

The muscular aches and pains last about 4 days for me.

I have never had a problem with constipation (although a good double
espresso will always "get me going" in more ways than one! ;)

And lethargy... I've never really interpreted that as a withdrawal
symptom. For me the biggest advantage of getting off caffeine is that
I feel less lethargic in the morning and in the evening. (i.e. at
times when I'm not wired.)  I generally find I no longer have trouble
getting out of bed after being off caffeine for about a week.

I expect your thyroid problems probably contribute to morning lethargy.
I wonder if caffeine somehow "down-regulates" thyroid.

I also find I have fewer alcohol cravings in the evening when I'm not
using caffeine. But greater cravings for chocolate (the really dark,
bitter variety).

 ...Richard.