Friday, February 15, 2008

6 Days Sober and Counting

I don’t think I knew how addicted I was until I quit (and I’m using the word “quit” loosely—you know, the whole “counting chickens” thing).

Last weekend I ran out of Diet Coke, and because I refuse to break the Sabbath to purchase my caffeine juice, I went to bed with a migraine starter. Two hours and one bucket o’vomit later I was sound asleep, on the tail-end of a prayer vowing never to drink again (you know, Diet Coke).

But that wouldn’t be my last fit of withdrawals. Wednesday morning, a whole 4 days sober, I woke up with yet another head-splitting migraine. I realized that if I was THAT addicted that two detox migraines were necessary, it was time to leave the Diet Coke behind. For good. (loosely speaking, of course)

And this morning my body demonstrated just how close I am to falling off the wagon (is it "off" or "on"? I’ve never known…).

I craved me a soda, fully-leaded. But remembering my last migraine I got a Diet Sprite with lime instead. As soon as that carbonation hit my throat the back of my head started to throb. It was as if my capillaries were screaming, “SHAUNA, you FOOL! That’s not what we want. WE WANT THE DARK COLA!” Amazed that my body wasn’t falling for the bait and switch, I stepped away from the Sprite.

So it’s official. I’m currently 6 days sober and counting.

*sniff*

27 comments:

Becky said...

Oh Shauna....from one Diet Coke addict to another.....hats off to you!!

Karen said...

Keep trying. It is possible to break the addiction. I rarely have any pop anymore. Sometimes I just sneak one sip of dh's pop, just for the taste, but that's enough.
Good luck!!

tara said...

hey, this is jen's friend tara and i have to let you know that you are my hero. i love writing and i usually feel like i am semi-good at it and then i read your blog and i covet it. yes, i know we're not supposed to, but you really are talented. you and the authors of all those blogs you have listed so effortlessly down the margin. i could waste many an hour going from one blog to the next, immersing myself in the witty banter, wishing i could also string words together in such an addictive way. bravo, shauna. i know its not worth much, but your an inspiration.

tara said...

here i call myself a writer, and then i commit the worst crime known to the literary world. and i quote, "your a genius" instead of "you're a genius." just call me a preschooler

shauna said...

Tara, thanks for visiting. (And shucks, you're making me blush!) And don't worry--I've left many a grammatically incorrect comment before. That's what's great about it--people love comments, whether or not they've been proofed. I'll have to swing over to your blog now!

jen said...

I should try that sometime...maybe later, after I drink this here coke...

Anonymous said...

The begining of new. Now if only I . . .

Melodrama Mama said...

MMMMM - I think that I will go and have a nice tall glass of......water. Boring, non carbonated, clear, water. Sigh.
Welcome to the world of diet-cokeoholics anonymous.

Melodrama Mama said...

MMMMM - I think that I will go and have a nice tall glass of......water. Boring, non carbonated, clear, water. Sigh.
Welcome to the world of diet-cokeoholics anonymous.

Reverend Shawn said...

Way to God Shauna ... I gave up coffee last summer ... it was a BRUTAL transition ... same thing - headaches and the works ... but now I can enjoy a cup of coffee or two a day but without the addiction to caffeine coming into play ...

Hang in there ... it's worth ALL OF IT !!!! and remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE ... lots of us have gone through similar journeys - and the outcome makes it ALL worthwhile !!!

Reverend Shawn said...

oops ... shoulda started with - "way to GO" ... though, let's call it a Freudian slip of sorts ... we entrust ourselves in these moments in the hands of our Creator ...

... and THAT'S my excuse !!! LOL !!!

GustoBones said...

Way to go!!! Keep it up.

Spammon said...

You're going about it all wrong. You need to start with the DC patch or the chewing gum.

Carrie Wilson Link said...

YIKES!!!!! I'm impressed you stuck it out through that horror, although I understand having the desire to complete what you start, just so you don't have to relive the horror AGAIN.

I heard Aspartame interferes with anti-depressants. Not. Helpful. Enough motivation for me. But, I have my addictions, all right, and HOW!

Anonymous said...

I am happy for you, I think. Why are you going cold turkey? I was always told that weaning off caff. was the best way, to avoid the withdrawls, that you speak of. Are you trying not to have any caff. at all? No coffee, tea or anything? I think cold turkey from diet coke is pretty harsh, but since you are almost there, I am proud of you. I just wish you didn't have to put yourself though so much pain to get there!! I love seltzer with lime or lemon, the no sodium kind. I'm addicted totally. Bottles all over the house. Not sure why, I love regular water too, but I just love the taste of bubbly water.

So what is behind this no diet coke, the stress issue? The chemicals?

Love ya!

shauna said...

What a great support group! YOu're like my own personal Diet Coke's Anonymous group.

Eileen,
The whole cold turkey Diet Coke thing was totally unplanned. I just didn't have any that weekend and BAM, migraine. I just decided--out of nowhere--that I didn't want another migraine like that again. And I really did have a problem; I drank at least 44 ounces of Diet Coke a day (if not 64--2 liters! I can't believe it now.) I had tried weaning myself--but it had become a serious crutch--something I did to better deal with the divorce/single-mom stress. It was a whim, really. Completely unexpected--but I figure there's no looking back now (loosely, people.)

Mrs. Smith said...

My poison of choice was Mountain Dew, or as we called it, nectar of the gods. The headaches are killer, but I love being caffiene free. Even now I have to be careful, if I have a week of caffiene I have to go through the headaches again!

Rachel said...

be strong!! THis addiction is a killer.. as I have heard.

Crazed Nitwit said...

I was caffeine free until I started back at school. I needed something to help me be alert. I only have 12-16 oz of Coke per day at most. Evian the rest of the time. Good for you. Good luck keeping it up.

Janice {Run Far} said...

You are so good, I don't even try to go off the DARK COLORED SODA, I live off it. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm yummy, I think I will go crack one open right now.

Anonymous said...

Good for you!!! You know my horrible diet coke story (you're the only one, with the possible exception of Sydney) and I've only had one since. It tasted nasty. You can do it!!! Good for you! WOohoo!!

Mary

Kristi O said...

Oh my. I can't believe it.
The thought of not drinking diet coke gives me hives and a headache. In fact I am breaking whatever Sunday rules are in place and driving thru soon. I will pray for GRACE since you are making this journey... and will not intice you with the fizz...... HAHAAA go for it girly!

shauna said...

Kristi O and Janice, the fizz.... Sigh... I crave it something awful!

Mary, you inspire me. You always have. It's now Sunday, so I'm offically one full week sober and counting...

Tola said...

i quit Diet Coke cold turkey while on the trip east, because it makes me pee and we couldnt afford to stop every 30 minutes. (BTW, remember that Temple trip we took in your folks' van one year and the Scott twins drank Mountain Dew the whole way back and had to pee every 20 minutes?) i still love Diet Coke, and i get a 20 oz bottle sometimes when i go to Target. once in awhile i order it in the restaurant. but im not drinking nearly as much as i was, and it's doing bad things to my Coke Rewards balance! and yes, you can refer your knitter friend to my blog. email her email addy so i can invite her.

Rachel said...

I swear it is a revolution. Everywhere I look, people are weaning themselves of pop...and not calorie laden pop...the diet stuff...the stuff that is supposed to be a freebie in any diet. I am about two weeks sober myself and I am eating less food and drinking more water as well. I still get the headaches because of the occasional coffee and the every night, all-nighter. But all in all I think the benefit far outweighs the sacrifice.

Kelli said...

I have had those days also when I think I will get off the stuff. But I am sad when I think about a diet coke from a resturant. Oh how I love fountain diet coke. So I dont go off it. Good For you!

shauna said...

Kelli, I totally fell off the wagon yesterday and got a large (not a Route 44, mind you) diet coke from Sonic for that exact reason--I love me a fountain drink (with lemon). But like Mary mentioned, it didn't quite taste the same. And that nearly broke my heart...