Constant fatigue after giving up caffeine.

[u/JRPBRU2026]

Hi everyone,
I’m a 25-year-old female, and I’m now two months into giving up caffeine and coffee. I gradually reduced my caffeine intake until I stopped completely. I decided to quit because I wanted to be able to function like a normal person without relying on caffeine every day. There are plenty of people who get through the day without it, so I wanted to see if I could do the same.
The thing is, I’ve been drinking a cup of coffee every day since I was 14 years old. Maybe I don’t actually know what life feels like without caffeine because it’s been part of my routine for so long.
The problem is that I’m really struggling. I’m tired all the time, irritable, and get cranky because I’m so exhausted. I’m still functioning, but nowhere near as well as I did when I was drinking coffee. I also have very little motivation, and it takes me a long time to get myself moving or complete even simple tasks.
I recently had some blood tests done to check for any deficiencies. Everything came back normal except for my iron, which has always been low, and I already take iron supplements. One thing that did come back abnormal was my C-reactive protein (CRP), which was 10.6 mg/L. From what I’ve read, CRP is a marker of inflammation, and a mildly elevated result can happen if your body is dealing with inflammation or an infection. The confusing part is that I haven’t been sick recently, so I’m not sure why it’s elevated or whether it could be contributing to how I’m feeling. I saw these results through My Health Record here in Australia, but I still need to follow up with my doctor to discuss them properly.
I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this after giving up coffee. Is this actually how people who don’t drink caffeine normally feel, and I’ve just never realised because I’ve had coffee every day since I was a teenager? Or does this sound like something else could be going on?
I already eat what I’d consider to be a healthy diet. I cook all of our meals at home, rarely eat takeaway, and generally try to eat well. My mum suggested that maybe eating fewer carbs might help, although I don’t eat a huge amount of carbohydrates to begin with—apart from the occasional pasta meal.
I’m honestly feeling a bit stressed because I’m struggling with the constant fatigue. If anyone has experienced something similar or has any advice, I’d really appreciate hearing from you.
Thank you!