A man who once drank up to 4.5 liters of Dr Pepper each day and spent around £30,000 on this habit has revealed the toll his addiction to sugary drinks took on his health and finances.
Tom Bowey, a resident of Buckinghamshire, became known as ‘Dr Pepper Man’ because of his intense habit. His daily routine revolved around fizzy drinks, which he started sipping from the moment he woke up and continued until he went to bed.
“It was all day, from when I woke up until 10pm. I found it hard to fall asleep because I had so much caffeine and sugar in my system,” he shared about his daily routine, adding that this habit persisted for over a decade, during which he made several attempts to cut back but struggled to stop.
“My boss told me ‘you’re going to die soon if you don’t stop drinking them’ because I’d have the bottles sitting on the side next to my computer at work.”
“The guy at the shop over the road used to call me ‘Dr Pepper man’, which wasn’t great, because that was all I used to buy when I went in there.”
His daily routine involved starting with a can first thing in the morning, another for the drive to work, followed by two large bottles in the morning, two more in the afternoon, and several additional cans once he was home for the evening.
This near-constant consumption of almost five liters of sugary soda each day eventually took its toll. Tom developed a bloated stomach, and his dentist informed him that his teeth were so worn down that he had the dental health of someone much older.
His attempts to quit were partly motivated by financial concerns and worries that his children might imitate his habit. Yet, going “cold turkey” proved too challenging, and he couldn’t stick with it for long.
Tom explained that his habit began with just one fizzy drink during his lunch break, but it gradually spiraled out of control. Eventually, he stopped drinking water entirely, turning to soda as his only source of hydration.
The caffeine and sugar provided him with a morning energy boost, and he always kept at least five cans of cola in his fridge to ensure he never ran out. However, over time, he noticed the impact on his body and health.
He recalled, “I felt bloated a lot of the time, had headaches sometimes and felt a bit foggy and tired. Another issue was I was finding it hard to fall asleep at night.”
“When I’d lie down [to go to sleep] I was wide awake because I had so much sugar and caffeine in my system.”
Tom was finally able to quit with the help of hypnotherapy. He connected with Dr. David Kilmurry, a cognitive behavioral hypnotherapist, who conducted a two-hour session with him over Zoom on September 22. Since that session, Tom has been able to give up fizzy drinks entirely.
Now, Tom quenches his thirst with water and weak squash instead. The money he’s saved by kicking the habit has even allowed him to plan a family holiday for next year, which his family is thrilled about.
He’s also gone down a size in his clothing, dropping from large to a comfortable medium. Tom encourages anyone dealing with a similar addiction to seek support rather than trying to handle it alone.
Reflecting on his journey, Tom admitted that in the early hours of trying to quit, he often “just caved in.”
Dr. Kilmurry expressed his happiness at Tom’s success, calling it “a blessing” and wishing him “more and more good health.”
