‘I drank eight bottles of Lucozade a day for nearly 30 years - it is harder to give up than cocaine’

A grandfather has given up his eight-bottle-a-day Lucozade habit after a stroke scare - but still “craves it 24/7”.

Garry Johnson, 65, was forced to confront his 29-year addiction after being rushed to hospital.

He vowed then to cut the £150-a-month fizzy drink habit - and has already managed to halve his daily intake.

But he said his concentration is impacted because he never stops thinking about his next sip of Lucozade.

Garry, a retired painter and decorator, said: “I took cocaine every day but it was a piece of cake to give up.

“But I always knew I’d find it really hard to ever give up Lucozade.

“I know it’s not worth the risks but I still crave it all the time. I just want to taste it.

“It messes with my concentration because it’s always in the back of my mind.”

Garry began drinking coffee aged 12 and loved the caffeine buzz. He then dabbled with drugs in his teens and twenties.

But after his first son was born in 1992 he moved onto energy drinks to keep him energised - his favourite being Lucozade Original.

For nearly three decades, he had necked multiple bottles a day.

Until recently, he swore he’d never give it up - despite having three heart attacks between 2012 and 2014.

But a recent health scare left Garry from Basildon, Essex, with no choice.

He ended up in Basildon University Hospital on August 4 after losing vision in one eye and pains in his neck and chest, all on one side.

Calling it a ‘mini stroke’, doctors warned him his veins were narrowing due to how much sugar he was consuming - and will be at risk of a big stroke if he doesn’t quit.

Luckily Garry’s vision returned and he stabilised, but medics warned without his medications, it could have been far more serious.

They also warned it would be a sign of things to come if he didn’t put an end to his Lucozade habit.

The main issue they warned of was the narrowing or “furring” of the veins which take blood to Garry’s heart.

Garry, a single dad-of-three, said: “Doctors took my blood and said my sugar levels were off the scale - I hadn’t drank any more on that day than usual.

“They warned me it can damage my liver and kidneys and even bring on diabetes if I don’t change.”

He called it a “wake-up call” and has since vowed to make a change.

Before quitting he reckoned it would be tougher to quit than class A drugs were - and now that has proven to be true.

Garry said: “I’m down to four bottles a day but I crave it all the time.

“I don’t want to because I know it’s not worth the risks but I always think about tasting it.

“It’s as hard for me as it is for a heavy smoker to give up cigarettes.”

He said the cravings have impacted his concentration levels - but listening to podcasts has helped him distract himself from thinking about when he can next have a sip of Lucozade.

To help keep himself on track and gradually reduce his consumption, he’s been squirrelling away the cash he would have spent on Lucozade.

He plans to put it towards gifts for his grandchildren because he would “rather spend the money on them”.

Garry said: “I would have carried on my merry way if I hadn’t had the mini-stroke.

“I still crave Lucozade all the time because it’s been a big shock to the system but I know I’ve got to commit.

“It was the scariest thing ever, but it’s been the wake-up call I needed.”

Previously, Garry would go to Tesco every day and buy one or two four-packs of 380ml bottles of Lucozade Original.

The habit would cost him £5 a day - or £150 a month.