My Journey to Motherhood: Day 1: First Day Without Caffeine...Oh, my aching head!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Day 1: First Day Without Caffeine...Oh, my aching head!

I always thought caffeine headaches were a joke, but right now my head hurts so bad that I can't even keep my hair in ponytail. It's 2:00 in the afternoon and the subtle pounding in my head began about two hours ago. I did fine when I woke up, I made my self a cup of hot cherry flavored green tea sweetened with honey. Not exactly a caramel macchiato, but still pretty good. By 10:00 I felt good, and thought phew, "this caffeine thing...I got this!" Enter 12:00 lunch time, when I usually have an iced coffee or a diet coke, but substituted Iced Green Tea. I was two bites into my very healthy Grilled Cheese (provolone on whole wheat, made with cooking spray instead of butter) when a small pounding began above my eyes. I quickly took 2 Tylenol and drank a bottle of water. The Tylenol worked until about forty-five minutes ago. I wonder if it is too early to take two more. The bottle says every four hours. It would be a real shame to break an addiction to caffeine only to go on an addiction to Tylenol. Is that even possible? People are addicted to everything these days, so I am sure someone is addicted to Tylenol. Hopefully it won't be me. I researched caffeine headache cures and they offered a few helpful suggestions such as: Have someone give you a massage. I looked around my empty house..."anyone? Anyone?" Nope the massage thing is out until Flor gets home. Even then if my head hurts this badly by the time he gets home, the last thing I am going to want is him touching my head. So I think the massage is out. The next suggestion to softening the caffeine headache was to take a steaming hot shower and inhale the steam through my nose. This sounds promising, if you live in a house where the hot water lasts more than ten minutes in each shower. Our household quick showers save the environment, but really stink at relaxing my aching head. Another suggestion is to go for a jog or run....HA I say! I hate to run with a normal head, but with a head swollen and fuzzy I am likely to run into traffic and get run over by a Prius. There really are a lot of those around here lately! I wonder if they save the environment as well as my ten minute showers do?

Are you ready for the really splendid part of this whole caffeine withdrawal misery that I am in? The research I've done says that tomorrow will be worse!! And tonight I might not be able to sleep. But... the light at the end of the tunnel: No one has ever died from a caffeine withdrawal! Maybe not, but I know a dog next door who barks day and night, that might. (For some reason it's louder today)

I am just kidding of course about the violence, but the headache is real but i know that when I have my baby, it will all be worth it. My future baby is worth any sacrifice I can make. Besides, if I can survive caffeine withdrawal, child birth should be cake....right???

1 comment:

JackieJanuary 30, 2010 at 6:40 PM
Brandy...this post made me laugh...I can sooooo read this blog and it's as if I can hear you relaying the story to me! Way to go getting through the first day! I am so proud of you and will continue to pray! Love you!
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Yummy Fertility Recipes...they are good for anybody.

Breakfasts:
** Whole Wheat French Toast w/Turkey Bacon.--Beat 2 eggs, 1/4 c milk, 1 tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Soak 1 piece whole wheat bread for 2 min. (since whole wheat is a little thicker it takes longer to soak in the egg mixture.) Place on skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1 tbs of powdered sugar and top with berries or bananas.
Snacks :
**1/2 c organic granola, 1 c Oikos organic Greek yogurt, and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
**Celery with PB and Raisins (I know flash backs to Kindergarten)
Lunch:
** 1 c Pasta Salad- 2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta penne (drained and cooled) at 1 can of Tuna, chopped onions, cucumber and tomato. 1 c Feta Cheese & 3/4 c Kraft Tuscan House Dressing and Marinade. Mix ingred well and chill 2hrs b4 serving.
Dinner:
**Italian Baked Salmon- Drizzle olive oil on bottom of baking dish. Place 4 Salmon Fillets in dish. Sprinkle with salt&pepper and turn over to coat both sides with oil. Squeeze juice of one lemon over top. In a mixing bowl, combine 160z can diced tomatos (organic if possible), chopped onion and garlic, juice of 2 fresh lemons, 2 tsp of each basil, oregano and italian seasoning. Mix together and pour atop Salmon. Spread to cover all. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 min.

My Fertile Foods List

Proteins: 3-5 Serv./day: Full fat dairy (when the fat is taken from it, the hormones are messed with and the chemicals mess with fertility, because of fat only 2 dairy serv. a day), beans, nuts, eggs, salmon, oysters, canned tuna. Limit intake of animal protein, lean poultry and lean red meat are okay once or twice a week.
Friuts & Veggies: 5 Serv./day: Leafy greens, spinach, avacados, sweet potatos (all help fertility and control sugar), Most fruits are fine, except bananas. Fertile fruits include: fresh pinapple, blueberries, oranges, grapefruit, all citrus.
Carbs: 5 serv./day :Whole grain bread, pasta, rice and cereal. No sugar or sugar substitutes. (Aspartame is very bad for reproductive system)
Beverages: 64oz.water daily, (I squeeze orange, lemon and grapefruit into mine to help) Green Tea sweetened with honey, and Milk. No caffeine, sugar, or even sugar-free drinks.

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. The name of the condition comes from the appearance of the ovaries in most, but not all, women with the disorder — enlarged and containing numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary (polycystic appearance).
Infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and obesity can all occur in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Menstrual abnormality may signal the condition in adolescence, or PCOS may become apparent later following weight gain or difficulty becoming pregnant.
The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant due to infrequent or lack of ovulation. Early diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome can help reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Symptoms
Polycystic ovary syndrome signs and symptoms often begin soon after you first begin having periods (menarche). In some cases, PCOS develops later on during your reproductive years, for instance, in response to substantial weight gain.
Signs and symptoms vary from person to person, in both type and severity. To be diagnosed with the condition, your doctor looks for at least two of the following:
1.Menstrual abnormality. This is the most common characteristic.
2. Elevated levels of male hormones (androgens) may result in physical signs, such as excess facial and body hair.
3.Polycystic ovaries. Enlarged ovaries containing numerous small cysts can be detected by ultrasound. Despite the condition's name, polycystic ovaries alone do not confirm the diagnosis. To be diagnosed with PCOS, you must also have abnormal menstrual cycles or signs of androgen excess. Some women with polycystic ovaries may not have PCOS, while a few women with the condition have ovaries that appear normal.
4. Infertility. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant because they experience infrequent ovulation or a lack of ovulation. PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
5. Obesity. About half the women with polycystic ovary syndrome are obese.
6. Prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome are insulin resistant, which impairs the body's ability to use insulin effectively to regulate blood sugar. This can result in high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is also called impaired glucose tolerance.
7.Acanthosis nigricans. This is the medical term for darkened, velvety skin on the nape of your neck, armpits, inner thighs, vulva or under your breasts. This skin condition is a sign of insulin resistance.

Talk with your doctor if you have menstrual irregularities — such as infrequent periods, prolonged periods or no menstrual periods — and have excess hair on your face and body or acne.

Causes:
In polycystic ovary syndrome, the pituitary gland may secrete high levels of LH and the ovaries may make excess androgens. This disrupts the normal menstrual cycle and may lead to infertility, excess body hair and acne.Doctors don't know the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome, but these factors likely play a role:
1. Excess insulin. Insulin is the hormone produced in the pancreas that allows cells to use sugar (glucose), your body's primary energy supply. If you have insulin resistance, your ability to use insulin effectively is impaired, and your pancreas has to secrete more insulin to make glucose available to cells. The excess insulin is thought to boost androgen production by your ovaries.
2. Low-grade inflammation. Your body's white blood cells produce substances to fight infection in a process called inflammation.
3. Heredity. If your mother or sister has PCOS, you might have a greater chance of having it, too. Researchers also are looking into the possibility that mutated genes are linked to PCOS.
4. Abnormal fetal development. New research shows that excessive exposure to male hormones (androgens) in fetal life may permanently prevent normal genes from working the way they're supposed to — a process known as gene expression. This may promote a male pattern of abdominal fat distribution, which increases the risk of insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation. Research continues to establish to what extent these factors might contribute to PCOS.

Researchers continue to explore possible causes of PCOS. Among topics of current research are whether low-grade inflammation and fetal exposure to excessive androgens might trigger the condition.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovarian-syndrome

I have found this website to be helpful for me.
http://www.pcossupport.com/

My Journey to Motherhood

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