One Excedrin tablet is:
· 250 mg Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
· 250 mg Aspirin
· 65 mg Caffeine
It is the perfect, legal and convenient pick-me-up-and-cure-my-headache drug. Up until a few weeks ago, depending on how I felt and my mood, I would pop one to three a day (on rare occasions even four). It was my multivitamin.
Problem is as devoted as I am to Excedrin, my uterus is not. According to Making Babies, caffeine should be limited when you are pregnant and when you are trying to become so. Coffee especially should be avoided due to its acidifying nature.
The authors didn’t mention Excedrin by name, but I can read between the lines. I figure I better switch my usage from recreational to purely medicinal. As in, my head better feel like my brain is bleeding before I reach for my quick fix. It’s really for the best. I was starting to suspect every random pain was actually a symptom of liver damage caused by the Acetaminophen.
The good news is, according to the book, tea (even black caffeine-containing tea) may boost fertility. “Women who drank tea every day --- even just half a cup --- were twice as likely to conceive as women who never drank tea,” Making Babies, page 109.
The authors recommend green tea (up to three cups a day). However, two cups of black tea is within their caffeine guideline of no more than 90 mg of caffeine a day.
90 mg! I get sad just thinking about it. Did I mention I was drinking tea and coffee in addition to my daily dose of Excedrin? And it’s not like I haven’t been down this road before. A few years ago, I quit caffeine cold turkey. Big mistake. Caffeine withdrawals nearly drove me to murder inside a crowded Whole Foods. So this time, I’m going slow, drinking mostly black tea, the occasional coffee and lots of chlorophyll water
I don't know... I drink tea every day (I've been off coffee for years because of what it does to my stomach), and it hasn't worked for me...
ReplyDeleteDrinking tea hasn't increased my fertility, either.
ReplyDeletetell me specifics about the chlorophyll water... i need to know these things. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been drinking tea every day FOR YEARS. Do not get me started today, I am still bitter because I'm on the rag. Sheila -- did you miss the post about how it TURNS YOUR POOP GREEN? Oh, boy. Can't wait to try that one!!
ReplyDeleteThe Excedrin Affair started in high school. This I remember because my parents would not let me take it when I tried to copy you. :)
ReplyDelete*starts chugging tea*
ReplyDeleteGuys, I am a little bitter today. Jeff and I have been trying for two years and no luck. My friend and her husband decided last month to have a baby. GUESS WHO'S PREGNANT!? She's a great girl, I love her to death, but I am a little bitter.
Leslie - we have SO been there. More times than I want to remember. I'm grateful that there are women who understand what this feels like.
ReplyDeleteI am very grateful to you guys. :-)
ReplyDeletecrap - guess I should really stop drinking my chai tea lattes huh? stupid caffeine. Stupid non-baby making body of mine.
ReplyDeleteChristina, I can't even tell you how relieved I was to see Queen Bee's response, because I thought it was me who introduced it to you! In college, Excederin was always in my desk at the paper and I was always handing it out ...
ReplyDeletePretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
ReplyDelete