Coffee – moderation vs abstinence, again!

I spent most of the weekend laid out on the sofa with extreme fatigue and a headache which wasn’t much fun. I did get to have a guilt-free netflix binge though so it’s not all bad. I’ve been weaning down off my prodigious coffee intake which was probably the cause. It’s something I’ve had my head in the sand about for a while but I’ve decided it’s time to tackle it.

I know coffee has had a lot of good press. It’s rich in antioxidants and polyphenols and there have been studies that link it with the prevention of some diseases. That being said, red wine has also had some good press, and look where that got me. Coffee also definitely has a dark side with a number of negative side effects – particularly when consumed in excess and hey, this is me I’m talking about ;D

It’s particularly questionable for somebody suffering from autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s). When I was first diagnosed, many years ago, my initial research found this out fairly quickly and I quit straight away. It was one of the combination of things that temporarily put a halt on the disease and made me feel much better.

I need to cut it out again and I’m struggling, much in the same way that I did/do with alcohol. I can list the logic and reasons for quitting – the effect on autoimmune antibody levels, the flogging of the adrenals, the effects on gut microbiome and gut lining, the possible interference with T4 to T3 conversion etc, etc… But, in the same way that knowing the health risks of drinking didn’t rein me in, it’s not stopping me from staring at the dregs in my ever-weakening cup and really, REALLY wanting ‘just one more’. Just one more – yeah, that sounds familiar.

One of the myriad of thyroid symptoms that bothers me the most is the constant tinnitus – it drives me nuts. Coffee is guaranteed to ramp this up within a few minutes. It’s not guaranteed to be a deterrent though, just like a hangover never was with alcohol.

Aarrghh! Why am I like this?! When I was feeling low over the weekend I had a niggly voice telling me that as I was feeling so crap I may as well drink, it wouldn’t make any difference. I didn’t listen but I’m feeling frustrated, grey and pissy today – to match the weather. There’s a part of me having a tantrum inside that just wants to down wine, strong black coffee and slabs of chocolate while rolling around making rude gestures at the part of me trying to sort my life out. I won’t though…

Ah, the ups and downs… Wishing you an UP day today.

 

 

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Day 31, a whole month!

After my previous wobbles things have settled down again and I haven’t really had any cravings for the last week. I went out for a meal on Wednesday and there was a split second thought of ‘Oh a glass of wine would be nice’, but I immediately dismissed it. Nobody else was drinking as everybody was either driving and/or working the following morning. In the past I would have had at least a couple of large glasses at the meal and opened a bottle when I got home. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening as it was, without booze. Things can change 🙂

I’ve had confirmation from my GP that my thyroid is failing again 😦 It’s a bummer as I’d previously stabilised it without medication using supplements, nutrition and generally living healthily. It’s good in a way though because it explains why I’m exhausted, sometimes depressed, physically weak and shaky, have gained weight and so on… why I generally just feel half dead most of the time. At least if I take the pills this time I’ll have more strength to carry on my booze-free mission and have the energy to stick more carefully to a diet aimed at reducing autoimmune disease. We can’t do battle on all fronts at once and I’m sick of feeling like a snail on valium.

My GP has decided to give me a full health MOT so I’m off for a whole battery of blood tests this morning. This includes a liver function test so I’m soooo glad I’ve been off the wine for a whole month or the results could have been a bit scary. I’m still a bit iffy, what if I did do some damage when I was drinking too much? How long does it take for liver function to improve? etc, etc… I suppose it would be better to know than not know but I am feeling a bit anxious about it all. Thinking about it now though, I haven’t had any suspicious pains from my liver area for a few weeks now so that’s got to be a good sign.

I’m off to the hospital now, the sooner I get it over with, the sooner I can have some breakfast. It’s a fasting blood test and I’m flippin’ starving! Wishing everybody a sober and energetic day x