Fast forward to present day - I still take Excedrin pretty regularly. Sometimes 4x a week, sometimes more.. I would go through a medium size bottle about every 4 months. I am an addict. I have tried to quit but then I would end up throwing up at work (due to a migraine). I really need to function.
A couple weeks ago, a friend of mine mentioned that excedrin causes infertility. What?!? So I looked it up and yep, it is true.. I talked to my doctor - yep, stop taking it.
The last two months, I have been taking Clomid for fertility. My head has been killing me! Last month, my calendar shows only 3 days that I didn't have a headache. I can't take excedrin and tylenol doesn't cut it. I have been put on a beta blocker to try and prevent. It has worked some. Sunday, I had my worst migraine I have had since college.
As, I am lying in my bed rolling around pressing my pillow against my head, in walks Grant.
He looks at me and then immediately says: Mommy, I know you have a headache but if you get up and go turn on the TV for me, you can get some medicine and go back to bed.
Me: Really???
Grant: Yeah Mommy, I am a doctor who tells other doctors what to do. (he feels my forehead) I think you have a fever so you need to take some medicine. But you can turn the TV on and I will get my own breakfast and you can go back to bed.
First off, I feel just terrible that I am that mother who has to be in bed all the time or who always have a headache. It is awful that my 3 year old son can read my clues that I feel like crap! So depressing.
Second, what a sweetie and a liar! He wasn't pretending to be a dr - he was serious - he is a doctor. But his concern was very sweet.
5 comments:
As a fellow migraine sufferer... I sympathize... Not only does Tylenol, not help, it actually antagonizes. I went to a neurologist many years back for my headaches, he said that Tylenol (acetaminophen) and consequently Excedrine also, actually are addicting in that they actually cause a mild headache. So you always have a little headache, and a reason to take more... I have found that a "cocktail" that works for me, as long as I am not actually pregnant... For my 10/10 headaches, I take four Advil OR two Aleive AND two Tylenol... it works great. For lesser headaches that are leading up to the big one, I do half the doses, so one Aleive or two Advil AND one Tylenol. These drugs work in different ways and are metabolized differently, so they are safe. I find that I need fewer drugs in the long run... Just a thought... oh and the generic versions work perfectly too, it just easier to spell the brand names :)
Hopefully you get some relief soon!
wow, I would never have thought excedrine would cause infertility. Hope everything works out.
JuliAnn - I will have to take that inconsideration after I have another baby.. Right now, I am not allowed any nsaids... only tylenol.
I didn't know you had tried Fioricet...that's what I take for my really bad migraines. I didn't know Excedrin causes infertility either...that's like my favorite migraine medicine! Luckily somehow the 2 headaches I've had in the last few months have been taken care of by Tylonal.
I didn't know that excedrin caused infertility. I guess I will have to stop taking it.
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