Coffee, Hypothyroidism and Fertility

How's that for a title for today's post? 5 Facts about Coffee, Hypothyroidism and Fertility in my life:

Fact 1-Whenever I have coffee (once a week?) I feel jittery, really jolted and my brain is running faster than normal. Caffeine is a big deal in my body.

Fact 2-However, I have noticed that lately, if I have coffee, then I actually feel more myself; back to my normal level of energy. Hard to admit but true. Hmmm.

Fact 3-About 4 years ago, when we were trying to get pregnant (for 18 months) the first time, they did some blood work. My TSH came back 86. Normal TSH levels are between 4-6. Yikes. My thyroid was really lacking and trying to make up for itself.

Fact 4 - "Thyroid dysfunction can halt ovulation by upsetting the balance of the body’s natural reproductive hormones." - Thyroid Patient Advocate Mary Shomon

Fact 5 - About 3 months after taking Levothyroxin 4 years ago, we got pregnant.

I had some recent blood work done again. Normal Thyroid levels are from 0.4-4.0. Mine came back a 6.8. HYPO-Thyroidism. But that's strange. The symptoms of Hypo don't seem to fit me very well: ____ Overweight or inability to lose weight (nope) ____ Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic (well, actually, YES) ____ My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out (nope) ____ My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick (nope) ____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice (nope) ____ I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face (nope) ____ I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet (nope) ____ I am having trouble conceiving a baby (YES) ____ I feel depressed (sometimes...which is weird b/c it's Summer) ____ I feel restless (nope) ____ I feel irritable (YES) ____ My moods change easily (I'm a woman, right?) ____ I have feelings of worthlessness (nope) ____ I have difficulty concentrating (who doesn't)

Fatigue and Irritability. Those jumped out at me and almost knocked me off my stool. I looked around, stayed composed and tried to act normal. I have never felt a lack of energy, really, in my life. (well, post-giving birth...) but I have felt fatigued most of this spring and summer, if I'm honest.

All to say - I know that my thyroid is not going to be the "ticket" that answers my fertility issues. That would be God and His sweet hand-holding. (Did you know He holds hands? How absolutely sweet of Him. See Psalm 37:23) But I would like to feel normal again and I am glad to admit that I feel these some of these things; that I am battling a sluggishness and an underlying irritation and that it's because something is not right. Something is wrong.

So here's to you, coffee. May you awaken much more than a groggy head for my readers.