(disclaimer: I am neither qualified nor attempting to endorse any supplements or combination of supplements in this post)

Today is the last day of the month of August and 12 days from my surgery. It is also the last day of non-prescription supplements for me. Although the doctor said I did not have to stop taking my supplements until a week before the surgery, it is easier for me to make changes at the end of a week, month, year, etc. So, today I say goodbye to: CLA, BCAAs, alpha lipoic acid, folic acid, red yeast rice, magnesium, chromium picolinate, acidophilus, Fish-Flax-Borage, Very Green, vitamins D and C, calcium, multivitamins, green tea extract, ground flax seed, resveratrol, and glucosamine chondroitin. I stopped taking creatine when I found out about the aneurysm. I am allowed to continue to take my niacin and prescriptions medications.

Why do I take all of this stuff? Because after doing a lot of reading, this is the combination of supplements that work best for my body and its unique characteristics. I have been taking most of this for over a year and have found that these supplements allow me to grow muscle, heal quickly, and stay healthy. But you are having open heart surgery…you might ask. Yes, but the surgery is not due to my being unhealthy, it is due to a weakening of the aorta that is very common in people with bicuspid aortic valves.

So what’s the big deal? I don’t really know. It is a change. I have no idea whether I will feel differently without the supplements. This will be yet another experience along the journey. Of course it will be complicated somewhat by the other thing I am giving up…caffeine.

I have been in hospital before and had to be without coffee suddenly. Withdrawal can cause a nasty headache and although I will be on pain medications, I don’t want to compound my discomfort. So, two weeks ago I changed our grind to 1/6 decaf. This week we are at 1/3 decaf. Next week we will go to 1/2 decaf and the weekend before the surgery 2/3 of the beans in the grinder will be decaffeinated beans. 

My boyfriend says he feels less alert. Interestingly, while I have not been sleeping well for several days (probably stress), I do not notice any difference in the coffee. Lower octane coffee seems to wake me up just as much as the higher octane. The amazing thing is that he is not complaining. He is willing to ride the lower caffeine wave with me. However, I am certain that the day I am admitted to the hospital, he will be back on the good stuff. Truthfully, as soon as I am allowed, I will probably do the same.