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Author Topic: Constant fatigue  (Read 2785 times)

SEU666

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Constant fatigue
« on: October 10, 2018, 01:28:48 PM »

How do you ladies cope with the constant fatigue/tiredness?

It beginning to wear me down!

I wake often during the night (hubby unfortunately talks in his sleep) and am frequently awake from 5am.
I'm trying to improve my diet, I always drink plenty of water, and trying to eat more fruit and veg, less sugar etc.
I work a 40 hour week now, since February over 4.5 days (used to work up to 54 hour a week as a Daily Nanny 5 days a week), but the constant feeling of tiredness is draining. Cutting down over 10 working hours a week is a lot, and for me, financially a lot of money, but better for my health and my husband supports my decision. No pressures on that front. My job is now a lot less stressful and I work for a lovely family. But the tiredness is getting me down 😢

I'm almost 48, peri since 40 but flushes, crying, pmt, heavier bleeding, a lot worse for past two years. Have a Mirena in (17 months now), use Estrodot 50mg patches for a year now and Estriol cream for vaginal dryness 3 months now. Vaginal discomfort seems to be sorted but have used extra cream this week. Getting slight night sweats before 'spotting' which I'm presume is a period, no breast discomfort any more, the odd flush when I go into a very hot room, but nothing like before I started the estrogen patches.

Blood tests 14 months ago were within normal ranges apparently, except calcium was bit low, but no mention about whether this was bad or not! No flags re thyroid, diabetes etc

Any other suggestions/advice would be most welcome. Never felt this constant feeling of tiredness before, have been over tired at times yes, but I'm lucky if I feel 'spritely' one day a week!

Thank you ladies xx
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sheila99

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2018, 04:43:11 PM »

I would suggest increasing oestrogen. You say flushes etc are worse so probably your own body is producing less. Extreme fatigue and insomnia are both symptoms of low oestrogen, and the worst sysmptoms that I had (along with anxiety).
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CLKD

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2018, 07:19:17 PM »

Low VitD levels?
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SEU666

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2018, 07:40:11 PM »

They checked vit B12, vit D, iron, thyroid level, cholesterol which is up slightly, the only thing he mentioned was Calcium level on the low side.
GP tried me on 25mg Estrodot patch, but increased 2 months later to 50mg, as no real improvement. So been on 50mg for a year at the end of this month. Initially feeling much better than on 25mg, but fatigue now is feeling much worse. Had vaginal drynes issues back in June, and started Estriol cream mid July. Much improvement on that front, but increased discomfort couple of weeks go which has settled a bit now with a couple of extra doses.
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SEU666

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2018, 09:03:21 AM »

So tempted to slap on another 50mg or half a one and see what happens...due to change patch on Saturday and today I feel dead in my feet, despite a halfway decent sleep last night.
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CLKD

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2018, 09:11:36 AM »

What's to lose?  Sometimes it really is Trial and Error and we can't tell how the hormones are without a bit of experimenting. 
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Dancinggirl

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2018, 09:19:32 AM »

SEU666 - I think the sleep deprivation is at the route of your problems and I'm afraid HRT doesn't always fix this. Getting your sleeping environment sorted might help a lot.  I get up to pee 2-4 times a night and can't always get back to sleep that well.  Recently I have resorted to sleeping in the spare room as my husband tends to sleep in the middle of the bed and also wakes very early and fidgets - I now go to bed knowing I won't be disturbed, the quality of my sleep has really improved and energy is returning - also my sanity. 
I know this extreme but maybe talk to you husband about how you can improve the night time/sleeping routine. Perhaps a bigger bed, different bedding to keep you cool, make the room really dark and keep I cooler. 
I also find that Mindfulness really helps when I'm feeling exhausted - I take 15mins out to the meditation at various times through the day and this can revive my energy a bit. DG x
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SEU666

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2018, 10:34:30 AM »

Thank you CLKD and Dancinggirl.
Our room is dark and cool, as we sleep with the windows open all the time. I sleep with earplugs in too, which muffled the noise, always have done actually. We don't have a spare room, so that's not an option, I'm afraid 🙁
Today I'm sweating and flushing, it's a bit hotter outside but seriously, not that hot!
 I'm uncomfortable down below and used an extra dose of the Estriol cream last night.
I'm beginning to think maybe need to up the estrogen.
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sheila99

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2018, 12:24:42 PM »

Go for it, you have nothing to lose, or discuss it with your GP. As you're flushing I think you have to be low in oestrogen. I know how rough you feel, I spent 2 years with undiagnosed peri because symptoms were insomnia & extreme fatigue. Life is far too short to feel that bad when you don't have to.
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SEU666

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2018, 03:16:31 PM »

Sheila99 have you ever used extra half/full patch to see what happens?

I change Tuesday evening and Saturday morning, so each patch on 3.5 days. If I try to do patch Tuesday morning before I go to work I forget 🤪
I won't be able to get a GP appointment for a couple of weeks, as usual, but curios to try and see if it helps.
I know sleep not that great, but slept better last night and felt the worst ever all day 😢
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sheila99

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2018, 05:27:56 PM »

sue666 I'm on oestrogel not patches, it gives me the flexibilty to change it. I increase it during the progeterone phase (on utrogestan 12 days per cycle), if I don't the insomnia & tiredness returns. I'd suggest adding half a patch which I think will make it equivalent to the next one up? I think there's an everel 100 patch too so at 75 you still aren't at the maximum dose. Might be an idea to book the appointment. There are many causes of fatigue and insomnia but as you have hot flushes she should increase it anyway. If the poor sleep and fatigue stated with the flushes it's a strong indicator the cause is hormonal.
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keancy

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2018, 05:53:57 PM »

I too am constantly fatigued and had to cut my hours off work. My GP raised my Sandrena Gel from 1mg to 2mg 4 months ago and said if your breasts get sore it's getting to much rather then to little......then about a week ago the massive panic started. I am now struggling through and reducing my HRT back to 1mg because I think it has caused dominance hence the panic attacks and my breast are so painful......oh and no sleep and night panic. Nasty stuff.

What's annoying is that to little or to much will cause panic attacks. Hormones are horrible to us girls
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SEU666

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2018, 08:50:43 AM »

Thank you ladies.
I slapped an extra patch on my bum last night, as I felt so awful yesterday,  and when I'm due to change on Saturday I'll start using 1 and a half and see how that goes for a few weeks.
Will also put them on my bum as I've read that sometime they are absorbed better on bottom than in lower belly. My belly is quite pudgy now, so will see how it goes.
My hubby thinks my estrogen has dropped further as I've been looking tired and falling asleep at 8pm for last week or so, not been crabby or tearful, but been hot and flushed, and complaining of being hot at night.
We have a light duvet, and last week bedroom was down to 15c as we had windows open and I was still complying of being hot then pulling duvet up to my chin as I was then cold, then getting sweaty.

Right palaver this menopause business 😩
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CLKD

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2018, 10:08:35 AM »

Ain't it just!   :bighug:

  I remember Mum having crashing fatigue, she would sit down and suddenly drop off to sleep  :o
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SueLW

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Re: Constant fatigue
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2018, 02:36:45 PM »

If you do book an appointment with your GP to discus, ask the receptionist to print off a copy of that last full blood test that they did for you so that you can pick it up when you go to see the GP. 

Take it home and have a good look at it.  Our GP's don't seem to use much common sense anymore.  If a blood test falls within the reference range they declare we are fine.  Even if we are 1 point inside the range at either end!  In the UK a TSH test for thyroid is declared "fine" until it goes over 10.  Most people would be unable to get out of bed at 10.  So you need to do a bit of your own sleuthing to see if you can improve things.  You need your results for vitamins and iron etc to be in the top quarter of the reference ranges to be optimal.  And your TSH should be below 3.
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