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Severe exhaustion upon waking

I'm 20 years old and for about the past 1.5yrs now, I've had the same symptoms, getting worse over time; and now, I've just lost it and HAVE to fix this.
No matter how much sleep I get, I ALWAYS wake up SEVERELY exhausted.

I also wake up 1-2 times/night, mostly because I *need* to wake up to urinate... no matter how much/little water I've drank. I don't drink much before bed, but it still happens. I also have to urinate constantly throughout the day... again, no matter how much/little water I drink, it STILL happens!! It's so embarassing to constantly being running to the bathroom while at work.

I took the questionarre on here and scored a 28. My periods were regular for a while, but this month it was 2 weeks late. It started Thursday, was extremely heavy for the first 2-3 days (this is normal for me), then became much lighter. It is now Tuesday and it's over, with the exception of only a small ammount of blood on the tissue after peeing.

My main concern is the waking up tired... I'm literally SO exhausted, I can't get out of bed for hours. I guilt myself into getting up, and when I do, am so exhausted I still can't do ANYTHING. I work out every morning, and lately, my workouts have suffered tremendously. I can't do 20 minutes of cardio even! It's killing me.
I'm on the verge of buying hydrocortisone, because I know it's an adrenal issue... but it's SO expensive! I've read a few reviews, people saying progesterone treatment/cream has helped them wake up feeling soo much better. I REALLY hope this helps me... I'm insterested to see if anyone thinks it will?

I know the progesterone is related to cortisol creation in the adrenals... so if I could take that, rather than cortisol, I think it would be better to start that way.
But I'd love, and REALLY REALLY appreciate some feedback/help. Thank you soo much.

Comments for Severe exhaustion upon waking

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May 26, 2010
 Progesterone to help exhaustion
by: Anonymous

Progesterone will definately help your fatigue. I have had extreme fatigue for the last 2 years and it was HORRIBLE! I went for several blood tests and it always came back with a normal count! How frustrating! Low progesterone also affects your insulin levels and you could easily feel as if you have low blood sugar.

Get the progesterone cream ASAP! I have been using a progestin tablet daily now for 5 days and I feel sooooooo good! I will find a progesterone cream soon! Doctors tend to sway you into thinking it's no big deal to use progestin but I've done extensive reading and will get the progesterone!

Good Luck! You will feel beter soon!
May 27, 2010
 Severe exhaustion upon waking
by: Wray

Your exhaustion could be related to a lack of progesterone, please see here. And here. A study conducted in Austria found initially 400mg/day, followed a a year later by 600mg/day, significantly improved the patients ability to walk. Hers was a very severe case though. (Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2001; 80: 972?973 - Substantial relief of myopathic disability by progesterone therapy)

A lack of vitamin D can cause weakness and exhaustion too, see here. Please consider having a vitamin D test done, for more info see here. Please also consider taking the amino acid taurine, it's an osmolyte and it could be you are not getting enough electrolytes into your cells. I've found it very helpful and take 5000mg/day. Start off on 2000mg and increase gradually until you find the optimum.

Your symptoms started shortly after puberty had finished. It could be you are not ovulating each month, and therefore not making progesterone. One way to tell is by taking your temperature each day, just after ovulation it rises. If you don't ovulate the temperature remains constant or drops due to the rise in oestrogen just prior to ovulation. Oestradiol lowers temperature by about 0.2 to 0.4 degrees F, progesterone raises it by about 0.4 to 0.6 degrees F. You are right about the adrenals producing progesterone to make cortisol, it's for this reason progesterone levels drop if stressed. Much of the ovarian production is used to make cortisol. I know just how you feel about the exercise too, as I also suffered from this type of exhaustion. After having my daughter and during peri-menopause, I knew nothing about progesterone then, mores the pity! I also put my daughter on progesterone when she was 14, as I did not want her to have the depression I had during puberty. She didn't and still uses it and is now 28. If you feel like trying it, please see here. Take care, Wray
May 27, 2010
 Progesterone to help exhaustion
by: Wray

I'm glad you're switching to the progesterone from the progestin, you might like to see what they can do to us here. Take care, Wray
Jun 08, 2010
 Response to help thank you
by: Anonymous

Thank you, I just placed my order... I really hope this helps.
I have noticed with my period comes severe exahaustion. Lately, I've been feeling more and more tired. Adrenal (coretex) pills have not helped. I tried Adrenal Stress End, then Isocort, and nothing. I'm at the end of my rope, I feel like I'm going crazy. I try to work out and just can't.
Jun 09, 2010
 Low Estradiol and fatigue
by: Anonymous

I am sooo confused now! Frustrated and feel like giving up!:-(

I have done a hormone test and my estradiol levels are low! I also have a dull face and still tingling on scalp and face. I know that low estradiol can cause tingling so this estradiol tab should help. I had a low B12 count so take B12 daily to help with the Central Nervous System. Can I still use progesterone even though my estradiol levels are low? I feel like a freak! Maybe this is not the right website for me?
Jun 09, 2010
 Response to help thank you
by: Wray

Hi there I do hope the progesterone helps, but please have a vitamin D test done, as that can cause tiredness/exhaustion if too low. For more info on a test please see here. Progesterone drops sharply just before a period, but if oestrogen is too high tiredness, cravings, cramps etc can occur. I suggest you use a high amount to begin with, about 200mg/day, it's easy enough to reduce it once you feel better. Please read about oestrogen dominance before you start the progesterone here. You could have insulin resistance too, for more info please see here. Take care Wray
Jun 09, 2010
 Low Estradiol and fatigue
by: Wray

Hi there You say your oestradiol levels are low, but what are your progesterone levels? If these are low too, it could be the ratio of the two are out of balance. High progesterone in ratio to oestrogen makes us feel good, the reverse will make us feel very out of sorts. Low B12 can cause tingling, but I've never heard of low oestrogen causing it. Low progesterone can cause peripheral neuropathy, which is maybe the 'tingling' you are feeling. And yes you can use progesterone if your oestrogen is low, but before you do please see this web page here. Take care, Wray
Oct 12, 2010
 Diabetes
by: Anonymous

I know this is late, and you're probably dead or diagnosed by now but you have diabetes. Doctor NOW.
Jan 06, 2014
 Various Possibilities
by: Anonymous

Your main issue may just be the irregularity of your sleeping patterns, which means your normal sleep rhythms are interrupted so you don't get refreshing sleep. You may be losing REM sleep time and trying to wake up just when you should be going into deep sleep.

Waking up repeatedly to urinate is not normal, since urination is normally repressed during sleep. This could be caused by diabetes, but in that case other symptoms like thirst, weight loss, and polyuria during the day would be prominent. Another possibility is renal inadequacy, which could cause you to have to output urine overnight to compensate for insufficient urination during the day.

Cardiac problems can make you tired and can also cause nocturnal urination, since the inadequate pumping action of the heart can reduce circulation through the kidneys, forcing you to urinate at night to catch up with inadequate daily urine production.

To clarify these issues you should see your doctor and have the relevant blood tests.

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