1) You are tired ALL the time. This is often because the oestrogen used in HRT is the most active form of oestrogen and it's also a pretty big dose of it. This oestrogen is very stimulating. If we have already been dealing with quite a lot of stress, our nervous system can struggle to deal with this much stimulation.
Yes. HRT is known to improve sleep, mood and hot flushes, all of which may disrupt your sleep and lead to tiredness. However, HRT comes with risks and is not suitable for everyone.
Eating well before, during, and after treatment is key. Keeping active with an exercise program could also help improve your energy levels. To help you get going, talk to your team about having a nutrition and workout plan created that will work just for you.
Unfortunately, estrogen dominance can cause fatigue. This symptom can occur whether or not you have insomnia. If you experience persistent tiredness or feel more drained of energy than usual, talk to your doctor about being tested for hormonal issues.
"A return of night sweats, flushes, not sleeping and so on is very indicative that your hormones are not quite in balance. I recommend all my patients have a blood test once a year as part of an annual review to see where their oestrogen is at and whether an HRT adjustment is required."
High estrogen levels can cause symptoms such as irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, fatigue, and fibroids in females. In males, they can cause breast tissue growth, erectile dysfunction, and infertility.
Side effects related to the hormone Oestrogen – breast tenderness, leg cramps, skin irritation, bloating, indigestion, nausea, headaches. Side effects related to the hormone Progesterone - premenstrual syndrome-like symptoms, fluid retention, breast tenderness, backache, depression, mood swings, pelvic pain.
Progesterone and your monthly cycle
Your progesterone levels are usually highest in week three of your cycle. This can make you feel more tired.
Fatigue (low energy) is not a likely side effect of estradiol vaginal cream. It wasn't a reported side effect in studies of the drug. Still, fatigue and drowsiness are possible symptoms of an overdose of estrogen. Be sure to take the amount of estradiol vaginal cream your doctor prescribes.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Thus, HRT may effectively treat fatigue and the symptoms that can exacerbate it. In particular, estrogen replacement is considered the most effective treatment for the vasomotor symptoms that tend to occur in concert with fatigue and can be instrumental in restoring energy levels.
HRT does come with certain side effects, which tend to be most pronounced in the first few weeks and months of use. If you are unlucky, you may even find that HRT can make you feel worse before you feel better.
Men and women concerned with low energy and increasing fatigue can experience the energy benefits of HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Systemic HRT can improve sleep quality, making it easier to get off to sleep, with less night-time waking; it has also been shown to improve chronic pain, mood and genitourinary symptoms.
It can take your body time to get used to HRT. When you start HRT, you might have side effects. Examples are tender breasts, feeling sick (nausea) and leg cramps. These side effects usually disappear within 6 to 8 weeks.
HRT: Improving the levels and balance of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and (if needed) testosterone, helps many women sleep better as taking HRT deals with the hormonal cause of the insomnia and reduces the symptoms that might wake you up, for example, night sweats, stress and anxiety, or frequent urination.
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Excess progesterone can make you sleepy. And if your thyroid -- the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck -- makes too little thyroid hormone, it can sap your energy. A simple blood test called a thyroid panel can tell you if your levels are too low.
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy or drowsy. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert. Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are taking this medicine.
For most women, progesterone is good for mood because it converts to a neurosteroid called allopregnanolone which calms GABA receptors. Progesterone's calming neurosteroid effect is why progesterone capsules are usually tranquillizing and why times of high progesterone (luteal phase and pregnancy) can cause sleepiness.
Thyroid. An overactive or underactive thyroid can often be the underlying cause of fatigue, particularly in women. This hormone controls your body's metabolic rate i.e. how food is converted to energy.
Melatonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which can be converted into melatonin, a natural hormone, in the pineal gland. Both of these hormones play a key role in sleep. Melatonin is produced at night and it plays a key role in adjusting your body clock.
Estrogen helps protect the heart from disease, potentially by maintaining higher levels of good cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein (HDL), in your blood. Lower estrogen levels, especially during menopause, can increase your risk of developing heart disease.
What happens if I have too much progesterone? There are no known serious medical consequences due to the body making too much progesterone. Levels of progesterone do increase naturally in pregnancy as mentioned above. High levels of progesterone are associated with the condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
It can give you more energy, elevate mood, and increase sex drive. It can make sex more comfortable and improve sleep in both men and women. All of these things may help you not only feel better and more confident, they can also spur you to stay active and take better care of yourself.