Exhaustion

[Amy The Bookworm]

I've been on HRT almost two months now, and there's one side effect I've noticed. I don't seem to have mood swings (I'm more emotional, but its a level of emotion I'm comfortable with), and I don't have migraines. I do have some back and hip pain already, but that's to be expected if I understand correctly. My blood tests have all come back good. I don't have issues with depression unexplained depression (outside of things that are understandable like marriage problems and unemployment ... hoping finishing up college helps).  I'm happy not to have suicidal thoughts so far, either. I do get a touch dizzy sometimes, but I've read that's a common side effect of spironolactone.

One problem I do have though, and it's one I haven't seen mentioned on the board which is why I'm asking, is an excessively low amount of energy. It isn't from lack of sleep, and it started since a few weeks after starting HRT. I don't feel tired as in sleepy, though when I do go to sleep I definitely fall asleep faster. I just feel drained, like I'm running on a continuously low battery. My limbs (especially my arms) feel like led weight. While I make myself do it both for exercise and to cut back on fuel cost, just the thought of walking is tiring. Sometimes traveling a lengthy distance in a video game seems tiring. Sitting up straight even feels tiring so I sometimes just let myself slump forward.

Any advice?

[TerriT]

Yes, for me it is not so much being tired, but being totally unmotivated to do anything physical. I used to exercise every single day and now I haven't since August. I assume it is just part of muscle mass loss and a general slowing down of my metabolism. Of course all I want to do is eat like crazy but oh well. I know that I will feel better if I just get moving again but it does seem impossible to even go for a walk. I hope I don't turn into an out of shape hermit...:/

[Ms Grace]

Second thread by someone on this topic today. Yes, it is common. Your body is adjusting to the drop in testosterone which is an action hormone. It should even out but if it is impeding your day to day activities or it continues for too long then see the doc. Drink more water (not coffee, tea, cola or booze) to deal with the dizziness, the last thing you want on Spiro is to become dehydrated.

[Amy The Bookworm]

Second thread by someone on this topic today. Yes, it is common. Your body is adjusting to the drop in testosterone which is an action hormone. It should even out but if it is impeding your day to day activities or it continues for too long then see the doc. Drink more water (not coffee, tea, cola or booze) to deal with the dizziness, the last thing you want on Spiro is to become dehydrated.

Good to know. I tend to drink water only. About 48 ounces on the low side daily. No alcohol except for special occasions (less than 3 times a year), I don't like tea, I avoid soda almost always. Thank you for letting me know and I'll be sure to monitor to see if it improves after a while. Thanks again

[Cindy]

This is pretty normal - if you know teenage girls they tend to sleep a lot. Your body is changing.

As others say, drink lots of water and have a nice healthy diet.

[ImagineKate]

For the first time in a long while yesterday I got home and  plopped down on the sofa. Kids piled up on me and we all dozed off. Lol. I was just exhausted yesterday from work and a brutal workout.

[Clhoe G]

Micronized progesterone can really take it out of ya too, so it's best to take it at bed time, if your on that.

Spiro is a little bit the same in some people, like myself when I was on it, I would always have a nap around noon-ish, plus it made me really thin at one point, then I switched to cyproterone for a while till I noticed some red marks beginning to show on my face, so I went back to Spiro on a very low dose, till I got a prescription for bicalutamide and I haven't had any of those side effects since or yet.