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A question for females


PeacefulChaos
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It's cycle-related.

When you are on your period, are you more tired than usual?  

Yesterday I got up to run and when I got back (after stretching, drinking a glass of water, taking a shower, etc) I fell asleep on the couch for like, 3 hours.  :001_huh:  Like, totally dead to the world.

Then last night I was exhausted before the kids even went to bed - I'd say it was about 8 when I started feeling it.  I went to bed at 11 (though I could have gone earlier, but was too interested in the show I was watching - then again, I nearly fell asleep during it!) and went right to sleep, which isn't unusual - but being sleepy even at ELEVEN is unusual, much less eight!  This morning I don't even remember my alarm going off for me to go run, and I really look forward to running so I usually wake up a minute or two before it goes off.

I've noticed this seems to be a pattern for me, aligning with these 'times of the month' so to speak.  Is anyone else like that?

TIA!

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Ah, yeah, insomnia never plagues me (thank goodness lol) -- I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere, any time, if I just close my eyes.  The main difference when I'm on my period is that I actually feel really tired and sleepy, as opposed to just being able to sleep at will.  :lol:  

Yeah... in high school I was voted as 'most likely to sleep through life'.  :lol:

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My energy levels definitely flow with my cycle.  Usually right after AF I battle extreme fatigue, can barely get through basic chores etc, that lasts a couple days (and it is not anemia, that has been checked), slowly it starts to build up again. By ovulation it is like nothing can stop me, I require less sleep, I have the gumption to get up and go, so big projects get tackled over the 6-7 days surrounding this, major cleaning is best done during this time etc.  Then it slowly starts to peter out again.  I have energy to do normal everyday chores, activities but nothing over the top.  then I get hit with a couple days of migraines, a day of cramps and then AF for 3 days.  During that series of things I just feel like crap, nothing to do with energy levels just crap.  Then is the few days of fatigue and away we go again.  Before I noticed the pattern I was always flustered, because during my crap days and fatigue days getting basics around the house etc was hard and the house would go to pot and well I hated it.  Now I know the way my energy flows and I can plan for it and have things go much more smoothly. 

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Yes I am but I suspect this has a lot to do with my tendency to have 1-2 nights of insomnia right before my period starts. I used to have insomnia a lot. I did a lot of work to resolve that but it lingers right around my cycle.

I've recently realized that I consistently have insomnia problems the last few days of my cycle, too. I'm pretty sure it's hormonal.

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Yes, exhausted, and often downright ill.  I'm at that 'certain age' when everything's going haywire and my cycle is three weeks long, so I'm pretty useless a lot of the time these days.  

 

Are you getting enough iron?

 

 

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You may want to have your iron levels checked.  Many women have anemia during their menses.  Most doctors can do the test in their office, it is just a little finger poke.  Some offices will allow you to come for just a nurses visit to have the test done, so it will be cheaper for you or in some cases, free. Just call your office to see what options you have.  You will need to have the test when you are menstruating for it to be accurate.

 

You can get  a very low dose from any drug store vitamin section, but most people who need supplementation need the 325mg strength with is behind the pharmacy counter.  It is over the counter (OTC) but due to the risk of a child ingesting multiple tablets (they look like M&Ms) and causing great harm to themselves, you have to get it from the pharmacist.  If you doctor does recommend it, you will have 2 options. Ferrous Sulfate and Ferrous gluconate.  They both work but the gulconate is easier on the stomach but also much more expensive.  Iron can be constipating, so some people need to adjust their diet when they take it or take a stool softener with it.

 

BCPs sometimes have iron tablets to supplement the week when they are off of the active pills.  If you are on BCPs and you find out that you are anemic, you may want to see if there is a version with iron that you can use.  Microgestin and Lo Estrin are two that I know of off the top of my head that have FE (with iron) versions.

 

 

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Yes, I am exhausted for a few days before AF and for the first couple of days when I start. No matter how much sleep I try to get during those days, it's never enough. I used to try to take naps, but I felt the same when I woke up and I didn't get anything done. I just push through now. I've been thinking about taking a B vitamin supplement of some kind during those days to see if that helps.

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It's been awhile since I'm in menopause, but yes, the tiredness was horrible.  Typically I knew that I was about to start when I experienced crushing exhaustion for no reason.  Usually it was within a couple days that I would start.  I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes open.  My chronic insomnia was non-existent.  I couldn't do anything other than lay down, and it felt as if I couldn't lay down fast enough.  Sometimes I experienced dizziness too.

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Mine is a continuum.  Between the first day of my period and ovulation I have tons of energy, need less sleep, eat less, feel more beautiful, have a higher libido, and even feel like socializing!  The day of or day after ovulation all this great stuff slowly starts fading away.  I feel my worst 2-3 days before starting my period.  Over-emotional, tired, and totally bloated!  Once I notice that I'm slowly starting to feel better again, I know that I'm going to start my period within 24 hours.  And then it starts all over again.   :o

 

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