Complete lack of energy - is this the menopause or is it something else?

[SummerBreeeze]

I am 51. I am a senior executive and in 2022, I started feeling a lot of lethargy towards my role at work and overall tiredness. I have regular periods so did not even think it could be the menopause and my work had been tough for years so i thought it was the job and started looking for a new one that would be potentially easier.

I found a new job at the end of 2022 but the job turned out not to be what I thought. In the meantime, my symptoms continued and I went for a full health check up. They found absolutely nothing wrong with me other than slightly high cholesterol. They even checked my T cells (something to do with immunity) and said they were normal which apparently 80% of those with ME/long covid don't have.

They said it was probably menopause and put me on oestrogel and utrogestan which I've been slowly increasing so I'm up to 4 pumps of the gel. Testosterone was added in Feb.

When it was first added, I felt amazing after the first week but I've slowly gone back to where I was before.

I literally have no energy at all on some days. I can't even walk the dog I am so tired. Does this sound like the menopause? Has anyone's energy miraculously come back?

How often are you using Utrogestan?
If you have your own periods it ought to be sequential. (12 days a month)

A lot of women find it sedating so it may be worth thinking about another type of progesterone.

And of course you need to do all the lifestyle stuff which presumably you are ( not overweight, exercising regularly, hardly any alcohol...all of that stuff!)

I can't actually exercise at all at the moment as I'm so exhausted. It doesn't make me feel better, if anything it makes me feel worse. The doctor has said to try and rest more rather than do more for the time being to see if it makes me feel any better.

I'm starting to think I could just do with a week in bed!

What is odd is that the testosterone definitely had an impact about a week after I started using it. I bounced out of bed and felt much better for the first time in ages but that has slowly gone away. This makes me think it may well be something to do with my hormones.

I actually feel better the days I am taking the utrogestan. I think it's helping my sleep. I notice on my apple watch that I get loads more deep sleep when i take it which is probably why!

I was going to say hormonal imbalance as that is often not tested for at a full health check. I suffer with fatigue and eventually found out I have adrenal insufficiency. Not enough to get treatment for but enough to impact me.

thanks @LauderSyme that's really interesting. Just looked at it and there are a lot of similarities with what I have (but then again, the symptoms are similar to so many things). How did you discover the adrenal insufficiency?

Op I took Vitamin D it might help. My husb takes omega 3 and finds them good. Like you I was floored with low energy (51 too). Hrt didnt suit me felt bloated on patches. Ive coil also. Neighbour found magnesium really good