My Typical Morning And Day Progression

[sue1234]

In the last few years, my mornings were getting "slower" as far as me trying to wake up and function. In the last year, it is getting progressively worse. This is my usual morning now:

I cannot get up before I naturally awake. If I do, I am immediately more lightheaded as I am walking to the bathroom. It almost feels like I am drunk. So, I usually wake up around 7 a.m. It takes me a good 10 minutes laying there to get to the point that I can hold my eyes open. During that time, I usually get a heat surge. After laying around for 15-20 minutes, then I drag out of bed to my living room chair. There I begin the morning ritual of just being able to sit, and not do too much thinking. I drink my iced tea to give my body a little energy surge(believe me, it's more of a mental energy surge!). After a couple of hours I finally feel awake and seem to be more mentally energetic as the day progresses. Of course, at night I am full of mental energy, so have to take Xanax to fall asleep. I usually wake in around 2 a.m. to urinate, and seem wide awake, so toss and turn before I fall back asleep. Then, the groggy morning routine begins again. I will mention again that I am one who fights low blood sugar all morning long.

I know POTS affects me physically, but I don't want to assume that this tough morning is just from POTS. I am waiting to hear back from labs, of which one was cortisol. I could totally believe that I just don't have enough cortisol in the morning, especially if I try to wake before my natural waking with natural cortisol surge. I do have things going on with my endocrine system. IF this would happen to be a cortisol thing, I feel like it is spiralling down.

I literally spend my mornings now feeling like I am in a half-stupor. All my life, I was the person that would bound out of bed, full of energy, sometimes irritatingly so! It was bad when POTS hit and limited my physical abilities so drastically, but now my mental energy???? This is tough.

[autumn]

If I'm not getting up for something -- having to be somewhere usually gives me an adrenalin surge that makes me feel awake -- I have a really hard time feeling present in the mornings. I just had a sleep study done because I wake up frequently during the night, either to go to the bathroom or just because I can't stay asleep, and the doctors want to know why.

Maybe poor sleep quality is to blame for your groggy mornings. If you haven't had a sleep study yet, it could be worth asking about.

[HopeSprings]

This is how I am every morning - without coffee to help I don't know what I'd do. Also fight the urge to urinate through the night and often wake in the middle of the night wide awake. I had a sleep study, as well which showed reduced deep sleep. Maybe consider the sleep study. Do you take the xanax every night? Could it be contributing to the groggy feeling? Then again, I take nothing and feel this way too. Maybe the labs will reveal something.

[HopeSprings]

Oh Sue - I have been meaning to ask you... have you been evaluated for Carcinoid Syndrome (neuro-endocrine tumor)? My Dr. recently did a 5HIAA 24 hour urine and it came back slightly elevated, so we repeated the test and it was normal. But it made me think of you because of the heat and flushing symptoms.

[sue1234]

Autumn--I had a sleep study last summer that showed I don't sleep much. But, when I do, I do alot of deep sleep, as I dream like crazy! I've been a poor sleeper for 20 years, so this is kind of new for me.

Naomi--yes, I have been tested by a few different doctors for Carcinoid, and they were all negative. It's weird that my tea used to be the thing that made me wake up. Now, it's like drinking water.

[Guest tearose]

My two sleep studies document show non restorative sleep patterns. It was recommended that I take daytime naps.

I too have to gear up in the morning since laying flat for sleep and nighttime trips to the bathroom wear me out. (I do not hesitate to have some coffee as long as I also switch off it to be sure I'm not getting tolerant of it. Be your own judge of coffee/tea depending on your body. This is sometimes a controversial topic. It is also documented as neuroprotective by some of the best Neurological Testing facilities, for those who want to do some research.)

It can take me two to three hours from when I get up to get to a healthy function level. I personally need to attend to another physical disability and then my ANS issues so managing well takes some planning and maintaining.

Sue, between the bathroom trip and your lack of deep sleep, it is quite "natural" for you to experience grogginess and mental fatigue in the morning!!!