Latrece, Im sorry to hear that youre having so much trouble with being tired/sleepy all the time. You dont say which meds. you take and when you take them. To try to match the normal circadian rhythm that our bodies no longer have, we need to try to take the steroids to best mimic it. If youre on hydrocortisone or Cortef, Ive found and read from others that if you set the alarm for an hour before you need to be up, take your first dose of HC, go back to bed for an hour, then get up, you do much better than getting up and taking that first dose and immediately going about your routine. It needs time to be in your system to have the energy you need to start your morning routine.
My endo. once told me that its like taking a long trip in the car. If you start out with no gas in the car and you're running the car on fumes and try to fill up a little bit at a time, you wont have a very good trip. But if you start out with a full tank, you can go farther and have a better ride. Its the same with us. We need the steroid in our system to be able to start the day.
Ive also learned that its best to break up your daily prescribed amount into 3 or even 4 doses this is for HC or cortef, not prednisone. Try to see what works with you. First dose around 5, next dose with breakfast or around 9 or 10 (whatever works), a third dose around 3 or 4, then the last 5 mg. near bedtime. Some find that the last dose helps them sleep. Personally, I cant take it late or it keeps me up. You start with the highest amount, then taper the amounts throughout the day. Like a nonAddisonian body would do. I take 40 mg a day. My routine is 20 mg 5am; 10 mg. 9am; 5 mg noon; 5 mg. 4pm. I do find that it helps to keep from the slumps when I was first diagnosed and told to take 30 mg in the morning and 10 mg. in the late afternoon. I was always tired before the afternoon dose, since the morning dose was out of my system by the time I took the next dose and I had to wait for it to get in my system.
Again, this is just my personal experience. Im not in any way medically trained. Its just my sharing with you what Ive found works best for me, and what Ive read works for others. I do change it around when necessary. Ive had primary Addisons for 44 yrs., so Ive tried lots of combinations!!
I do hope you find what works for you. It can be very frustrating at times; especially, when all you want to do is sleep...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
VJMP

I take prednisone and most days are really pretty "normal". My endo also recommended I follow the circadian rythm but I started falling asleep at 3:30 so I take my last dose of prednisone an hour before to beat that feeling. It might not be ideal but Addisons is about living the best you can! Spend the next few days noting when you feel the most tired and see if there is a pattern. Maybe you can try to take the hydro /prednisone before that to fend it off. Of course you can ask your endo but mine said as long as you feel good it is ok. I am also newly diagnosed but if I go to bed after 10:30 my next day is shot. I have heard others say that as well. As soon as I get sad that I can't stay up with my husband of only two years I thank God that I feel well enough some days that I actually want to stay up :) This will get better!

Yes. Fatigue is a major part of Addisons. I find that if i lye flat for at least 20 minutes mid day it helps to restore some energy. If I nap for longer than 20 to 30 min then I have a hard time getting up. It is important to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. The ealier I go to sleep at night the better i feel the next morning. And yes, i suffer the next day or two when I go out the night before. I make sure the activity was worth the "down" time the next couple of days. Keep taking your medicine and check in with your endo to make sure you are getting enough. Julie