Does crohn's make you weaker?

[croney]

Hi im wondering does havign crohn's disease make you physically weaker/lacking in stamina? Obviously it makes you weak and unable to do anything during a flare up, at least it did with me during flare ups im effectively bed ridden and barely have the strength to eat but what about when in remission?
Now that im in remission im able to live life almost normally but i feel as though I am ssomehow weaker and have less stamina than I did before I manifested my first symptoms of Crohns. So Im wondering are people living with crohn's generally weaker than others? perhaps weaker is the wrong word its just hard to convey what I mean. For example would physically strenuous sports be more hazardous to a person with crohn's? or would a person with crohn's tire out more easily? I am just speaking generally when I ask these questions I do know that there are some professional athletes with crohn's but I kinda figured theyd be the exception, Im just asking in general.

 

[Rebecca85]

I am recently in remission, and I do feel physically weaker than pre-crohn's. Obviously I can't speak for anybody else. I feel like I lost a lot of muscle, through being anaemic, and through inactivity. I am now trying to build up my strength and stamina again, through exercising. It does seem to be working gradually.

 

[Jennifer]

I've been in remission for 10+ years yet being in remission doesn't mean that you'll never experience any symptoms such as diarrhea for example. Having diarrhea in general saps your strength as we're losing much needed water and aren't absorbing enough nutrients. Lacking nutrients such as Vit. B-12 and iron can make you feel very weak which is why some of us take extra iron/B-12 either in pill form or having it injected into our bodies. I had some of my ileum removed during my resection which makes me low in B-12 in general as that's a major area where B-12 is absorbed so I get a B-12 shot every month. Some of the medications we take to stay in remission can also affect how we feel. I wouldn't say that in general we are weaker, it all depends on the person and how you manage your illness.

 

[moogie]

I would say I am weaker than normal. Of course every time I have a flare I loose muscle tone and energy anmd I have to rebuild it everytime. That takes it's toll.

I would need to be in remission for a very long time and have a chance to get my muscles and energy back with regular excersise. But sicne I cannot eat everything I am always missing some vitimines.

It's not easy to be in perfect condition with this plague!

 

[hainman]

i do a bit of mountain biking and ive noticed that although im kinda fit i still struggle a bit with stamina and its a nightmare when your trying to cycle up major hills.i always keep plenty of isotonics but i still lack abit of stamina.....think its something to do with the blood cells and oxegen that gets absorbed when exercising so that kinda makes it harder to keep up as our bodys dont work the same as non crohnie's....

 

[soiledshorts]

I agree with many here, even when in Remission, the tolls of the symptoms I think bring me down overall. Regardless of your health or not, diarrhea and cramps takes it toll on your body, reducing your strength.

 

[croney]

Thats what I thought, thanks for your answers. I was just thinking about it because i was just reading on a another forum about this guy who wound up getting into a fight outside a bar, see im not the kind of guy who gets into fights but suppose someone tried to assault me my crohn's would probably make it more dangerous because id be weaker and lacking in stamina, also what if i got punched in the stomach? the crohn's would surely cause problems for me if i got hit hard enough. Like i said im not the knid of guy that goes looking for fights but the story just made me worry because sometimes people try to pick them with you.