Fatigue patterns

[UnXmas]

Fatigue is a pretty common Crohn's symptom. I know there is a support group thread here for chronic fatigue sufferers, but I was wondering whether some of us have the same triggers for fatigue or if our tiredness follows similar set patterns.

E.g. my whole life I've been a morning-person - a lark. Apparently I woke up early even as a baby, and through my healthy childhood, I always got up early, anywhere after 5:30 am and almost always before 8:00 am.

Since I've been sick, tiredness has been a massive issue, but I am still always at my best first thing in the morning. By late afternoon I'm wiped, and in the evenings I just want to cry with exhaustion if I have to go out anywhere and just wish the day would be over so I can get up the next morning feeling better again. Interestingly, when I had a long hospital stay recently, an awful depression and homesickness would come on with the evening, I think partly because I was too tired to hold up emotionally at that time.

Also eating leaves me exhausted - after breakfast is usually ok, but I often desperately need a nap after lunch, and I always eat right before going to bed because I know it will put me out! Physical activity, though horrible when getting started, can give me a boost and wake me up, and making sure I'm not too cold also makes me feel I have more energy. Codeine also gives me energy (no matter how often my GP tells me it's a sedative), and Amitriptyline unsurprisingly knocks me out, as it's used as a sleep aid. Also unsurprisingly, I have more energy overall when my body weight is up (though even at a healthy weight I could get very very tired) and less when it's down.

What patterns do the rest of you follow? What helps? And does your fatigue tie in with when your other Crohn's symptoms are worse, e.g. if your stomach kicks off first thing in the morning, does your tiredness too?

 

[alex_chris]

What patterns do the rest of you follow? What helps? And does your fatigue tie in with when your other Crohn's symptoms are worse, e.g. if your stomach kicks off first thing in the morning, does your tiredness too?

What helps me is work. As strange as it sounds, but if I have to get up at 7 or 7:30 and work until the evening/night at the office, I am usually not tired at all, even post-midnight. I also tend to sleep a lot better during the week than on the weekend.

I agree with the fatigue after food issue. But interestingly enough, I only have that when I don't have much to do. So, say on a Sunday when we have a big lunch, and we are usually just chilling after lunch, I get really, REALLY tired and fatigued and hardly want to do anything.

What helps me is sport, although that is a two edged sword. I am pumped up after an hour of sport, but if I do sport in the evening, I am usually getting rather tired at least 2 hours later on.

P.S. I am also a morning rather than an evening person and also want and need my 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

 

[CrohnsFighter]

What helps me is work. As strange as it sounds, but if I have to get up at 7 or 7:30 and work until the evening/night at the office, I am usually not tired at all, even post-midnight. I also tend to sleep a lot better during the week than on the weekend.

I agree with the fatigue after food issue. But interestingly enough, I only have that when I don't have much to do. So, say on a Sunday when we have a big lunch, and we are usually just chilling after lunch, I get really, REALLY tired and fatigued and hardly want to do anything.

P.S. I am also a morning rather than an evening person and also want and need my 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

I don't think I could have said it any better myself.

 

[LodgeLady]

I am always tired but have sleep issues. Hot flashes wake me up. I can hardly ever get into that deep sleep. Have to pee every two hours at night ( I think it's from the Pentasa). My recent flare isn't helping. I usually fall asleep around 7 on the couch watching TV. But then up all night.