I'm tired all the time

[lookame]

I'm tired all the time and I dont know why. My bloods are good(though I'm prone to anemia when my bloods were checked a week ago everthing was good) I'm not dehydrated ect. Is there something I could be deficient in causing such tiredness? I don't think I get checked for D or B12 since they beleive I have UC.

Also I'm n 40 mgs of prednisone, 4 pills lialda, 50 mgs 6mp, iron and a multivitamin.

 

[tiloah]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to get tested. I have been told repeatedly by doctors that the next thing I take/do will fix the tiredness but it never does. Or they simply don't believe me about how tired I am.

I think when you have a chronic illness you just have less spoons to go around, unfortunately.

I find it unendingly frustrating that there are so many drugs that are incredibly effective at making me sleepy/tired (whether they are meant to or not) and yet none that I can take reliably that will help me have energy.

 

[David]

As Nic said, despite the UC diagnosis, I'd get tested for B12 and D, especially since your blood work is CD positive.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I'm tired all the time and I dont know why. My bloods are good(though I'm prone to anemia when my bloods were checked a week ago everthing was good) I'm not dehydrated ect. Is there something I could be deficient in causing such tiredness? I don't think I get checked for D or B12 since they beleive I have UC.

Also I'm n 40 mgs of prednisone, 4 pills lialda, 50 mgs 6mp, iron and a multivitamin.

Id supplement with a multi. If you are borderline anemic consider iron pills. Definitely like the others said check your b12 and D levels.

Prednisone can cause severe fatigue in some, it did for me. Others get very hyper with it, go figure.

 

[mnsun]

I find eating more protein on a daily basis helps with energy levels. Many people suggest eating at least 30% more than the recommended daily amount, for crohnnies. If I drink a whey smoothie twice a day, I feel less drained.

I blend up a scoop of unflavored whey (18g protein), a banana, 5 shakes of cinnamon, 20 drops of stevia (1/2 vanilla, 1/2 unflavored), and sometimes a tablespoon of chia into 8oz of filtered water. Once with breakfast, once with dinner.

I also rely on 2 cups of yerba mate in the morning for caffeine that I can handle. I sweeten with a drop of peppermint oil and 8 drops of stevia. I've heard some vague criticisms of a powdered, commercialized form of stevia, erythritol, but I haven't substantiated any problems with stevia extract.

I'm considering trying d-ribose to help maintain energy levels, but I can't say I've personally tryed it. I'll probably try out some 5,000% B12, sublingual tabs every few days, as well. Some people tout the benefits of boosting glutathione levels; I can't say I've pursued this route. I'm always experimenting with supplements.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Also smaller meals more often can help.

 

[guest9933]

its all the drugs your on between our absorption isuues and the liver and other organs working harder to process the meds our bodies get tired

Take me for example i went on a sugar binge for a few days now i'm tired to the point of not being able to drive thats how tired i am now i can feel my energy slowly returning as i have given up most of the sugar diet and knowing what trigger your fatigue is a huge help

 

[lookame]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think next tues ill discuss the constant fatique with ny GI I assume he'll do a regular blood check so ill also ask if we could throw in a deficiency check as well.

As for my iron I take an iron pill and a separate multivitamin so I end up taking about twice the iron.

I try to eat small meals but it never really works out, at work its like pulling teeth to go on a 15I minute break and im not much for eating in general. I get so bloated and then I Poop a lot...its very incomfotable lol

 

[Carrie630]

lookame, I feel for you. I get so tired I can barely think or find the energy to move my fingers across the keyboard.

 

[toml99]

Anemia and fatigue finally pushed me to go to a really good GI doc and abandon my worthless GP. After the GI doc diagnosed CD he ordered a number of tests, and they showed I was deficient in vitamins B12 and D, in addition to being anemic. Since I've been on supplements my energy has rebounded and I just feel better all day (outside of the CD issues, that is). If there is any way you can push for a B12 and D test, you can at least rule out a couple of issues. But if you are deficient in one or both, you can begin getting relief. Good luck!

 

[Crohns2011]

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's this month but have been sick for 9 months. I'm constantly too tired to do anything but I push myself. I don't have anemia either although plenty of times I've had all the symptoms! Maybe Lialda makes me sleepy? I really don't know, but even when I wasn't on it I was sleepy. I've been through a lot this year

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's this month but have been sick for 9 months. I'm constantly too tired to do anything but I push myself. I don't have anemia either although plenty of times I've had all the symptoms! Maybe Lialda makes me sleepy? I really don't know, but even when I wasn't on it I was sleepy. I've been through a lot this year

I'm not anemic but always weak and tired. The disease takes a toll and the body works hard to digest which probably causes a lot of fatigue.

 

[David]

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's this month but have been sick for 9 months. I'm constantly too tired to do anything but I push myself. I don't have anemia either although plenty of times I've had all the symptoms! Maybe Lialda makes me sleepy? I really don't know, but even when I wasn't on it I was sleepy. I've been through a lot this year

When you say you've had all the symptoms, what symptoms did you have?

And have your had your vitamin B12 levels checked? It's not the same test that checks for your typical iron deficiency anemia and is one of the common causes of fatigue in people with Crohn's Disease.

the body works hard to digest which probably causes a lot of fatigue.

Could you elaborate on what you mean and how this works please?

 

[Meg585]

Hello all, I suffer with as well. And as some have said I believe it just goes with the territory of chronic illness. I am sure there are little things you can do to make yourself feel better.
Lookame, if as you said you are not big on eating b/c of the pain then maybe thats the problem??? You need food for energy, have you ever tried superfood??? There are brands at the grocery store you can try, its the green stuff in plastic bottles in the produce area, refrigerated. Or there are more expensive but worth it in potency from online health food providers like Dr.Shulze botanical pharmacy. I have tried both and I think anything of the like would probably help you. I know you take a multi but those are to supplement your nutrition not take the place of food. If you decide to give superfood a try let me know how it works out for you.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

When you say you've had all the symptoms, what symptoms did you have?

And have your had your vitamin B12 levels checked? It's not the same test that checks for your typical iron deficiency anemia and is one of the common causes of fatigue in people with Crohn's Disease.


Could you elaborate on what you mean and how this works please?

I think when your body has a tough time digesting certain foods that you get tired. The old adage is the couch potato. With CD we have a tough time digesting many foods.

 

[Crohns2011]

When you say you've had all the symptoms, what symptoms did you have?

And have your had your vitamin B12 levels checked? It's not the same test that checks for your typical iron deficiency anemia and is one of the common causes of fatigue in people with Crohn's Disease.


Could you elaborate on what you mean and how this works please?

Last year at my job before the last job....I was a server and there were constant times where I felt too dizzy to walk and felt nauseated and so weak I felt like falling down. I would turn paler than I already am (I'm very white already) but seemed to get paler. People told me to drink orange juice and sometimes it would help but I had bouts of this constantly while working that job. People were frightened to see me leaning on counter unable to walk around lol. This was BEFORE I was diagnosed with Crohn's. Back then I had IBS issues but did not prevent me from working like my now CURRENT ACTIVE Crohns

I've never head health insurance so I think that's a big reason I was only given a iron deficient anemia test when I went to the hospital once. They wouldn't bother helping a patient with no money and testing them for more than one thing.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Last year at my job before the last job....I was a server and there were constant times where I felt too dizzy to walk and felt nauseated and so weak I felt like falling down. I would turn paler than I already am (I'm very white already) but seemed to get paler. People told me to drink orange juice and sometimes it would help but I had bouts of this constantly while working that job. People were frightened to see me leaning on counter unable to walk around lol. This was BEFORE I was diagnosed with Crohn's. Back then I had IBS issues but did not prevent me from working like my now CURRENT ACTIVE Crohns

I've never head health insurance so I think that's a big reason I was only given a iron deficient anemia test when I went to the hospital once. They wouldn't bother helping a patient with no money and testing them for more than one thing.

I also suffer from extreme fatigue and dizziness. I joke that orange juice (without pulp, crohnies) is a blood transfusion for me. I don't know why because nothing else works but hey I'll take it.

 

[Beach]

Most of the time I'm exhausted, where doing the simplest of tasks can be a chore. And then there are mornings like this, where I have all kinds of energy. I'm thinking the energy change is diet related for me, but what trigger food(s) cause the problem I don't know. Think I better get back to writing a highly detailed food journal and see if I can figure something out.

Agree with the mention of testing D3 levels. That supplement helped my gut health considerably I believe, and improved energy levels some. Another supplement that works with vitamin D, and I take, that might be of help is vitamin K2. I was reading over the weekend that those with Crohns will more often than not be deficient in this important nutrient - which makes sense as a portion of our K2 needs comes from healthy gut bacteria, something we'll be deficient in.

There are not that many articles about vitamin K2, but Dr. Guyenet has written a few that I recall.

"Can Vitamin K2 Reverse Arterial Calcification?"

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/11/can-vitamin-k2-reverse-arterial.html

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Does a regular D test show for D3?

 

[Beach]

From what I understand there are two vitamin D3 tests, one for activated D and the other for circulating D3 levels. What you want is the circulating D3 test. This might be of help.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-deficiency/am-i-vitamin-d-deficient/

There are two ways to obtain a vitamin D test:

Ask your doctor for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D, test. One may also refer to it simply as a “vitamin D test." In the past, doctors have been known to order a 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D test. This is the wrong test as it cannot determine vitamin D deficiency. Make sure your doctor orders the correct test.

Purchase an in-home test kit and test your levels yourself.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Thank God for this forum because my doctor doesn't know anything.

 

[guest9933]

Thank God for this forum because my doctor doesn't know anything.

No offence but why not chnage your doc I had a stupid GI that all he wanted to do was cut my intestine and rectum out and send me on my way.

Anyway went and got a second opinionion from another older more experienced GI and he goes there are way more options for you then surgery and here I am no bag and doing good so just maybe look for another doctor because you shouldn't have to scour forums what he is supposed to know

 

[brianncc]

I would get your B12 checked. It's probably the pred that is screwing you up. I would also consider checking your hormone levels as well. Pred kills me. I am getting off it and glad. I'm getting more energy everyday. Remicade is a lifesaver!