Newbie-- extremely tired

[mag]

Hi everyone, Im new to the forum, and to crohns (i wars diagnosed this past winter). I have done two rounds of prednisone and am on entocort ec, pentasa, 6mp and dexilant (for acid reflux) as well as an anti spasmatic as needed for abdominal pain. For the most part i am feeling a lot better, and much better than when i was diagnosed, but I still feel sick a lot of the time. I am in college and it is not usually so bad that it stops me from doing what I need to (class, my job, social stuff etc) but there are several side things that are still there. The two big ones are tireless and lightheadedness. I have had a lot of blood work done and am taking supplements, and I am not deficient in any vitamins or anything... i don't know what to do. No matter how much sleep i get I'm exhausted and i feel lightheaded a lot. I also still have D a lot but i think that might have to do with switching to cafeteria food, its hard to find things that don't upset my stomach. but like i said from my blood work my GI said it looks like there is no inflammation or deficiencies right now.
For any of you who have been dealing with crohns longer, is it normal just not to feel that well\ should i just get used to it? I really just still don't know how well i should expect to feel...
Id love any advice!

 

[Pointy_ears]

Even when the disease isn't active your body is still fighting it like it would any infection, so your bound to tire more easily than other people. It's hard for me to comment because crohns and uc can effect different people differently. It my well just be one of those side effects but if there's a problem the doctors will find it. So try not to worry, it sounds like your actually doing really well! Hold on to the good days and please try not to let the bad ones get you down!

 

[Angrybird]

Hello and welcome to the forum, I am sorry to hear you are still not feeling 100%

Just to confirm when did the fatigue and lightheadedness start? What type of supplementation are you having and were you told the specific levels from your blood tests and what did they test? What has your doc had to say about how you are feeling?

AB
xx

 

[mag]

Im taking a multivitamin and b12 every day. Im not sure about my specific blood levels, but the dr said they're all normal... last time i spoke to him about it was a few weeks ago, and thats when he told me to start taking b12, he also said it might be dehydrations.

 

[mag]

oh and the lightheadedness and tiredness hadn't really gone away since i was diagnosed, it was better when i was on prednisone (although the side effects of that were pretty bad) and then it was better over the summer but it started getting worse again since I've been at school (about a month and a half).

 

[21years]

Sorry to hear it. I felt the same way in college. What's happening is that there is inflammation. And inflammatIon causes the entire body to be effected. Being tired especially in the morning is common.

Get a lot of sleep, don't eat late, never drink alcohol, consider biologics. Eat little.

 

[mag]

thanks for the advice!

 

[David]

Hi Mag and welcome

1. Ask your GI what your specific vitamin B12 level was and let us know. And why did they tell you to take B12 if you weren't deficient?
2. Find out if your magnesium level was tested.
3. You may want to get your thyroid function tested if it hasn't been.
4. Read our wiki entry on fatigue for some other possible explanations. Some of your medications could indeed be the cause as well

Again, welcome!

 

[mag]

I think i was b12 deficient but I'm not anymore. I should check with my GI about if the fatigue could be a side effect of one of the meds. Ill check out the wiki article. Thanks!

 

[David]

You're not B12 deficient anymore because you're taking the oral B12? Or you were tested and the test said you're no longer deficient?

Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common causes of fatigue in people with Crohn's and, done right, it's an easy fix, so we want to make sure that isn't the cause for you.

 

[mag]

I believe because I started taking b12, but I got a bunch of blood tests done around the same time so I'm not 100 percent sure, but ill ask.

 

[Avw]

Someone please correct me or fill in the blanks here, but I've been told that lightheadedness can be indicative of adrenal fatigue (?)... Something having to do with the adrenal glands. Once again, please correct me if I'm wrong, but steroids can lead adrenal problems, right? I'm not sure if there is a lab test for this, but worth looking into.

As for the fatigue, it seems to just come with the territory. But that doesn't mean you should just accept it.

I absolutely agree that you should have extensive vitamin/mineral panels. Many of which you will have to ask for specifically because they are not covered by standard blood panels.

You'd be amazed at the difference proper nutrition can make! Hope you get to feeling better soon

 

[David]

I believe because I started taking b12, but I got a bunch of blood tests done around the same time so I'm not 100 percent sure, but ill ask.

Please find out what your B12 was last test or get it tested again. Very often if you're deficient in B12 due to Crohn's disease, taking an oral formulation is not enough and you have to get injections.

 

[mag]

ok, i will do that