Ulcerative Colitis and constantly tired

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Captain Obvious
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Hey, fellow C's and UC's.

I have UC and anemia and find that I am constantly exhausted, no matter how much sleep I get. I could literally fall asleep at any given time.

Here are my questions:

Do any of you have the same or a similar problem?

If so, what do you do to stay awake? What do you do/eat/drink for more energy?
 
I'm constantly tired when I'm in a flare.

I find that the best thing is, simply to rest when ever I can. Sometimes the simplist remedy is the best.

If I use caffine drinks, for example, they make me worse when the effect wears off.

We all suffer from this symptom from time to time, it's because we haven't got enough nutrients absorbed into our systems.
I usually try to force myself to eat little and often. don't restrict yourself to 3 meals a day for a while.
Snack all day.

Good luck, I'm sure some of the others will have a wealth of knowledge to give you.
 
yep santos i have a lot of fatigue when flaring too. not so much that i can fall asleep at any given moment, but its still exahausting.

like dan said, rest whenever you can. i take naps all the time. just try to get as much sleep as you can get, thats when your body's healing takes place.

what are you doing to treat the anemia?
 
I got the sickest in June, was diagnosed in August, and haven't yet been in remission. I have another colonoscopy at the end of the month b/c my dr. thinks the UC may be getting worse. Goody.

I'm on iron (65mg) 2x/day for the anemia. I've read in other posts that you've been anemic as well. What do you do to treat it, other than the transfusions?
 
i also took a vitamin b complex supplement- make sure it has b12 in it, thats the most important one i think.
i also had a couple blood transfusions, but that was when i was really bad, hemoglobin was around 7.5 and my platelets were more than twice normal.
after the blood i got about 8 ish iron infusions and my blood has seemed fine since then.
 
I always forget that I get really tired when I'm having a flare up. I work nights and all of a sudden I find it harder and harder to stay awake. Then I end up poopin' 7-8 times a day and I realize its a flare up.
 
im tired all the time too the main thing i do is like has been said i snack all day with healthy things like the nutrasure snack bars and things with a lot of vitamins also i nap when i can or even just sit down and relax for a min or two and it helps some. good luck with your symptoms!
 
I am also so tired right now and don't know what to do about it, if any of you have read any of my other posts recently u will know it is at the worst time for me as i have exams and i cannot concentrate on them

kello82 said:
i also had a couple blood transfusions, but that was when i was really bad, hemoglobin was around 7.5 and my platelets were more than twice normal.
after the blood i got about 8 ish iron infusions and my blood has seemed fine since then.
Click to expand...

What is your haemoglobin supposed to be at?

xXxX
 
Oh right thanks :)
Does anyone find the doctors never tell u everything?
Like they always say to me, your haemaglobin is 'slightly low' but they never tell u exactly what it is or what it should be?
It annoys me alot, it is because they want to stay superior over us.
xXxXx
 
I just ask what does that mean, what is normal? what is low? what is high? where am i.. just don't feel like its medical jargon, if you want to know its your body, just ask, they will tell you, usually will draw you a chart or pictures or something.
 
mhmm mark is right, valentine
just ask what that means and theyll answer in normal language for you. and usually theyre nice about it too
haha and yes they do draw diagrams for you! ive had my rectum mapped out more times than i can count :D
 
Hi Marissa,

How long have been on the iron supplement? The reason I am asking is maybe you are just not absorbing the oral iron. I sometimes need to just get refueled with an iron infusion. I get one and a week later another then in two weeks they check my iron again to see if my body is holding on to it. Sometimes the red blood cell are just a little on the whimpy side and they need a boost..It has only gotten bad enough twice for me to need a blood transfusion. (that was a little scary for me at first) When I see my hematology dr.she always asks the same questions- are you craving ice?? are you feeling just wiped out again? I guess ice cravings are a sign of low iron..She also said a lot of pain wears on the body and causes fatigue also. I hope you can find out what will give you a BOOST :)
 
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Yer I will have to start asking more questions.
I just went to see the GP to get another blood test, only my local surgery is booked out for the whole of next week!! I said thats not good enough, i need it asap. So now i have to go to the hospital to get it done, which will take hours as there will be such a long queue by now!
I'm angry, it only takes them two mins to take my blood!
My heamoglobin was 13.5 in April, which was my last blood test.
I rly hope it has gone down now otherwise it would all have been a waste of time. But i guess it must have done or i wouldnt be this tired.
Sorry that was a bit of a rant!!
xXxXx

Edit: oops! i forgot to ask on my blood test form there is 'ESR' ticked, does anyone know what that meens?
 
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LMV:
Try the hospital about 4pm, should be empty by then. My local hospital is packed when it opens in the morning, as they have all the patients who have to have fasting samples etc etc.
 
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Good morning, la la! :)
I've been on iron for about a month or so, maybe a little longer, but then had to stop for 5 days so I could have another colonoscopy yesterday. I went back on it yesterday afternoon.
I've lost 3 units of blood over the last year. Found out yesterday that I have UC on the left side, pseudomembraneous colitis on the right side, and rectal ulcers. I want a new stomach! :ytongue:
You said that you've had iron infusions - what do they do?
 
My local hospital (Huddersfield) actually has a little poster saying when they're busiest for taking blood... so I assume it's the same everywhere.
Good luck on the results!
 
Hi,

I find banana's are a good source of energy, and eating leafy greens and fruit help me, I stay clear of breads, biscuits etc but eat white bread only when I have diohrrea very badly. I try and drink pints of water during the day.

Regards
Karisue
 
I have just enough energy to get through the work day, when i get home I just crash... I can sleep 10 hours a night sometimes, and on weekends, it's more like 12. I'm sure it has to do with being deficient in some nutrients (d, b12) but doc said my iron is normal...
I tend to wake early and feel better in the earlier half of the day... Sometimes I go to bed at 8pm but usually around 9 or 10. I bet I would have more energy if I exercised, but some days it's all I can do to get up the stairs when I get home. I try not to use caffeine and I completely avoid energy drinks or anything overly sweet.

Drinking water and getting exercise are two good suggestions for combating fatigue.
 
When I'm flaring I can pretty much sleep at any time for long periods and when I wake up my body just feels tired again. A friend told me to drink some of those "energy" drinks, but since they loaded with suagr and caffeine they kill my stomach. Gatorade actually gives me energy believe it or not lol
 
xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx said:
My heamoglobin is fine-14
I cant believe it! I dnt understand why i feel so bad if the bloods say there is nothing wrong with me :(
xXxXx
Click to expand...

you know i have the same prob, theyve taken my blood numerous times but never said ne thing about my levels. i used to have really high white blood cell count when i was younger till they found out my kidney prob. but i assume they check for anemia in me but they never say ne thing and im super pale(as you can see in my pic) and i go to the beach but i dun tan or burn and im always tired so idk. i feel ya tho its super annoying
 
I kept having blood tests, and they said nothing was wrong. Then, last month, I had a CBC done again and suddenly I'm anemic and have lost 3 units of blood. I've always had the symptoms of anemia though!!
 
Has anyone tried Provigil? I asked my GI about it today when I was gettting my Remicade. A health and Wellness physician who has been giving me B12 shots suggested I ask my GI what he thought about it. He said sure it was worth a try and he is going to look into the dosages etc for me. I have read a lot about it~ it is given to patients with narcolepsy, chronic fatigue syndrom and Lupus as well. One side effect is appetite suppression, which I have a problem with anyway and Im underweight as well so I will have to be careful about that.
I realize I am the mother of an 11 week old and an 18 month old, so I am obviously going to be tired. But my energy levels are ridiculously low. I am just exhausted all the time!
I will let you know if I get the Provigil and how it goes...
 

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