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I was just diagnosed not to long ago. I am extremely tired all of the time. I do take lots of vitamins due to other reasons but I sm still so tired. Is there anyone else out there that deals with this and if so what do you do? I hate being tired all of the time especially when I was so active before.

Thanks,Shannon

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I am on iron pills and as long as my iron is up, I have a lot more energy.  The only catch with iron pills, you have to alternate calcium (because of the prednisone) and the iron becuae they void the absorption of each other.  I have to space them out at least 2 hours.  It makes it feel like I am taking pills all day long, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

awww sweetie I really feel for you. I am going thru same thing. I was diagnosed in 1974. I'm 53 yrs old. I am getting Venifer Infusions once a week for 6 weeks. I have been diagnosed with pernicious anemia. Crohns is an autoimmune disease. Everything is RELATED. I've had 6 sm. bowel resects, and now need another due to narrowing in bowel. I've had back surgery & now need more. I'm so tired all of the time. My back Doc suggested pyh.therapy. I did actually have a little more energy. But then hemoglobin dropped to 9.9 (norm 12-15). you have to be careful. I also have blood in stool. So don't over do it. Try to Google American Autoimmune Association.  They answered alot of my Questions over the years. And ask your doc to check for anemia. I couldn't take the pills ,so thats why I get Infusions. I have met 4 people w/crohns there. You Are Not Alone.  God Bless You & keep you Safe!

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I am also tired all the time! last yr. my doc. told me that my body was minus 2 pints of blood due to anemia! I was put on slow release iron, then multivitamins and now I put myself back on the iron. Have the regular bloodtests that your Dr. reccomends, they are important. I hike daily and get plenty of sleep and excercise and I still fall asleep on the couch by 8:30! I know how you feel as does everyone else who have replied! It never ends! best of luck to you.

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I had a bad experience with fatigue.  I  was in a flare up and was bleeding constantly. But being a college student, i never thought anything of it cause naps and fatigue are the college thing. As i went in the doctor one day, he told me that i looked a bit pale and got a blood test done on me. As a result, he told me that the reason why i am so tired was because i had lost over 50% of the blood in my body. They admitted me into the hospital immediatly where i recieved 5 blood transfusions. I had hemoglobin levels of 6 (when a normal persons is 14) and anemia levels of 24 (when a normal persons is 42)...it wasnt a pretty site. I was always tired at that time and after i got the transfusions i stopped being fatigured...

Point i am trying to gety across...just get a blood test to double check and make sure everything is correct in your system. I am an collegeiate athlete and never knew this and they said if i were in season and playing everyday, i could have suffered a heart attack or stroke at age 20 because i was putting so much stress on my heart.

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I hear you...I feel the same way.  I battle fatigue everyday.  I am currently recovering from a bad flare I had this summer.   I am taking Humira now and I have to say it has really helped the BMs and pain.  My concern now is the fatigue and trying to return to work.  I am a special education teacher and super excited to go back to work.  I have tried a couple 1/2 days and will try to add another to make it 3 this week.  I guess I am frustrated because my doctor seems to always think the fatigue is from depression.  I told him that I am dealing with possible loss of job in an area where teaching positions aren't plentiful well considering and am not comfortable at all adding another med to the mix.  What makes me the most angry is that he pushes the pills instead of pushing for more tests to see what might be causing this.  I know how my body feels and right now I still feel pretty rotten.  I hate the feeling that it is all in my head and am very glad I joined this site so I don't feel so alone.

Is anyone experiencing a heavy/foggy head?  It is the only way I can explain it and it bothers me alot.

Thanks 

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I have been diagnosed with crohns for 3 years.  It took them awhile to finally get to that diagnoses.  I had the same problem being tired all of the time.  I am also anemic and was considering a hysterectomy.  I ended up having the lining of my uterus burned off and now don't have periods.  What a difference that has made in my life.  I was always boardering on having transfusions during that time of the month and now I stay pretty steady.  I have also had to have a ostomy because my rectum was full of fistula.  Please check in to that procedure for your uterus before having such a major surgery.  Good luck!

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

Hi...vent girl! this forum is excactly for it...I suggest you try and sleep 8 hours every night. Take your time, don´t stress over the fatigue. We women are multitaskers, but with IBD, we need to take a couple of minutes during the day to rest so we can keep going. I know exactly what you are going through. I am tired all the time. I take vitamine B complex pills, they do help. During our period symptoms get worse, so those days try and pamper yourself, eat well, rest, take a long bath...

There is not much we can do about the tiredness for both the meds and the IBD can ware us out. But just give yourself a break. ;)

 Reply posted for kimhg.

Thanks for sharing with me. I feel I have no one to turn to becaue no one understands what it is like to have Crohns or Colitis, I had never heard of it before until I was diagnosed. It seems for the most part that my Crohns is under control because I am not runing to the bathroom all of the time. I am jus tired of being tired. I do take alot of vitamins because before I was diagnosed last year I had weight loss surgery. I wa morbily obese and I thought that would help with my back, etc. Boy, was I wrong. I have put back on some weight but it's due to the fact that I havent excercised because I am nalways tired. I just want to be active again and feel like a nornal person. Whatever that maybe be :) Have the weight loss surgery was the best thing that I did because I was healthier and lost 100n lbs. I was just diagnosed Crohns. I have pretty much have stayed close to home. I am so tired being scared abut accidents, being, tired all of the time. I just dont know how to get my energy back. I did talk to my GYN and I am going in for a consult with her about having a hysteretomy (?) due to being anemia and the several pain that I have during my periods. I may try to see if my Dr will give me B-12 shots and see if that will work with my energy. Sorry that I am rambling but I feel like I have no one to turn to because no one seems to understand. They think I feel good because I dont look sick. Sorry to vent.  Ya'll are great on  this board. I have finally found people that undersand what I am going through. Again thanks!!

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

I have the same problem.  I take a daily multi vitamin plus an additional b12 but it doesnt help.  I have told my dr this so many times over the years and has done nothing to help me.  Just says it is normal for Crohns.  Well it may be normal but surely there has to be something they can do about it.  I asked when I was pregnant about taking a b12 shot and he told me that unless my b12 was low there was no reason to take one.......HUH.....I know lots of people who take b12 shots weekly just for the very same reason.  I wish I could tell you something that has helped but I am still looking for that miracle also.  I cant even make it through a day without a nap.....thankfully I am not working but even when I was working I would pull over and rest for a bit.  I hope you find something out there and if you do please share with the rest of us.  Kim ;)

 Reply posted for JeffDC.

thanks for the reply. yeah, i am tired all of the time and i hate it. there are days that i feel like i can hardly hold my head up. some of my family members (not my immediate family) but others always tell me get out and about and you will start to feel better. i try to explain to them how i feel and they just dont understand. it is so hard to explain and i hate it. but at least my husband does. it is *** my kids (14 and 10) because they really dont understand. i try to educate them on things but sometimes thats a lossing battle.again, thanks for your reply.

 Reply posted for carolinagirl.

Just yesterday, my wife said to me, "I wish you did not  look so tired all the time." I told her that it is because I am so tired all the time!