I'm so so so tired.

Hi all,  I haven't been here for awhile.  Lately, I've been so tired that I just can't do much of anything.  It's very depressing.  To let you know what's been going on with me...Last February I had surgery - a bowel resection.  I had scar tissue narrowing my intestines due to a prior bowel resection.  My liver was out of whack, so while the surgeon was there he took a biopsy of my liver.  Apparently, it squirted bile like he's never seen and would not stop leaking for some time.  I left the hospital seven days later and started to heal.  I thought I was doing well until I started having very bad pain in my URQ and then high fevers, up to 103.8.  After a CT scan, they concluded I had an infection.  I was hospitalized two more times for about 10 days each time.  I finally went home May 1st with a PICC line in my arm and instructions for how to give myself two antibioctics by IV which I did five times a day until the middle of June.  The infection seemed to be gone, but I was left with pain in my URQ.  Doctor after doctor couldn't tell me what was causing it or if it would go away.  I ended up on Fentanyl patches and Oxycodone for breakthrough pain.  I seem to be getting better.  I just started a 75 mcg patch on Sunday night, down from the 100 mcg patch I had been wearing.  I think I'm handling the lower dose well.  I'm not sure that I'm having any withdrawal issues.  My problem since this whole thing started more then a year ago is being tired.  Some days I have energy, but most days I don't at all.  Am I pushing myself too hard?  Am I asking too much of my body?  Maybe I'm just being impatient.  I don't know.  I've never had to deal with an infection like this.  I did have an infection back when I was 21 and I had my first resection.  I'm 41 now.  Maybe I'm just getting older and it's harder to recover.  I quit my job back in October because it was just getting too hard to go to work everyday.  I guess I just want someone to tell me I'm doing ok and that things will get better. 

Sorry this is long and drawn out.  I thought the more details I gave the better I would be understood.  Thanks for listening.  Any help or advice would be great!

Well I cannot give you any advice or help.
All I can offer you is a <PRAYER> for improved help & greater strength. Oh & a giant <<<HUG!>>>.
Please hang in there.

Most sincerely,
Matthew

Dear Clara,
You are doing OK. Please have hope that things will get bettter and keep posting here as the support offered here is outstanding.
You are in my prayers.
Warm and gentle Hugs
Kitt

How is your bloodwork? Could you be anemic? Also, I always see folks here stating that if your TI has been removed you need b12 from then on. Are you getting b12? Lack of b12 and/or iron would make you exceedingly tired. Just a thought...

Probably all stuff you've thought of.... In any case, I'm sending prayers your way, too! Hope you feel better real soon!

Clara-I just want to encourage you to hang in there.  My sister had severe pancreatitis last summer (we almost lost her) and she was on that pain patch and then the oxycodone and then vicodan and she just a few weeks ago stopped the vicodan.  She was very weary the whole time but needed the pain meds to keep her stable so that she could heal.  Now that she is off the drugs, she is more energetic and started cleaning her house again and starting to sound like her old self.  She's not 100% yet but is getting there.  She is in her mid-40's and at first could not understand why she did not bounce back quickly but she finally realized that age and the disease definitely take their toll on a body.

Basically, even tho the pain meds made her tired, she did need them or she would not have recovered like she did.  She tapered them down with her doctor's oversight. I know that is not surgery but pancreatitis is extremely painful so it's a relative comparison. 

It's so nice to hear her feeling well again.  You will be there soon - just give yourself the time you need!

Becky

Clara,

Just read your post and i couldn't even think to bear what your going through so I am going to follow in Matts footsteps...

HUG!

BIGGER HUG!

BIGGEST HUG!

Sorry you have to endure the unfortunate incident's that are going on.  If you ever need a lending ear please take mine!

God Bless...

 

hey SG! now i know where ya been... geez, thats a bunch of stuff to go through all at once.. age has its factors.. when i was in my 20's and even early thirties, i would have a surgery and bounce right back and be back at work in 4-5 weeks.. then since the mud 30's , aand now at 44, it aint so fast. plus i can relate with the pain patches, heck girl they are trying to put you to sleep 24/7 . of course you feel tired.. get better fast! randy

Clara...
I have just recently come out of this whole being TIRED thing
I would literally sleep away for hours and be up for a couple no more than 2 and right back to bed this went on for over a week plus
I got scared and I have found that I was in a depression about mom's passing anni date coming up dad being terminally ill and other health issues ..BUT also the pain meds I am supposed to take daily were also wreaking havoc with me ..with always sleeping I wasnt eating hardly drinking fluids and just basically surviving in bed or the couch ........

I got so upset with self as I had worked hard at gaining weight and I had lost 10 lbs with this whole thing .and I was scaring Cait .....
Finally I decided to start getting out of bed not taking full amount of pain meds allowed ( doc knew)....and I went out into the fresh air for short walks with daughter........
Mind you I was exhausted by the time I did this BUT I did feel so much better ....
I have decreased meds for pain.by one pill daily which is Morphine ........60 mgs .....actually 2 I am to take one in am and one in pm ......I really do feel better and had the most energy I had had in awhile the last couple of days .........
I am getting back to myself more each day and I know that this too will happen for you .....
It is pure hades to want to sleep your life away and thats how I felt ...........
Know you are not alone
Depression and anxiety can do this too ..........

Stay strong and know we are here for you
LYN

Clara
I did the same made excuses not to go outside but in the end my daughter convinced me with the " baby blues " of hers lol and I ventured out ...
Once out there I felt great....... well beter than I had for days and the more I do it the better I feel
I too was doing all my work in spurts of " energy" and I am severly OCD on top of all else .....and yes I would pay for it too but it still was a good thing.spending time outdoors and with my teen talking about " teen " things she is now facing ya know boys and dating ect......it was good and is good for us I feel and the difference in her face now is so special I love it

I dont like her seeing me so tired and so sick she has since a wee child ........

Today after I posted we walked to grocery store and bank .....we live in Ontario,Canada and today it is FINALLY sunny and warm it is so beautiful going for the walks in this weather.it cannot help but lift you up
Seeing the new buds on the trees .....flowers wanting to come out........ ppl out working in yards .........
Spring break with the noises of lil kids laughing and playing has cheered me up so much I have to say .........

I sure hope you will venture out there if only on your step on porch ........one baby step at a time will get you there.might take longer BUT you acheive what you are going after ya know

Take care and keep posting and leting us know how you are.........LYN

Ya know hun it just might be your daughter is trying to get you to "do" something and if it is to"bug" her about the elastic well at least she came up with something she knows you will do lol TEENS especially girls eh .........
My Cait is very responsible and very empathetic with my health and others and it hurts me to see her worrying all the time about me .......

I SURE hope you post and let me know how you did with a walk with your daughter...I think you will really like it
YOU sound like a great mom to me hun and a fighter..so FIGHT
Stay strong there is light at the end ya know I swear there is .....Luvs....LYN

NO problem sweetie
keep posting and keep fighting k
WE will get thru this ..........

Luvs
LYN