Please help me - I am exhausted

I've had some experience with extreme fatigue this year when I got into a major flare starting in January. My fatigue was coming from a couple of things.

First, I had a UTI. I don't have pain when I get UTI's. I'm like 20% of people out there that have extra-bladder symptoms with a UTI which can be fatigue. My arms and shoulders usually feel really heavy, too, and I just feel drained. Well, I got the UTI cleared up but the extreme fatigue/malise was still there.

My doctor did an Iron blood test (TIBC w/ferratin). My iron was very low. Low iron causes extreme fatigue, among other things, like a rapid heartbeat which I was ALSO having. I've been on Iron supplements (Ferrous Sulfate) for over 2 months now. It took about 3 weeks to kick in, but after 3 weeks, I felt my energy shoot back.

I still get tired just from the Crohn's...but since taking the iron supplements, I've felt MUCH better in the "fatigue" respect. So if you haven't had your Iron levels checked lately, you might consider that a possibility of your exhaustion.

Of course, STRESS is also a major factor in exhaustion. Between your hospital stay and remicade infusions, ANYONE would be exhausted.

Hang in there!

wednesday2007,
I know exactly how you feel I have those days where my positive "it will get better" attitude takes a back seat and I need to just cry! Of course the prednisone makes those days more frequent than I like. I am 19 and I feel 80 some days because of the joint pain! Yesterday I had to blow off my friend because all I could do all day was lay on the couch. Sometimes you just have to cry and vent to help you get over it. So you just vent away we are here for you.

Thank you - this is more than feeling worn out some days - this is down and out daily exhaustion and fatigue, and it is lasting kmore than a month now and not showing signs of going away.  Some days I cannot physically get out of bed.

Ccould it be anything else?

my opinion----have your blood levels checked---iron---and b12---all of these contribute to energy depletion

Im tired alot too and had some days where i felt just as you did---mine was potassium levels and b12 levels being low---you need some bloodwork ran just to double check before assuming its something other than Crohns

everytime Ive thought I have something else--I find out its related to the Crohns and think MY GOD how many things come with this disease

I hope you feel better soon!!!

Thank you all for your kind words and advice - I know my potassium levels are low - when I went to the hospital for surgery to get the abscess drained they had to wait a day b/c my potassium levels were so low.  Could that cause it?

why does any diverticulitis happen? in crohns these lil bubles under the lining get bigger and become abscess. is it a electrolyte problem? >>there is accumulation of fluid which doesnt wanna re-enter the bowel , rather it sits under the lining. and there is alot of D. seems the bowel should contract to expel this abscess fluid back in to the bowel as waste. Muscle contraction is initiated by calcium, and there are bouts where other electrolytes (like potassium) maybe low or high. energy, however is provided by glucose. glucose needs a electrolyte salt to travel across the lining into the body. yet the lining when inflammed and filled with fluid itself, does not help, (the glucose hasto travel farther thru an inflammed wall). can be table salt, not necessarily potassium. is it the fundamental problem in crohns that the lining is not letting this happen properly, because the lining is dealing with the accumulation of fluid. so it seems fluid has traveled into the bowel lining but not back out.