New research re; fatigue and inflammatory diseases specifically

Disease linked to fatigue

Updated: Tue Feb. 17 2009 16:56:42

A research team at the University of Calgary believes they have discovered why diseases, like arthritis, make people so tired.

Dr. Mark Swain has found that inflammatory diseases like arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and liver disease, allow so-called "immune" cells to infiltrate the brain and it's those cells that cause fatigue.

Dr. Swain says the fatigue can often be the worst part of a disease and that the next step is to reverse the process which in turn will stop the fatigue.

"I think when people have profound fatigue that's associated with inflammatory disease, they'll often say that it's the most incapacitating thing that they're experiencing from their disease and if they could only get over the fatigue, they could deal with the other aspects of their disease," says Dr. Mark Swain from the University of Calgary.

:)

When I talked to my GI about being tired all the time his response was to start exercising everyday. I told him I could barely make it through my work day how was I supposed to exercise.To me it is the worse part of this disease. My mind wants to accomplish all these tasks and my body just won't cooperate. Sometimes I feel like a real loser.

Elizabeth

Pb4, Do you have any link to that article? One of my sons biggest handicaps with Crohns is the fatigue it causes him. Very little is written about this and although the physicians acknowledge it, the literature talks little about how debilitating it is. Thanks

funny but I just saw almost the same concern voiced in one of the groups on Facebook

here are a couple of links...they add anything...but maybe someone else can or will dig deeper....

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090217/CGY_liver_fatigue_090217/20090217/?hub=CalgaryHome

 

http://www.ahfmr.ab.ca/publications/newsletter/Summer06/fatique.htm

 

Thanks hspense for posting the actual link that bowlies wanted :)

Actually, about the exercise that your docs have suggested, it really does help, I exercise regularly and it has improved my fatigue a lot, any form, pilates, or what ever so long as you do something, without exercise it does make the fatigue worse....and exercise is known to aid with normal bowel function, so it has helped in that department as well. Believe me I totally understand what you guys are thinking about the thought of exercising when you're already so tired but I pushed myself through it and it wasn't long before I noticed a big difference, well worth it. Since we are also prone to having joint/bone issues it helps ward that off some too. The longer you go without some kind of regular exercise routine, the older and crappy you will feel as you age becauses of this disease.

:)

I agree with PB4 but with a caution. Some of us are prone to "push through" too much. It can be a disease in itself. I had to learn to surrender to my disease first, instead of constantly pushing. All the while (20+ years) I was pushing my disease around, I experienced boom and bust cycles that constantly undermined efforts to stay physically fit. Only after I stopped trying to control my disease and "allowed"
myself to experience illness, did I begin to develop a sustainable fitness program that allows me the flexibility to be kind to myself when I'm really not well. It has been a long time since I have been as physically fit as I am right now, even though my disease is at times incapacitating.

Thanks, pb! Interesting!