Posted 6/17/2011 3:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi. I am new to this site and am wondering if anyone else has these issues. I do have a unique situation that is more complicated, and for all I know, my current problems may be due to some other underlying condition altogether. So here goes. I had a total pancreatectomy (complete removal of my pancreas) and islet auto-immune transplant (islets transplanted in my liver) in 2006. This means I use a little insulin and need to take enzyme pills to digest my food. After that surgery I was feeling well for about 2 years. then I developed bad pain again and found out my transverse colon was not functioning anymore and had a sub-total colectomy. That was 2 years ago. Since then I struggle with constipation/diarrhea and pain with bowel movements, but am more than willing to deal with that. My bigger issue is that I am so fatigued that I had to take a leave from my job. At first I slept all the time, but now am not "sleepy" fatigued. Rather I continue to have extreme muscle weakness which seems to be concentrated in my thighs and arms. I drop things a lot, have intermittent numbness in my fingers and recently had my muscles shaking in my thighs. This is accompanied by the inability to maintain even a low activity pace for more than a couple days without having to then spend a couple days "recovering" with complete rest. I don't seem to have any reserves left. If I have a couple days where I must be really active (parties, weddings, etc) I then experience total fatigue where it is a chore to even lift my forearms to use my phone. This is accompanied also by an extreme mental fatigue. I have had numerous tests done, my nutrient levels are low, but in the acceptable ranges. I don't have Lymes, arthritis, Lupus and a host of other diseases. The only thing we have not looked at is MS. So I am wondering if this fatigue is something other people with subtotal colectomies experience, or if I should look closer at other causes. Any insight you might have would be very appreciated. I am planning to try returning to work in August and am really afraid I'm just going to end up on a leave again. Thanks.
chicklet