Soooooo Tired. Anyone else?!

I'm in the same boat, and mine's sinking.

I had a very blue day today about the energetic me that disappeared a few years ago. I am so frustrated with my inability to get off my ever-spreading *ss! Then I had a light bulb moment! Last summer, I had a small flare, for which my GI prescribed steroid enemas. The next morning, I actually went outside and weeded and planted flowers. I FELT LIKE THE OLD ME! It was wonderful! I thought: I have three left over. I could use them to charge myself up on days when I really need some energy.

But isn't that ridiculous. I mean, really ridiculous.

~sigh~

Mitz, the slug

I am always tired. I don't have trouble sleeping though. My problem is I could sleep 24 hrs a day if I could.

Im not flaring and I am always tired, I blame mine on all the meds. but not sure of that, I can be in bed 10 or 11 hours get up and 4 hours later tired all over again.

Hubby has not been able to get over that hump of constant fatigue too.  He played 9 holes of golf yesterday and came home and collapsed and went to bed and stayed there for the rest of the day/night.  He has a handicapped pass for his golf cart which he uses on the course on the last few holes when he gets too tired to walk the rest of the course.  It's great he was able to get that so he can at least play some golf otherwise he wouldn't be able to do that.

Rested all day today - Dr appt at 5 pm - had a light bite to eat and then a movie.  Those 4 hrs tonight was enjoyable but he had to rest all day so we could go out.

It is so weird that with all the sleep and rest he gets he never truly feels rested like alot of you say as well.

We took a cruise last month but he has to pace himself and get naps in between.  I find when there is a lot available to do and more people around it kind of motivates him to push a little harder and enjoy himself a little more.  I think it gets his mind off things and he somehow finds a way to have some fun.  If he is just sitting there and not much going on - he could doze right there in the chair.

I think the UC in of itself causes the fatigue as well as all the different meds??? 

The fact that he isn't in a constant state of urgency and frequency at least allows us to have some kind of a social life even though it is limiting and we have to plan accordingly. Our credit card bills are lower - not so many charges for eating out!!! 

How nice when people can just go and do what they want without having to evaluate and plan ahead and be able to be spontaneous.  It was just a few years ago that was the way it always was for us and many of you as well.

We sure have a different appreciation of things now and take nothing for granted now.

Sherry! I switched to generic Colazal last week (or was it the week before). I see my GI in March...I'm going to ask him about it. I have been dealing w/ joint pain in my hands too. Interesting.....

I still tire a lot more quickly than I did before UC, even though I'm in remission. Exhaustion is one of the listed effects of UC, unfortunately. Today is especially bad for me, because I had some dental surgery done yesterday and they gave me Demerol, Valium and Versed. Versed always makes me loopy for a couple of days. So today I'm even goofier than usual.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ... I feel like lying down all the time. It's immuno-fatigue. That HAS to be the explanation! Sherry's recent thread about long measles (rubeola) in childhood reminded me that post-measles was when I first experienced this overwhelming need to rest, rest, rest. Alarm clocks, jobs, & chores be darned!!!!!!!! But really, no one who needs to earn a living and/or keep house (garden) should get IBD ... / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])

Hey Sherry... I can't remember if you've ever indicated your age, but if you're mid-30s or older, some premenopausal issues might be coming into play. The hormonal fluctuations can certainly cause fatigue and joint pain. May be worth having your levels checked along with the thyroid results.

regarding the sore joints - hubby too - he finds that using a "hugga pillow" as we call it as well as one in between his legs so his knees don't touch at night he sleeps much more comfortably -- just FYI

(I used to be the hugga pillow but some things are more important right now...like getting a more comfortable night's sleep...lol)

Red_34 said...
Princesa, my screen ID sort of gives away my age :) lol I was 34 when I signed up with HW and I've been here for 4 years so I'm 38 now. But yes, I do believe I am premenopausal and have been for at least the past couple years. My SI joint has always bothered me, even in my early teens though I didn't know what it was at the time. So I can't blame that on hormones. However, I do think I can blame those darn hormones on my other joint pains. My right knee has been hurting something fierce and I can't lean on it or I end up on the floor and for some reason, my right pointer finger hurts too! The fatigue is a bit better today and I feel almost normal. But having sun here in Michigan is always a plus for me because I suffer from SAD which I guess can also account for the fatigue too.

Sorry. I don't pay much attention to numbers in screen names as you never know what they might stand for.

The chirpractor I saw said inflammation and pain in the si joint was definitely related to general inflammation in the pelvic area from UC.

Someone recently recommended Suzanne Somers book Ageless to me where she discusses bioidentical hormone therapy and interviews leading doctors in the field. It's something I'm looking into now as a way to control premenopausal symptoms and generally improve my health. As you know, hormonal fluctuations affect UC, and really, everything is interrelated, so I'm a big believer in doing whatever needs to be done to improve health from all directions, looking at the big picture. You might want to give it a read.

I also suffer from SAD. Do you have a full spectrum light box? I find eating breakfast and dinner in front of it during the winter really helps.

Hey Sherry... yes, I found the book at my local library. Also, look for Sexy Years by Suzanne Somers. Ageless is newer, but they both cover similar ground. I'm starting bioidenticals this week and am getting off the pill, which I believe makes it more difficult to balance gut ecology. If you're interested, I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I feel the same way - i have had days where i have been in bed all weekend ... when i started my new job in Sept. i would come home every day and go right to bed. It was terrible and it was also frustrating to my husband. I was too tired (or sick or both) to go out. We don't see friends as much as we used to, etc. We're waiting for me to get better.

Started Remicade in Oct. and have had 5 treatments. That medicine makes me tired on the day of the treatment and usually the next day or so. I HATE being so tired. I HATE not being able to go out and do the things that other people can just go and do. I hate that my energetic old self is gone. I want my life back in the worst way.

Sorry for complaining. i think when we get tired things seem so much worse. I'm glad i found this forum, though. Hopefully I will get better. I could SO go for some sunshine. I started back up on anti-depressants last spring because i was so lathergic and tired that i could barely get out of bed to go to work. I think that helped a little bit, but only a little.

I feel fat and sloth-like ... i've gained 10 lbs and i want to be able to work out again and get my body back in shape. I guess i should just force myself to do these things ... its so hard sometimes though. Just want to sleep.