HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Fatigue

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/5/2015 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
I can barely move. I'm taking rests and sleeping more than I ever have. This is getting worse than it has been.
I am anemic but I'm working on getting my iron and Ferratin up. My hematologist is giving 2-3 more months for iron to go up until we do iron infusions.

Any tips on how to counteract this overwhelming fatigue.
I'm having trouble getting through the day and I have so many responsibilities
Posted 11/5/2015 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
Are you employed/in school? If so, what do you do (type of work I mean)?

I know it may seem counter intuitive, but I would try to get physical if you can. Even if its walking, yoga, nothing too over the top, but I found it actually helped me to lessen my fatigue. Eating iron rich foods that agree with your UC could probably also help.
Posted 11/5/2015 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
I am a full time student taking 18 credits and I have three part time jobs ( really part time) I work less than 20 hours most weeks
I used to take brisk walks but now I'm either working in class or on my couch. I barely have energy to prepare and eat food so I'm mostly eating prepackaged junk.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
I really hope you get an answer because I'm having the exact same issues.
I find that Welbutrin, a stimulant antidepressant helps a little bit, but I can't do the full dose because it gives me headaches.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Dikid, I think you're trying to do too much with your current health status. Is there a reason you are taking 18 credits? If I'm correct, you haven't been dx very long. I'm sure you want to finish out the semester but next semester I would cut back on your hours. This disease is not forgiving, likes to remind you it's around and has temper tantrums if you let it. When was your last hgb/hct and what were they?
Posted 11/6/2015 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
That sucks Dikid, sorry that you're having such a rough time! Maybe waiting 2-3 more months isn't a good idea if you're that fatigued? Hope you find relief soon!
Posted 11/6/2015 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
You need to find out what is causing this, if I were you I'd start demanding answers from your doctors.

Have you gotten a b-12 shot? They work really well for me and give me lots of energy for a few weeks after the shot.
Posted 11/6/2015 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry you are having a tough phase....
From what you said, I think you are not eating well to nourish your body.
Is there a way that someone can cook healthy foods for you rather than depending on prepackaged junk?
or
Go with easy and healthy cooking that wont take much time and effort like:
Use slow cooker- Just cook some tolerable vegetables and add organic chicken or beef broth and have it often. Add rice too if u like..
Have eggs if you can tolerate.
Make a banana yogurt shake - if you can tolerate...
Whenever you get extra time just marinate salmon or chicken and freeze it. Thaw it and bake it for dinner.

If you can -cut off either your school hours or job hours to focus on your health.

Best wishes...
Posted 11/6/2015 3:30 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the responses. I really appreciate it.
I am taking a busy schedule because I missed so much school when I was initially diagnosed in April and I need to catch up.
I am leaving one of my part time jobs soon I am just training in the next person.
I need to work because school is very expensive and as it is I cannot cover it. Thankfully I am on my parents insurance still and don't have to worry about medical expenses too much.
My last hemoglobin and hematocrit from June and I was only borderline anemic according to those.
However my Ferratin is 5 which is up from 3 and my percent saturation is low and binding capacity is high. The hematologist I spoke with was a bit concerned about those.
I am taking slow fe every other day as I can't take it more because of abdominal issues.

I am working on getting back to healthy home cooked food. I used to make salmon and chicken a couple times a week and eat roasted veggies. I am going to try it I can find the energy to do so.
Posted 11/6/2015 10:29 AM (GMT 0)
I've never really found an effective way to combat fatigue, but I would say take naps during the day if possible (even just a quick hour as soon as you get home, before you start cooking your tea), and sleep as much as you can.

Don't feel guilty about it.

I've also found that during bad flares, sleeping a lot is the most helpful non-medicine thing you can do to get better (with not eating being a close second).
Posted 11/6/2015 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
How are your symptoms currently (number of bms, any blood, mucus, urgencies)? Fatigue can be bad due to a uc flare (a side effect of uc). Anemia can cause fatigue as well, but you said your iron levels are only a little low, and improving... Not sure if there's something else going on.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:24 PM (GMT 0)
Get your b-12 levels checked, too. This is a busy time of year and all of my students are dragging and they don't have IBD. Rest and ask your prof's for extra time if you need it. If you were my student I would be more than happy to give you an extension on your work if it would help you heal.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:28 PM (GMT 0)
I'm always tired too. I don't know what to do about it. I just try to sleep often.

Rachel, what dose of Wellbutrin are you on? I was on 300 mg but it made me irritated so I reduced to 150 mg and I feel better.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
For healthy food, whenever i'm overworked or have a busy schedule, i'd make a big batch\pot of food, big stew, stir fry, that i could take some of and warm up and eat over a few days. If you're worried about not getting your 5 a day to stay, get a powerful blender, pop in a few veggies\fruit and drink it over the day.

I agree with the marsrover on getting physical, even something light, get the blood pumping, i recently started DDP yoga and if i'm ever feeling dopey\tired, i just go into 1 or 2 of the routines(nothing complicated, doing them in a pair of jeans) and i can feel the dopeyness lift. That or a few pushups do the trick.
Posted 11/6/2015 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
Do you live at home or in a dorm? If you can, try and use a slow cooker to make a couple of meals that you can bring with you to school. Hopefully you have told your school about your IBD and they are making some accommodations for you as well. You guys has students have a lot of protections and tools to help you out, take advantage of them all. It is well worth it even if all it does is ease some anxiety.
Posted 11/6/2015 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
To me, when someone says that they are suffering from fatigue that is much different than being tired all the time; especially when they that they can barely move because they are so fatigued. I doubt that food or a change in diet will do much to fix it.

There are many reasons for fatigue, some of them IBD related/medications and others aren't but I really think that you should investigate it further with your doctors and get to the bottom of it, especially since you are on Remicade and imuran.

I've had fatigue from severe prednisone withdrawal, it was brutally awful.
Posted 11/6/2015 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again for all of your responses.
I am doing pretty good ibd wise because I have 0-3 BMs a day usually with mucous and often with a little blood. Occasionally it's a lot of blood. I have mild urgency and get some cramping and nausea.
My Ferratin has went up from 3 to 5 but they want it over 100
I am living at home so I have access to a full kitchen I just made a stew this morning that I plan on eating over the next few days but I think I will speak to my doctor and ask if we can test my b12. I thought they checked it because they mentioned it but I don't see the results on my test results in my patient portal thing.
Posted 11/6/2015 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah checkout the b12. Your uc symptoms don't sound bad at all, doing well there, congrats.

What's the in-range values for iron in your cited blood tests? You said 3 and 5, what's normal? Just wondering how far out of range you are.
Posted 11/6/2015 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
They want my Ferratin to be about 100 My iron is about 30 and they want it to be 50 and my hemoglobin is about 10 and they want it 12 min and hematocrit about 30 and they want it at 35 min
Posted 11/9/2015 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
My son is about where you are at--sorry to hear about the fatigue. Brad can barely function and comes home to sleep immediately following school. His part-time job really wipes him out. Wrapping up his final semester of high school and wants to go to college in April. May I suggest curtailment of the processed food? Daily exercise--hopefully you get that in your walk between classes. Plenty of sleep--difficult but can be done. Might mean fewer social activities in the short term, which is tough. You may also consider talking to your teachers--they are usually pretty understanding, though the homework load might not suggest such. But, it might be the difference if you are sitting a half-point from a better grade. Best of luck to you. Sounds like you are a hard worker and will have be successful at whatever you do.
Posted 11/9/2015 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for the advice and good luck to your son
I hope his situation improves asap:)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply