UC - Fatigue

I'm tired many days, but not in remission ...so. I do sometimes wonder if the Zolpiderm I use has residual drowsy effect some days following. Also I have to wonder if dealing with everything has not made me a lttle depressed.

Post Edited (DBwithUC) : 3/2/2011 6:52:33 PM (GMT-7)

I had to stop the Zolpidem. I was extremely hung over during the day on it. Even just taking a half did me in. I use a half a Unisom now and wake up feeling great.

I don't have any answers but the fatigue for me is my number one complaint. I'm tired constantly. I woke up yesterday at 6:00 my daughter is an early bird. The night before I went to bed at 10:00. So eight hours to ten hours is usually what I get a night of sleep. I also take a 2 to 2 1/2 hour nap a day. I wake up exhausted and am in a fog all day. I take a nap and wake up exhausted. It is sooooo annoying. I hate it. My doctor told me that some people with uc have extreme fatigue because like you my blood work comes back fine. My colon is healed completely on the left side but my right still has some mild inflammation so I don't know if this is why. I'm also on remicade and i don't know if this is causing it but I remember being fatigued before I started it so I don't think so. I'm on zyrtex and this is known to make you drowsey so I wonder if my is also all the meds I'm on. Just know you not alone. This uc thing causes many problems. If you find something that works please let us know.

I too feel exhausted. I wake up feeling pretty energetic, but then as the day goes on, I feel more and more exhausted, until about 2pm when I feel completely wiped out.

Although I am bleeding alot, my blood work always come back that I am  not anemic.

I read somewhere that there is a neuro-gastro connection for serotonin. The gut makes serotonin, and that helps control the speed through which the food goes through the gut.

And not sleeping well or not a full 8-9 hours doesn't help either.

So, I started taking 5-HTP - 30 minuts before bedtime. Started at 50 mg, and gradually increased to 200 mg, will probably need to go to 300 mg. I am starting to sleep better and fuller since the 5-HTP. Haven't noticed a difference in the gut yet, but I think you have to build up a reserve of it before that kicks in.

If anyone wants the sourch for the info, here it is: http://www.drrodger.com/ibs.html

Anyway, to me this makes logical sense.

What do you think?

Yes, fatigue during remission. It's really annoying--I thought Remicade was supposed to make me feel normal. All of my doctors have said some version of "hmm, that's strange--all of your blood work is normal. Your body might not have recovered from your last flare [which was in 2008] and that's why you're tired." I usually sleep 8 hours per night and 2 hour naps during the day. I've seen a homeopathic doctor and tried a few treatments--nothing helped and he told me that he couldn't do anything else.

I agree with checking ferritin levels--it is a specialized test (not included in the CBC, kidney and liver panels), so you'll have to ask for it. My hemoglobin has been in normal range (albeit the low end) so my doctors didn't think iron supplements would help. My PCP finally recommened an infectious disease doctor to rule out something like Lyme. He was convinced that my ferritin levels were low--he was right. I was at 14 and the normal range is 11 to 306. I've been taking iron supplements for over two months and will get a ferritin test done next week. I haven't noticed much of a difference in my fatigue levels, but it takes a while to build up those iron storages. I wish I could just get IV iron infusions instead!