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sick of feeling tired, need to vent

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/17/2009 5:58 AM (GMT -7)
Hi everyone,
I need to vent. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in Aug 2006. I have been in remission since then but I deal with bouts of fatigue. I hate feeling tired all of the time. I decided not to go to work today because I am exhausted. I've been feeling really sleepy at work. I recently started drinking a protein smoothie with multi-vitamin powder and probiotic powder that was giving me energy, but now it doesn't. I'm just frustrated. I am constantly yawning at work and it seems like no matter how much sleep I get, I am still tired. My stomach is not cramping and I feel no urgency to go to the bathroom, I am just tired. So I decided not to work today. I want to just sleep. I hate calling in to work, this is my first time calling in since I started working at my job. I already feel a little guilty. Does anyone else hate telling your friends or family that you feel tired all of the time and hearing their responses, which usually sound like this: "just get more sleep at night", "you just hate working", "I feel tired sometimes too but I just fight through it". I hate feeling like I am being lazy but I just wanted to take some time to rest.

Side rant: The stomach noises and bubbles are also the worse. I sit next to people at work and I am sure they are tired of hearing my stomach making noises. Its so embarrassing.

Thanks for letting me vent!
Posted 3/17/2009 6:19 AM (GMT -7)

I know how you feel amc24.  My biggest issue with UC is fatigue as well.  I really don't get the urgency to use the bathroom (only when I'm flaring) and I can eat lots of things without getting sick but man,  I have never felt this tired in my life.  It's hard.  I hate trying to explain to people why I get so tired.  It's like I don't even have the energy to tell them.  I'm trying the best that I can but when all your friends want to go out and all you want to do is to stay at home, it gets pretty depressing.

Oh, and ditto on the gurgling noises.  It happens to me all the time while at work.

Posted 3/17/2009 11:45 AM (GMT -7)
thanks whitesox1 for your response. Yeah this battle with fatigue is really hard. And I agree it is hard watching those around you, your friends or co-workers have the energy to go out and do the things they enjoy and not having the energy yourself to do them.
Posted 3/17/2009 2:23 PM (GMT -7)
The fatigue is horrible! I can definately relate. I don't work though but I definately have my hands full with my teenage children. My daughter runs me ragged sometimes. I also have a very active social life that sometimes it is so hard to just get out there and enjoy myself when I am feeling so tired. I have no words of wisdom but I can definately feel where you're coming from. :(
Posted 3/17/2009 3:04 PM (GMT -7)
Yup!  Fatigue is one of my worst symptoms.  When I'm flaring I'm so bone tired I can barely get out of bed to get the kids out to school.  Now that I'm in remission - I just live with constant tired.  I find if I keep myself well hydrated it helps a little.  And going to sleep as early as I can.  And exercise.  I also found that some of my fatigue is from the Imuran that I take.  I take it at night now and that also helps a little.

Posted 3/17/2009 3:57 PM (GMT -7)
Ditto ditto ditto! I hate the tiredness...I'm used to being spontaneous and just popping out whenever I need to, but at the moment I'm so exhausted I'm having to plan the amount of things I do each day so that I don't end up overdoing it. And getting overly tired from doing little things like walking the dogs for 30mins etc. I'm hoping it will wear off...!

Posted 3/17/2009 4:39 PM (GMT -7)

Well, UC gives me fatigue but prednisone has given me so much energy I hate to see what happens when I taper down to nothing!

Enjoy your social life - we don't have any here.  I am 68 and husband 73 and he is happy to watch tv, walk the dog and do doctor visits.  I would LOVE some social life - get out there and have fun!!

ElaineNY

Posted 3/17/2009 5:12 PM (GMT -7)
Yep, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Fatigue is a huge issue even in remission. If I get 8 hours of sleep instead of 9 hours, I'm exhausted. I don't feel like a normal 20-year-old.

Posted 3/18/2009 7:37 AM (GMT -7)
I totally agree. The fatigue is awful.

I have read here on occasion that the gut produces some sort of chemical (serotonin??) and that when the gut is dieseased it interupts this production. Could this be all of our problems? Are we lacking this chemical. Maybe we are we all getting poor quality sleep due to this?
Posted 3/18/2009 9:53 AM (GMT -7)
How do you sleep at night? I ask because I toss and turn a lot and it leaves me feeling pretty thin on the rest in the morning. Also, I workout quite a bit- even at my worst flare I still managed something. But more recently, within the past month or so I'm just flat out tired. After a hard workout I feel great but the feeling doesn't last long and my muscles ache a lot. It makes me pretty grumpy.
Posted 3/18/2009 10:10 AM (GMT -7)
I had so much energy when I was on 40mg of Pred. My energy tapered down along with the Pred. I have now been off Pred. for about a week and I'm EXHAUSTED! I got a good 7 hours of sleep last night also. I wish they sold that energy that Pred. gives you w/o the side effects. I have bad acne now, back and joint pain, gained some weight, and moon face. How long does it take for moon face to go away anyway?
Posted 3/18/2009 12:34 PM (GMT -7)

John and all of us,  my son is a research scientist and I should ask him to try to come up with something that gives us only the GOOD side effects of prednisone.  I am on 20 mg. now and see that the energy is leaving town!  AND I enjoyed the help for my joints - the arthritis and my knees work so much better.  No doubt that is why they call prednisone "the drug you love to hate".

As for sleeping - I take Xanax so I take 1/2 before bed and in the middle of the night if necessary so I sleep ok.  I also have overactive bladder so up anyway a couple times. 

There are definitely trade-offs for the good prednisone is doing.  I have the slight moonface too although at 240 (yes, gained only 5 lbs. thank goodness but eating most of the time) and 5ft. my face is pretty round.  I don't like it and hope it goes away. 

Posted 3/18/2009 2:35 PM (GMT -7)
I also have days when I'm just wiped out but feel so guilty about napping or just relaxing or being LAZY
(I blame my mother).
My husband has to talk me into it. He has no trouble, no guilt at all....

I take a small dose of Trazodone to keep me asleep, it works pretty good unless I'm flaring.
I also try to do a light gym workout most weekday mornings. I think it just helps me feel better about myself, give me more peace of mind generally. I wish I could do more intense workouts and lose some weight but if I try I irritate my aching back. Maybe soon.
Posted 3/18/2009 4:13 PM (GMT -7)

Peety - NEVER feel guilty about having to nap.  If your body needs a nap, take one.  You will feel better after.  If you think the naps are too long, set an alarm - get a short nap - really helps.  Almost every afternoon when home my husband and I nap about 4 p.m.

ElaineNY

Posted 3/18/2009 4:25 PM (GMT -7)

I couldn't agree more with you.  Exhaustion has always been the absolute worst symptom for me as well.  I get off work at 2:30pm most of the time now and I go home and crash for a couple of hours, eat dinner, maybe watch a little TV, then I'm in bed by 8pm.  I don't have the energy for anything outside of the ordinary and it is really frustrating!  If I could have back even half of my napping hours I could get so much more done every day.

Posted 3/18/2009 5:34 PM (GMT -7)
RyanF-some nights I do have a problem falling asleep or I'll sleep for 7 hours and still wake up feeling like I didn't get much sleep. Maybe madabs is right-that because of UC our gut isn't producing the right amount of seratonin it is supposed to. Its definately worth checking into.

I wish that I could drink coffee. I was never a big coffee drinker but some days I am so tempted to drink it for the caffeine so I can stay alert. What usually stops me from doing that is remembering the stomach pain and agony I was in the last time I experimented with it. lol
Posted 3/19/2009 4:29 AM (GMT -7)
Napping is certainly the way to go! As a kid I used to think my mom was weird because she had to "nap" but now... I know better and LOVE my naps!! I have to say that I sometimes feel out of place or embarrassed.. I come home from work and most days crawl right into bed until my husband gets home from work.. that usually results in.. " you in bed AGAIN" ... don't get me wrong.. he understands I need the rest but.. I can't help feeling guilty. Today is one of those days I just get get myself to go to work. I got up, showered and thought I would feel more energetic but just put my pjs back on and am now waiting for someone to get in the office so I can call off. I HATE HATE HATE calling off even tho I know they understand.. I still feel stupid about it. I am BODY TIRED... thats what I like to call it. I just need the day to relax and do things at my own pace.

Cheers to tired people everywhere!!
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