I have been wiped out for the past month or so. My GI thinks it has to do mostly with am extremely stressful family situation. I AM going through some extreme stresses, but I always thought I handled stress fairly well. I know if I felt better I'd be dealing with it better. I can barely make it through my work day and I have had to cut back on my work somewhat. Since I am self-employed, and a good part of my stress is caused by a rather enourmous expense for my daughter's care that I am fighting my insurance company -- well, I think if I had more energy and could work back at the level I had been, well, that would help a great deal with the $$ and the stress.
I am just really sick of feeling unwell all the time. I feel like I've aged quite a lot in the year and half since my diganosis. I know working out would make me feel better but I just can't make it through a work out. I haven't been to the gym in months although I am still keeping my membership (it's not terribly expensive). I really want to get back into the routine.
In the past few weeks I've lost more than 10 pounds. Mostly of that was weight I gained on the Prednisone, but now I am below what I weighed when I was diagnosed. Still a healthful weight, but I have no appetite and since eating makes me feel more unwell, I tend to eat very little each day, and not what you'd call balanced. I try to have at least an Ensure, but the taste is so disgusting it's hard. I have always been a person with a big appetite and more of a "live to eat" than an "eat to live" type, l so this is unusual for me as well.
I am on Lialda now, although I felt this way while I was on Colazal. Not sure if that's what's doing it. My last Remicade infusion only lasted four weeks before symptoms started to recur, but my GI wants me to wait til the eighth week, that will be this Saturday. I hope it does the trick, and I sure hope it lasts longer this time.
My husband is picking up the slack around the house, walking all our (or rather "my" dogs) and feeding them and being very helpful. Basically all I have to do is my job, but a few times a week I need to drive out to where my daughter is for visiting and therapy ... it's a 100 miles round trip (but at least a pleasant drive).
I guess I was wondering how others are dealing with this long-term fatigue, what is causing it and can I expect it to lift at some point? Will I feel good again?
Meesh
Diagnosed UC April 27, 2006
Remicade: 1st infusion 7/21/07; 2nd infusion 8/18/07
Lialda, 4 tabs in the morning; Protonix; Prednisone 4/27/06-present, holding taper at alternating 5/0 mg; Xanax; Lexipro, Rowesa; Asacol; Colazal three 750 mg capsules 3X day;
[2/22/07 started Imuran, off within two weeks due to bad reaction]