Lethargy and Crohn's

by Jock
(N.Z)

GGGrrrrrr. Anyone have ideas. I'm tired of getting bursts of sleepiness so bad that I can't fight it,especially when driving and at funerals etc, etc.

Comments for Lethargy and Crohn's

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Fatigue NEW
by: Annette

Sorry to hear that you are really suffering from fatigue right now. Sadly, fatigue is a classic side-effect of Crohn's disease and this feeling of exhaustion affects everything that you do in life.

Crohn's disease has no known cure - a fact that came make even the most resilient feel down. Mouth sores, joint pain and abdominal pain are all other symptoms that can wreak havoc in your life.

Feeling so tired is horrible though and I feel your sense of frustration. The disease itself can make you feel like this, it's certainly a common side-effect but, medication may do this to you as well.

There is research currently ongoing into the effect of vitamin D on those with Crohn's disease. It's too early to tell whether there is real hope that it may make a difference, but there are favourable first results coming from the tests. Before you rush off and starting consuming large quantities of vitamin D, remember that there can be side-effects including:

Fatigue, headaches, sleeplessness, dry mouth, vomiting or a loss of appetite.

You can find out more about vitamin D and the positive and negative effects here:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/929.html

Always seek advice from your medical practitioner, it's easy to get caught up in the latest research results or 'cure-alls' but it's far better to take a calculated look at any potential help whether medicinal or natural.

One side-effect of crohn's which can also be a trigger is stress. In fact it is a vicious cycle o f feeling stressed because of the illness but the stress is also a trigger to make you feel worse. Taking action against the stress is a positive thing but its difficult to do when you feel exhausted.

First, don't be hard on yourself. You may want to help yourself but when you are fatigued, the odds are stacked against you from being able to manage your life effectively. You need to try to rebuild your sleep pattern and to try to get some hours of deep and beneficial sleep.

You may find listening to some relaxation or meditation CD's can really help. They can reduce the stress that you are feeling, can help you to shrug off worries and concerns, to promote inner healing but to also help you to relax your body and your mind so you can nod off more easily.

Try it regularly for maximum benefits but once you start developing your sleep pattern again and being able to switch off and nap when you feel like it, you will start to feel more human again.

I would be interested to know if anyone has any fatigue busting tips to share with other Crohn's sufferers.

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