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My Crohnstipated Life

What Causes Fatigue in Crohn’s Patients?

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According to Dr. Rubin, “the number one cause of fatigue is probably the bowel disease itself. Our current understanding is that it’s a dysregulated immune response, meaning that the immune system is turned on but it can’t find the off switch. So imagine there’s a war going on inside of you. That expends a tremendous amount of energy, and not only does it result in profound fatigue, it also increases the number of calories your body is burning and requires to keep its energy levels up.”
Now, the other thing that we must always think about is fatigue related to anemia, or low red blood cell count, which can happen from either loss of blood from active disease or malabsorption of iron or vitamin B 12 that can cause anemia. Drug related side effects can cause fatigue. So we have to review all the different medicines patients are taking.

Patients who have bowel disease that’s active are waking up in the middle of the night to have bowel movements, so disrupted sleep patterns make you very tired during the day for obvious reasons.
And lastly and very importantly, we need to understand that people who have chronic bowel problems can have a co-existing depression. It’s for obvious reasons. But if we don’t address that and identify it when it’s there, we won’t get at what’s causing these patients to feel so badly.
And lastly, if you’ve been on prednisone (the devil) and you’re just getting off of it, which is always a good thing, your adrenal glands, which is your body’s way of making natural steroids, sometimes don’t wake up rapidly enough. And when your adrenal glands aren’t making the natural steroids your body needs to function, you’ll be very, very tired.

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Hello,

I’m Kelly

Welcome to My Crohnstipated Life, a space where I share the raw, real, and often humorous journey of living with Crohn’s disease. From unpredictable flares to parenting while managing a chronic illness, this blog is a mix of personal stories, practical tips, and a whole lot of laughter—because sometimes, humor is the best medicine. Whether you’re living with Crohn’s, love someone who is, or just want a peek into the rollercoaster of chronic illness, I’m glad you’re here. 💜 Stay Strong.

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