HI just was wondering if anyone suffers from being tired all the time total lack of energy etc plus my joints hurt in my hands abit too is this normal or just me or to do with after surgery stuff or more tried taking vitamins eating more healthy etc but nothing works plus i read on here various debates on smoking i gave up smoking 5 wks ago and to be honest have found my bowels playing up i also noticed when i had uc that the atempts of giving up smoking then made it worse. your right to say dont start smoking but maybe use a patch im on patches now but still feel my bowels were better before i gave up.which is shame to say.as my lungs feel much better lol

A lot of people on here who have been complaining of tiredness have been found to be dehydrated. This could well be the root of your problem. You can even have problems when you're drinking plenty of water if you're low in mineral salts (i.e. sodium and potassium) because - this is common with J-pouchers because these are largely absorbed in the large intestine.

Also make sure you get checked-out for anaemia.

The tiredness and bowel problems are a huge side effect of quitting smoking. UC is a stress related disorder, quitting smoking causes massive amounts of stress, so you're bound to have problems. Trust me, I HATE when people say this....but honestly, try exercising. Or atleast keep in mind that the problems should go away on their own once your body returns to normal.