What gives you energy jpouchers?

For me, lots of water and no caffeine. Also magnesium works wonders and I notice a definite difference if I'm not taking it. And B12 injections; my levels were on the very low end of normal and I was so fatigued. It took about a month to pull out of the fatigue with weekly injections; I'm now getting them monthly. My folate was low, too, so I now take that by mouth and try to be better about veggies. Last, probiotics which aren't about energy but are needed to keep things at bay so energy isn't drained via symptoms.

Hi Sam,

Well, I have an assortment of supplements but these are my go-tos.

Magnesium for nerves and sleep cycle (I take it concentrated in ampules). Within 2 days I notice the improvement in my sleep cycle and by day 4 I am sleeping through the night and wake up refreshed.

B-complex, liquid, under the tongue in the mornings. Keeps my energy up.

Iron only if needed.

Trace Minerals. Presently I am taking my zinc, cobalt and selenium combo which helps a lot as well as my best friend, Organic Silicium. Discovered by a French researcher, it helps in the healing of bones and connective tissue, eases joint pain and works wonders in the healing process (I need it along with collagen).

Lemonade. I make it nightly with fresh mint. Real lemons, water, very little sugar or substitute. Detoxes the body...realigns the acid/alkaline balance and helps to prevent bone loss.

Garcinia Cambodia. It is supposed to be used for weight control but it releases the energy held in the fat stores in the body. I only take it the days that I work or if I have a busy schedule...I can feel the difference within hours. I don't 'dip' in the mornings and get the afternoon exhaustion. (try a couple first before buying whole bottles...it may adversely react to your pouch...mine loves it)

Always check with your doc or test these things out for 24hrs or more before investing in large quantities...everyone is different and reacts differently. 

Sharon

Sam

long overdue topic. I have been struggling with sleep, energy and mental fog issues for years but I am still in such a better place with a jpouch. Please keep the replies coming. I have to believe others are dealing with similar problems and hopefully more of you have answers! 

Feeling hopeful about this group topic!

tobi

I had uc and have now had a jpouch for about 20 yrs. I deal constantly with fatigue and overall bone/muscle/joint pain.....oh yeah, and mental fatigue and memory loss. Not bad enough for me to take meds other than occasional ibuprophen, vitamins and probiotics, but it definitely affects my daily activities. I've found that staying hydrated helps more than anything.  Exercise is a hit or miss because I can't lift or pull anything over15 lbs due to hernia related issues, but when ramped up slowly, I've found that stamina building activities like bike riding goes a long way towards making me feel better and more energetic.

This is all good info so please keep it coming!

I too think staying hydrated works best. 

Fatigue is pretty common, and often unrelated to one’s J-pouch. Getting my sleep apnea under better control made a huge difference in my energy level.

I disagree. Fatigue started for me post jpouch. 

I feel like it was all the different meds used to try to fix my uc problems that caused a lot of my fatigue and joint pain/aches.  I had a doctor tell me that the steroids (which definitely helped with inflammation) were the cause of cataracts to form by my mid-20's and bone density loss which contributed to lower back pain and arthritis in my back. 

Sam,

We are all different and are all coming from different places and diseases. Not everyone has UC or Crohns...some have the whole gamut of autoimmune disease and others none. Some are coming from colon or other cancers and still others are pouchers or baggers for a dozen other reasons (yup...Accidents, physical deformities...). We did not all fall sick at the same age either so some of us came to this disease with excellent health while others deteriorated slowly but surely.

All of that and 100 other factors will go into your energy and immunity level. Like Scott said, in his case, it was sleep apnea that was the culprit (my hubby too and he doesn't have any underlying disease)...I find that as long as I am under high stress and tension I have energy to burn (plus all of my supplements) but once the stress level is down, I cannot get enough sleep...you put me anywhere and I slowly slip into sluggish sleep...Age? Nutrition? Sugar? Who knows but the important thing is to find what works for you and keep it up.

Sharon

Scott, is there anyway to get apnea under control besides CPAP or dental device? (Thank you for this J pouch diversion.)

Sleep apnea tends to improve with weight loss, though that tends to be easier said than done. If it’s positional (e.g. limited to back sleeping) then tennis balls sewn into the back of a night shirt can “persuade” a person to stay off their back while sleeping. Finally, surgeons often recommend surgery for sleep apnea, though the long-term results of that aren’t impressive, IMO.

The dental device is pretty easy to use, FWIW.

Thanks Scott. I appreciate.