# Do You All Get REALLY Tired when IBS Strikes?



## oceantracks

I've had IBS most of my life, since a teen. I'm 58 now, and I've noticed something in the last year or so I didn't experience as a kid. I have spells of fatigue...the kind that makes you just want to lay on the bed and watch TV even though you've had enough sleep. This really deep feeling of fatigue and weakness usually goes on for a couple days, then passes, and I'm back active again. I had a heart attack a couple years back, and my doctor said it could just be that your heart is weaker. Though that is undoubtedly true, what I have noticed is....whenever I have these bouts of severe fatigue, I am also having an IBS attack. Cramps, loose bowel movements (or none, just cramps). And a fussy system no matter what I eat. Jello seems about the only thing that doesn't bother me when this is really hitting hard.So I got to wondering if severe fatigue is something common to some of you as well, when you are having a bad attack. I realize stress, not getting enough sleep, and other factors can contribute to fatigue, but I just find it curious that this is happening whenever the IBS is also acting up.ThanksTom


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## Kathleen M.

IBS attacks are a physical stress and stress of any kind can be fatiguing, and having the heart issues may make you more prone to feeling the stress that way. That sick and tired of being sick and tired kind of fatigue.However, good idea to keep an eye on it and make sure all the usual bases are covered that can add to fatigue (anemia, thyroid, diabetes, sleep apnea, make sure heart is at the best it can be right now). Some medications, especially ones for blood pressure can be fatiguing. Probably not a bad idea to get checked for things like Lyme disease if you go outside (even in your yard much) and live in an area with ticks.A lot of times it is just the "sick of being sick and tired" and that happens with all chronic illnesses.


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## BQ

I get fatigue with the D but eventually I got used to it and learned to pace myself. You may have been able to handle it for years but perhaps something else going on... even just increased stress (good or bad) can throw you off a bit. But like Kathleen said.. rule out the basic other things that could cause it with your Dr.


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## clareuk

I've just had another bad few days and I was feeling shattered beforehand. I got awful lower back ache and I know that is often a sign (not always) that I'm going to have problems in the next day or so. I always feel really exhausted after having a bad go and I feel like that for a couple of days afterwards. It really does take it out of me, it's not something that I can get over straight away. I'm 32 now and I do honestly feel really exhausted afterwards all over and it seems to be worse now than it was 5 years ago.


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## overitnow

I had D for 10 years straight, every day and multiple times each day. I also suffer from apnea. The last 3 or 4 years of the IBS I would just nod out every afternoon, at my desk, at a table in a coffee shop, and increasingly, behind the wheel of my car. It really was going to kill me. Long before I ever got treatment for the apnea I was talked into trying a vitamin mineral with highly absorbed minerals, by a friend with MS who had undergone the same levels of fatigue as all of us seem to experience. (He had even been on vitamin injections at the hospital.) After 10 days I stopped nodding off and it has never been a problem again, over the past 12 years. It sure beats working around the problem.There are solutions out there.Mark


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## celestin

Do You All Get REALLY Tired when IBS Strikes?and the answer is: YES (and sweating, and having fasciculations in the muscles etc..)...But surprisingly you won't read a lot about that..Don't know why..


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## SarahLund

Hey there







Yeah it makes me tired almost every time i suffer with it. It gets to it's worst about every four weeks. My periods make me tired even more though. It's something to do with lack of electrolytes, apparently. I've never even heard of that word before. lol. I would love to be able to eat meals everyday, but it's just not possible, as i feel bloated every few days. When i do get to eat a meal i really enjoy it, as you can feel starved when you've hardly eaten. Do you sleep ok when you feel a bit better?


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## lmchibimoon

Yes. I usually feel really tired after an attack, the stress and anxiety makes me lose a lot of energy because it makes me sweat, tremble even cry. In the end all I want is to go back home and sleep. There should be more information available about this because it really affects performance at work and at school. If you know a good way to feel better after this, please let us all know.


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## Hester

Very tired and I lose weight too. . . weak, nodding off - all very common for me. I try energy drinks, liquid vitamins/minerals - now a liquid micronized D3. I also noticed that if I nap and workout, it does get better. The workout I really have to force myself to lift weights or go kayaking. When nothing works, I meditate and see myself in perfect health and do deep breathing. It sucks.


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## journ3

celestin said:


> Do You All Get REALLY Tired when IBS Strikes?and the answer is: YES (and sweating, and having fasciculations in the muscles etc..)...But surprisingly you won't read a lot about that..Don't know why..


Yes on rapidly fluctuating energy levels/fatigue and nodding off or almost doing so frequently at times or in circumstances that I would not before I had IBS. I also get hot in the face and neck, but do not sweat. Both of these symptoms and many others that I have are in a list of frequent non-GI symptoms in a 2003 article that is available on the UNC website. I've linked it here before, but cannot find the post at the moment.Celestin, I am interested to know that you have muscle fasciculations. I do as well. Given the abrupt first onset of my IBS, I am quite sure they are connected, but many inquiries, both on this forum in the past, and to medical professionals have never turned up anyone who reported or knew about that, and in my case, no, I have never been diagnosable with anything else that would explain my full range of symptoms.I do not know why, if non-GI symptoms have been recognized by the functional GI community for years, they aren't generally discussed very much with IBSers, non-FGID medical professionals, media, etc. I do my part for awareness, because for me, the cumulative impact of many varied symptoms, most of which aren't addressed by standard IBS treatments, is much more disruptive than the Rome criteria symptoms that are in every description of IBS.


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## Hester

JAMA published an article regarding IBS-D and SIBO I think in stating that the bacteria leaks into all the organs of the body, the brain and muscles contributing to systemic symptoms when SIBO is present. I know I can tell when the overgrowth comes back because I get all the symptoms you describe - the heat, the muscle weakness, tireness, my teeth get coated, my head is foggy, very sleepy, I sometimes sweat for no reason or feel unbearably warm, and then (of course) the diarrhea.


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## MommyL

Yes, Yes, Yes. I am 30 years old and I feel so tired all the time. It gets very frustrating cause I feel like it is so hard to take care of my young kids, to work, to be the mom and person I want to be. I feel so irritable because I am tired and my IBS feels to dominate my life. I agree with Katleen to make sure that you get all bases covered.


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## jjhlee

Hester said:


> JAMA published an article regarding IBS-D and SIBO I think in stating that the bacteria leaks into all the organs of the body, the brain and muscles contributing to systemic symptoms when SIBO is present. I know I can tell when the overgrowth comes back because I get all the symptoms you describe - the heat, the muscle weakness, tireness, my teeth get coated, my head is foggy, very sleepy, I sometimes sweat for no reason or feel unbearably warm, and then (of course) the diarrhea.


i get this too, even though on a lesser scale, and i have IBS-A.


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## Bettsann

overitnow said:


> I had D for 10 years straight, every day and multiple times each day. I also suffer from apnea. The last 3 or 4 years of the IBS I would just nod out every afternoon, at my desk, at a table in a coffee shop, and increasingly, behind the wheel of my car. It really was going to kill me. Long before I ever got treatment for the apnea I was talked into trying a vitamin mineral with highly absorbed minerals, by a friend with MS who had undergone the same levels of fatigue as all of us seem to experience. (He had even been on vitamin injections at the hospital.) After 10 days I stopped nodding off and it has never been a problem again, over the past 12 years. It sure beats working around the problem.There are solutions out there.Mark


I was happy and yes, relieved to read many of these comments... it always makes you feel a bit better when you know OTHERS are going through the same thing, and you are not The Lone Ranger and have suddenly become "terminal" with some undetected disease.The one thing I can say, with surety, about IBS, is that I have learned to be NOT sure about any of it... It can act so differently at various times.That in itself, can be very disconcerting and sometimes frightening. To be tired and feel weak at times is VERY normal for me... at others times all IBS is, to me, is a nuisance. I am not always bothered. I go through periods in which I have NO symptoms whatsoever, so those of you who are 'new' to IBS -- please don't give up hope that this can't hold true for you, too. I DO KNOW that stress plays a HUGE part in what triggers my IBS.I wish everyone good luck and good health, and just want to say that I am proud of each and everyone of you who are not afraid to post some 'weird symptom' or reaction to this malady we have. To get it 'out in the open' is stress relieving in itself.


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## jadjac

Yes, I feel exhausted all the time. I am usually more on the constipation side of things, but every now and then I have a diarrhea attack and after that I am spent. I have chalked it up to the idea that my body is working so hard to digest things that it is in a constant state of exhaustion. Plus, it is likely not absorbing the nutrients it needs to function properly. People look at my life and say, "Of course you are tired, you have four kids." But I was not even close to being this tired when they were babies, and my fourth was born before my oldest turned 6. I definitely attribute it to the IBS.


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## burkhalter

I am long-time sufferer (10+ years) of IBS-D, but wanted to let everyone how I’ve dealt pretty successfully with it. One place you can look – and this is not an advertisement! – is Dr. David Dahlman’s website (www.drdahlman.com). He is incredibly helpful (you can get a phone appt with him) and has a PDF that explains your IBS. You can download it for free just for putting in your email. He doesn’t bombard you with emails either, although there are some you can opt out of. I reiterate – he is not some quack. He is a chiropractor in Cincinnati, Ohio, who has dedicated his practice to intestinal ailments. He was the last stop for me. I had tried everything, and I mean everything. His regimen consists of natural stuff that calms inflammation and promotes intestinal health to soothe your intestines and give you some sort of control over your situation. One thing he recommends is UltraInflamx, a powder you mix with water and drink twice a day. Just to show you how dire my situation was, I was living in Central Asia with a lot of weird food and not too much of what I can tolerate and was miserable, miserable, miserable. Nothing I ate seemed to help. I was so desperate I was even on the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples and toast – just to remove all irritants but was still in agony with cramping, insomnia, fatigue, and of course diarrhea. Just what you want when you don’t know where the toilets are! A friend from the US brought me the supplements on Dahlman's regimen, including UltraInflamx, and voila! I was a different person in just a few days. (Warning, it's not cheap, but I would have paid anything to regain my health.) That’s not to say I was/am cured. I continue to have bouts when I eat my danger foods. I have also found a lot of relief and stabilization through acupuncture. Really, the improvement in my mood, sleep, energy, “surprise” toileting is just too much for words. I actually had two weeks – the first time in a decade - when I had NO PROBLEMS!!! Life is good again. I hope this helps. I KNOW what you are going through!!!


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## burkhalter

I am long-time sufferer (10+ years) of IBS-D, but wanted to let everyone how I’ve dealt pretty successfully with it. One place you can look – and this is not an advertisement! – is Dr. David Dahlman’s website (www.drdahlman.com). He is incredibly helpful (you can get a phone appt with him) and has a PDF that explains your IBS. You can download it for free just for putting in your email. He doesn’t bombard you with emails either, although there are some you can opt out of. I reiterate – he is not some quack. He is a chiropractor in Cincinnati, Ohio, who has dedicated his practice to intestinal ailments. He was the last stop for me. I had tried everything, and I mean everything. His regimen consists of natural stuff that calms inflammation and promotes intestinal health to soothe your intestines and give you some sort of control over your situation. One thing he recommends is UltraInflamx, a powder you mix with water and drink twice a day. Just to show you how dire my situation was, I was living in Central Asia with a lot of weird food and not too much of what I can tolerate and was miserable, miserable, miserable. Nothing I ate seemed to help. I was so desperate I was even on the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples and toast – just to remove all irritants but was still in agony with cramping, insomnia, fatigue, and of course diarrhea. Just what you want when you don’t know where the toilets are! A friend from the US brought me the supplements on Dahlman's regimen, including UltraInflamx, and voila! I was a different person in just a few days. (Warning, it's not cheap, but I would have paid anything to regain my health.) That’s not to say I was/am cured. I continue to have bouts when I eat my danger foods. I have also found a lot of relief and stabilization through acupuncture. Really, the improvement in my mood, sleep, energy, “surprise” toileting is just too much for words. I actually had two weeks – the first time in a decade - when I had NO PROBLEMS!!! Life is good again. I hope this helps. I KNOW what you are going through!!!


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## blue31454

So relieved to find I'm not the only one who suffers from fatigue during an IBS bout! I'm usually energetic and a go getter at age 62 and I just retired. But when I'm having a bout of IBS I sleep 8 hours and get up and try to get something done and before I know it I'm on the sofa back asleep again. I too, however, am going to my doctor to get everything else checked out!


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## mintflower

Actually, I do not know much about IBS. But last year my nephew consulted a doctor and was diagnosed with it. She was weak that time and likely want to sleep all the time. I think this is caused by the diarrhea itself as there are a lot of electrolytes loss when she defecates. The doctor said that there were numerous factors why it happened and maybe because of eating food with too much caffeine. Currently, she is doing great and seldom experienced IBS. Hope this will continue.


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## lithium

Severe fatigue and weakness


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## flossy

Hi, it's Flossy from the constipation section of the board. I normally never go on the 'D' side of the board, but I just glanced at the header of this and said, "Yep, that's me." Every day, after a bowel movement I get really tired. Since ephedrine is illegal here in Ohio I usually take half a Sudafed in the mornings and chew nicotine gum a couple of times a day, to give me energy. The gum really helps. If you try it, buy regular gum to mix with the nicotine gum, as it doesn't taste great. Not horrible either, but ..... you know.

Good luck everyone!


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## Leo41

When I have any type of good flareup I will get the chills so easily, like when you have the flu. Then I am wiped out, I move slow, do not want to move, just want to sleep or sit still in a dark place. Anything takes supreme effort to do.


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## flossy

Leo41 said:


> When I have any type of good flareup I will get the chills so easily, like when you have the flu. Then I am wiped out, I move slow, do not want to move, just want to sleep or sit still in a dark place. Anything takes supreme effort to do.


Yeppers, I get cold every day after a BM.... And really thirsty. I'm glad it's summer out because when it isn't? Turn up the heat!


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## Leo41

flossy said:


> Yeppers, I get cold every day after a BM.... And really thirsty. I'm glad it's summer out because when it isn't? Turn up the heat!


True, for me extreme cold will start spasming in the colon, as will getting into a cold pool (once the water is on that area). Although high summer heat and direct sun (slight overheating) will also start spasming sometimes, actually right into vomiting, especially right after lunch.

I love the fall.


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## Arzaan

Pls do try Antidepressant if u hv anxious personality, i really got much much releif, from 3-4 loose watery stools a day now after 21/2 mnths on antidepressant its rarely 1 Hard BM or after 2 days gap. I also take milk kefir n enzym syr, B complex and an ayurved tab for intestine repair. Hence i can say i m 90% cured in 3 months. Just confusion n forgetfulness is issue. N now i cn tolerate some amount of dairy n spicy food also. I ws hvn tightness in upper abdomen n now that is also cured, it ws bcz of stress and tensions..
Frnds do try antidepressant bcz this desease is mainly psycological.


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## forseegood

BQ said:


> I get fatigue with the D but eventually I got used to it and learned to pace myself. You may have been able to handle it for years but perhaps something else going on... even just increased stress (good or bad) can throw you off a bit. But like Kathleen said.. rule out the basic other things that could cause it with your Dr.


I agree.. I developed IBS-D 15 months ago and that is exactly what I've had to do - is pace myself. Making sure I rest and get the nutrients needed. It is not always easy to get the rest required with my schedule but I give it my best shot. I'm brand new (as of yesterday) and put up my first post yesterday... I just felt I needed to hear from others suffering from this. It just seems to never stop and it is quite frustrating. I just want things normalized now and to stay normalized!!! I'm sure my impatience doesn't help the matter.


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## gramx3

Like most others here, I am surprised that extreme fatigue is not recognized as a symptom of IBS-D. I have had IBS-D for decades and the most sure sign of an attack is extreme fatigue! I can hardly put one foot in front of the other. I just want to lay on the bed and sleep. For me it is always before an episode of diarrhea. This is the first time I have come across this symptom in info from others. I have asked dr's and Googled, but no one seemed to recognize it.

So if anyone is wondering....YES, extreme fatigue is a warning sign and symptom of IBS-D.


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## JFKcat

*THIS MALADY IS NOT "MAINLY PSYCHOLOGICAL.*"

The statement that it is psychological is an INSULT.

It's a *physical* malfunction, whether it's detectable by medical tests or not. Anything that affects a human's body function as strongly as IBS-D will also have a debilitating effect on the psyche.

Yes, anti-depressants can be of help, to a modest degree, or even to a fantastic degree...but the *PHYSICAL* symptoms have to be brought under some sort of control first.


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