Fatigue is an all-too-common symptom of Crohn's disease. Fatigue can have a major impact on people who have Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affecting their work, daily life and quality of life.
Besides direct effects from the disease, other factors that frequently affect people with Crohn's disease — pain, anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping — also contribute to feelings of fatigue.
What can be done about it? Fatigue is a tricky problem with no easy answer. Here are a few ideas:
- Take steps to keep your disease well-controlled. People whose disease is in remission have fewer complaints about fatigue. Medications that target inflammation help many people feel better, with less fatigue. Examples include biologic therapies such as adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab (Cimzia), infliximab (Remicade), and immunomodulators, such as azathioprine (Imuran, Azasan), mercaptopurine (Purixan, Purinethol), methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex).
- Treat anemia. A shortage of red blood cells is a common problem among people with Crohn's disease. It can contribute to low energy and fatigue.
- Talk to your doctor about your medications. Certain medications used to treat Crohn's disease, such as corticosteroids (prednisone), can lead to fatigue — either directly or by interfering with sleep.
- Seek psychological therapy. Consider talking to a doctor or a counselor about ways to manage fatigue and other psychological factors that can impact fatigue, including stress, anxiety and depression.
To fight fatigue, it's also helpful to include physical activity in your daily routine, eat healthy foods and get adequate sleep. Be sure to share your concerns about fatigue with your doctor so that he or she can help find ways to address this issue.
Nov. 03, 2018
- What is Crohn's disease? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/?log-event=sp2f-view-item&nid=796074941. Accessed March 7, 2017.
- Symptoms and causes of Crohn's disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/crohns-disease/symptoms-causes. Accessed March 7, 2017.
- Peppercorn MA, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis and prognosis of Crohn disease in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 8, 2017.
- Abegunde AT, et al. Preventive health measures in inflammatory bowel disease. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2016;22:7625.
- Cohen BL, et al. Fatigue is highly associated with poor health-related quality of life, disability and depression in newly-diagnosed patients with inflammatory bowel disease, independent of disease activity. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2014;39:811.
- Treatment for Crohn's disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/crohns-disease/treatment. Accessed March 8, 2017.