Getting Off Asacol, Feeling Tired, and A Little Bit Anemic

So over the past week my GI called me (from what I have heard very few doctors call back patients with lab results and results. My blood test looked good although he told me I was just a tad bit anemic. So last night (Saturday night) I had a pretty big bowel movement (I could see some blood inside it-not explicitly). When I was at Mayo I was told that sometimes blood can at a small level be in the bowel is hard to see with the naked eye. Anemic seems to be common for Crohn's. Lately I have been feeling a little tired (I felt tired even before getting off the Asacol). First I thought it I wasn't getting enough sleep but a few weeks ago on a Sunday night I felt tired at 9:00 P.M. (which is usual unusual). Tonight I feel like going to bed around 9:30 P.M. On April 20, 2014 I took my last Asacol pill (hopefully I won't have to retake it). I have been taking Asacol since December 2011. Really I haven't noticed too much of a difference. My doctor said "it may take time to notice a difference".

It feels as if the Asacol really didn't help in the time I took it. Really the major game changer was Humira which I started in June 2012 and still going strong on that. I can still remember in May when I was really tired, really sick, and had to throw up at night (actually the morning around 2 or 3). When I was initially diagnosed with Crohn's I actually didn't feel really bad. Yes, I felt pretty tired, was down to 125 pounds but I didn't feel as if I were going to die.

Hopefully, my doctor can give me something to help to help the anemia and feel a tad better. All in all I can't complain too much though. I actually think I may have less cramping after getting off Asacol. Time will tell though of course.

Update: Car Accident, Sleep, Cramping, and Easter

So this week has been a crazy week. On tax day (April 15th, 2014) I got into a car accident. Luckily I wasn't serious hurt. My back felt a little bit sore afterwards, however that seems to be going away. Dealing with the stress of getting the car towed, talking to the insurance company, working, and studying, does get stressful. I also moved in to a new apartment so I have been pretty busy trying to knock things out and take care of things.

I have been cramping a little bit. I honestly think it is due to lack of sleep. My apartment has a window that lets a lot of light into it. In my old bedroom I had plantation shutters that could block that out (which I like). Usually my alarm on my iPhone wakes me up. Anyways, some cramping and feeling tired from this. I have been okay otherwise. Last weekend I had some fast food since I was moving in and didn't have very much in my apartment. I can honestly say I felt pretty good even after eating it. At night I still sometimes use ice packs. This weekend I will try to get more sleep and not feel as tired. This morning (Sunday) I woke up and was a little tired (even after 9 hours of sleep) however sometimes your body has to get going in the day to wake up.

On Monday I see my GI. I have some questions for him in terms of how useful Asacol is. There is a rebate program that allows you to save $200 on Asacol, however it is a pain to deal with and I had to get multiple cards from my GI and resubmit them to Asacol in order to get the drug. I hear Asacol is going generic so I will have to ask him about that. When I see my GI I usually type out my list of questions because sometimes I forget what to ask and I only am allowed probably 10 minutes with him.

All and all things are pretty good. I would like to improve the cramping some. Not sure what my weight is these days since I don't have a scale (update I have a scale and now am 168 pounds by Saturday this was down to 164 as I worked out for the week).  I have been working out in the apartment gym which is pretty nice. Today is Easter and I will be having dinner with my parents at their home. Most likely we will just be having Mexican food takeout.

I can't complain too much. Crohn's is a lifelong disease and chronic. Feeling 90% is a great feeling. I often am grateful there are medications like Humira and Asacol now and glad I didn't get this disease in the 1980's or early 1990's. Hopefully the future will bring even a better understanding of Crohn's and how to treat it to improve the quality of life of so many people.

Weekend Health Update: Less Cramping, Dry Nose (Still), and Sleep

So this week my stomach was a tad better. The beginning of the week brought some cramping but cleared out toward the end of the week. The ice pack at ice seems to help out. I tend to have cramping after I take Asacol. My nose continues to be crusty and dried out. However, I am thinking in the next few weeks we should get more humidity and help out. The thing that bothers me is sleeping. My whole life I have been a late night person and usually on weekends I fall asleep around 2 a.m. but my mind keeps going for a while. I sometimes wish I could start work at 11 a.m. (I could probably work more hours and be more productive). Today I felt like I got a pretty good rest however my body is trying to make up from the lost sleep from the beginning of the week so. I was worried I wouldn't be feeling well since some of the Humira injection came out 2 Friday nights ago when I injected it.

Next week I move into an apartment (I have been living at home a while-saving money) and working). I get a little nervous that I might get a flare up, however I am pretty sure I have a flare up it won't be as long as when I was initially diagnosed. I just saw a study that showed that about 21% of Crohn's patients missed >25% of work in the previous week.

I am just glad I am feeling good these days and a far cry from last year when I went many months with c difficile!