I had a colonoscopy last week and the results were really good. With my thyroid and Crohn’s managed, I shouldn’t been feeling fatigue. So what could the fatigue be from?
I have been working with my therapist to interrogate some mental blocks I have around exercise (exercise will make me sick, exertion will increase my fatigue, exercise will cause a pain flare) and balancing this with the scientific evidence that my body is more or less healthy right now, so I SHOULD be able to exercise.
What if my fatigue at this point is from lack of stamina and endurance due to self-protective behaviors against movement for the last 7 years? On top of the obvious, no you can’t exercise really when you’re shitting yourself 20 times a day, and the actual fatigue that comes with a Crohn’s flare; but, there have been times where I COULD have done physical training, and it could have benefitted my health, but I was afraid to based on how my body responded when I was in a flare.
I’m at a place now where I am well enough and I really want to work on increasing my physical fitness so I can perhaps prevent future illness, feel less fatigued (especially in winter), and in general increase my vitality and physical wellness.
I am starting with walking, and in the super baby beginning phases of trying to get back on my bike (sits bone conditioning).
The physical exertion and recovery has been fine, and mostly I feel like a big mental weight has been lifted. I started by asking myself: what if I didn’t have fatigue from an underlying health condition? What if I gently pushed my movement boundaries? What if I stopped being afraid of using my body and stopped with these over protective behaviors?
It’s going well so far, and I’m super hopeful about going on longer hikes and bike rides when summer and fall show up this year! I’d like to be able to walk 5k by the end of the year, that’s my loose goal.
Eating Vegan with Crohn's Disease 