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Posted 11/3/2009 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all -

Just wanted to get some perspective on symptoms I've been having recently. Severe flare earlier this year that brought with it extreme joint pain. Been doing better...though not fully in remission (latest scope revealed moderate inflammation).

Problem is...last few weeks I've been having what seems to be a combination of joint pain, muscle pain, and nerve pain. I am just so achy all over. My hands hurt from my fingers to my wrist, my feet hurt (hard to walk at times), my neck is sore, my shoulder is sore, and I am having problems with my elbow. Great to be me right now. Went to my rheumy and he upped my prednisone (been on it for 8 months now) and sent me for a bone density scan. Find out the results next week when I go back to see him, but what can I do in between then? It is worst at night and in the morning. Can't take NSAIDs so the doc gave me a gel (voltaren) that doesn't seem to be working much.

Posted 11/3/2009 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
I have arthritis with my Crohn's and I also can't take NSAIDs or most of the other arthritis drugs.  Voltaren does help me some, in some of my joints, but not always and not it all of my joints.  It can sometimes feel like it's not just the joints, but the muscles, etc., so it is very confusing.  I also had the bone scans and everything looked good.  I hate to tell you, but I've been flaring since January and have been on prednisone since then.  We can't seem to find something that is treating both without causing other side effects.  You can ask about taking injectable methotrexate...maybe your dr. can call that in.  It really helped my joints, but my liver enzymes got too high and I had to stop it.  I just switched from Humira to Cimzia and my arthritis is better but it seems my stomach is bothering me again...so I guess I get to pick the lesser of two evils...whichever one that is.  Good luck. 

Posted 11/3/2009 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
When this flare I'm in started in October of last year, it was my joint pain that tipped us off to CD being active again. I do not have a rheumy (insurance reasons) so we just focused really hard on getting the flare under control in my gut to help stop the pain in the joints. I'm like you, can't take nsaids for it. I had a hard time dealing with it, ended up my PCP gave me vicodin for pain until we came up with a more proactive plan for my gut. I hate to say that but maybe you can talk to your docs about some sort of pain management until they figure it out. I know how debilitating it can be, and yes, I ended up on prednisone to control it after that until I started this research infusion drug (which is working as long as we don't stop the infusions). I wish you the best of luck feeling better and I hope relief comes soon for you!! Just remember you are not alone in this!
Posted 11/3/2009 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
An unexpected help for arthritic problems is probiotics. You might try adding them to your regimen. Good ones include Culturelle, Align and VSL#3.
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