Crohns and sciatica?

My hubby was diagnosed with Crohns in early 2009.  He's had a couple flares over the months, is currently on Asacol (3 pills, 3X a day) and is stepping down on his steroids.  For the past two flares, he's had what I think are sciatica symptoms in his lower back and leg.  (I had sciatica when I was pregnant with our youngest.)  He hasn't had any injuries to his back or spine.  (That we know of!)

Is this something that anyone else has or has heard of?  If the pain isn't sciatica, I am not sure what it might be....he is in so much pain when it happens he can barely move....

On a side note, his tongue is raw in the middle and bleeding.  Ew.  Last flare it got kinda dark in the middle.  He has good hygeine, so I am not sure what that is all about. 

Anyway, he's 33, and Crohns does run in his family, but no one else has had the back pain associated.  He's also in the Army, and we are praying everyday that we can find the right diet/drug maintenance combo that can stave off his flares so they don't kick him out!  He's been in almost 16 years.  They are talking MEB, but it hasn't happened yet.  He desperately wants to see his last 4 years before retirement. 

 

Thanks for the reply! RA is definitely a big worry, because I doubt he can stay in the military with TWO autoimmune disorder diagnosis.....but this pain isn't symmetrical, it's just on one side. He does have an appointment with a rheumatologist the first week in June.

The three family members that have this don't have any accompanying autoimmune disorders, but I know that doesn't mean anything. Of course, they all have had such severe cases of Crohns that they all have had multiple surgeries.

This is still so new for us, we are trying to get it all figured out! We just want to keep the flares down as much as possible!