Arthritis question

During my last hospital stay the doctor told me I most likely have arthritis and that usually Crohn's patients develop arthritis in time. But do I talk to my GI doctor about that or my primary care physician? My PCP calls me a "special case" and fears prescribing me anything. I haven't found a new PCP yet and honestly I rarely go to the doctor unless I am in need of a hospital. I'm just that stubborn. But I'm only 31 and find it getting more and more painful to keep up with my pre-k children and my two 5 year old girls (not twins, my boyfriend has a daughter and I have custody of my Goddaughter, they just happen to be 13 days apart. How crazy is that?) at home. I don't even know what they would do to help arthritis or whats out there. My PCP won't even give me migraine medicine anymore and I'm reduced down to Excedrin which my GI doctor told me to only take if absolutely necessary because the ingredients could send me into another flare.
I had dental work done once and they gave me ibuprofen, one pill and I was admitted into the hospital in a full crohns flare up. So he has that on my allergy chart now for "just in case" purposes. But what is there for arthritis and how do they know if you really have it or not? My joints ache constantly, mostly my hips, shoulders, and my BACK! It affects me more when I first wake up, when I'm sitting too long, driving, etc. I can't sit through a movie because I get so uncomfortable and when I stand to walk I limp without even realizing it. My hips and back are the worst. One day just walking into the kitchen my right hip was hurting and my leg literally just went limp on me and I was on the floor in seconds. It almost felt like it was out of place or something. My boyfriend and Goddaughter were a little freaked out that I just collapsed. I was laughing and crying at the same time, from the pain and the absurdity of it all. It took about an hour for the pain to pass enough that I could put full weight on it again. Is this normal? Could this really be arthritis? And could it be making my headaches worse by chance? My migraines have been more frequent and lasting longer than usual and without having anything to really help them I'm not enjoying life as much these days. My insurance doesn't require any referrals to specialists so if I have to go to a specialist for a diagnoses I'd rather not waste my time going to my good for nothing PCP that is terrified to treat me!
Any advice is helpful.
And can I just say that I haven't been on this board long but I already have received so much helpful information and am so grateful for all the feedback people have contributed. Thank you so much!

Thank you! I wouldn't have even known who to see! I never talked to my GI doctor about my other issues because I guess I am used to "not complaining" about things and figured he was just for my crohn's and the info I gave him was on a need to know basis. That's just my thinking though. Guess that needs to change eventually. I am pretty stubborn.
Thank you for your reply Nanners and I'm sorry for your pain!

My crohns did awesome with Humira and I wish I could still be on it but my insurance prescription plan changed and they no longer will cover it nor will they allow a 3 month supply and they are making mail order mandatory. (talk about a run on sentence!) I'm currently on Cimzia but the pain has been this way for years now. I chalk it up to being old but in all honesty I'm only 31 and probably shouldn't feel like I'm 100! I do have to get a bone scan because my GI doctor fears I have the beginning of osteoporosis. I'm pretty nervous because I don't know much about that besides it has something to do with your bones being weaker I think. I know the cartilage in my knees is wearing down but they had major damage due to a severe bicycling vs Uhaul truck accident (I was the bicyclist). Every time I lift my arms up and bend down at the knees you hear a grinding noise and it's painful. I have no idea what's wrong with me but I definitely think one step will be to find a rheumatologist in my area to at least see. Thank you for your reply this-to-shall-pass. I sure hope I can find a PCP that isn't afraid of me either! It took me long enough to find doctors that would listen to me that something was wrong and I wasn't just "depressed" that I had something seriously going on inside. My current GI doc (which is why I stick with him) sat by my bedside when I was hospitalized in 2001 and diagnosed with Crohns after years of misdiagnoses, because I had moved across country and had no family or support system out here and he didn't want me to die alone. He thought I was going to die that day! I'll never forget that about him and told him that day that I was too darn stubborn to die, and here I am almost 11 years later... STILL STUBBORN! =)

Yes! Long live stubbornness for sure! =)

Hi there,
I also suffer from arthritis..both knees ...left knee needs replacing..my GI told me to stop taking "diclac",as it's an nsaid which i have done , and i'm down to taking just zydol and paracetamol...useless....my GP says i can continue taking Diclac at a reduced dose but i'm trying hard to do without at the moment..i have an apt with my ortopaedic consultant on the 23rd so i'm hoping he'll prescribe something or go ahead with knee replacement......a simple blood test should tell your GP if you have rhumatiod arthritis and an xray should tell him if it's osteo-arthritis..hope you get it sorted soon,

are you also having vision problems, migraines, sleep problems, jaw pain/enlarged, a deep voice, large hands and feet, joint pain, night sweats, small skin outgrowths, facial feature changes that have happened gradual (check photos online)?

What medication have you taken in the past?

Have you had your blood IGF levels checked?
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dx-2005
Colazal - 2 tablets x 2/day