CROHNS and possibly?

Hi , my names Tracie an I was diagnosed with crohns disease in July 2012 im 44 yrs old.
I returned to my doc spring 2012 after being diagnosed with colitis at a different hospital and had been prescribed pentasta, well cut long story short!
Id been diagnosed as having colitis for over 3 years but with pentassa I was not getting any better, I was still loosing weight and still had tummy cramps and diarrhea alot too, so I went back to gp feeling like crap ,I had joint pain and my muscles hurt so much making it very difficult to bend and pick things up and my doc said that my consultant at hospital said id only got colitis mildly and it wudnt affect my joints and muscles like I was explaining and to my horror I was told I was depressed and that was causing the joint pains etc!,
I was furious and decided to see another doctor and start from fresh which I did and must say my doc has been great, I had to wait 2 months to see different gastroenterologist at diff hospital which was ok,
Anyway had colonoscopy and endoscopy and was told while colonoscopy was being done that I had crohns not colitis and quite severely not mild and that yes that's why my joints hurt too !
I was put straight on steriods prednisolone and the first week I felt like id been hit by a bus and my eyes hurt alot too BUT after the first week my syptoms all over feel greatly improved and must admit I hadn't felt so well for over 10yrs, then after a few weeks the steriods were reduced and I had to start taking azathioprine first 50mg aday and now for last 3 months 100mg aday and stomach ok ish.

Anyway my other syptoms joint and muscle pain not gone and I've had other syptoms on an off for many years too which are
Vertigo
Dizziness
Lightheaded
Pins and needles in right arm hand and left hand
Balance issues. Mild but off balance
Forgetfulness
Clumsy and co ordination out of sorts
Keep getting hives had it on an off for years
Eye pain plus some blurry vision
Tightness in top of body and arm
Severe muscle weakness in arms mainly
Stiff joints unable to bend freely
Plus few other syptoms tingling in legs, jelly legs somedays abd stiff Thursdays

So I went back to gp and had to see a neurologist recently and he asked me afew questions and done some reflex tests and eye tests.
He then said he thought id got at least 1 possibly 2 other things going on aswell as crohns :-( he said id have to have some MRIs done of my brain and spinal cord and that my azathioprine I take for crohns may help 1 of the other things id git,
I left his room thinking he must mean rheumatoid arthritis but after I spoke to someone on another forum they said it sounded more likely that id got lupus aswell and that azathioprine was also used to treat that!
Im worried!
I've read it's quite common to get another auto immune disease if you already have one.
Anyone else with crohns been diagnosed with something else? All comments welcome thanks

Post Edited (tracie196868) : 1/18/2013 8:46:32 AM (GMT-7)

I have had those symptoms especially when I was flaring very heavily..I was tested for lupus, and it was negative..You can have all kinds of extra-manifestations with CD and don't let anyone tell you different..I did see some improvements in these types of symptoms doing a Gluten Free diet..Were you tested for Celiac just in case?? CD medications can have all kinds of side effects and it is hard sometimes to tell what is the medication, what is CD, and what is something else!!

Hi all ,and thanks for all replies

I have been tested for celiac 3 times and it's come back negative! So they are ruling that out.
I had yesterday off work as I could hardly move, not fun my muscles feel very bruised to move and touch :-(.
I've had the syptoms above on an off for years before I was diagnosed with crohns but pins and needles was a new syptom that id got since being on azathioprine and I told my consultant at crohns clinic and they didn't think it was a side affect of the meds but to rule it out I had to stop taking it for a week, my syptoms didn't go away so back docs I went which I was then referred to a neurologist and was seen 6 weeks after so didn't wait too long.
He done some tests and said he thought id got at least 1 possibly 2 other things going on and said id need MRIs of brain an spinal cord which is what im waiting for now.
I also had lots of bloods done to rule out lymes and lupus and vit deficientcy too.
I've had hives on an off most of my life sometimes when I've been on meds and most of time when I've not been taking meds, my mum also breaks out in hives alot and my dad use to call it whittle rash as she come out in it when stressed but she also has high blood pressure and I've read you can hives with high blood pressure meds so I think maybe that the cause with hers as she's changed meds alot.

Yesterday while off work I rang my crohns nurse at hospital and told her hour I was feeling and she said crohns affected your joints but not muscles and that I was being investigated under another department and that I should speak to my gp and get signed off from work!
Im bit concerned about it all I just want to feel well and have some energy again!

Thanks alk

Thanks for your reply g master.
Just update I had my bloods done on the 10th had lots taken vit deficientcy's lupus and lymes and rheumatoid factor an fbc but still waiting for results! An still waiting for MRI scans date too and still worrying :-( I kno theres more going on than crohns maybe fibromyalgia or maybe me or ms or an or just got to wait which is worse thing at mo. Thanks