Crohn's Arthritis

I've never heard of Crohn's arthritis to tell you the truth. My husband has psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and is also HLA B27 positive. My son with the Crohn's is also HLA B27 positive and there is a link between all of the above.

It is not unsurall at all to joint pain with crohns.It seems to go hand in hand for alot of people with crohns.

My knees are killing me. I went to an orthopedic surgeon and had a bunch of tests done and they told me that I was probably pre-arthritic and they said I had cysts in the back of my knees. I know it's related to the CD because the pain is not constant and I hardly ever have swelling and/or redness. I'm hoping once I start the Humira that the knee pain will go away as well.

I'm right there with you!! My tests came back negative, but I am having some intense pain in my lower back (sacrolitis) and knees. It feels like pockets of air in between the joints! I thought I might just be making it up...:)

I just saw my Rheumy yesterday for a follow up after all the tests were done (except the HLA one, thats next) and I have been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis due to my Crohns. I will start the Methotrexate shots weekly next week. Looking for relief from my joint pain. This med will help not only my joints but my gut too. I think everyone of us should see a Rheumy too.

My arthritis is considered Crohn's arthritis. I've had numerous tests run, including at least 3 recent ANAs, which all were positive. Then I had the subset Lupus and RA tests run, which were all negative. Not suprising to me or my GI that the subsets were negative, but something my GP and Rheumy wanted to check.

Anyway, I rarely have visible swelling and that is usually only evident in my jaw area when it kicks up. I read it as "Crohn's-related arthritis" or just Crohn's arthritis. The most information I've ever read on it has come from CCFA.org.

Hi

I'm glad you asked this. I have been so puzzled by my own symptoms and didn't know anybody else was in the same boat.

I don't have elevated SED rate or CRP and I have horrible joint pain.

This all started after the birth of my child 2 years ago. The first thing to go was my sternoclavicular joint. This is the only joint that is visibly swollen and it has been exactly the same for over a year. MRI showed nothing, just soft tissue inflammation. "No arthritis", he said. "Well...what is it then?" "No idea". Here's your bill.

Heels hurt in the morning so badly I hobbled. Terrible, terrible shoulder stiffness and my neck went out 5x a month so I couldn't turn my head.

Then...the GI problems started. Ironically, when I scanned my body during this time, I was able to remark? "You know what the odd thing is, I don't feel achy like I did before"...Until now. Now I can barely walk, my hip aches so badly. And the pains shooting down my legs are starting again. No bloodwork turns up anything yet but I go to Oahu in September for a rheumatological evaluation. No Rheumy here on Maui

Nanners, I am glad to learn that they are going to start you on something that may make you feel better. I read that you were being evaluated and was looking forward to learning what happened. I really hope the methotrexate helps you.

BTW, hsmom, I am planning on homeschooling my child. Hopefully I will still be able to.

I went to my Rheumy last Wed. He looked me straight in the eye and said You don't have arthritis and you don't have fibromyalgia. I don't know what is wrong with you and I don't know how to treat it.  You'll have to learn to live with it and take tylenol.  I told him that if tylenol was getting the pain, I wouldn't be there talking to him.  He gave me Ultram and another muscle relaxer.

The pain was terrible over the weekend so I went to my internal med MD yesterday.  He said he didn't have anything new to try and would NOT give me any Lortab,  He suggested I see another Rheumy in Atlanta.

Yes I homeschool my 3 youngest boys.  We are in our 7th year of homeschooling with about 10 more to go. My eldest graduated this past year and is still searching for his vocation. He is a big help with the younger ones and is writing a book so I am satisfied with his break from schooling.  I have a 13, 10, 8 and am teaching 2nd grade, 6th grade and high school with a little 8th grade thrown in there.  I also work part time and am a pastor's wife.  Thank you Lord for my life.

I hope you can find another rhematologist. Not all doctors know much about the arthritis that accompanies Crohn's. Did you have any xrays or an MRI done? My rheum. wants an MRI done on me to see if I have damage at the microscopic level, but I'm putting it on hold until after my daughter sees a pulmonologist and we find out what's going on with her. She's been sicker than I have.

Just to have a doctor say something and act like YOUR pain and suffering isn't important is maddening. WE know your pain and suffering is REAL. I live in constant pain, but I get more help from my GP than my specialists. The rheum. did prescribe Ultram (tramadol) but it made me itch and break out and actually caused my joints more pain. So I think I'm allergic to it. My GP then prescribed Talwin, and it's been a life-saver. Apparently, it's not prescribed much because I initially had to call ahead to the pharmacy so they can order it.

Arthristis from Crohns is called enteropathic arthritis. My Rheummy dx'ed me and I have been taking MTX shots for it ever since. Get it looked at ASAP