Crohn's attacking my KNEES? help!!!

so my doc and I think that my Crohn's finally went into remission this past summer (keeping my fingers crossed!).  but then in september, out of the blue, i woke up one morning and both my knees were very very sore and achy for no reason and the right one was very swollen with fluid in it.  I hadn't done any physical activity whatsoever so i was i quite freaked out.  my GI doc told me to go see a rheumatologist who had me get blood work done to see if i had ANY other auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritist, lupus, etc.  the results came back negative for rheumatoid and ANA postive for Crohn's. >>>BUT HERE is what my rheumatologist told me:  he said that Crohn's can attack the major joints (knees, hips, etc.) and cause major inflammation, achiness, etc.  he's seen numerous Crohn's patients with this problem and he's seen them a lot worse.  anyways, has anyone else has their Crohn's attack their knee's or their hips to the point where it cause major swelling, inflammation, pain, etc.??  HELP!! 

Yup it can happen. It's extraintestinal issues we can get.
I've had it last for a few days in my knees and I could barely walk.
I thought it was the pred cause I started taking it and a week later I had it, but it wasn't apprently.
It went away after a few days, go figure.

What meds are you on right now btw?

Oh yes,my knees used to be horrible,occasionally they still flare,but since Iv'e been on Imuran,the joints are pretty good,I also started taking OTC Glucasamine/'Chlorasomething,that helps alot,just check with the GI first.

I too have joint pain. Sometimes it is really bad. It hits me in the knees, hips and back, and when I first flare my ankles hurt so bad I couldn't stand (my husband was lifting me from the bed to the bed-side commode.... really fun. I haven't been to a rhemy yet, but I have found that tylenol arthritis helps.

Heather

Both CD and rheum. arthritis have been known to have a fungal etiology. That's why you usually see people with more than one symptom/illness. They have a fungal condition. It manifests itself in different ways, in different people. Fungus has also been implicated in high cholesterol, asthma, UC, psoriasis, allergies, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, diabetes...... Have you ever experimented with an antifungal diet/program to see if you noticed an improvement? Doesn't hurt to try it. No special drugs or potions. Just good ol' natural, unprocessed foods. Just a thought...........

Kim

Mostly chronic lower back (slipping disk) & shoulder pain here. Already had an adhesion of the joint in my left shoulder that cost me 6 months of PT to break lose. Various clicking, popping and catching of the elbows,hips and knees wandering sharp pain in other joints. Heat, hot bath/dead sea salt soaks, exercise & percocet is my current regimine. Can hardly wait to see what long term predinsone maintenance does to me! Mininmal bone loss per my last bone scan...probably about due for another one though.

Know of a local CDer that is about 3 years my senior that had a dx in his early 20's and didn't have access to a lot of the drugs we do now...he has arthritis so bad in his neck, their are days he can't turn his head from side to side.

I have had CD for over 11 years, and not until this September had joint pain. My knees ache, my fingers are sore, and body had a heavy feeling when i lay down. So my GI sent me to the Rum. as well He said maybe FIBRO. maybe the excess weight on me at this time. So i started on weight watchers to loose 50 lbs. So - great changes in my diet, more walking and bike, and some weights. I find it so very hard to exersize when i feel so yuckie!
I also made some other changes, i stopped using equal as my sweetner through out the day. Lots of vitamins- and added like lynnRN - costo condriten--
All i can think of is that if this gets worse, i cant go to work! But i guess with this disease it can hit anywhere at any time.
But i do not notice any swelling- but it feels like everything should be!

I have also been Dx with Spondyloarthropathy (SpA). This is a common form of autoimmune, inflammatory arthritis and is well known to be associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The process affecting the joints is very similar to that which causes our gut problems, but it is an entirely different entity. This is NOT Crohn's attacking the joints, but a separate complication.

Anyone suffering with joint or back pain should be evaluated by a Rheumatologist to investigate the possibility of Spondyloarthropathy (SpA). These include: Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Reactive Arthritis, Enteropathic Arthritis, Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy and Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy.

At one time, these types of arthritis were commonly believed to affect mostly men and so the Dx of women is still often delayed by many years. It's important to find a Rheumy who is knowledgable about SpA and can make the Dx and begin treatment. The good news for us is that often, the treatment for SpA is the same, or very similar, to those used for Crohn's. For instance, I'm using Humira every week and taking a low daily dose of pred, but these meds are prescribed by my Rheumy for my joints. They've also helped put my gut in order so that I'm just about in remission.

For more info about Spondyloarthropathy/Spondylitis,
http://www.spondylitis.org

WOW!  I couldn't believe what I was reading -- in fact, I had my husband read it and he said "when did you write this."     I too have been diagnosed with Crohn's - a couple of years ago but my GI doc put me on a "wonder drug" Pentasa and I have been totally under control (at least I thought so) and then around August I started getting a strange aching in my index finger.  It went away, came back, etc., then it started in the other hand, the thumbs, fingers, and boy oh boy, my knees - Especially my right knee.   I call it a "rotating" pain because I never know where it is going to be.  I can be feeling totally fine one minute and then an hour later I can't walk because my knee hurts so bad; or I can't move my fingers, write my name, etc., and then just as mysteriously,  it will go away (usually after going to sleep and waking up in the morning.)  

I too am scheduled to see a rheumatologist and can't get in to see one near my home until the end of February, so I am going to drive about 2-1/2 hours away to see one the end of November.    I would be most interested too in finding out what this is.   Thank you for making me feel there is really something going on -- if there are two of us, there must be more, and maybe there is a name to this symptomatology -- and hopefully a cure! 

It's hard to tell when you've been on steroids for a long time what is really going on. I don't think you'll know for a while until you've been steroid free for a few weeks.

You should be able to use ice on your knee to give you some relief.

Talk to your DR about sulfasalazine, it's a medication many are using now to treat joint pain due to inflammatory bowel disease.

See an orthopedic to rule out avascular necrosis. I had it in both knees from prednisone and it is back again. I just had my third surgery Friday and need another. Good luck!

Everyday I wake up with a new pain or ache. Just came back from foot dr. cause pain in my feet. Woke up with pain in my neck this morning. Yesterday was my knees, Saturday I woke and sad wow nothing hurts. Before that was lower back pain........

Unfortunately my right knee does the same thing. I wake up from sleep or nap (No Trauma to joint ) and my Right knee is swollen to the size of a grape fruit. This occurs about once or twice a year. Generally after the first day of Prednizone it's back to normal. Like magic. I'm 58 Years of age and have had Crohnes since 7th grade. Back then it wasn't even diagnosed as crohnes. But, due to my young age I was in a few medical journals. Good luck with the knee and if your doc hasn't tried Prednisone , for the knee, you may mention it to him. Basically, about 6 hours after my first dose, my knee is completely back to normal. Hope this helps.