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Penile Swelling - Crohn's?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 1/23/2011 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
I have most of the doctors stumped and I'm hoping someone here may have heard of this. The skin around my penis has been inflamed for over two months. There are no cuts, sores, redness, or pain. I am circumsized. My bloodwork is very good at the moment, with normal CRP and ESR rates. I don't have any infection related symptoms. I feel good otherwise. This occurred at nearly the same time I had a strep-like redness in my throat (negative for strep), the appearance of sores (diagnosed as Crohn's related Erythema Nodosum), and a few cysts on my leg. I also had persistent ankle swelling at the time. My Gastro doc had no answer for the penile swelling, and the Rheumatologist diagnosed everything as a manifestation of Crohn's except the mystery penile swelling. I am on a second Urologist who is about to take a biopsy but who also has no clue. I am not embarrassed to answer any questions as I just want to find some answers and some healing with this. Thank you.
Posted 1/23/2011 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
that happened to me along time ago, when I was first diagnosed, and having major problems, this happened to me in between surgeries, I had 3 that year, my penis got swollen and red hot, like inflammed, no dr new at all what it was. My diagnosis was just comp. from crohns in it's early stages, but my early stages were life threatening, the year was 1971, and pred and asulfadine and pain med's were the only drugs available, non did anything except pain med's, I ended up with major obstruction, and that penis thing happened about 3 months before major obstruction, i just think it was cd related. It lasted until obstruction was removed, weird huh. I went into the **** business when it happened,(just kidding)
Posted 1/23/2011 7:38 AM (GMT 0)
Do you have any clotting issues or have a history of phlebitis? Many crohnies have clotting issues and do not even realize it. The part of the body had a lot of blood flow and may be experiencing some type of clotting issue. Due to the heavy tissue that is involved and the sponge like quality, maybe it is just not getting to the point where it is really painful or red yet. I get thrombosis all the time and that is one of the areas that has been affected in the past. There was no pain or redness either. I also have problems with phlebitis everytime I get an ifusion but it goes away with heat. I would apply moist heat to it several times a day to try and see if the inflammation goes down. I still have a major blood clot in my bicep from an I.V. that has been there for about 6 years. It is not red or painful anymore but did scar.
Posted 1/26/2011 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your input. I don't have any history of clotting or phlebitis. Although my ankle swelling was a first for me, and I wonder if this is a blood flow problem. I have no trouble with urinating or maintaining an erection. Artist Guy, your comment is very interesting because I failed to mention that I had this exact problem when I was around 15 years old, 2 years AFTER I was put into remission with a small bowel resection. I stayed in remission all these years, but that incident was quite alarming. It disappeared on it's own within 2 months; this seems to be never-ending. The Urologist wants to take a biopsy; I don't think it will help but may go along for now. Would an ultrasound help diagnose a clotting issue?
Posted 1/26/2011 6:20 AM (GMT 0)
I am not sure they can do an ultrasound down there but it might. Deep vein thrombosis would be the most likely cause if it was and is not red.I am sure that your Urologist is testing you for a possible clot though. If you do have one, they may just see how it does on it's own. The one in my bicep is quite big(around 6 inches long) and has been there for a long time with no problems.
Posted 4/17/2014 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting thread. I've had the same swelling in my penis for quite a few years and the doctor I'm seeing has no real hypothesis about why this is happening. The medicine I'm on is Remicade and it keeps the Crohns disease at bay, but the swelling is always there in some form. I have however noticed that it gets worse when I have a feverish condition and I have reached the stage where I can not distract the foreskin to pee. It's so massively swollen that I have to sit down (I'm not circumcised). It goes without saying that I can't have sex at that stage. This is quite some concern for me and I was wondering if someone had some kind of a "doctors advice" or medicine that worked?
Posted 4/17/2014 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
I thought I'd chip in here too I had a similar situation. In 2007 (which is 4 years before my diagnosis) my scrotum got very red and swollen. My Primary Care was stumped and a urologist was also a bit baffled, I think I had an ultrasound and the only thing they could come up with was that it was interstitial swelling and not much could be done. I had 'flares' where it would get more swollen but over time it stopped, though my scrotum is stretched out a bit from it.
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