HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

New gifts: osteoarthritis of both knees, osteopenia and low hemoglobin level

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/3/2023 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all
As you may know, I have been diagnosed with a new perianal fistula a couple of weeks ago. Most probably, it’s the old one and it has reopened.
Got my hemoglobin level checked and it dropped from 11.4 to 10.7 in less than 2 months. Of course, both my WBCs and neutrophils are high.
I have other gifts as well. Osteoarthritis in both knees and osteopenia in my neck.
This disease is always unpredictable. Even after having it for 16 years, it can never be predicted what it will hit next.
Posted 8/4/2023 12:00 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Minnie....I'm so sorry.

Crohn's sucks.

It's caused so many issues for me. I was perfectly healthy until I developed this awful disease...and it's one that keeps giving and giving.... My knees, shoulder, back, hips... I wish there was a return counter...lol...

And sometimes I think if the disease doesn't make your life difficult the meds do.

Hang in there!
Clo
Posted 8/4/2023 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Minnie,

Certainly know that you've had your share of struggles of late. A fistula is enough to deal with. I hope that one by one you can get things under control.

As for your knees, Osteoarthritis is a loss or breakdown of the cartilidge or disc material that protects bones, and allow for normal joint function without pain. If early on, you can give Synvisc or some other types like this a try. I would suggest it to your Orthopedic when you see him. It doesn't last more than about 6 months, but it can provide relief, and you can get it repeatedly.
Posted 8/10/2023 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Clo and Tom. The orthopedic assured me that the condition was not as bas as the x-ray report showed. He prescribed a calcium supplement for 6 months, Piascaldine for 3 months and recommended I should go for a walk every day.
Posted 8/11/2023 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
Minnie,

I'm in last stage osteoarthritis. I take the "gel shots" and they do help me alittle. The cortisone shots to the knees caused my heart rate to go crazy for a week and wore off after three total weeks. Gel.shots lasted about 8 months and offered a little bit of relief....before shots I could not walk...after shots I can walk but it hurts. I didn't think they were working until they suddenly wore off. One day it hurt but I could deal with it and the next day I couldn't stand up without crumpling to the ground.

So the shots are worthwhile for some people.

You might want to see if you could try them.

Hang in there.
Clo
Posted 8/15/2023 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
That is a lot to deal with Minnie sad I got osteoporosis in my hip and osteopenia in my spine from prednisone in my early 30’s - one more reason I try to push back when the drs want to prescribe it as a first line of defense! I had a baseline bone density test I was able to refer back to before the pred. It seems the best thing is lots of calcium with vit d and magnesium and weight bearing exercises to at least keep it from getting worse. I’m nervous to see what I’ll be like as an old lady with my Crohn’s and all that comes with it! 😂
Posted 8/18/2023 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all! The orthopedist put me on calcium supplements for at least 6 months and Piascaldine 300 mg for 3 months. He mentioned that my condition wasn’t as gloomy as the report sounded. However, he warned me that I should not use the mobile phone a lot as my neck is affected by osteopenia and I should go for a walk every day. Since I started Rinvoq 2 days ago, I skipped both the calcium supplement and Piascaldine as one of the common side effects of Rinvoq is gastroesophageal reflux which I do already have and which this new meds exacerbates. Once I get used to Rinvoq side effects, I intend to take the osteoarthritis meds.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply