Seen a rheumatologist about my joint pain and.....

Update:

As some of you may know, I've had bad joint pain since coming of the steroids in May. Finally got to see the rheumatologist yesterday.
She is fairly certain I have arthropathy in my shoulders, hip, heels, feet, and fingers, associated with my Ulcerative Colitis.
Her recommendation is to switch from azathiporine to methotrexate, in the hope that will sort it. She has written to my gastro' and will get back to me with the results of some other tests she did.

Now, I'm rather concerned! I'm (touch wood) doing superb just now, other than the arthritis. So, do I risk changing over, waiting the 3 months for the dose of methotrexate to build up, and risk having another terrible flare when I come of the aza', when it might not even work, and I'll have lost all the build up of azathioprine, etc?

Hard decisions ahead...

Hi,
she did a physical exam, took bloods & x-rays. She aslo wanted to inject steroids into my joints, but I managed to fob her off for a few days!