Joint/back pain with UC?

When I started tapering below 15 mg of pred I noticed that my lower back was stiff and achy. Now that I am off of the pred (tapered off about two weeks ago) I've noticed an increase in my stiffness, aching/pain and other joints in my body like my knees are stiff and painful. I think my ribs are kind of achy too. I feel like an old woman but I'm a young and, until recently due to UC flare, active 34 year old. My intestinal symptoms aren't terrible but they aren't absent either: abdomen pain, intermittent diarrhea, not much mucus or blood though so that's good.
I compare my current situation with my symptoms when they've been really bad or with other UCers who are really sick and I feel bad about complaining.
I just want to know if anybody else has had these symptoms and what have you done about it? Does it mean that my UC isn't under adequate control? I'm not really confident that my UC is under control or headed for remission.
Thanks for your support.
I love this forum!

Thank you Supersaw and Peety. It helps to know that others are dealing with this issue. I haven't told the GI nurse practitioner about the joint pain but I'm really worried that they'll just tell me to take Tyenol and use a hot pad. I'm ready to go back on the pred so I can have some semblance of a life. I know pred is not a long term solution but the GI NP isn't ready to try the immunmodulators yet, maybe another round of pred will give us more info. If I can't heal without pred maybe that's an indication that we need to try something else. If I taper much slower this time perhaps I can reach remission. That would be heaven.

Thanks for your support. It means a lot.

Vin said...
I just posted right above you about the SAME issue :). I just went back to 50 mg of pred today. If it doesnt work ill be going to humira. The joint pain can sure be brutal... almost like its not even in any way related to UC? I never had it this bad before. I am hoping spring comes soon because my flares in the past have always cleared up then anyways.

Good luck :)
Vin

At that level of pred I had horrible joint pain. UC causes me arthritis issues and pred is a whole separate category. If it is pred related it will go away as your dose gets lower. Try some tylenol for now.

Hey friends - don't worry these are quite common side effects of steroids. One you are off steroids, you have to learn to build your stamina. Go for walks, yoga, deep breathing exercise. Steroids make you stronger and temporarily builds up your stamina, but is bad in the long run. That is the reason why people who go on diet supplements provided by Gyms suffer from these problems, once the stop supplements, as most of them are steriod based. Try to avoid steroids or the urge to have them, even if you feel the pain, as the more you take them, the more dependent you will become and ruin your immune system. Good luck and good health to you all. Let me tell you, it may be difficult, but not impossible to kick the habbit of steriods.