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Hey, Did Anybody Have Arthritis?

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Posted 1/27/2012 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
I just remembered that when my UC first became an issue, I had arthritis that, like, migrated from joint to joint - on the day of my first colonoscopy (2004), I had it in my hand - I remember being all ready to go and being unable to the forms.

Then, once everything was diagnosed and under control, it went away - and I've never had it since.

I haven't seen any mention of that particular symptom on here - I'll search it - has anyone else ever dealt with this?
Posted 1/27/2012 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Joint pain is a part of IBD for about 25% of IBD patients.

I use sulfazine to help keep my joints from hurting. For many years, that was my primary complaint.
Posted 1/27/2012 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Yup, I mention it often.
It sucks. It comes and goes for me still. I can go days or weeks without it, then BLAM, its back and really bad to mild.
Can't put rhyme or reason to it.
It is quite common for folks with IBD and it migrates around the body.

THought I was going nuts at first, but many MD's and psychologist assure me I'm not crazy and it does really exist.
I went gluten free and nightshade free and that has helped. I also started Curcumin (Turmeric) capsules, Omega 3's,
Vit. D.... I take Tramadol and Tylenol when its really bad. And if its intolerable, I will take a percocet/vicodin.

Sometimes the sauna makes it worse and I've tried hot epsom salt tubs with varying degree's of success. I just really like the
tub. Swimming in an indoor pool can keep my joints loosened up.

Kazbern: how did you discover the sulfazine connection? My mesalamine appears to not be working very well for me after almost 5 years. I'm thinking about switching???
Posted 1/27/2012 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
My GI brought it up. He told me that it was an old arthritis med that was [accidentally] found to help IBD patients way back in the good ole days. It went out of favor in the rheumatology community but has recently become more useful as a GI drug for the lucky ones like us who have joint pain associated with their bowel disease.

I only use 1.5 g of sulfazine and I continue to use my 5-ASA (although I switched this past year from Pentasa to balsalazide). Sulfazine commonly gives headaches, and I do get those, but they are really treatable with tylenol.

Using sulfazine has eliminated my hand/wrist/elbow pain. It didn't touch my SI pain. My knee pain, which was chronic for years, finally resolved after going gluten free.

sigh.
Posted 1/28/2012 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
I do get joint pain in my knees and fingers, along with skin sensitivity like when I get a fever. I can't take sulfasalazine, though...allergic to the sulfa part.
Posted 1/28/2012 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
There's a type of arthritis that is non-erroding and it's called Peripheral arthritis. It wax and wanes to match the inflammation in your body. Once your flare is under control, the pain in the joints ease as well. I have peripheral arthritis but it doesn't always go away for me unfortunately.

Here is a link to the CCFA that will tell you more about it:

www.ccfa.org/info/about/complications/arthritis

Copy and paste if the link doesn't work.
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