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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/4/2013 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
I've been battling with joint pain on and off for the past month or so. I was on prednisone 20 mg and tapered to 0mg two to three weeks ago because of the joint pain. I never felt it completely went away despite tapering the prednisone. I went to see my GI doctor today since the pain is in my hands, wrists, ankles, shoulders, hips, and knees. He was the one who originally prescribed me the prednisone in the first place. After discussing the symptoms of my colitis (sporadic blood in my stool) and intense joint pain, he said I can go back on the prednisone but need to follow up with my rhumetologist doctor, which I am doing tomorrow. Is this solely from the colitis? My GI doctor said it could be but it might be RA or something else. I will find out tomorrow. Does anyone else have this issue? I've had symptoms as such over the years but never was diagnosed with RA. It was just 'athritis' due to the uc. I apologize for the incorrect spelling and grammar as it hurts to type this. Just in case anyone asks, I am female and 34 years old. Thank you. I am on Humira, Lialda (only can take half of the recommended dosage since taking 4 makes me sick). Going to try Apriso over the weekend.

Heather
Posted 2/5/2013 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
For several years, joint pain was my primary complaint, even though I also had loose stool and fatigue. The pain in my hands and wrists was agonizing sometimes. At one point I had pain in every single joint and that is when I went to see a rheumy. He put me on 60 mg of pred, which took care of my joint pain and my IBD, and then did an extensive work-up to see if there was another diagnosis to explain the joint pain. There was not. So he worked with my GI to get me on a regimen that would treat my IBD effectively (thinking that controlling the bowel inflammation will reduce joint pain). I started taking sulfazine, because this old arthritis med is known to be an effective treatment for colitis and also for joint pain.

Later, after the pain in my hands/wrists/elbows was pretty much gone, I adopted a gluten-free diet. This has really eliminated pain in my knee (which had been mild but chronic). My other joints have sporadically flared up if I have a viral illness, but it is short-lived and not that painful.

It's hard to say why your joints would start hurting on pred unless you tapered too fast and the joint pain is a response to active inflammation in your gut. It could be that the Humira is also causing your joint pain. I think a visit with the rheumy is a good idea.
Posted 2/5/2013 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you kazbern. My GI doctor didn't want me to stay on prednisone for a long period of time due to the side effects. Like you, I felt I tapered way too fast and did not absorb the full effects of it. I've been wanting to start a gluten free diet but have been putting it off. Food has always been my comfort zone during times of stress, etc. I am actually trying to lose a ton of weight that I've put on in the past 7 years. Regarding the joint pain, I had stiffness in my hands before my Humira injection but then I took my regular dose on Friday and started feeling lousy this morning. I really don't have a lot of options of as far as medications go in order to get into remission. I really don't know what to do anymore. Remicade worked for a long time but then I started to get horrible joint pain as I got closer to the infusion date.
Posted 2/5/2013 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
I used to have heaps of joint pain I take boswellia which is a natural rememdy for infamation but I have to get them from a naturopath I also have an UltraInflamax powder in a shake twice a day that helps and also helps give me vitamins and acids I need to help maintain a healthy balance as I follow a strict diet that helps me remain med free and in remission. I don't know if it would work for you but it definately works for me.

mum of 3
Posted 2/5/2013 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
I've had joint pain for many years. I've been to the doctor numerous times for it but nothing ever showed up on any testing so my primary sent me to a rheumy. Once again I was put thru a battery of tests ordered by the rheumy. He told me either I have zero negative RA or Peripheral arthritis. But he leans more toward PA because I have no damage to my joints.

PA is a form of arthritis that matches the inflammation of your joints with the inflammation of your colon. I'm on Remi and it controls it fairly well...control colon inflammation. Control the joint inflammation. But I still have break thru pain on occasion, especially my right knee and my hands. I take Tylonel arthritis to take the edge off.

I hope you find the cause of your joint pain quickly. It took me nearly 15 years to find the cause of mine.
Posted 2/5/2013 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
It's probably from the colitis, mine is, hoping Azathioprine helps b/c once I tapered the pred it came back.
Posted 2/6/2013 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
I've usually been successful with the prednisone in the past. Only thing was my GI doctor put me on 20 mg and had me taper off way too quickly. I believe that is why my symptoms came back with a vengence. We will see what happens.
Posted 2/6/2013 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
Sherry- thank you for sharing. I appreciate that. The rheumy shared information that my joint pain/arthritis is most likely colitis related. My diet is not the best and I do drink coffee and not enough water. All of this doesn't help. I've also been under tons of stress lately, which I usually hold my tension in my belly. Someone who works with me today (teacher's assistant) told me in conversation ( I was telling her about my joint pain, etc.) and she said she could sense that I am very stressed out. So it made me think.....

Thank you for your help. :)
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