God! I'm in pain!!!

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Astra

Astra

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Hi everyone!
hope you're doing ok?

Need advice from my bowel buddies
I know most of us suffer with joint pain, my ankles are bad at the mo, maybe cos I've gone back to work!
But for the last two weeks, my right elbow has swelled up! At first I thought it was because I had been swatting flies in my kitchen with a tea towel!
But it's bad, and it is painful
I went to the docs on Friday, she gave me Ibugel which you rub on. She said it's tendonitis or tennis elbow! Ha ha I don't play bloody tennis!
I told her that I don't want to take NSAIDS like Ibuprofen, but she insisted, she said that if I dont, then the fluid in the joint will burst! causing burstitis??
She compromised and gave me Diclofenic (NSAID) she said a couple of days of this will reduce the inflammation. Thing is, with this med, it makes you drowsy, and you cant drive. So I take one at bedtime. In the meantime, during the day, I can only take Paracetamol.
I've looked on the net to see if this is common with Crohns, cant find anything.
Has anyone suffered with tendonitis? Is it connected?
I'm quite disabled with this, cant even lift a cup up, AND....I've cut my finger with a razer on my left hand, so completely disabled!!!:depressed:
Thanks peeps xxx
 
I got "tennis elbow" (technically called lateral epicondylitis), painting siding with a roller (if you think about it, it's much the same motion as swinging a tennis racket). It comes and goes, haven't had a flare up in a while, knock on wood (just don't use a racket or paint roller :) The only time I had a treatment for it, they injected a steroid directly into the tendon. Worked quite well, and obviously no gut implications. You might ask your doc about this approach. Here's a good page of info on it Tennis elbow treatment Given your Crohn's, I'd sure try to avoid the NSAID's.

I'm certainly no orthopedic specialist, but if what you do have is tennis elbow, the tendons in question simple attach the muscles to the humerus (upper arm bone). There's no entry or real involvement with the joint itself. I can't imagine why you'd suffer any problems with the joint proper, even if you don't treat it at all.

The injection works quite well & lasts a fairly long time. Sounds like you're in a fair bit of pain, I'd ask about it. Since the injection usually contains an anesthetic as well, you may not be able to move the arm well immediately after getting the treatment, so best to have someone else drive you to the doc (found this out the hard way myself :)

Hope those flies have all buzzed off :lol:
 
hey astra, well im wondering if the inflammation is caused by the crohns you know? more of an arthritis type thing?
i went thru a period of it, like 3 months of fat FAT sore ankles and knees and hands, was so strange and yes totally incapacitating =(
but then it kinda cleared up as suddenly as it came on.
have you ever had crohnie arthritis before?

a doc put me on celebrex, which later i found out was bad, i didnt realize it was as bad as taking advil. shortly after i developed bad ulcers in my esophgus, but not too sure if they were CAUSED by the celebrex or the crohns, but just be careful! i think you kind of have to pick the lesser of two evils you know? being totally immobile is just as bad as worsening crohns, so its hard to say not to take the nasaids under ANY circumstances, i believe at some point they are worth the risk to your crohns, but that is just my opinion!!

the ONLY thing i found to help with the pain and swelling was moist heat. i would get a damp washcloth and lay it across my ankle, hand, whatever, and then put the heating pad over top of it. for me it really did some wonders at helping the swelling and pain, i remember this one day my hand was really bad and i could hardly even move it, and after a while on the heat i was able to cut up veggies!

good luck, be kind to yourself, if you need to back out of activites or whatever, DONT let anyone make you feel like a party pooper for backing out because you are "just sore". haha SO not true
 
Thanks David & Beth and for the links too.

Of course, you're right! It is scary about the NSAIDS! I will ask about the injection tho, that seems a good idea. Not gonna take the diclofenic again
It's weird tho, if I rest it, it stiffens up, then I can't bend my elbow, the pains shoot up to my neck and shoulder and down to my wrists and fingers!
xx
 
Hi Kelly
thanks sweetie

I don't know if I have Arthur, but my ankles are bad too! Hope it's not an indication that I'm gonna flare again!
So maybe it's a Crohnie thang!
I've decided not to risk it, practice wot I preach hey?
I'll try some heat tho, that sounds good, give me some relief
xx
 
For 'normal' tennis elbow, I think that heat is a great reliever. A moist heat, warm wet washcloths, keep wringing them out ~ coupled with soft tissue massage, then resting of the joint. I know that a cortisone shot used to be standard, but the thinking on that is backing up a bit, you may want to check on the current research. But no, the doc was stupid to insist you take any form of NSAID, imo. Not when there are other options and a potential for harm from the NSAIDs exists. Geesh!
 
The Crohns is a diagnosis that your gut is all screwed up because of your immune system attacking it.

Rheumatoid arthritis is when your joints and tendons get all screwed up because your immune system attacks them. It is also identified in part by how it attacks a joint here and then a joint there. Seeming to move about the body.

I have had over a decade of dealing with both prior to my emergency diagnosis of Crohns and resulting surgery. I do not believe that arthritic pain is caused by Crohns any more than Crohns is caused by arthritic pain. But they may very well have the same ROOT CAUSE. That being an immune system that seems hell bent on killing us rather then helping to keep us alive.

I HAD to take celebrex to have any chance of sleeping or moving and it was prescribed because it is the Least harmful anti-inflammatory that will get the job done. However I have had no need for it since I began immune suppression therapy with Imuran. It seems that immune suppression therapy "in my particular case" is the key to improving my quality of life. I can walk, sleep, eat and breath with much less discomfort than I can remember since my early 20's.

what Imuran does: http://www.medicinenet.com/azathioprine/article.htm

btw; gout was one of the conditions I have been receiving treatment for over the past 2 decades. It is also no longer a condition I suffer from. It all seems to have fallen under the same spectrum and many of the serious aliments I have been battling seem to be linked to some unknown immune disorder. I am not advocating Imuran. I am trying to help shed some light on the, less than adequately understood, underlying cause of a set of conditions that Crohn's disease if one of. If we run about calling it a cause of other conditions we are simply confusing the issue. It is not a cause of other things but simply a diagnosis based on an assessment of the damage and inflammation in our digestive system. Something else is the underlying cause and it may simply be a physiological malfunction.
 
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Thanks Kenny
Unfortunately I'm allergic to Azathioprine, but I'm wondering now whether I need some immuno suppressant too? Only on Pentasa at the mo.
 
My poor girl, you are too cute and nice to be in this pain. You gotta stop swatting those flies!! You should do what the doc says, short term shouldnt hurt you, long term is different. We gotta do what we gotta do to get out of pain right??? Hang in there, I am sure it will be better soon. We need you to help others here. LOL

Muah!
 
Astra101 said:
Thanks Kenny
Unfortunately I'm allergic to Azathioprine, but I'm wondering now whether I need some immuno suppressant too? Only on Pentasa at the mo.
Click to expand...
that web article is really quite interesting. If you had a reaction to the Imuran (estimated 5% of the population) did you try the 6 mp? And if that was also inappropriate I wonder why your GI team has not moved you to a TNF blocker.

If you were bad enough to have been moved up to Aza/6mp then they really need to consider the newer TNF blockers. I hate to see anybody suffering that kind of joint pain. I know how crappy that feels. I had no qualms about taking the celebrex on an as needed basis while I was in full flair with Crohn's. It was absolutely impossible for me to cope without it.
 
Hi Kenny
I have Humira waiting for me, but consultant wants to see if I'm in remission first. I've only started with these joint pains and tendonitis since coming off Pred and going back to work.
I'm gonna phone his secretary tomorrow and tell him to get the ball rolling on it.
Yes I've been on mercaptupurine too many years ago.

Hey Penny!
Aw thanks sweetie, you're so lovely, don't be worrying about me tho, I'll fettle it in no time xxx
 
Hey Joanie, sorry that you are not feeling well and hope it passes soon! We do have a cool product over in the states called of all things "Bed Buddy". It is about 12$ over here and looks a an oversized sock. You pop it the microwave for two minutes or so (it can get really hot so be careful) and then just let it lay on the hurtin' area. Really cool product.

http://www.drugstore.com/default.asp

Feel better my friend. :)
 
Joan - I am so sorry!

I can offer this related to tendonitis. I developed severe Achilles tendonitis as a side effect of taking Levaquin (cipro will also do it). My research led me to find that a magnesium deficiency can lead to tendonitis. Magnesium supplements can help relieve/repair it. Magnesium should be coupled with calcium for maximum absorbtion.

You can also absorb it transdermally by soaking in an Epsom salt bath (magnesium sulfate). Plus, it's just relaxing to take an Epsom salt bath. I feel like I am on a muscle relaxer after taking an Epsom bath!

And obviously - rest it - no more swatting flies!

Good luck - wishing you speed recovery and no more pain!

xo -Amy
 
I got 'tennis elbow' when I was on cipro (god I hated that stuff more than pred!!). I couldn't straighten my arm for about a week! It was awful. Fortunately I haven't had any problems since (this was about 3 years ago). Doctor said it was bursitis. Which is understandable since arthritis runs in my family...and the Crohn's doesn't help much either...

Hope you get feeling better soon! Leave the flies alone!! lol
 
Joan, I'm so sorry you're in pain. If it's not our guts it's something else, huh? I have no words of wisdom on this since I've never experienced it before, but everyone else's advice sounds really good! I hope some of these remedies work for you so you can enjoy your remission! :)

Amy - I always wondered how epsom salts worked. Thanks for the info! ;)
 
Jerman said:
Hey Joanie, sorry that you are not feeling well and hope it passes soon! We do have a cool product over in the states called of all things "Bed Buddy".
Click to expand...

That looks helpful, and the product's name reminds me of one thing that has definitely made my tennis elbow rear its ugly head on more that one occasion, and that's sleeping on the arm the "wrong way". It can really help if you try to pay attention to how you have the arm positioned as you drop of, or when you move during the night, so you're not stressing it (even just slightly) for hours while you're asleep. Again, happened to me more than once. Can make for an unpleasant morning :(
 
I wonder if this is related to my fingers being swollen up lately! I thought I was just clicking my mouse too hard out of anger at my boss ;) Might still be that...

Feel better!!! <3 <3
 
Joan, you and I have so much in common our Crohn's. When I found out I had Crohn's I was having tendonitis in my thumb/wrist area - talk about painful...us humans were given opposable thumbs for a reason and you don't realize how much you use the buggers until they hurt! I cannot take NSAIDs...they cause a lot of pain for me. A friend of mine told me about Blue Goo...her father has RA and uses it...he swears by it, so I bought some...it does help tremendously! And I did not smell like Ben Gay. I used that and took Tylenol and found the pain to be managable. I have included a link...don't know if it is a product there or not. Best of luck!

http://www.dothegoo.com/
 
I need a bed buddy :)...J/K...
I do have one of those bags with oats in it - not sure if its the same thing. Works great - can put it in the micro or freezer.

I'm sorry you are in pain Joan :( I cant really suggest anything that hasn't already been suggested.
I was always taught R.I.C.E --> rest, ice (heat alternated every 15 min), compression, elevation to reduce swelling. Not sure if it works for arthritis but may make it feel a little better - basically what everyone have already suggested.

I hope you feel better soon :)
Wendy
________
FUCK
 
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hi joan, as kenny suggested above, my similar condition was treated with 175 mg Imuran which was lowered to 100mg after 3 months. the NSAID is the worst for us with IBD and can cause endless comlications.

I hope you feel better very soon!
 
Aw, Joan. I've nothing to offer that hasn't already been said, but I hope you feel better soon!
 
acg101 said:
hi joan, as kenny suggested above, my similar condition was treated with 175 mg Imuran which was lowered to 100mg after 3 months. the NSAID is the worst for us with IBD and can cause endless comlications.

I hope you feel better very soon!
Click to expand...
The poor woman has had a reaction to Imuran and cant count on it to help.

How long did your stick with the 6mp Joan? Did you have a reaction to it as well?
 
I was not suggesting that she try Imuran since the poor women is alergic to Azathioprine, refering to not taking the NSAID since its soooooooo bad for us.
 
Hi everyone, sorry I'm late!

LFC - ha ha no thanks! they've got one of those in my local chinese chippy! urgh! it's got thousands of flies stuck in it!
Hey, do you remember Fiery Jack! That might work

Hiya Amy - hey thanks, will look into the magnesium thang!

Hiya Cindy - Yes, doctor mentioned burstitis to me! Kinda freaked me out, thinking me arm was gonna burst or summit!

Hiya Marisa - Thanks sweetie, you're so kind and helpful xx

Hiya Dave - Yes, you're dead right! Sometimes I wake up with a dead arm cos I obviously sleep funny - not ha ha , but perculiar!

Hiya codebrown - Ben Gay? never heard of it, so i Googled it, thought it was some mad transvestite or summit! never heard of Blue Goo neither! I will go to the chemist, Thanks xx

Hiya Wendy - Yeah, I'm doing the RICE thang! thing is, it sticks in one position, then I can't bend the bloody thing! xx

Thanks shady, acg, theend, Kenny and mspaghetio for all your advice and
best wishes xx

I have appt on Monday with consultant to get the ball rolling with Humira, and hopefully that might ease my joint pains, in the meantime, I've frightened the flies away screaming abuse at them! xxxxxx
 
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Hi Joan,
Sorry I missed this thread. I had inflammation in my shoulder and neck right after a bad flare. I hadn't done anything to bring it on and I think it was connected to the Crohn's because I lost so much weight including muscle. I saw a physio and rheumatologist but they couldn't suggest much. In the end, the best thing was a combination of aerobic exercise like walking everyday (to lubricate all the joints), stretching and some muscle strengthening stuff. I know there are some good stretching exercises for tennis elbow on the net. It took me a while to get rid of my problem but I found that, after about six months, I also got rid of all my other joint and muscular pain.
Maybe after your stint in hospital and recovering at home has led to some muscle atrophy and that fly swatting has been enough to injure a weakened area. It's such a slap in the face after you get over one thing though innit? Hope it settles soon,
Gail
xx
 
Good luck with your appt Joan! I hope you get started on the Humira soon, I too have a Gi appt tomorrow!
 
I know this may not seem like it but it will die down. I find after a bad flare or been on pred my joints and muscles are affected. It is getting better tho, still hobblin' on the one leg, were the sore knee is but this has happened so many times. Hang in there Joanie! xx
 

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