Help with side effects

[samarc]

Hi I am Marc and got diagnosed with crohns back in march this year, after a really bad flair up in may my doc put me on 60mg prednisolone after that failed to help they have recently put me on azathioprine my dose is 200mg a day 4 50mg tabs at the same time.

my problem is that i have noticed my fingers, wrists, knees and feet hurt all the time also my partner has said she has noticed my breath is really bad. I have just stopped taking my pred after weaning off from them the past few weeks so was wondering if it is the aza or the pred causing these problems.


any help would be great.

 

[farm]

Pred caused me quite a bit of joint pain (and joint pain is a symptom of Crohns) but the pred seemed to make it worse.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[ErinDF]

I agree, joint pain can be a symptom of the disease and you tell your Dr about it. It might suggest that the current course of treatment isn't working.

 

[samarc]

Cheers for that i have been to see the doc and they informed me that i because Azza takes 6 weeks to kick in and the fact that i have finished my pred i am in a sence not covered by any treatment. the problem is i feel like a old man with the joint pain it is bloody killing me.

 

[Peaches]

Late welcome Marc! So taking a pred didn't help your disease at all? That is strange. Do you remember having the joint pain while on the pred or did it start only when you started tapering to lower doses of it? I don't know where you are in your "induction" phase of the Aza - but maybe you need another round of pred to get the joint pain under control (if the joint pain doesn't seem to be related to taking the pred that is!). You may also want to consider a trip to a rheumatologist to make sure you don't have rheumatoid arthritis or something else joint related going on. If the joint pain didn't start until you got on a very low dose of the pred - it could very well be the Crohn's and it may stick around until the Aza kicks in all the way.

Edit: just looked it up and joint pain can be a side effect of Aza - AND it looks like they do use Aza to treat RA as well. So - I'd check with your doc at this point.....sounds like you are really struggling with it. Hope you feel better!

 

[Crohn's 35]

I find it odd that Prednisone causes us joint pain, when initially it was used for joint pain..go figure. As for AZA I was on 6mp instead because Imuran had sides I couldnt take, and the 6mp went straight to my liver only after 5 days. Everyone is different, but I hope you get relief soon, 60mg of Pred is pretty high and strange that is isnt working. Welcome to the forum!

 

[samarc]

hi Peaches pred did help me big time as i was on 60mg a day but when i was asked to reduce the symptoms came back as i got 40mg a day thats why i was put on aza.

i am only 3 weeks into aza and not on pred any more and most of the syptoms have come back.

i can handle them but its the joint pain. when i was on the pred i never had joint pain and this is my 1st exp of the joint pain. it get really bad at points like when i am sat down and then get up my feet hurt like hell and my legs and my back.

 

[Peaches]

OK - THAT makes more sense. I was wondering about the pred giving you joint pain. FARM - that's the first time I've heard that.

Even with knowing the joint pain wasn't there on the pred - I think I'd still call the doc because obviously coming down off the pred is setting things off for you - in more ways than one. And *I am not a doctor* but DERN - they took you straight up to 200mg of Aza?? Someone who has been on Aza more recently than me help me out - but don't they typically sneak you up 50mg at a time so you can tolerate it better? And how much do you weigh? 200mg seems like a lot - as did the 60mg of pred! I think the typical starting dose of pred is like 40mg, unless you are a really big guy. Not wanting to second guess your doc - just sounds different than many here on the forum. I'd want to see if maybe he could get you back on at least a lower dose of pred until the Aza can fully kick in for you - 4 more weeks at least? That might help with the joint pain - but again - now wondering if the joint pain is coming from such a high starting dose of the Aza as well. I really need to go to med school Sorry - not trying to confuse you - really thinking out loud for the most part. Try warm baths and heating pads, that may help as well.

Oh - and if he didn't council you well on the pred - make sure you are taking extra calcium and Vit D while on it to protect your bones...just a good habit to get into in case you have to do pred tapers in the future.

 

[samarc]

my GP put me on 60mg of pred and even my consultant said that was a high dose. as for the 200mg of aza, that is due to my weight

not that i am big lol i am 6ft and only 13.5 to 14 stone when fit and well how ever after the steriods i have gone to 15 stone.

also not sure if anybody could help me on this but i used to be in the RAF and whilst in there i had problems with my tummy and was always given Ibuprofen could this have helped me get Crohns?

I will try the heat pads as i do feel better after a bath although not 100%.

 

[Peaches]

*I* do not believe that taking ibuprofen can "give" you Crohn's. It is a combination of things that predisposes you to getting Crohn's - genetics and environmental aspects playing a big role. You may have already been told this - but you shouldn't take ibuprofen or any NSAIDS now that you have been diagnosed as it can set a flare off from rebound inflammation. Sorry you are getting a loped sided response here with me, me and me ;o)