Help with swollen joints?

[Meganleexox]

Hey guys, I'm new here.. Now I have been having some issues with my crohns. I was diagnosed over 5 years ago, I am 22 now and My joints are extremely sore.. Both my knees are swollen, my fingers, wrists and feet. I can hardly walk I'm taking remicade right now and my doctor today prescribed me t3's which are definitely not helping. He also wants me to start methotrexate ( appointment tomorrow ) I'm on imuran right now but this swelling is over the top. I can not walk, work get out of bed in the morning and it has been hell. It seems to get worse at night when I am not mobile. Anyway while I was talking to my GI he didn't seem to know what it was.. Doesn't want to take me off remicade because the crohns itself may get worse but does not know what to do besides prescribe me t3's my GI seems to not give a crap about the pain I am in or have any interest as to helping maintain the pain. Your a GI doctor shouldn't you know if this pain is caused from crohns or is it a side affect of remicade. Could someone please help me out, maybe information as to what it is, or help to get the pain away, I can hardly close my hands I walk like I am an 80yr old but I was an active girl, I workout I am going to school, I am a waitress. I'm so stressed and upset as to what this is coming to. This all started happening last week and I've been on remicade for about a year now.

 

[Lam123]

I have not yet tried remicade, I am on humira. But, I have sore joints aswell. I am not sure if it's from the humira or if I have developed arthritis. My dr told me if it continues I will have to see a reumotilogist. Maybe ask your dr if this is a option for you?
Sorry you are in so much pain, it's never fun.

 

[Meganleexox]

I have seen one already, she basically told me to suck it up and nothing was wrong this was a while back mayb a year or so,
but they want to send me back again. I don't really believe this could be a cause only because it's in my calfs, not to sure to be honest

 

[PsychoJane]

Are these joint pain new or old? You mentionned seeing a rheumatologist last year or so, was it for a similar matter? It is sometimes hard to determine if the pain is a side effect from the medication or a EIM of Crohn but there are blood tests that help distinguishing that. Profiles of ANA, anti-dsDNA for example are often elevated with patients that are experiencing paradoxical inflammation from the anti-tnf (cause yes, this is a possibility). The onset of the manifestation that are related to the anti-tnf does generally occur somewhere around 12 months +. If all these pains are new, it worth investigating if they are medication related. Usually, the rheumatologist wears the best shoes to investigate both these possibilities.

 

[rrhood1]

PsychoJane is right - seeing a rheumatologist may be the way to go. My GI gave me a referral to a rheumatologist who was well informed about Crohns. I was on Remicade and she put me on Methotrexate and although it helped somewhat and worked well with the Remicade, I still had sore joints. So she added Sulfasalazine and the joint pain is GONE.

 

[Meganleexox]

That's awesome, thanks for the info.. Helps alot

 

[EvieBaby]

It's really interesting to read all this. I have been to my doctors about my awful hip pain and I was basically told I need to lose weight and have pain killers. Whilst that may be so, it doesn't get to the underlying problem. I don't really like taking meds just to mask something without knowing what the cause is. Walking for me some days is so painful, and considering I have to walk everywhere it takes me a long time to get to places and often need to sit down just to ease up on the pain. I'm going to go back to the Doctor about it I just hate being fobbed off straight away.

 

[Meganleexox]

Hey eviebaby, it's been over a month now and still no relief, I understand where your comming from with the hip pain, I get it too. Something tells me these doctors don't know what they are talking about. I've been asking for answers but all they can say is wait a bit see what happens. I am so sorry to here this is happening to you too. And it upsets me that no one can truly help us. The GI keeps saying go talk to rheumatologist but he has no idea also.

 

[theOcean]

What are your current medications? Is your IBD active? One of my relatives has two types of arthritis so maybe I can help give some advice?

 

[Meganleexox]

I'm on remicade and methotrexate nothing elce is bothering me but the joints

 

[theOcean]

If you contact your GI or rheumatologist, will they put you on a course of prednisone to help treat it? Alternatively, have you gotten antibody tests for Remicade, or tried increasing your frequency up to every six weeks?

 

[Lady Organic]

Hi Megan, did you have the chance to meet with a rheumatologist? You mention you saw one last year, was it for the same issues, before the remicade?

 

[Lam123]

I have a similar issue. I have been told I don't have arthritis, when I am in remission, my joints are fine. During a flare, my knees swell. So my dr told me when my crohns is inflamed, sometime the inflammation goes to the joints. My knees don't hurt, just get swollen. I usually have to do a round of prednisone, when the flare up calms down, the swollen knees calm down. I have found puttig ice helps and keeping them elevated.

 

[Meganleexox]

Yes I have gotten to see the rheumatologist, they have just brush it off, they still tell me to wait and see what the methotrexate does because I just started a couple months ago but I believe this is just a flare up. It's mostly my finger sips they get swollen and red and hard they hurt. Also the bottom of my feet. Basically they said I will have to take prednisone if this continues. Which just makes me even more mad because I shouldn't have to rely on that drug to feel better. But I guess if I can get it under control then that will help me live my life day to day. I know for a fact this is not arthritis. 100%

 

[Lady Organic]

I am on methotrexate too... It doesnt help for my arthritis but it keeps my crohns completly in remission so I continue taking it (Im a moderate colitis type not fistulizing). Im trying sulpha now since a month. I have to wait for 2 other months to see if this is helping or not. How long have you been on methotrexate? After 3 months, you should see if its starts working. When you say you are sure this is not arthritis, do you mean you belive your problem is a side effect of Remicade? have you ever experienced these symptoms before the Remicade?