Flare-ups with odd symptoms
Hello - I have a question about some odd symptoms. I was diagnosed in 1986 and had a resection in 2003. Since the surgery, I have been taking Entocort, Lomotil and Imuran and for the most part, normal symptoms are under control. I had an CT Scan about six months ago and was told I have no active disease. However three or four times a year, I end up having what seems like a minor flare with gas, left-side abdominal pain and some minor diarrhea. What I find out of the ordinary is that it's always coupled with exhaustion and joint pain. These symptoms tend to last three to fours days and then disappear one their own, without any change in medication. The only change that I an call out is that I tend to become more conservative with my diet... but nothing significant. I find this strange because back when my diesase was active, I didn't have these predictable short-term flares and I never had the joint pain.
After this happened the last time, it occured to me that one of the things I did just prior to getting these symptoms was that I started taking a high protein, high vitamin supplement. And I never put two and two together, but I've done this before, with different supplement types and I think maybe there's a correlation between the supplements and these symptoms.
Has anyone ever found this type of reation to high vitamin intake? I have a friend with Lupus who mentioned that she can't take vitamins because it causes her joints to ache even when the Lupus is inactive and she said it's a given that it will happen to her. It made me wonder whether there's something with people who have autoimmune disorders; perhaps taking vitamins that are intended to boost the immune system cause the immune system to become overly active.
Anyway, I'm just theorizing about that. I'm wondering if other people have these short flare-ups even when symptoms are seemingly under control, and that include the joint pain?
Thanks you!
Gary
