Recently diagnosed with UC and have questions

[meph]

I was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis affecting my entire colon. Apparently it had been undiagnosed for years. After my colonoscopy, I was placed on 60mg of prednisone for 14 days, tapering to 40mg for 7 days, 20mg for another 7 days (which I'm on now), and finally 10mg for 14 days. I was also recently placed on Mercaptopurine (100mg daily). The diarrhea is finally beginning to let up with only occasional cramping remaining. I have had a lot of joint pain lately though, specifically ankle pain and swelling. Has anybody else experienced this and what do you recommend to help with the ankle pain and swelling? I've tried elevating my ankle, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Should I be icing or heating?

Thanks

 

[mickey]

Inform your doc. Could be a side effect of weaning from pred. I had my knee nearly explode once from too fast a weaning off pred. Good thing is the doc can make an adjustment in meds and it will quickly relieve that.

 

[meph]

Thanks, I'll give a call to the doc tomorrow. any suggestions for tonight though?

 

[mickey]

When a symptom is caused by a med, I am not sure that ice/heat makes much of a difference. I know when my knee blew up from the pred withdrawal, nothing helped. If icing, rub ice cube on area until it is almost numb. Then remove ice. That is what they usually due when you have physical therapy. Ice to numb and the remove ice. No need to keep bag on area for long period. Good luck!

 

[meph]

I've got an appointment tomorrow with my GP, so we'll see what happens. GI doctor told me to see GP ASAP, so hopefully nothing serious.

 

[meph]

I saw my gp today. He feels that the ankle pain and swelling is due to dehydration and cramps. Unfortunately last night I got the awful stomach flu that is going around my area. Didn't make it to work today because my stomach was rebelling so badly.

 

[meph]

And now I still have the stomach flu. Stomach has calmed down, but now I'm spiking a 101 Degree fever. Hoping that this goes away so I can make it to work tomorrow.

 

[Kayser]

Hi Meph!
Im in exactly the same boat as you at the moment =)
Less than 7 days in with Pancolitis effecting everything and loaded on Pred.
My knees and feet are swelling, but Im told this can be made better with intake of Sodium and Potassium.
Im trying bananas for a few days to see how it goes =)
If there is any others that can confirm or deny the science behind this, please do
Best of luck

 

[meph]

I've been feeling much better over the last 4-5 days, however now my right leg (above the knee, back of the leg) is super sore. It feels like I pulled something really badly. I just want to start feeling better, get back to a normal life. I feel like I take 1 step forward only to take another 2 steps backward.

 

[mickey]

rub the area in pain and that should help alleviate that. However, always keep in mind that if something hurst badly, check to see if discolored...you don't want to ignore a potential blood clot.

 

[meph]

Apparently my knee and thigh pain is an extra-intestinal manifestation of my UC (according to my GP). I have an appointment with the GI on Friday, but I'm hoping to get that appointment moved up because the pain is pretty severe. I never would have thought that this would cause so many extra issues. Uggghhhh!!

 

[meph]

I went back to the doctors yesterday about my knee and thigh pain. I was in so much pain (almost as bad as when I've had kidney stones). The doctor thought it was arthritis in my knee because it was swelling up. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't a blood clot, so I insisted that she at least measure my calves to see if it could be a clot. The measurements weren't good, so she sent me to the hospital around 6:30 last night to get an ultrasound. About 7:30 got the ultrasound and turned out I did have a blood clot. Good thing I insisted on getting checked for blood clots. I had to go down to the er and finally got into an examination room around 10:00 last night. They gave me cumodin (sp?) and an injectable blood thinner as well as hydromorphone for the pain. I was finally able to leave the er around 1:00 a.m. this morning. Now I'm sitting in my bed with my leg elevated and waiting to go to 3 doctors appointments tomorrow morning. The crappy thing is it is so hard to walk right now. The last two months have been awful shitty.

 

[mickey]

Glad to hear you pushed for more and resolve the problem! You know your body better than anyone. Good job!