Side Effects

[Crohnie1992]

Okay, so, since I've started Humira things have gone downhill (at least to me, my doctor thinks I'm faking). They did a scope and my intestines are clean now, but now instead of getting just stomach pain and nausea I'm getting stomach pain, nausea, muscle pain and weakness, joint pain (so bad that I can't move), sharp pain in my ribs, blood in my stool, migraines (which I normally get anyway, but they've gotten worse), and extreme fatigue..

I've told my doctor that I figure it's the Humira and since I feel like this 24/7 I haven't been able to work. At first I thought it was the Crohn's and the Humira, but after my last colonoscopy came back clean the only remaining problem would have to be the Humira. Of course, my GI thinks I complain too much and that I'm just lazy "because he has a son the same age that is lazy". :yfrown:

Since Humira is the only medication left of the ones I'd be able to take I'm not sure what to do. I can barely leave my house. I can't get disability because there isn't any physical proof (my GI wouldn't even sign the papers I had to get my family doctor to do it).. and I can't work. The last two jobs I had I ended up getting extremely sick.

Sigh.

 

[Patricia56]

Did you also have imaging (MRE) of your small bowel?

Sounds like you need a 2nd opinion ASAP.

 

[Crohnie1992]

Did you also have imaging (MRE) of your small bowel?

Sounds like you need a 2nd opinion ASAP.

I had an MRI of my small bowel. I have to wait until the follow up with my GI to know the results, but, yeah, I'm thinking I need a 2nd opinion too.

 

[Patricia56]

You might also want to see a rheumatologist about the joint pain. A lot of people with CD have arthritis and sometimes it requires separate treatment. It's also possible (unlikely) that you have another autoimmune disorder like lupus. The rheumatologist would be the one to rule that out.

And you could also ask for vitamin and mineral levels to be checked in case you need supplementation. Low B12, for example, might contribute to some of those symptoms.

This isn't an exhaustive list but some of the things you might ask to have checked include B12 and B6, folic acid, zinc, magnesium, iron, ferritin, Vit D.

 

[Crohnie1992]

I've had my levels checked and was told to take B12, Iron and Vit D (so I've been doing that for months now, but it hasn't helped). I'll try to see if I can get a referral to a rheumatologist.

 

[Orchid]

You need to see a rhuematologist - in some cases tnf-a inhibitors can cause autoimmune disorders and many people with Crohn's, as mentioned, have genes for autoimmune conditions.