i was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis about 15 years ago, and have a j-pouch. Genetic testing recently revealed I actually have Crohn's. Since my j-pouch surgery (and actually on and off for years before, too) I have been bothered by joint, muscle and tendon aches. I have ongoing issues with frequency with the j-pouch, but usually nothing like the urgency and pain I had when I was very sick, before I had my colon removed. The joint aches are another story, and I've seen a series of rheumatologists to try and help. I've tried remicade (got too many serious infections... gall bladder, throat, etc), enbrel, Stelera, and methotrexate. The only one that does anything is the methotrexate, and it only takes the edge off slightly.
my current rheumatologist got x-rays and a full body bone scan, and is insisting that most of my discomfort in fact comes from osteoarthritis, so she won't try Humira for me, and is shipping me off to an orthopedist. I don't really believe that's the problem though. I still occasionally (once a month for a few days, sometimes more often) have flares of urgency and pain from bowel issues, and when that happens, the joint issues flare too. I also have some minor skin eruptions that coincide, I feel like I have low grade disease, characterized mainly by joint pain. Chronic and painful, but Low grade enough that it's hard to get a diagnosis and proper treatment.
these flares don't sound like osteoarthritis to me. They are not bad enough to get a scope. I'm very sure they wouldn't register as serious enough intestinal disruption for a GI dr to warrant a prescription. As far as I know, the orthopedic options for the osteo issues I do have would wreak havoc with my gut, and I'm not in a position to entertain the thought of surgery if that's what they'd recommend.
Also, the rheumatologist diagnosed "generalized osteoarthritis", and it seems the orthopedists are reluctant to look at something so non-specific, so I'm having trouble getting in to see one.
I'm having serious trouble at my job. I manage a bar, and work long hours of physical work. Lots of repetitive motion is killing my tendons, and I'm in great pain most of the time. One of the signs I recognize is when plantar fasciitis rears it's ugly head. That's usually a sign that everything will hurt, even my ribs and shoulders.
Just venting, because I thought new treatments were going to become available with time, but am realizing that diagnosis is becoming a roadblock. I really feel like an old old woman. I'm 55, and am usually quite active.