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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/19/2010 10:40 AM (GMT -5)
So..............as I continue to live with what I consider a mild affliction of Crohns, I am developing new and interesting Crohns related problems......or so I believe.

For the last several years I have had bouts with dishydrosis in my hands. Its not Crohns psoriasis, but just as annoying and unsightly.
Also, my knees are getting worse by the week.....and I think I read that there is a Crohns arthritis.

So my questions are:
1) Anyone else have either one of these associated with your Chrohns?
2) Do you think it's possible that these things developed because I dont take my meds? Could they have arisen even if I did medicate?
3) And...........if I take my meds, will these things go away, or do I have to now treat them by themselves with totally different meds? As for my hands I DO HAVE steroid ointment.


Thanks!

General Colon Bowel
Posted 9/19/2010 11:06 AM (GMT -5)
I was once told by a Rheumy that usually the joint pain is a precursor to a Crohns flare. I would advise to get on meds and stay on them especially if you want to keep the Crohns in the mild side. I learned that one the hard way, and now 2 resections later, while in remission, my body is jacked up and no day is totally symptom free. JMHO
Posted 9/19/2010 11:38 AM (GMT -5)
1. don't have this condition or know of anyone with it so can't speak from personal experience. However, it is very common for people with Crohn's to have lots of skin problems and infections. My son has chronic skin infections and had them starting several years before he was diagnosed with CD.

2. I am not a doctor but the little bit of research I just did and personal knowledge I have about Crohn's related arthritis suggests that yes these other conditions may be extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's.

Here's a link to the e-medicine article on dishidrotic eczema http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1122527-overview

3. Again, I am not a doctor so I would not presume to answer this question. I can tell you that, according to the article I linked for you, one treatment option for severe dishidrosis is immune-suppressing drugs like 6-MP, methotrexate, and other drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases like Crohn's and rheumatoid arthritis.
Posted 9/19/2010 1:51 PM (GMT -5)
I have arthritis related to my Crohn's. My rheumy calls it "enteritis related arthritis." It is worst in my SI joint, but I've had terrible hand and wrist pain and now it's one knee.

I started taking sulfasalazine on top of my Pentasa a year ago and the hand pain went away. However, starting in March of this year my knee flared up, then my SIs started hurting more and now my hands are achy again. Meanwhile my bowel symptoms have gone from mild to moderate. I'm still working on what to do - my rheumy will do an MRI with contrast in October to see if my SI pain is inflammatory or not; that should give us some guidance.

I do believe that the joint symptoms are related to intestinal disease, whether or not we can feel the belly problems. So yes, the primary treatment modality has got to be getting the Crohn's under control. The first time I presented with joint pain it was about 4 years into my diagnosis and it was ALL OVER joint pain, from my feet to my jaw. That was treated with prednisone. I don't feel that bad yet, but if you are suffering, a few weeks on steroids will definitely address the acute problem.
Posted 9/19/2010 7:05 PM (GMT -5)
I have severe join pains in all my bigger joints.
It does not get better when my CD is better. It has actually just gotten worse.

IT has been so bad that they had to admit me to the hospital because I could not walk and was crying from all the pain.
So they gave me lots of morphine.

I usually stiffen up in the joints so its hard to bend them and when I am using them they sometimes loose there power and I drop things or almost fall down.
Posted 9/19/2010 7:47 PM (GMT -5)
I used to get eczema on my fingers all the time for years and years, but when I started probiotics, it finally went away. I read that probiotics can help with eczema, so I guess it worked!
Posted 9/20/2010 5:42 AM (GMT -5)
ive had dry hands and feet forever and ive taken all my meds like a good boy. joint pain has kicked my butt in the past off and on..
Posted 9/20/2010 9:47 AM (GMT -5)
Oh, I still have severely dry skin and lips though. I'm like Napoleon Dynamite—addicted to chapstick!
I also have beau's lines on my finger nails and my toe nails occasionally split right down middle. Skin, hair, and nail problems are a side effect of the CD for sure. Wish there was a magic cure for all that.
Posted 9/20/2010 1:25 PM (GMT -5)
I've always had bad eczema, since I was a baby really so I always wondered about any connection. I do have Crohn's related joint pain that ca get quite bad sometimes, but Humira has helped that.
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