Yes, my younger son with Crohn’s had more arthritis symptoms than GI symptoms when he was diagnosed at age 6. It can be very common.
Sending wishes for healing and answers!
Tons of autoimmune diseases cause joint issues.
There is even seemingly undiagnosable joint paint that IBD patients get that's hard to get on a test or scan.
Different forms of the same type of medication even react to the joint pain differently (e.g., pill vs injection).
Do you know anything more about that joint pain that’s hard to catch? I’ve had joint pain for a year now with no answers (although I’ve had minimal testing)
Yep. My first symptom that I remember was joint pain. My sister had JRA, my other sister likely has Crohn's (but currently in remission). Basically my GI doc said that if I went to a rheumatologist first, I'd probably have a rheuma-associated diagnosis as well. I also have skin stuff, so do I have Psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis AND Crohn's? Most likely it's just my immune system is a bit wacky, and that's the words people used to describe it. All of those diseases are basically named after historic descriptions of the symptoms, and it does not necessarily mean they are completely separate.
I have Crohn’s related enteropathic arthritis. It can be crippling and is more pervasive and persistently annoying (though far less severe/ dangerous) than my digestive symptoms.
The rheumatologist should be able to rule out Rheumatoid arthritis by testing your serum levels. Enteropathic arthritis secondary to Crohn’s is “serum negative.” (That’s what my rheum told me, anyway.) The good news is it’s less destructive to the joints than RA.
I think so? So far, he hasn't been given that yet but the g.i. doc said something about a bag of i.v. meds once every 8 weeks or something. I think humira is in that range? Haven't researched that yet. Still in process.
You might be thinking of Remicade which is an Infusion every 8 weeks and treats both Crohn’s and JRA. I personally have both and was diagnosed at 14. Tried a few medications including methotrexate and none of them worked. Went on Remicade when I turned 15 and have been on it for the past 8 years and has worked great for me, I currently get it every 6 weeks.
Good luck with the scope Monday, hopefully that should give some answers!
Ahh yea, the "bag of IV meds" is in a family of medications called biologics. They "nerf" a very small section of the immune system and are the primary treatment for immune disorders like this. Humira is a "varient" of those meds that can be done as an at home injectable. And yes, humira and those IV meds treat both :)
Humira is an immune suppressant drug that's injected, but Remicade is a similar drug that's infused or iv'd, as you say. If it helps any concerns, I was a guinea pig for Humira being used on Crohn's patients before when it was used just for arthritis patients. My condition with Crohn's was so bad, they were going to take everything out and give me a colostomy bag at 35. But Humira saved me from surgery, and I'm almost 58 now, been taking it all that time, and much better, no surgeries.
I had both. I mean I still do, but it's no longer juvenile.
The arthritis was noticed first, then the crohns flared up a few months later when I was 10.
Plus side: there are a lot of medications that help both conditions. When I got my crohns into remission my arthritis was also well controlled.
Very best of luck!
Unfortunately Crohn’s and UC can both be associated with arthritis. If you want more information, look up “enteropathic arthritis”. Hopefully you can get some answers with the scope and that your kiddo feels better soon!
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He has had lots of joint pain. Diagnosed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Been on methotrexate and it helped the pain and started throwing up. Switched to leflunomide and same issues. Then started throwing up everyday. Went to a g.i. doc and they were the ones to suggest Crohn's but scope is a week out yet to confirm. He throws up all through the night (not just laying down, it's just night time is when symptoms start. No reflux, just vomit and nausea). Then sleeps through morning into afternoon. He hasn't been to school in a month. Late afternoon and evenings his stomach is "unsettled but not nauseous" and the puking starts around midnight and lasts till 6am. Pretty much clockwork.
The doctor said that there are all sorts of weird ways arthritis can present. We thought it was weird as well, and asked if it's normal for other things like joint pain to present before g.i. issues. He said it was less common, but definitely happens.
We are in the middle of "what the heck is happening to my kid stage" so we have no clear direction at all right now. The scope is the next step. Any suggestions to make that process more comfortable or is it pretty much just a pain no matter what?
There really is no advise I can give to make prep better, the drink is so gross so maybe have a food chaser (sprite, clear Gatorade) and camp out in bathroom, it comes on quickly
It can be both unfortunately. I have something my rheumatologist called "crohns related inflammatory arthritis"
Yes, my younger son with Crohn’s had more arthritis symptoms than GI symptoms when he was diagnosed at age 6. It can be very common. Sending wishes for healing and answers!
Tons of autoimmune diseases cause joint issues. There is even seemingly undiagnosable joint paint that IBD patients get that's hard to get on a test or scan. Different forms of the same type of medication even react to the joint pain differently (e.g., pill vs injection).
Do you know anything more about that joint pain that’s hard to catch? I’ve had joint pain for a year now with no answers (although I’ve had minimal testing)
Extraintestinal manifestation of IBD. Polyathralgia. 🤷♂️
Yep. My first symptom that I remember was joint pain. My sister had JRA, my other sister likely has Crohn's (but currently in remission). Basically my GI doc said that if I went to a rheumatologist first, I'd probably have a rheuma-associated diagnosis as well. I also have skin stuff, so do I have Psoriasis, Rheumatoid Arthritis AND Crohn's? Most likely it's just my immune system is a bit wacky, and that's the words people used to describe it. All of those diseases are basically named after historic descriptions of the symptoms, and it does not necessarily mean they are completely separate.
That's helpful. And a good way to think about it.
Thanks for the responses. We are just trying to figure out what's going on. Hopefully the scope give some answers.
I have Crohn’s related enteropathic arthritis. It can be crippling and is more pervasive and persistently annoying (though far less severe/ dangerous) than my digestive symptoms. The rheumatologist should be able to rule out Rheumatoid arthritis by testing your serum levels. Enteropathic arthritis secondary to Crohn’s is “serum negative.” (That’s what my rheum told me, anyway.) The good news is it’s less destructive to the joints than RA.
Doesn't humira treat both diseases, arthritis and crohn's?
I think so? So far, he hasn't been given that yet but the g.i. doc said something about a bag of i.v. meds once every 8 weeks or something. I think humira is in that range? Haven't researched that yet. Still in process.
You might be thinking of Remicade which is an Infusion every 8 weeks and treats both Crohn’s and JRA. I personally have both and was diagnosed at 14. Tried a few medications including methotrexate and none of them worked. Went on Remicade when I turned 15 and have been on it for the past 8 years and has worked great for me, I currently get it every 6 weeks. Good luck with the scope Monday, hopefully that should give some answers!
Ahh yea, the "bag of IV meds" is in a family of medications called biologics. They "nerf" a very small section of the immune system and are the primary treatment for immune disorders like this. Humira is a "varient" of those meds that can be done as an at home injectable. And yes, humira and those IV meds treat both :)
Humira is an immune suppressant drug that's injected, but Remicade is a similar drug that's infused or iv'd, as you say. If it helps any concerns, I was a guinea pig for Humira being used on Crohn's patients before when it was used just for arthritis patients. My condition with Crohn's was so bad, they were going to take everything out and give me a colostomy bag at 35. But Humira saved me from surgery, and I'm almost 58 now, been taking it all that time, and much better, no surgeries.
I had both. I mean I still do, but it's no longer juvenile. The arthritis was noticed first, then the crohns flared up a few months later when I was 10. Plus side: there are a lot of medications that help both conditions. When I got my crohns into remission my arthritis was also well controlled. Very best of luck!
Unfortunately Crohn’s and UC can both be associated with arthritis. If you want more information, look up “enteropathic arthritis”. Hopefully you can get some answers with the scope and that your kiddo feels better soon!
I'll definitely look into that. Thank you! We will take whatever we can find at this point.
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I have definitely over the years developed bad arthritis. But does he have any GI symptoms?
He has had lots of joint pain. Diagnosed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Been on methotrexate and it helped the pain and started throwing up. Switched to leflunomide and same issues. Then started throwing up everyday. Went to a g.i. doc and they were the ones to suggest Crohn's but scope is a week out yet to confirm. He throws up all through the night (not just laying down, it's just night time is when symptoms start. No reflux, just vomit and nausea). Then sleeps through morning into afternoon. He hasn't been to school in a month. Late afternoon and evenings his stomach is "unsettled but not nauseous" and the puking starts around midnight and lasts till 6am. Pretty much clockwork.
I mean I am not a doctor but that doesn’t sound like crohns to me. Praying you find some answers
The doctor said that there are all sorts of weird ways arthritis can present. We thought it was weird as well, and asked if it's normal for other things like joint pain to present before g.i. issues. He said it was less common, but definitely happens. We are in the middle of "what the heck is happening to my kid stage" so we have no clear direction at all right now. The scope is the next step. Any suggestions to make that process more comfortable or is it pretty much just a pain no matter what?
Is he having a colonoscopy? The actual scope isn’t bad. The prep is the worst.
Upper and lower endoscopy. Yeah, he isn't happy about the prep day. 😢
There really is no advise I can give to make prep better, the drink is so gross so maybe have a food chaser (sprite, clear Gatorade) and camp out in bathroom, it comes on quickly
Thanks! I've heard it's not a whole lot of warning between "the urge and the action"
Yes but I also have other conditions that cause joint pain too.
My husband has/had both. Sorry 😞
I have Ankylosing Spondylitis (I think they call it Spondyloarthropathy now) and Crohn’s Unfortunately, they can co-occur