Cervical ulcers and joint pain- any advice?

[TigerLily42]

Hello,

I am currently undiagnosed with Behcets disease and under the care of the Liverpool CoE. I have my next appointment on 3rd July, so not too much longer to wait and see if I have any answers!

In the mean time, I was just wondering if many of you suffer with cervical ulcers as part of your symptoms? If so, any advice on how to treat them/relieve pain?! I have a steroid ointment for the external ones down there, and also steroid mouthwash and inhaler for the mouth ulcers. I have also been on colchicine for the last few months. This has helped and improved my ulcers massively, but not stopped me getting them!

The joint pain also seems to be getting worse/more frequent now as well. To the point where I have to wear a wrist support some days when working (work at a computer all day!) and my hips and knees are awful when I am driving and end up stuck in stop/start traffic! I have started to take glucosamine tablets to see if that helps. But again, any advice at all to manage/relieve the pain? I currently just take paracetamol for this when I need it!

Thanks in advance!

[dlbaqua]

The longer I take colchicine the fewer ulcers I get. It will not make them go away but they will be fewer and less severe. I've been on it for 10 years and haven't had a big skin flare up in all that time! I had my first ocular involvement this year. Steroid eye drops took care of it. I do have one semi-permanent vulvular ulcer that flares up sometimes. I wish I had some tips for dealing with that but I do not. Steroids will become your best friend and worst enemy I'm afraid. When I was regularly practicing yoga, my joint pain was less but I stopped and I can't seem to motivate myself to start again. Keep moving for as long as you can because it's hard to start up again.

[TigerLily42 in reply to dlbaqua]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have only been on the colchicine for 3 months, but I have seen a big improvement in the severity of the ulcers already, so I am taking this as a positive! Especially as I have been suffering with the mouth ulcers for almost 20 years now and my doctor just telling me this was something I was obviously prone to and that I just needed to get on with it basically! The genital ulcers first started 6 years ago, in what I thought was a one off, as I didn't have any again until July last year, and then I have had them pretty much every month since Dec now! It seems everything just hit me at once then - mouth and genital ulcers, joint pain, severe headaches, fatigue... And has been on and off since then. I am so glad I found this forum as it has really helped me out so far and I ended up getting a referral to Liverpool after the help of people on here! I am trying to find what exercise works best for me now, as I struggle to do cardio gym sessions ATM. I do do some yoga and more stretches and light weights at the gym, and also found swimming helps (when I have no genital ulcers, as that irritates them!). When the joint pain isn't too bad, I try to get out for walks with my dog and partner. I don't want to just stop doing stuff completely, as like you say, it's hard to get back to it then isn't it! Thanks for the advice 😊

[Icefire]

Sorry to hear the joint pain and cervical ulcers are still a bother. I replied to an earlier post of yours. I finally stumped up the money to take part in ZOE nutrition study. I haven't regretted it. I eat much more freely than I ever have. Nothing banned.

I feel much more in tune with my body. I'm now taking no meds and no supplements.

It works if you enjoy food / cooking. Not sure about it if you don't.

Also invested in an ebike to get to work..beats the traffic. Battery if no energy to get home. I appreciate I am lucky to afford both these luxuries and also lucky to have safe route to work.

Good luck.

[TigerLily42]

Hi Icefire, thanks for your reply again. I have started to look at my diet and if anti inflammatory foods can help. But I really need to be more focused/dedicated to it to see if it does help me at all! Biking to work for me would be impossible and dangerous from where I live, to where I work! So that's a no no. Before all my symptoms started, my partner and I did get out on the mountain bikes regularly. But my joints are too painful to do that ATM. The yoga and swimming are definitely helping though I think. And I go to the gym when I aren't feeling so fatigued and achy and just so some gentle stretches and light weights 😊 thanks again for your advice! I do appreciate everything everyone comes back with and take it all on board.