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Joint pain and nosebleeds!

KitKatGirl profile image
11 Replies

I was put on azathioprene nine weeks ago for my small bowel Crohn's disease and last week I started feeling a little better and was actually able to manage a few hours in college. BUT this week my joint pain has been so horrendous i can barely move! I'm using tramadol, paracetamol AND oralmorphine but nothing is helping. The other thing I've noticed is I'm getting three to four gushing nosebleeds a day without me blowing my nose or anything. I've left a message with my nure but in the meantime I was wondering if anyone else has had either of these and any advice would be most welcome :)

Thanks

KitKatGirl x

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KitKatGirl
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willow24 profile image
willow24Administrator

Hi, huni. sorry to hear you having a rough time. I suffered with joint pain for yrs until a new gastroenterologist sent me to see a rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with enteropathic arthritis from Crohns, and she commenced me on sulfasalazine. I am also on humira injections anyway, but it wasn't helping the arthritis. The sulfasalizine has helped to make it a lot more manageable, but it did take about 4 months to start working.

Have you seen a rheumatologist before, if not it might be worth asking your nurse if you can be referred. You def need to get advice regarding these nosebleeds as azathioprine can effect the liver, and the liver processes the enzymes, vitamins etc that are concerned with blood clotting.

Also azathioprine is known for causing bad joint pains. ask if you could be changed to mercaptopurine. it is a metobolite of azathioprine and has good success rate in people who react with, or are unable to take azathioprine.

Hope this has beenof some help. please ask me any other questions you may have, and keep in touch on how you are x

KitKatGirl profile image
KitKatGirl in reply to willow24

Thanks for your reply I've called my nurse who dropped my tablets down to two and I brought up the possibility of being refered to a rheumatologist and thanks to you telling me about the nosebleeds possibly causing liver problems I also aske her about that and she said she will see me ASAP and have tests done and also sort out a rheumatologist appointment so thanks for your suggestions I wouldn't have had a clue otherwise because I'm still so new to this 😊

Thanks again I'll keep you updated and I'm sure I'll have more questions

KitKatGirl x

CormorantWatcher profile image
CormorantWatcher in reply to KitKatGirl

So, I'm allergic to azathioprine, but the indicators of liver issues were going jaundiced (yellow) and it happened within a week the first time and a day the second. They tried me on it a second time, as the first I was on so many other medications that they weren't sure it wasn't an inter-drug effect.

I have tried most crohns/colitis meds and responded differently to each. My consultant informed me that many are related, so if you have issues with one, chances are a few others won't be so good, but another "family" of meds might work.

Joint pain and nosebleeds can be a sign of anaemia, if you're steadily losing blood through the bowel inflamaation, has anyone checked your iron and other blood levels? Full bloods, FE and LFTs or something is the acronym they always use to get ALL the blood samples covered.

Yazmita profile image
Yazmita in reply to willow24

Hi I can see your a crohns sufferer with joint pain to, I just wanted to ask your advice I have had crohns for 5 years now and have recently been suffering really bad joint pain in my knees, wrist and lower back but the knees are the worst, I feel it's only got worse over time. As I'm 25 the GP thinks I'm too young for arthritis so I'm seeing my crohns consultant next month and I'm going to tell him about it. Can I just have some advice on how it was with you? My main problem is that I'm pregnant I also have a 3 year old and the pains getting a lot worse and I live in a flat on the third floor with no lift and getting up and down the stairs is a nightmare. My legs can sometimes give way and I'm worried when the baby comes of falling down the stairs?

willow24 profile image
willow24Administrator in reply to Yazmita

your never to young for arthritis, and if you have inflammatory bowel disease you are at a much higher risk of getting inflammatory arthritis. I have problem with falling and stairs - I always wear flat shoes despite only being 5ft!.

I wasn't properly diagnosed until my consultant retired and the new consultant actually referred me to a rheumatologist. I had been suffering with knee and other joint pains for about 10 yrs prior to that.

is your property brought, rented or housing - as if housing your GP and consultant can write to them and say its not appropriate.

Where abouts do you live if you dont mind me asking

xx

Yazmita profile image
Yazmita in reply to willow24

Thanks so much for your reply, my housing is council so I'm hoping that once I've been diagnosed and had the appropriate scans or whatever that they could write to them! I live in South Kensington in London, and you? Did u need to move as well? What tests did you need to do once reffered to the rheumatologist? My consultant is so busy I've had to wait so long to see him as my appointment got rescheduled due to the junior doctor strike!

I'm only 5 ft too and have to wear flats because I'm scared I will fall over otherwise!

willow24 profile image
willow24Administrator

Im currently in process of selling and moving to Stafford from Evesham. My partner and I are looking at bungalows, as he recognises will be better for me.

I had Ultra sound scan on my hands as they were swollen at time. She also did loads of different blood tests.

I also had MRI on knee after I twisted it when I fell, this showed oesteoarthritis as well as enteropathic arthritis - Im only just 42 so as my GP said, I certainly wouldn't of been diagnosed with OA if the scan had not of proven it.

Just keep nagging them, and GP, they have to listen eventually

xx

Yazmita profile image
Yazmita in reply to willow24

Thanks for your advice I am seeing my gastroenterologist soon so I will discuss with him and ask to be reffered to a rheumatologist. I will let you know how it all goes. Fingers crossed I get something that helps because just going in and out of my house is a nightmare!

willow24 profile image
willow24Administrator in reply to Yazmita

Be strong hun, I wish I was nearer so I could help you out xx

KitKatGirl profile image
KitKatGirl

Hi Yazmita sorry to hear about your joint pain, I was diagnosed with Crohns disease last year and had horrendous joint pain constantly up until a few months ago when I had been on azathioprine and allopurinol for about six months. Since then I find the joint pain more manageable but whenever I'm ill I find the joint pain becomes unbearable. I find that hot baths and using a hot water bottle on the affected joints helps to relieve the pain. However I would recommend getting referred to a rheumatologist if the pain isn't manageable as they can test for any arthritis and also recommend treatments that might help. I asked my specialist if he could refer me and he was very open to it so I am currently waiting for an appointment to come through. I recently moved into a bungalow and found that not having to walk up the stairs reduced pain in my hips, knees and ankles greatly. I hope you find something that works for you and if I hear about any other treatments I'll be sure to let you know x

Yazmita profile image
Yazmita in reply to KitKatGirl

Thanks so much for your advice I will definitely speak to my consultant to see what can be done and for a possible referral!

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