I notice that there have been numerous posts about RA sufferers and IBS or Colitis etc.
Last year I had three bouts of Diverticulitis and each time my joints flared up ( pre diagnosis) when I mentioned this to my GP he just frowned and said 'That's odd' .
My question is .....is it?
Yesterday after a hideous panful episode in the loo, with rectal blood etc. my joints became so painful, I hardly slept. And today I feel wasted.
I see there is research and there is a proven propensity for Crohns and Ulcerative colitis patients to have related RA but anyone else with Diverticular disease?
Would be interested if anyone has any information on this.
Take care
Heather x
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hev53
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I was hospitalised with diverticulitus,but i can't remember if my ra flared or not.I should see your doctor Monday if you can and get it checked out.xxx
An ex-colleague used to take the MTX for his bowel disease to keep it under control. When he had flare ups his whole body used to ache, but he had not mentioned any inflammatory arthritis.
Heather , so sorry about how u r doing. I haven't read s research piece but I think personally autoimmune illnesses do show together sometimes , I have asthma RA and diabetes . A lot of people as you say get bowel disorders , there is often speculation on if bacteria in the gut can be a cause of RA but not proven yet.
However your typo did make me giggle , your hideous panful episode! But much more descriptive than painful if that's what you meant! Yes, sometimes you just have to laugh I think. Hoe u see the doc on Monday xx
Didn't see the typo! lol. How awful that read. I will see how it goes as I have had this before and I have the drugs to sort it out. I tend to self medicate a lot. xx
I have a feeling they will find a link. I have had 12 surgeries (not just for my colon) and think all of the antibiotics that I have been on in a short time has messed up my gut bacteria now giving me RA.
Hello BOB here
All I have heard is irritable bowl problems caused by MXT and pain medications.
I suffer Diverticulitus, that is caused by a narrowing of the divertlicum think that is how you spell it.
All I could suggest is see the GP, there are medications available for this
Yes I think this seems to be the general consensus of opinion so I am going to let my GP know and see what he says. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Take care
Hi hev53 sorry to hear your not doing so well. Think i read something about this recently. some research is being done that the bowel has the largest immune system in our bodies. As yet not proven but it suggest this might have something to do with getting ra. Like the others have said think you should visit the gp xxx
Thank you Miss. I will have a telephone chat with my GP and tell him and take it from there. He is aware of my former bowel problems so it will be interesting to see what he says. Thank you xxx
Hi Hope your feeling better and have spoken with your GP and got some answers.
I have had IBS since 1987 mostly controlled very well that is until I started on the MTX a few months ago - since then it has been a real pain !! I had not made the connection until I read this so will be mentioning it when I go back to see consultant on Thursday
My mother has Colitis and how now also been diagnosed with RA, I myself suffer from IBS, when I first saw my rhummy he asked if anyone in my family had Colitis or Crohns.
H, yes I have ra and diverticulitis. At the time I was on mtx I went to the er for pain in my stomach area which turned out to be a perforated bowel. I balmed mtx at the time and am still not sure how much it contributed to the perforation. I didn't know I had diverticulitis at the time. So I have ra, psa and ibd all can be related to ra
I have RA with numbers off the chart and had to have my sigmoid colon removed at the age of 42 which they all told me was very young to have diverticulosis/litis that bad.
I myself don’t have any problems in this department.
I spoke to a Rheumy nurse recently who said you can inflammation anywhere’s with this disease . At the time I was having bladder problems jurying a flare up.
I’m under the dental hospital for inflammation of the gums and was told there was a link with RA. So it could be possible.
Hi hev53. Absolutely it’s all connected!! RA is. an autoimmune disease IBS is an autoimmune disease as is Diverticulitis. I have an autoimmune illness which was diagnosed 40 years ago and was diagnosed with RA six months ago! So I now have 2 autoimmune illnesses. I have a friend who has M.S. (autoimmune disease) and also has IBS (autoimmune disease) and also has Lupus (autoimmune disease) Doctors!! Honestly, they’d do better if they’d look at the whole picture and put the pieces together. Do they think it’s pure coincidental that all this happens??🥴
SL53 not sure if you saw but this was posted 7 years ago so maybe no reply x
I have horrendous abdo pain, no rhyme or reason, have done since 2018. The current working theory from colorectal and urology combined is that it’s male pelvic pain syndrome. What I do know is that whilst bowel movements aren’t tied to the pain directly, I have issues in that department, too, and have seen significant improvement in the frequency and intensity of bouts of agony since started on mtx and then lef. I was having bouts 2 or 3 times a week every week, lasting for hours upon hours. My arthritis still isn’t fully controlled, but 13 months on, I get bouts perhaps once every 6 to 8 weeks or so on average. It’s still 2 or 3 times in a row as before, but then nothing at all for ages. I mentioned it to colorectal and they were very dismissive, but for me, there is a direct correlation between starting on arthritis treatment and a progressive reduction and improvement in episodes of abdominal pain as the doses were increased over time 🤷♂️ Understandably, I’m just not willing to stop my meds to test the hypothesis out!!
Just noticed your post . I have RA and frequently get sore inflammation of my gums and peredontal disease . Little plaque but sore puffy gums I had SIBO in 2015, which took over a year to identify and antibiotics helped to some degree. It has only now cleared up and kefir and kimchi helps rebalance the bacteria . I see a dental hygienist evey 3 months. I take sulfazalazine and have just been authorised for biologicals. When my gums or gut is inflamed my RA is bad. Research articles have found a responsible bacteria in saliva , mouth and gut lining . I have not found any articles that suggest a solution for us. I expect it might be similar with your condition. If I see any other information about it I will post it I keep pestering my rheumatologist about it and now my dentist. Good luck.
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