Do you have ulcerative colitis and joint pain?

Question

I have done a lot of research and find that there is just too much to read. I would just like to hear from a few people with the disease...

I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS:

1) Do you suffer from joint pain in conjunction with ulcerative colitis? IF SO, HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT?

2) WHAT TIME OF DAY IS IT THE WORST? (For me, it seems to be at night.)

3) DOES ANYONE TAKE ASACOL AND/OR 6MP (aka Mercaptapurine or Purinethol) FOR MAINTAINANCE? These are the drugs I take. I was under the impression that these drugs help to keep my intestines "calm". Is it possible that they also help keep my joint pain down too? Admittedly, I've been lax in taking my meds lately and have noticed joint pain. Is it possible that my meds were alleviating the joint pain and I didn't notice it until I got lax in taking them?

Thank you for your time answering this : )

PS I see a doctor regularly. I will be seeing him in a few months. I just wanted to hear from people in similar circumstances.

Answer 1

In 1980 I attended an engagement party in a local pub and they hasd a buffet, usual things, pies sausages on sticks, that sort of thing. I ate a chicken leg and when I got to the middle it was still frozen. I spat it out and complained. Next night I got the most awful pains and had to keep visiting the toilet, up to 20 (yes twenty) times during the night. Eventually I went to the doctor who sent me to hospital. I had contracted Salmonella and Campylobacter poisoning from the chicken. I was in hospital for a month and off work for 6 months. I lost 3 stones in weight and felt awful. I was on 16 different tablets a day including prednisolone and steroids. This left my intestines in a mess and I developed ulcerative colitis. Since then I have to take 6 Asacol tablets a day for life and have regular colonoscopys. The tablets are to stop inflamation of the colon and thus prevent cancer developing. I'm fine now but still take the tablets. My elbow joints ache but I put that down to tennis elbow that I contracted years ago. Asacol is not meant to keep your intestines 'calm' but stop inflamation. As far as the pain is concerned I have learned to live with it but if it gets too bad just take a couple of paracetamols. Don't stop taking the Asacol no matter how well you feel and best wishes for the future. If you live in England you can join NACC (National Association for Colitis and Crohn's Disease) who give you lots of information and support. Look it up on the web.

By the way it was three years before I ate any chicken again.

Answer 2

Fortunately, that is not one of my ailments.