Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis Support Group
Crohn's disease is a systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown cause, that results in chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, and can also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract. There is no known medical or surgical cure for Crohn's disease, but there are many medical...
I have been searching for an answer for a long time and thought I'd see if anyone experiences the same thing...
After my last bowel resection(#3), a little over a year ago, I started having lower back pain. I remained on pain pills for several months and switched to Tramadol probably 5 months ago. I remember sitting in the hospital right after my surgery feeling this horrible back pain. It's gotten better but it's been CONSTANT since then. It's more of an aggervating pain and feels like pressure. I also describe it as nervey? It definately tends to gets worse with bowel movements. I went to the Mayo Clinic last October but they couldn't find anything. My GI doctor here thinks it's soft tissue pain and recommended massages. I have ben getting a full body massage ever other week for a few months now. It's really starting to bother me that I rely on pain medicine on a daily bases. It's been over a year and no improvement? Will I always have this? the part that really bothers me is when I met with the pain specialist he said he's never heard of Crohns and lower back pain being related. I would love to here if anyone experiences this as well or if anyone had advice. Thank you!
After my last bowel resection(#3), a little over a year ago, I started having lower back pain. I remained on pain pills for several months and switched to Tramadol probably 5 months ago. I remember sitting in the hospital right after my surgery feeling this horrible back pain. It's gotten better but it's been CONSTANT since then. It's more of an aggervating pain and feels like pressure. I also describe it as nervey? It definately tends to gets worse with bowel movements. I went to the Mayo Clinic last October but they couldn't find anything. My GI doctor here thinks it's soft tissue pain and recommended massages. I have ben getting a full body massage ever other week for a few months now. It's really starting to bother me that I rely on pain medicine on a daily bases. It's been over a year and no improvement? Will I always have this? the part that really bothers me is when I met with the pain specialist he said he's never heard of Crohns and lower back pain being related. I would love to here if anyone experiences this as well or if anyone had advice. Thank you!
The last rheumy I saw thinks this is what I have (the first rheumy thought I may have ankylosing spondylitis or an undifferentiated spondylarthropathy). My initial symptoms were pain in my mid-back and ribcage that wrapped around my chest. Now I have lower back pain and joint pain (particularly my wrists, fingers, and toes) daily. I wake up stiff and sore. I don't take anything for it because I can't take any NSAIDS. And it's not bad enough to take a heavier pain killer for.
I think physical therapy and massage are good non-med options. Perhaps yoga would be helpful too? I've always wanted to try that but never seem to find the time.
I would start with a rheumatologist and see what they say. I don't blame you for not wanting to be on pain meds!
I still have never gotten a definitive dx for what it is. The arthritis symptoms actually began a full 5 years before I had any symptoms of UC. The first rheumy thought I had ankylosing spondylitis (AS), as did I. I have the HLA-B27 gene, so I've always thought it was a possibility. Then the CT of my SI joints came back normal and he wasn't sure. Then he called it an "undifferentiated spondylarthropathy". The next rheumy I saw thinks it's all enteropathic arthritis related to the UC. Why it presented itself so many years before my UC symptoms was never explained to me.
I think women have a more difficult time getting a proper dx. AS is generally seen in men, but women do get it and it's very often hard to dx in women. I also think that sometimes our symptoms are not taken seriously, and that some in the medical profession see our symptoms as overexagerated. I know that is how I felt when I was trying to get some help for my back and joint pain. I went to 6 different docs over the first 5 years and not one of them ever looked into the possibility that I had an autoimmune disease. I was never checked for anything. It was only after I was dx'd with UC that anyone started listening to me about my joint problems.
I hope you get some answers soon. I know how frustrating it is!