Side effects of crohns
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi, As I have informed the forum several times in the past, I have been suffering from crohns now for the past 53 yrs. and during that time have had several spells in hostpital undergoing a number of operational Procedures.
I don;t have good days, I have resonable days and unreasonable days that is the best wayb that I can describe it. My main problems are extreme fatigue and tiredness, I very often have to reduce my food intake when my stomach becomes upset. But another side effect that I have been exoeriencing over the last 15 yrs is chronic back ache that starts in my lower back then radiates up my back. It is worst when I am lying or sitting down and there appears know way of aleviating it. Painkillers of which I am restricted to paracetamol does not help. and because of the crohns I cannot take antinflametries. Does anyone else experience this form of discomfort and if so have they found anything that can relieve these symptoms
0 likes, 13 replies
Bong1968 decndor
Posted
Hello! So sorry to hear about the dreadful backache - amongst other things! I've only had Crohns for 30 years (!) but do experience lots of joint pain, bursitis in both hips and one knee and plantar faciitis in both feet. This is aggravated by the amount of walking I do at work but it pays the bills. Have you tried Magnesium oil for your achy bits? It's a good way of getting magnesium into your body without the laxative effect and is good for relieving aches. As for the fatigue, are you on B12 injections as these can help too if you have problems absorbing it from food due to the Crohn's.. I really hope that you feel some relief soon! Take care. X
decndor Bong1968
Posted
Hi, Thanks for your quick response it is appreciated. I am on b12 injections but unlike a lot of people I do not feel any benifit. although I am told regularly that I would notice the difference if I did not have them, I am not sure about that. I to get a lot of joint pain especially my knee's. I will cerainly look at trying this "Magnesium oil" I take it that you can buy this over the counter and do not require a prescription. I will keep you informed how this goes. Fortunately I am retired and can to a certain extent take it easy when feeling fatigued. I hope you can get some relief from you aches and pains
Bong1968 decndor
Posted
You can buy the Magnesium oil from Amazon (I'm a bit of a sofa-shopper) or places like Holland and Barrett also sell it. An alternative is to put some Epson Salts into your bath. I must warn you that if you are deficient in magnesium it can make you itch or sting a bit!
I'm off to have a soak in a nice hot bath myself. After a seemingly endless 10 hour night shift I need it... I look forward to hearing how you get on. Good luck!
Alfielefoo decndor
Posted
Obvs its not related to crohns for me.
I hope you find some relief soon.
decndor Alfielefoo
Posted
patricia86015 decndor
Posted
I have had Crohns for same time as you and fatigue has been a problem for me. Since my last op a year ago when 4 cm of terminal ileum was removed I have been a lot better mainly due to better absorption after the op. Otherwise keeping up B12 levels is important and I get regular injections at the GP. Problem there is you need to get blood test results and see how close you are to threshold which is very low. Another thing is ferritin levels and I have had an infusion at the hospital but you have to have very low level to get it. Dehydration is another cause and generally quite a battle to keep hydrated. Crohns can cause malabsorption and always good to check bloods for these things. As for back ache I have not had quite the same as you. Just lower back pain which is due to stress, e.g. if you are worried that have enough energy for something. Also bone disease as you get older - good to get bones checked out. Hope some of this helps and best of luck.
Patricia
decndor patricia86015
Posted
Hi, Thanks for your advice it is greatly appreciated. As I said in my reply that I have my b12 injections every three months by the nurse at my GP'S
?surgery. Some people say that they cannot wait to have their B12 injection since it makes thrm feel a lot better ,but I am afraid that I do not feel any benifits what so ever. I dont think there is anything you can take for the fatigue. The only medication that am on, is B12 injections and cholestyramine for malabsorbsion. My last group ofr blood test was around three months ago when I attend the hospital for my anual check up at the gastrology clinic, which came back as ok but since there are so m any blood test that can be carried out you wonder if they are carrying out all the ones that are needed and therefore could be missing relevent information. Once again thanks for your advice. I hope that you continue to feel well. .
me_petit decndor
Posted
Dear Decndor,
Sorry about ur predicament of fatigue & back pain. I have had Crohns for about 10 yrs & back pain for about 5. I started using the TENS machine about a year and get some relief in conjunction woth Buscopan & paracetamol.
Although since some of my small intestine was removed spme weeks back, Othe back pain has disappeared. Could you please check ur Vitamin D, as sometimes that could cause fatigue.
All the best.
decndor me_petit
Posted
Hi, Thanks for getting back to me and for the suggestions it is appreciated.
?I have tried the the tens machine way back but It did not improve the situation. I am on vitmine D3 capsules. When I was first daiagnosed with crohns 53 yrs back I used to get lower back discomfiort so I don't know if this is related to the crohns. I have also had a lot of operations over the years and my last one was for the removal of my left kidney due to them finding a tumor on it. The diagnosis was that it was 85% chance of cancer. so with those odds I agreed with them and decided to have it removed. It took another six weeks for the result of the biopsy to come which fortunately turned out to be a begnine tumor but also meant that there was no need for the kidney to be removed. Although the back ache started well before then
Lea1788 decndor
Posted
sheila51371 decndor
Posted
I am sorry you have been experiencing debillitating back pain without being able to take anything in the medicine way to help you. I have had Crohns for 50 years now and like you have had a number of ops to help things. One of these was to remove my Gall Bladder which gave me terrible back pain. It turned out that it was only graval but through this I did learn that a lot of my back pain was caused by a blocked bile duct. When this happens I tend to cut the fats in my diet out completely and just eat very carefully - like grazing only. A hot water bottle leant against your back will help with this and just really looking after yourself for a while. Thats the first part, the next is to ask if you have B12 injections? In the beginning I had them every three months and benefitted greatly, Now some 15 years later I have them every two months and strangely if I forget that this is due I get ferocious back pain, it feels as if my back will break in two, and strangely I suddenly realise that I need the injection. When I get it done, the pain disappears. It almost feels like a miracle it is so sudden.
I don.t know if this will help you, but we are both old hands at this and I do believe that the solution will be there and it will be a simple one.
Best wishes and I hope this helps. One other thing before I finish, in the beginning I was prescribed Cholestyramine which was like a fishy gum thing that I took with water and it stopped food rushing through. It was pretty awful then, but now has improved no end. Its called Questran and in the main because of lack of supplies you get Questran light. Apparently they found this helpful to people who run high cholestral. Apart from anything else it stopped me feeling as if I had butterflies in my stomach, so if you haven't tried this, do, it does help.
Best wishes
Sheila
decndor sheila51371
Posted
Hi, First of all thanks for getting back to it is appreciated. As you said we are old hands at this. When I was first diagnosed 53yrs ago I have to say that I had never heard of crohns. and yet 53yrs later it seems to be on the increase with no cure in site.. although mediction today does seem to cut down the need for surgery. It looks like we have both covered most things in our time with crohns. I to have had my gallbladder removed there were six perfectly formed stones about 3/8"in diameter.
?I still have the in a container as a reminder. I to take questrian for malabsorbtion. Although I take very little medication for trhe crohns this has been about one of the best things I take as it allows me to eat my meals without running off to the toIlet afterwards. I also have B12 injections every 3 months but as I have said before they do not seem to help me I dont feel any different after having them. I have also had my appendix removed, it was during this operation that they discovered that I had crohns. It isn't back pain it is more of a ache which is pulling me down. Once again thanks for your advice. I hope that you keep well.
mohan80129 decndor
Posted
Hi decndor,
There is no mention of what you have been using to treat Crohn's. Have you tried HUMIRA?