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I'm almost 50 and beginning to feel stiffness and pain in my fingers and hands.  Since I can't take Aleve, what is there to take for arthritis?

 Reply posted for Lizzies Mom.

Yes, I have tried tylenol arthritis. And Tylenol extra strength. It's about as effective as tic tacs except it doesn't give me fresh breath.

You know this all started before I was diagnosed with Crohns, I had a pain in my foot for several months and a podiatrist told me I must have a hairline fracture and made me walk around with my foot wrapped all summer. My foot was swollen most days and I could barely walk on it. Finally it went down...and then a few weeks later started again...on and off and on and off. And then it happened in my other foot.

Later on I realized it was Crohns related arthritis. Altho now its rare my foot is the problem, its mostly my hands. Tho if its rainy and I'm walking a lot my feet are doomed.

Meh!

 Reply posted for leelee1958.

Leelee, thank you for your answer. Its so nice to know I'm not the only one, I start thinking I"m CRAZY. Woke up today with swollen hands, hands and wrists and elbows hurting like heck and my neck is all tight and sore and my lower back is killing me. I can't remember what it was every like to wake up feeling refreshed from a good night of sleep. Meh!  Still looking for the probono massage therapist. . .will keep you on notice.

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

I can understand how you feel. Most days I feel like I am the only one who feels this way.  There are mornings that I wake up and can hardly walk. The doctors have not said that I have arthritis but I get really bad joint pain. It's awful.  I hope you feel better.

 Reply posted for OT.

I am so glad I read your posts this morning. I feel like I have finally found some people that know how I really feel, especially OT. I was first diagnosed with CD in June '08 and I have been on Remicade, Cimzia, Methotrexate & Prednisone and am currently taking Humira injections every other week. After giving myself the Humira injection, my joint pain will start to lessen in 2-3 days but, as soon as I get into the next week, it starts coming back and worsens until I do the injection. I don't know what causes what but I do know that I didn't have all this joint pain, from head to toe, until I was diagnosed. It has just gradually gotten worse. OT, please let me know if you find that pro-bono massage therapist. lol

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

I'm in my late 30's and the arthritis from my crohns is the worst symptom right now, some days i just can't move. i start thinking i might be depressed or something and imagining the pain but my hands swell up so i can see it as well as feel it and i know i'm not cReZeh 'cos my doc says this is a real thing. You would think if Crohns arthritis can get this bad it would get more press. Anyway, tylenol doesn't help and I'm on Cimzia, 6mp and sulfasalazine, I really don't know what else to do about it, a rheumy put me on prednisone once and i had mental freak outs. Other than that he and another rheumy said "well you're on the tnf alphas...can't put ya on anything other than that and sulfas bc of your stomach..." 
Often I wake up feeling like someone beat me in my sleep or dropped a brick building on me. It stinks. Sometimes I wonder if the Cimzia makes it worse, I didn't have body pain until i started all these tnf alpha blockers, I did Remicade for a year first and humira for a few months too. Body pain started when I was on Remicade. Hard to say what its from, drugs or disease or both.
Meh. I feel like i need to find a massage therapist who will massage me 8 hrs a day pro bono. Any takers?
Good luck.

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

I never realized until now that my arthritis in my knee (I had surgery to completely reconstruct it 4 years ago) could be related back to my UC... interesting.  At least now for sure I know I'm not crazy, lol.  Do y'all find that your arthritis flares up bad when your UC/Crohn's flares up?

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

some days the colitis related arthritis is so bad in my joints....this sounds crazy but ben gay helps me to cope....my co workers know me and ben gay go together some days......

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

I'm only 30 but my colitis related arthritis is so bad I can hardly walk some days. My doc gives me Lortab. I take a low dose but it at least takes the edge off enough so I can go through the motions of the day. When it's really bad I have found an injection or IV round of steroids can keep the joint pain at bay for a couple weeks. Also before bed or anytime you are aching alot, try taking a hot bath with some epsom salts. It gives temporary relief.

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

My son experienced this and he used Humira it didnt really help with his Chrons as they would have liked but it helps with his arthritis like symptoms.

 Reply posted for Karen17535.

Tylenol has an arthritis strength.   You should give it a try.   Hopefully it will give you some relief.