Hello All:

Per my last post, I was finally diagnosed with Pouchitis and the doctor perscribed Cipro 500mg twice a day.

It's been 8 days since I started the Cipro, and I am Still waiting for some relief for the achy joints/muscles. Anybody have any suggestions on how I can get some relief for the discomfort? My hands hurt all of the time as well as my feet and ankles, knees, shoulders.....sorry to complain.

Thanks All,

Craig

If you do not get some sort of positive result within three days, you are on the wrong antibiotic. I'd call for something else.

Jan

Hi Craig

Whats causing ur sore joints and muscles?

Tam x

I wish I knew what was causing the achyness and discomfort in my joints. In reading some of the syptoms of Pouchitis, achy joints was listed as a symtom, unless I read it wrong. It's been 11 days since I started on Cipro, and have had no relief at all. I will more than likely switch to Flagyl and try that one to see if it helps at all. Unless someone else has some suggestions for getting rid of the pouchitis.

Thanks All,

Craig

There is a whole laundry list of treatments for pouchitis. Usually you start with Cipro or Flagyl and go to the other if the first one does not work. Then you combine them or increase the dose. Then you move on to other things, but this is only if pouchitis is confirmed by scope. If not, then you should be scoped sooner rather than later.

IBD related arthritis often will follow the course of the IBD. Sometimes it doesn't, especially if the spine is involved.

For more pouchitis treatments try reading this article.
http://usagiedu.com/articles/pouch/pouch.pdf

Jan

Hi Craig,
I don't have pouchitis (I got scoped yesterday and given the all-clear) but my joints and muscles are really painful and have been for months. I'm waiting for blood results to show if I have a vitamin deficiency that's making me ache. The rheumatologist didn't think it was any kind of rheumatism. Mind you, she also thought UC and all related issued were cured by colectomy, so what does she know?
Anyway, if I were you I'd investigate the pains independently of the pouchitis. They may not be caused by that at all. Good luck!
ps: I soak in warm baths and massage my joints and muscles to relieve pain.

Thanks Soph,

I am going to my rheumatologist on Wednesday to discuss what else could be going on. The vitamin deficiency soulds like a logical explanation. He is a big propronet of vitamins and such. He is going to draw blood and run whatever tests he deems neccesary.
I was scoped and yes I do have pouchitis, and am currently taking Cipro which doesn't seemed to be working. I am waiting for him to call me, so we can change to Flagyl and hopefully it will help some.

Thanks,

Craig

Craig,

Achy joints is a possible side effect of Cipro but it seems unlikely this would occur after such a short course, but nevertheless ask your doctor.

I have been taking Cipro for well over 10 years, in tandem with flagyl, to treat my puchitis. 1000 mg cipro and 500 mg flagyl a day does the trick for me - keeps the pouchitis down although does not totally eliminate it. Never had achy joints.

Good luck to you.

Craig,

I recently was on 1000mg of Cipro for my first diagnosis of pouchitis. It seemed to make me more fatigued, weak and my joints ached more than normal. The cipro helped me. If it didn't, I was going to ask for the Flagyl to add to it or in place the Cipro. It took a long time for me to get my energy back. I felt like I had was wearing ankle, wrist, and body weights all over my body adding extra pressure to my joints. Alot of the symptoms though were from the pouchitis alone.

Jack

Hello All:

Went to the doctor yesterday, and they took x-rays and blood from me, and the doctor says it is a temporary condition called Enteropathic Arthritis, which is swelling of the joints which showed up in the x-rays and he gave me a pamphlet that says that 1 in 6 people with IBD also have this condition, the good news that for me there is no bone damage, and that this condition is treatable and reversable. Once we get the blood tests back next to confirm his diagnosis, he will prescribe the treatment which might be methatrexade.

Thanks,

Craig