I am having a bout of "something" and I'm not sure what.
I have joint/bone pain, fatigue, and diarrhea (watery with bits of food). Pretty much all the time however all symptoms get especially bad right after I eat. I have to go lie down and if I do, I'll fall asleep. This has been going on for a couple months but it's gotten a lot worse lately. I feel terrible and I think I'm starting to get actual depression from it. I also have brain fog and frankly am barely able to work - I'm just sitting there looking at my computer screen.
When I've had pouchitis in the past (I've had it a handful of times in 17 years of the pouch, not a lot), I've had urgency - I don't have that.
The other thing is the joint pain is different than it used to be. It used to (in UC days and in other bouts of pouchitis) be shooting pains in my joints. Now I have those pains not just in my joints, but in addition it'll be like midway up my arm - it's like in my bones. I also feel a generalized burning pain, especially when I wake up in the morning (although it goes away and I've tested negative for RA). Everything is worse if I drink alcohol.
Does this sound like it could be pouchitis, or something else?
I am going to my GI tomorrow but wanted to hear what you guys say. I also have celiac but I'm GF of course and haven't had this kind of flare since I was diagnosed 5 years ago.
Frankly I want it to be pouchitis because maybe it can fixed with Cipro. I hate going to the GI because I know he'll want to scope but I can't bear it any longer :-(
Writing this is making me realize how bad things have been, I'm glad I'm going in tomorrow.
Thanks in advance for any questions/ideas you think might help with my doctor visit.
Diagnosed UC 1995; J-pouch 2002; celiac diagnosis 2014
