Many Issues

[diddyk112]

I have been suffering from a number of problems for the past few years and I'm wondering if there is any way they can be related and I have an undiagnosed disease.

For years I've struggled with anxiety and bouts of depression. At 21, I was hospitalized with ulcers, and had long standing vomiting for years after. Once the ulcers seemed to be under control, I developed severe diarrhea. I've undergone tons of tests, a lower and upper endoscopy, blood work etc, and been told it is IBS-D. (I'm not convinced everything else has been ruled out.) My BM's often change from loose with undigested food to dark and tarry like (no blood.) Even if I take Imodium, I pass yellow-ish mucus.

Since then, I've also developed arthritis in two fingers and a toe. (Sero-negative arthritis.)

Is there any way anxiety, IBS (or something else), and arthritis can be related?

[diddyk112]

I've seen a gastro and they've done scope's to rule out chron's and ulcerative colitis, as well as stomach ulcers. My scope was only a month ago.

I've also thought of psoriasis because of the arthristis, however I have no skin issues, no rashes or anything that resembles anything close to psoriasis. My arthritis is local to two fingers (same hand) and 1 big toe.

I'll mention a few of the other ones you mentioned, Lupus etc. to the Doc. I'm searching for anything at this point.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
IBS like symptoms, body aches and joint pains can be due to Lupus, Crohn’s disease, Celiac, or ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, malabsorption syndromes like sprue, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Since you have IBS like symptoms and joint and back ache, you probably are suffering from Crohn’s disease. This is associated with 3 types of arthritis: arthritis of big joints (you have hip joint involvement—popping or clicking sound indicates arthritis); arthritis of spinal joints-you have intense back ache on lying down; and arthritis of spine with deformity, inflammation of heart, lung and eyes. The last form is a rare form. Arthritis may begin before the actual symptoms due to simultaneous inflammation of gut and joints or it may develop later. Treating the bowel symptoms of Crohn’s disease will treat arthritis like symptoms too. Along with gut symptoms and arthritis, skin disorders too are commonly seen with Crohn’s. Crohn’s disease is a difficult entity to diagnose. An elevated ESR does confirm inflammation in the body. Low protein, minerals and iron in blood are the other findings in Crohn’s which may or may not be present. These findings if present could be the cause of lack of energy apart from chronic inflammation being the cause. An upper GI series using barium dye is done to see the condition of small intestines. The degree of involvement of the large and small intestine may vary from person to person.  A biopsy is the most confirmatory. A recent advancement in Crohn’s diagnosis is video capsule endoscopy. Apart from Crohn’s it can be any other inflammatory bowel condition such as IBS, Celiac, or ulcerative colitis and the aches and pains can be due to nutritional deficiencies and myalgia or muscle pain. You would need to consult a gastroenterologist regarding this. Other less likely diagnosis is that IBS and aches and pain are not related. If Crohn’s and other inflammatory bowel conditions are ruled out, then ankylosing spondylitis, Lupus, malabsorption syndromes like sprue, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome should be looked into as a possible cause. It is difficult to comment beyond this on net. Make a list of all symptoms you have, if possible in succession order in which they appeared. Please consult a gastroenterologist with that. Take care!