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Celiac/joint Swelling?/pain


gfmelissa

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gfmelissa Apprentice

Hi-

I was diagnosed with celiacs about three years ago. I felt great going off gluten till last april. My knee suddenly became so swollen I got a bakers cyst that had to be drained. I also get other joint pain sometimes in my hips but no swelling there. The orthopedic couldn't find anything wrong, and then sent me to a rheumatologist, who just put me on plaquenil to make the swelling leave. She got weak positive results for an elevated ANA that were inconclusive b/c the next time she tested me they were w/i normal range. I was wondering if anyone else has had joints swell up? I know its a symptom of celiacs, but I had been gluten-free for over a year at that point. I am wondering if I am accidently eating gluten and not knowing it? (I eat carefeully but I don't think I am senstive enough to know it). I am trying acupuncture now to stop swelling. I just really would feel better if anyone else had any similar experiences or suggestions.

thanks, m


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happy4dolphins Enthusiast
Hi-

I was diagnosed with celiacs about three years ago. I felt great going off gluten till last april. My knee suddenly became so swollen I got a bakers cyst that had to be drained. I also get other joint pain sometimes in my hips but no swelling there. The orthopedic couldn't find anything wrong, and then sent me to a rheumatologist, who just put me on plaquenil to make the swelling leave. She got weak positive results for an elevated ANA that were inconclusive b/c the next time she tested me they were w/i normal range. I was wondering if anyone else has had joints swell up? I know its a symptom of celiacs, but I had been gluten-free for over a year at that point. I am wondering if I am accidently eating gluten and not knowing it? (I eat carefeully but I don't think I am senstive enough to know it). I am trying acupuncture now to stop swelling. I just really would feel better if anyone else had any similar experiences or suggestions.

thanks, m

Hello,

It's interesting that you mention celiac and swollen joints. I had just posted a question in the coping section about is celieac and spondylitis both an immune thing.

Well after taking the Prednsone since Feb 24, I began having trobles taking it.

The last report from the Rheumy said "HLA 27 negative with edema, but

no erosions seen on MRI of SI Joins, improved markedly with low dose

steroid (until I began to be disconnected-that's another story). I

would hate to diagnose her with AS and hope this is transient and we

have broken the cycle of pin. I recommend she cut predsnione by 1 mg

every 3 to 7 days as tolerated.If weaning causes sever pain, she is to

go back up on the pred and read about methotrexate and sulfasalazine."

So, as of today, she went to do a pressure test. I layed on the

table and she pushed both of my hip bones, and I about FLEW OFF OF

THE TABLE in pain!! WOWZERS! Both of my legs and arms went flailing

up, I had no idea that was going to happen. She said that's was proof. I also had an MRI and x rays done. I do have some extra bone growth in my left hip joint.

I"ll bet this is why my back has hurt so much more when it gets closer to my cycle.

She

gave me a script for Plaquinen (sp) 200 mg twice a day. I told hubby

that I have buttitis. ahhhhh haaaaaa!! :)

Nicole

slpinsd Contributor

when i get glutened my knee joints seem to get tight and painful in the morning.

jnifred Explorer

Funny that Nicole mentions AS, that is what my first doctor suspected I have, but since all my blood tests were inconclusive then too and I did have visible swelling in other areas they, for insurance purposes, just list me as some form af RA. Been dealing with that for 10+ years. Then along comes this gluten thing. I had been avoiding a lot of bread/pasta for that last 5+ years, then mom finds an show on Discovery channel about Celiac, and it all makes sense. Of course my blood test are negative for Celiac, but I had a positive dietary response and so I ahve stuck with it, that was back in Oct. '05. The past monthor 2 I have noticed my RA flares up when I get glutened, so I think there is a link and you may be getting accidentally glutened.

gfmelissa Apprentice

thanks for the info. I find that my knee doesn't hurt so much anymore, but just feel sometimes generally swollen.. i do live iwth people who eat gluten so I wouldn't rule out accidentally being "glutened".

M

Nancym Enthusiast
thanks for the info. I find that my knee doesn't hurt so much anymore, but just feel sometimes generally swollen.. i do live iwth people who eat gluten so I wouldn't rule out accidentally being "glutened".

M

I'm the one recently diagnosed with AS. There are reactive forms of autoimmune arthritis that happen if you get infected with a bacteria like salmonella or possibly a list of other bad bugs. You might want to look up Reiter's syndrome. AS and possibly RA might also be related to bacterial bugs in the gut getting the immune system in a lather.

Did you get an HLA B27 test? That one is usually positve in people with AS, but not 100% of the time.

teankerbell Apprentice
when i get glutened my knee joints seem to get tight and painful in the morning.

Same here along with body aches.


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slpinsd Contributor

Just wondering.......what does AS stand for?

gfmelissa Apprentice

I am not sure if I had that test. I will go back through my records and look. My spine doesn't hurt, its realyy just my knee. Occasionally I feel general swelling or tingly-ness, but thats all. I think whats so frustrating about it, is I just can't figure out how to treat it or who to listen to. It seems like finding a good rheumatologist is almost worse than a gastroenterologist!! Then, I think about going to aholistic doctor, but the one I went to just shovels hundreds of dollars of vitamins at me like anyone can afford that every month.

debmidge Rising Star

My husband has celiac for many years, but just diagnosed correctly in 2003.

Both of his knees are recently swollen....podiatrist said it appears to be bursitis of knee. They hurt him a lot.

  • 2 years later...
mm&j Apprentice

I was reading over posts and haven't been on lately. I have been gluten-free for over a year and my joint, bone pain and fatique haven't gotten any better. I went to a new Dr. and he is going to "research" my complicated case. He seems like he thinks another autoimmune disease my be in play alo and I agree. Could anyone give me anymore information on AS or reiter's syndrome that may have it along with Celiac? I'd appreciate any words of hope and encouragement at all. By the end of the day, actually late afternoon or early evening, I can hardly move...I feel like my spine is fused together. Anothe problem is that I can sleep for 10-11 hours at night and wake up feeling worse than when I went to bed.

HELP! I am also in a HOPELESS depression at the moment.

Thanks,

Susie (MM&J)

  • 1 year later...
MrsBaker Newbie

I have severe joint swelling in the joint. The doc said it is normal and instead of having stomach issues like others tend to have I got the joint pain which still tends to bother me. You should try cutting out nightshade foods because they cause inflammation in joint, I am going to soon cut out nightshades as well. I to was very discouraged by the swelling because I didnt know if it was a normal reaction but your not alone!

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