inflammatory bowel disease and RA

[Guest guest]

I would be interested to know if anyone has suffered any form of

inflammatory bowel disease, for example crohns or ulcerative colitis

along with RA.

I have been suffering very badly during the last 12 months with bowel

problems and am undergoing extensive tests at the moment for this. I

also take methotrexate for my RA, which has turned my RA around to a

sort of copable state, but I am concerned that it may be worsening my

bowel/stomach problems. The gastro-enterologist that I am seeing has

told me that crohns is quite common with RA, that it is all connected

to the immune system attacking the body, and has promised me that if

this is the diagnosis (I had colonoscomy procedure and biopsies taken

3 days ago in hospital) then he will advise me to go on to an anti

TNF drug, to help baoth the RA and the IBD.

Had anyone had any similar symptoms to mine - I would love to hear

from you how you found diagnois and treatment.

best wishes

from Lynda