- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 9 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Well, it seems I have gout. I'm 31, not overweight, and I don't eat the vast majority of the foods listed as the usual causes (like seafood, offal, etc). I do enjoy a beer or two, but for the 3 weeks prior to my attack I'd only had 3 or 4 beers (although admittedly, I had drank some wine over that period). My diet is not full of processed junk for the most part, most of my meals are prepared fresh by myself or my wife (we try to eat healthily for the kids), the only thing that I would say is I personally don't eat as much fruit as I probably should.
Anyway, it started a week past Sunday with the big toe on my right foot feeling a little stiff, as if the joint needed to crack or pop back in to place (stupidly, I did try to crack it – in hindsight, probably a very bad idea). The next day it was a little painful when I moved the joint, not bad, but enough to make me walk slightly unusually. By that evening, I was in pain. I didn't get a wink of sleep all night. I got up early the next morning with a view to soaking my foot and taking some painkillers, determined to go to work. I then climbed in to the shower, turned my foot the wrong way, screamed like a girlie and nearly passed out from the pain. I decided it might be an idea not to go in to work after all…
So, I went to the doc's and he took a look, made sure there were no cuts or obvious signs of damage and told me it was probably gout. I gave a blood sample which came back as “possible gout”. So, having attempted to digest every article I could possibly find on the subject of gout on the intertubes, I've been lead to this truly excellent site. This is easily the most informative, yet open minded site I've come across.
I'd been trying to make myself feel better by saying that it could be a one off attack and was probably caused by me being ill for a couple of weeks a few weeks back (is it even possible to be temporarily hyperurecimic (sp)?). I've now come to the conclusion that that was probably me deluding myself and that I'll be permanently battling with my uric acid levels forevermore. So, I'm now drinking gallons of water a day, and upping my fruit intake (especially grapes, which I rarely ate before but which I hear is an excellent alkalizer!).
Anyway, I thought I'd introduce myself and say thanks for providing this site. It's a real gem. I have a feeling I'll be around a lot over the coming months and years.
Hi Merago,
Though I am much older than you, I am not at all overweight like you. The difference between us is that I love meat and other rich food, but I do not take beer or liquor. I am not sure what caused your gout but in my case it's mainly because of the “food” that I love eating.
I managed to relieve my gout pain by taking black bean broth which worked very well for me. If your uric acid level is not too high it might work for you too. If you are keen you could go to my post – “Black Bean Cure For Gout” to find out more.
Our other gout friends may be in better positions to help where medications are concerned.
Cheers!
Merago,
?
Here's the scenario. Given just the first attack, try to do what you can with diet?don't dehydrate, stay away from too much beer (spirits better) try to cut down on meat and fish in favor of alkalyzing fruits and vegetables. If you are lucky you won't have another atttack. BUT if you DO have one this year you will want to consider allopurinol.
?
I hope you never have another attack.
(Remember, the big toe is the MOST likely attack but attacks in the instep? or ankle are quite common.)
*resurrects ancient thread*
?
So, it's been a couple of years. ?I've been lurking around the site without posting but thought it might now be a good idea to provide an update.
After my initial, painful attack, I have had, over the course of 2 years, a series of less intense attacks, ranging in severity from a stiff toe to pain enough to make me walk with a limp. ?Over this time, I have tried all sorts of things to try and find a trigger ? I have tried cutting out alcohol for spells (and at one point had an attack having not touched alcohol for about a month), I didn't eat a lot of pork and beef anyway, so that doesn't seem to be a trigger. ?Seafood and me have never gotten on, so it's not that. ?I have seen one trigger in exercise, where if I've overdone it at the gym a couple of times, within a couple of days I have an attack of some sort, but I've also had attacks when I've neglected gym work for a couple of weeks. ?I have now come to the conclusion I should have done after my 3rd or 4th attack ? I'm going to have to bite the bullet and start taking allopurinol or something similar. ?I just wanted to put my experiences out there for others who may be debating with themselves whether or not to persevere with self managing the uric acid or going for the allopurinol ? I've spent far too long over the past 2 years worrying about whether or not eating or drinking something was going to cause an attack. ?Enough is enough.
Now comes what could be the hard part ? convincing my GP to prescribe me AlloP?
Merago said:
Now comes what could be the hard part ? convincing my GP to prescribe me allopurinol?
This should not be too hard, particularly in the UK, where the British Rheumatologists (both major professional bodies jointly) recommend up to 900mg per day allopurinol to maintain uric acid below 300?mol/L (5mg/dL 0.30mmol/L).
Do not let your Braveheart genes let you underplay the pain you have been in. Even strong Aberdonians cry. How much longer can you cope with constant time off work, and a life of abject misery? Save your best girlie scream for him. Actually, better not, as if he thinks you have a gout flare now, he might delay the allopurinol. Anyway, you get the picture – you can't bear the pain, or the thought of more of it.
Now comes what could be the hard part ? convincing my GP to prescribe me AlloP?
?
Isn''t it sad that things have to be thus. Go in with a slight quirky uptick in your blood pressure and youll be given enough drugs to fill a wheelbarrow. Yeah, some of them cause heart attacks, but “what the Hell.”
?
Just INSIST on the allopurinol. If it doesn't work, get another doctor immediately.
?
(I checked my Insurance company liist of affiliated doctors and I used as a sort criteria “within 2 miles.” I got a list of over 2,000 GP's. Had I thrown in all specialists the list might have toppped 4,000. So no doctor dares say NO too often lest he has to sell one of the two beach houses and give up the third girlfriend.)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.