GOUT anyone!

C Craft

C Craft

Well-Known Member
Have just been battling Gout for the past few days. I think this has been my worst outbreak since I started having problems in the past 3-4 years. They use to call this a the rich man's disease but if that is so, it attacked the wrong man this time! LOL :biggrin:

My biggest problem is putting a finger on what is causing it! I can usually feel it coming on for a day or more before it gets bad. However I went to bed a couple of nights ago and told the wife I thought I was having a gout outbreak. Woke up the next morning with it in my big toe on my left foot, and by noon it had all of my toes and ankle on that side as well as the other ankle in my right foot, some what. Damn near had me crippled up completely. By that night I think I would have cried it I though it would have helped. It has hurt me worse this time than I think any incident I ever had before.

Finally got in too see my doc and he put me on steroids. I got a new doc and I told him the last few times I had problems with the steroids as they have given me terrible cramps after I have been on them for a while. I have cramps in places most folks never thought of having cramps. He is the first doctor that hasn't either dismissed me when I have said that, or outright said I don't think it's connected.
He explained that the steriods raise your sugar level and when the body starts to process it, my potassium level is dropping too low. You see I am a heart patient and take diuretics to pass the fluid off because of my heart. He explained I needed to take more pottasium when doing the steroids. Well thank God someone finally made it all, make since as the cramps hit me all over my body and sometimes go on for an hour or more at a time! Makes me want to say, are all the other doctors ignorant or just plain don't listen!!!!!!!!! He added up the same information the others had and made 2+2=4 and that ain't rocket science, just a good informed doctor! DUH

Anyway the gout is doing better, today. Now I just got to figure out what I am doing to trigger it! A friend who has problems with gout, said he started writing down everything he eat in a day's time and when he would get an outbreak he would go back and look. He finally figured out it was processed meat, (he loves a hot dog) and says he knows know if he eats more than one in a short period he is going to have an outbreak. Then laughed and said, that used to be lunch a lot of days for a long time! No wonder I was having attacks so often.

I had one of the Firehouse Subs, the new Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar Brisket for supper two nights before the bad outbreak. As good as this looks and taste's if that is what caused it, it wasn't worth it! Oh well live and learn. Mamma always said some lessons are harder to learn!!:3:
 
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When I was undergoing chemotherapy I would experience toe pain. The doctors said it was due to high uric acid and prescribed a drug called Allopurinol which was very effective in alleviating my foot pain. My understanding is that gout is sometimes associated with a high uric acid level, but not always.
 
I have had Gout for years. I also take 300 mg. of Allopurinol once a day and as long as I take it I have absolutely no trouble. Shawn is correct about high uric acid. It causes calcium crystal to be deposited in the joints (ankles & big toes for me). The result is just like putting abrasive in the joint and also causes swelling. The main cause is foods high in Purines. They are whole grains, beans, organ meat such as liver, shrimp, and foods high in nitrates and nitrites such as bologna, vienna sausage, etc. You can go to www.gout.com for a full list of these foods.
My advice is to cut these foods out and if that doesn't work have your Dr. put you on Allopurinol. I literally feel your pain and hope this helps and you get it under control. Keep us posted.
 
Well I have never been told it acutely Gout, But have had the pains and sys-toms the swelling etc..

I stopped eating any processed meats and large amounts of grain a long time ago and the saddest part is when I feel the stiffness and swelling it means no beer in the early evening's for a awhile. :58: :sad:

I'am glad to hear you have found a doctor that listens instead of one that just talk's at you! All the diff in the world.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
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Fresh red pork triggers my wife's, like cured hams, Cooks brand shank and such. Her Doc said stay off the pills as long as you can, and treats it with steriods if need, said the pills are bad on the liver.

Her brother's is pinto beans and beer and her father's is triggered by everything...
 
Yep, I forgot about beer, I guess because I don't drink it. As far as Allopurinol being bad for your liver, they drew my blood and ran some type of test before they put me on it and said I would be fine. I have often wondered about it though.
 
Yepper all good things are bad for you.

I went to my heart doctor to see how my cholesterol levels were doing, he had ordered blood work before my next visit. His nurse tells me the results are back and they were all good except my triglycerides were high. I asked what does that mean? She says that means more than likely you were eating to many sweets. I told her since it was almost Christmas she was probably right.
She then proceeds to tell me there was one rule of thumb for eating healthy. Whats that I asked,? She replies with, "if it tastes good spit it out, because it probably ain't good for you"!!!
 
Scary topic. There is a heavy occurrence of gout on my mother's side of the family so I've always lived with a slight fear in the back of my mind. I'm glad to see that even though it is a life changing issue, that its affects can be mitigated and overcome by medication and diet manipulation. God bless you all.

Regards,
Mike
 
I want to praise God that I have never had gout. I think it probably is one of the few things I have not been afflicted with. Unfotunately my dad had it and I hope that doesnt mean I will.
 
Eric, off hand I would have said no about there being a hereditary connection . However, I found this on line and it may explain why I have a problem and don't remember anyone in my family having a problem. It was discovered a few years ago that I had been born with one of my kidneys being deformed. It was estimated to have only 10% function at the time and now they think it may have quit functioning entirely, leaving me with just one to the job! Also it sounds like the diuretics I have too take to control blood pressure doesn't help! I can't seem to win for losing. Anyway here is the info and the site I pulled it from!

Why are some people more susceptible to gouty attacks?
As stated previously, some individuals have a hereditary condition making them more susceptible to gout; other risk factors also contribute to having a gouty attack. Among these are obesity and sudden weight gain, abnormal kidney function, excessive intake of alcohol (especially "binge" drinking), and certain types of cancer. Some medications, such as thiazide diuretics to control blood pressure, and foods that are rich in purines can lead to attacks. Purine-rich foods include organ meats (e.g. liver, kidney), herring, anchovies, and to an extent, all meat products.

Info from this site:http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/gout/a/gout.htm
 
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Sorry to hear that, Ive had issues with gout for about 8 years and just in the last 8 months have gotten a handle some what on it. Not stopping the flairs but how I deal with them. Im diabetic and a heart patient, I have to deal with the sugar spikes as well as the potasium loss.

I currently using uloric (sp?) once daily and when a flair starts, start taking colchicene and indomethacin, as well as a steriod but a smaller dosage. Was also reccomended to start taking cherry pills (health food store)

I have never been able to narrow down what causes my flairs as it never seems consistant with my diet, and I rarely drink.

Its no fun, but I have had cortisone and steroid injections done in my joints and the relife is almost immediate. Check with a rhumatoligist (sp?) thats what I did after playing ring around the gout toe for several years with my regular doc. Hope you get some relife, gout is a major issue and can cripple you as you well know, but the effects on your joints can be irreversible.

God Bless
Mike
 
I have had small gout flare ups a few times in my big toes and it seems to happen when the seasons change from fall to winter or winter to spring. I have no idea why. I have been lucky to not have it too bad. What I do when I feel it starting is take 600mg. of ibuprofen daily and start eating cherries or taking cherry extract in syrup form or in pills. This has always worked for me and it beats taking prescription meds.
 
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