Gout Anyone?

[JG in Hangzhou]

Just had a flare up after eating in a muslim style restaurant here in China. First time it was from hotpot.
Four days of painful knee and toe. It moves from left side to right side.
Drinking copious amounts of water with occasional aspirin.
Anyone got tips on how to manage this?

 

[Sunset]

Doesn't this condition build up over time, so your last meal probably didn't contribute to it.

You made me look it up:
Gout Causes - Mayo Clinic

Perhaps eating like a vegetarian for a few days will give you some relief, and then eat more vegies instead of so much meat ?

What do you think caused it ?

 

[steveark]

No, my sympathies. Two of my tennis partners get it and it shuts them down. They are hard as rocks so I know the pain must be unbearable. I think it is a genetic issue. But I know it ranks right up there with kidney stones and childbirth. So sorry you are suffering it.

 

[Fedup]

My husband eats low carb, high protein diet. So eating meat doesn't cause any problem for him. However, he eats lots of fresh vegetables, always at least a salad, and 2 vegs. Nothing super oily.

 

[kramer]

I have some friends who are affected by this. Look up purine content in various foods you consume.

There is medicine you can take to quickly alleviate the uric acid and thus alleviate symptoms.

Also, there is prophylaxis medicine you can take to prevent it from happening again.

This is all in addition, of course, to modifying your diet.

 

[Danmar]

I have Gout. It is caused by the build up of Uric acid crystals in your joints. Usually your big toe but also can be knee, elbow, etc. I would have periodic attacks with the worst being on a trip to Argentina about 10 years ago. Ate steak and drank beer every day for 2 weeks. Started taking 300 mgs of Allopurinol daily which controls the uric acid level in my blood. Haven't had an attack since.

 

[donheff]

I got flareups for years and initially combated them with Indomethecin which knocked it right out. After I started getting whacked in the knees I finally bit the bullet and started Allopurinol (about 20 years ago) which has staved gout off since. Allopurinol works great for me without noticeable side effects. YMMV. The downside is that you take Allopurinol daily for the rest of your life but the same applies to statins which provide no noticeable improvements and fairly marginal long term benefits. Gout runs in my family - I have a brother and nephews who take Allopurinol also.

 

[Dawg52]

In my late 30's I had a flare up that I assume was gout. My doc thought it might be rheumatoid arthritis and set me up for an appointment with a rheumatologist due to my dad having it. By time the appt rolled around all my symptoms were gone. All in all my symptoms lasted 6 weeks and never returned. Thank god as it was painful.

 

[phil1ben]

I have had gout for 25 years. My father had gout. His father had gout and my brother has gout. I am not overweight. I have tried everything from diet to allopurinol. Nothing worked. In the past I have had attacks that lasted three weeks. Three years ago my doctor prescribed uloric (the green pill) and I have not had a flare up since. I get a blood test every six months and my uric acid count has been low.

By the way, I have had my uric acid checked while having an attack in the past and it does not always appear high even during a flare-up.

 

[manerac]

My gout bouts tend to occur in the spring months, and I have seen other reports of this seasonal correlation online. Other than that, in 10 or so years I haven't been able to point to a change in diet or lifestyle as a likely trigger.

At first I would go to the doc and get a colchicine prescription, which gave little or no relief. Over time the price per pill has increased from 25 cents to $6, so I wouldn't bother with it now.

 

[Music Lover]

I get gout on occasion. In my case, simply taking it easy on beer and red meat will keep it at bay. I'm also "lucky" in the sense that I can feel it coming before it gets too painful, and therefore, am able to takes steps to prevent a full blown attack in most instances.

I used to get a prescription, but found that the Costco knock-off Naproxen works just as well and is ridiculously cheap at $8 for 200 pills.

 

[kaneohe]

................................................
By the way, I have had my uric acid checked while having an attack in the past and it does not always appear high even during a flare-up.

I have a feeling there is some guessing/imprecision with this test. Online search says you can have an attack but with normal levels. Family doc says during attack uric acid is concentrated in the crystals which lowers the levels.
I think doctors have some feeling based on overall situation/experience and this test is only a piece of the puzzle. Search also says you can have elevated levels w/o having attack.

 

[laurence]

Gout sufferer here, first attack a year ago. I've lost 40 lbs since then and eat way less red meat and shut down my beer taps at home. �� Doctor put me on a daily pill I'm trying to get off of. I too, can feel it coming on before a full blow attack and take a couple days of salad/water to stave off the pain!

 

[W2R]

I am so surprised to read that so many of you have had problems with gout. I haven't known anyone with gout for decades, and thought it was one of those old time conditions that afflicted "The Greatest Generation" fifty or more years ago, but that people just don't get any more. Wow, I learn so much from this forum. There's always something new to learn here.

I am sorry that some of you suffer from gout, and hope the pain does not disrupt your retirement plans and activities too often.

 

[Elbata]

I don't suffer gout, but maybe this might be of help:

https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/june/gout.htm

 

[Christine]

Yes - every time I eat carbs for some reason. So I try to avoid it and eating low carb. Lots of meat, beef, steak, shrimps, cheese, red wine, real butter, bacon & eggs, creamy sauces - none of those create problems for me. Only bread and potatoes.

 

[W2R]

I don't suffer gout, but maybe this might be of help:

https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/june/gout.htm

An interesting quote from this article is this:

Not surprisingly, gout attacks have been seen more frequently since the popularity of high protein diets (Atkins, South Beach, etc.).3 The foods recommended by these low-carbohydrate diets are very high in purines. Second, these diets cause rapid weight loss and thereby facilitate the release of uric acid from the body fat. Lastly, these diets cause dehydration and place added stress on the kidneys, which might make people more sensitive to the rise in uric acid.

I had no idea!

 

[MRG]

I had a few months of the pain of gout. Wow, I remember the pain, could barely walk. I almost ran a traffic signal one day, as the pain of braking seemed to much to bear. That's when I saw a doc, he gave me pills and suggested dietary changes, including reducing alcohol. That seemed to be my trigger. I, thankfully, haven't even thought about it for years

Another former coworker said his love for wine caused his. He wasn't a big drinker, but he swore it made a huge difference.

 

[Fedup]

Drink plenty of water is a must otherwise your breath will smell. Atkins diet or Paleo diet. That's why eat lots of vegetables also helps.

 

[brokrken]

I have gout. Had my first flare up about 7 years ago that lasted only 3 days. Then, I had one this past October that lasted 8 weeks! In between I could eel small ones coming one, but was able to hold the off with a change in diet and drinking. But, that 8 weeks was the most miserable time of my life. I couldn't wear socks, a shoe, couldn't walk. Went to 4 different doctors, finally, the only thing that shut it down was a cortisone shot in the big toe joint ( I threw up from that pain) and a weeks worth of oral steroids. Doc wanted me on an every day pill, but since this was only my second big attack ever, I wanted to try and control it myself. I think tons of fluids and working out has helped.

 

[marko]

I've had gout for over 45 years. Had it so bad that I once investigated having my toe amputated at the joint (I was dead serious but Dr. strongly discouraged that move saying it would only move elsewhere).

Dehydration can bring it on but for me it was even small amounts of spinach, asparagus or overdoing it on beer or red wine. Some fish (mackeral) will do it too. Other people have different triggers.

Immediate meds are Indomethcin (a super strong NSAID) which reduces swelling and helps with pain.
Longer term there is Alopurinol...but CAUTION! Initially it can often 'give' you gout as it flushes the purines hiding in your system. For me, it also made my entire body stiff and I felt like an 80 year old. So I don't take it.

I'm sure there are newer meds out there, but ...no, gout it not pleasant.

Good luck!

 

[Fedup]

I avoid vegetables that are high in oxalis acids like spinach, Swiss chard, I don't think they are good for gout.

 

[Christine]

An interesting quote from this article is this: [/FONT]

Not surprisingly, gout attacks have been seen more frequently since the popularity of high protein diets (Atkins, South Beach, etc.).3 The foods recommended by these low-carbohydrate diets are very high in purines. Second, these diets cause rapid weight loss and thereby facilitate the release of uric acid from the body fat. Lastly, these diets cause dehydration and place added stress on the kidneys, which might make people more sensitive to the rise in uric acid.

I had no idea!

I'm no medical expert in any way - but my experience is the exact opposite.

And I know that these diets are NOT high protein diets. So that is false. You eat the same amount of proteines you eat in other recommended diets. But you swap out carbs for fat. Only keep the healthy carbs in vegetables.

So IMHO the author of the article don't know what he is talking about.

 

[imoldernu]

Gout is/was the torment of kings...

A little history... about the disease, and the way the cost for treatment went from $15 to $1400+. Link from 2011:

Colchicine price increase: how drug companies are taking advantage of the FDA's Unapproved Drugs Initiative.


The way I understand it, the drug company realized that Colchicine, which has been used as a cure for more than a century, (actually some records go back to the year 1200AC. ) ... had never been approved by the Government, and volunteered to do a safety study. This then allowed the company to claim drug "patent" rights for a period of time. About 7 years ago, I bought the colchicine pills for $.05 each. When the company received rights, the pill price went from $.05 to $5.00.
The drug is now called Colcrys.

Feel free to revise what I think happened, but no matter the reason, the price went up!

Purines... cause high uric acid content. Booze , meats and especially shellfish and other seafoods. Allopurinal is the ongoing drug against gout. The pain comes from uric acid crystals... tiny, tiny needlepoint pieces of crushed glass that roam around inside the flesh.

First attack was 10 years ago... second about five years ago, then more often... bit by bit. Worse than root canal w/o anaesthesia.

My favorite health website ... this time on gout. Suggested medicines.
http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/understanding-gout-treatment

 

[msieweke]

Gout can be a symptom of lead poisoning. Gout Linked to Low Levels of Lead This may not seem very helpful, but it's possible to chelate lead from your system.

Fructose can be metabolized into uric acid. Fructose and Gout: What’s the Link? - Gout The article doesn't mention it, but sucrose (table sugar) is 50% fructose. It's best to minimize all sweets.

A few years ago, I had gout in my hip joints. If I twisted my hip in the wrong direction, it would pinch on a crystal and feel like a knife poking me. That eventually faded, and now it's just in my big toe. My toe will flare-up if I eat candy and ice cream for a few days in a row.