Gout is evil

[Boomstick]

So a couple weeks ago, I went to bed perfectly healthy and woke up around 2am to use the bathroom and barely could make it there. My right ankle was swollen like a balloon and painful. The next day my right ankle was a bit better, but now my left ankle was swollen. Nearly two weeks later, my ankles are doing much better, but it hit me in my toe in my left foot. I'm lucky if I sleep at all at night.

 

Gout hits me periodically, but it has been almost two years since my last attack, and over two years before anything bad enough to cancel plans. But it's never hit me in more than one spot at the same time before. Surprisingly, the last time it was real bad also came after a cold and eating ghost or scoprion pepper salsa,  just like this time. Not sure I'll ever do that again.

 

But what a way to wreck fall fishing! I even bought a proper crankbait rod and everything, expecting to get a lot of use out of it in the fall.

 

[Gundog]

Sorry to hear about the gout boomstick. Hope you are doing better now. Chronic health problems can really be tough and they never happen at a convenient time. 

[deaknh03]

I got the gout twice, concentrated black cherry juice got rid of it for me.

[Basseditor]

My doctor prescribed allopurinol in 2009 and I haven’t had an attack since. I take it daily. Sure beats 4-5 flair-ups/year.

[Boomstick]

7 hours ago, deaknh03 said:

I got the gout twice, concentrated black cherry juice got rid of it for me.

I have tried cherry juice and capsules but it doesn't seem to help. If it's on the way or or very minor, ibuprofen or indomethacin can help, and this time hydrocortisone cream has been the only thing that helps for me. Of course I am following a strict no meat diet as well. If nothing else, the last time I did a no meat diet long term, I lost a lot of weight.

5 hours ago, basseditor said:

My doctor prescribed allopurinol in 2009 and I haven’t had an attack since. I take it daily. Sure beats 4-5 flair-ups/year.

 

My doctor had prescribed it for me as well. I stopped taking it because another doctor told me that since I get it in my feet it may or may not even work due to how it kind of clusters in your body, but as I am only 35 years old, what it will do is kill my liver long before I die of old age.

 

I try to manage it through diet. Most fish and meat I eat on any sort of regular basis when I'm not trying to get rid of it is in the moderate category, and the only thing ever eat at the higher end of the purine chart is sausages on weekends when fishing, since I can throw them on the grill and they're so easy to make and the kids love them.

[deaknh03]

I wasn't clear enough. Drinking the cherry juice once you have the symptoms is too late. I have a problem breaking down uric acid, causing kidney stones and gout. The cherry juice helps minimize the gout attacks, not necessarily get rid of them in the midst.

[Boomstick]

It has died down a bit. Still some swelling in my right ankle, but the pain in both ankles and the strength in my ankles has returned. My left toe is still killing me, especially at night when I'm trying to sleep, in the morning and when I put shoes on.

2 hours ago, deaknh03 said:

I wasn't clear enough. Drinking the cherry juice once you have the symptoms is too late. I have a problem breaking down uric acid, causing kidney stones and gout. The cherry juice helps minimize the gout attacks, not necessarily get rid of them in the midst.

Okay, I follow. Well I have taken a lot of cherry capsules in general and some cherry juice. Back when I tool them daily I was honestly getting more attacks maybe every 3-6 months. I probably should be sure to keep taking the regularly anyway.

 

I rarely drink alcohol anymore as well, and try to eat less meat which did seem to minimize attacks for the most part.

[Raul]

The problem is not the red meat, the problem is the protein ( ANY protein for that matter ) methabolism, yours turns protein into higher levels of uric acid. You might need diet and medication for extended periods of time or perhaps for the rest of your life. My father suffered from gout too, in his case were not his ankles, it were his wrists ( specially his left wrist ) he had to take allopurinol for the rest of his life ( 3 months under medication 1 month without it ).

[Boomstick]

13 hours ago, Raul said:

The problem is not the red meat, the problem is the protein ( ANY protein for that matter ) methabolism, yours turns protein into higher levels of uric acid. You might need diet and medication for extended periods of time or perhaps for the rest of your life. My father suffered from gout too, in his case were not his ankles, it were his wrists ( specially his left wrist ) he had to take allopurinol for the rest of his life ( 3 months under medication 1 month without it ).

My father got gout for the first time at 65, and maybe last year at 68 he had it bad and he has been completely vegan for the past 4 or 5 years! Go figure.

 

I stopped taking the allopurinol because I was told that it will, without a doubt kill my liver because I'm not that old. Colchicine also hasn't seemed to work for me either, and I guess a larger dose could too but there often is a fine line between a working and a fatal dose so I guess I'm best off controlling it via diet.

 

And yeah I am aware the problem is largely proteins. I hear vegetable proteins are better than meat proteins, but I've been avoiding them too until this passes. What I was trying to say is the only meat besides sausages I ever eat are on the low end of the moderate list. I cut way back on meat consumption and rarely drink since some bad episodes a few years back that hit me every 3-6 months, and at least I made it over 2 years incident free.

 

[Boomstick]

Well today, it's magically better. I actually slept last night and at this rate, I'll be pain free by tomorrow.

 

Kind of surprised that it's been good all day. I'll know for sure after work when I have to put shoes on and take the kid to piano lessons, but I don't think I'm going to have a problem.

[Deeare]

A new drug for gout was approved by the fda in august.  It's called duzallo.   Ask your doctor about it.  

[lo n slo]

On 10/15/2017 at 12:30 PM, basseditor said:

My doctor prescribed allopurinol in 2009 and I haven’t had an attack since. I take it daily. Sure beats 4-5 flair-ups/year.

my cousin is on that, along with colchris (sp?) and prednisone. his stomach stays tore up.

[chipmunk84]

beans and asparagus and few other veggies can cause gout i got in my toes and it goes all the way into my hips i cant walk let alone let anything touch my legs my friend gets it in her hands best of luck to you all 

[Boomstick]

1 hour ago, chipmunk84 said:

beans and asparagus and few other veggies can cause gout i got in my toes and it goes all the way into my hips i cant walk let alone let anything touch my legs my friend gets it in her hands best of luck to you all 

I may have had it in my hands mildly. I have other issues with my hands that in recent years only affects my guitar playing ability, but for the most part if I play guitars with the right shape, thicker neck I'm fine. At one time I couldn't even make a fist though.

 

Good luck to you, it sounds like you have it worse than I do. I re-aggrivated my ankle walking across my mom's uneven lawn on Saturday but compared to previous events, this is nothing. Enough to cancel plans though

[chipmunk84]

1 hour ago, Boomstick said:

I may have had it in my hands mildly. I have other issues with my hands that in recent years only affects my guitar playing ability, but for the most part if I play guitars with the right shape, thicker neck I'm fine. At one time I couldn't even make a fist though.

 

Good luck to you, it sounds like you have it worse than I do. I re-aggrivated my ankle walking across my mom's uneven lawn on Saturday but compared to previous events, this is nothing. Enough to cancel plans though

thank you for your kindness and i pray you and others will be better and have a great week ahead of you.......

[Deeare]

On 10/16/2017 at 9:54 PM, Deeare said:

A new drug for gout was approved by the fda in august.  It's called duzallo.   Ask your doctor about it.  

I didn't think that gout affects your hands but I agree that Gout sucks!!! Ask your doctor about this new drug.   They have a copay program where you get the first prescription free.  

[Boomstick]

4 hours ago, Deeare said:

I didn't think that gout affects your hands but I agree that Gout sucks!!! Ask your doctor about this new drug.   They have a copay program where you get the first prescription free.  

Duzallo is Allopurinol and Lesinurad in one pull -- I stopped talking Allopurinol based on my kidney doctor's advice since the long term effects are not worth it (at least not yet) especially at my age.

[scaleface]

On 10/15/2017 at 11:30 AM, basseditor said:

My doctor prescribed allopurinol in 2009 and I haven’t had an attack since. I take it daily. Sure beats 4-5 flair-ups/year

Same here . I missed he state bowling tournament 2 years ago. Gout hurts like hell .

[RPreeb]

On 10/15/2017 at 10:30 AM, basseditor said:

My doctor prescribed allopurinol in 2009 and I haven’t had an attack since. I take it daily. Sure beats 4-5 flair-ups/year.

Yep... me too.  I only seem to get flare ups in my big toes.  I've taken the allopurinol daily for the last year and a half and I've cut way back on my alcohol usage.  My last bout was quite brief, and not nearly as acute as when it first appeared about 6 years ago.  I'm 70, and the doctor hasn't given me any warnings about liver or kidney issues.

[Boomstick]

6 hours ago, RPreeb said:

Yep... me too.  I only seem to get flare ups in my big toes.  I've taken the allopurinol daily for the last year and a half and I've cut way back on my alcohol usage.  My last bout was quite brief, and not nearly as acute as when it first appeared about 6 years ago.  I'm 70, and the doctor hasn't given me any warnings about liver or kidney issues.

The doctor who recommended not using it was a kidney specialist and did so because I'm only 35. He said if I was 60, go ahead but because I'm 35, it would be problematic. I told my doctor and he had no clue.

[halochef]

i was taking a drug called diclofenac for arthritis in the knees. bone on bone in the left.  i was using it for several years.  then the pain in the feet got so bad i could not walk either.  blood work came back and my kidney functions were off the chart.  that med caused the gout but i never had redness or swelling.  doc prescribed Uloric.  very expensive but luckly was able to get it down  to a affordable price.  but then the knees got so bad could not walk again.  need a new one and some orthoscopic in the other.  but got euflexxa shots for both knees and within days back to almost 100%

[Boomstick]

19 minutes ago, halochef said:

i was taking a drug called diclofenac for arthritis in the knees. bone on bone in the left.  i was using it for several years.  then the pain in the feet got so bad i could not walk either.  blood work came back and my kidney functions were off the chart.  that med caused the gout but i never had redness or swelling.  doc prescribed Uloric.  very expensive but luckly was able to get it down  to a affordable price.  but then the knees got so bad could not walk again.  need a new one and some orthoscopic in the other.  but got euflexxa shots for both knees and within days back to almost 100%

 

Oh that stinks! My uric acid levels were never too terrible surprisingly, but even if they're not high, it doesn't mean they aren't high in one concentrated area, like my feet either.

 

It is clearing up for me at last. There is still a small amount of tightness in both ankles for the most part, but today is the first day I can honestly say I don't notice it. I still don't walk down stairs 100% normal either, not sure if it's from leg muscle lost or now from habit from walking downstairs sideways.

 

I still am not eating meat or drinking alcohol, and I'm not entirely sure that will ever change, although I will likely re-introduce fish into my diet at some point on a limited basis. If nothing else, pants that were tight on me 6 months ago are now too big.

[Boomstick]

Well I thought I would chime in in a 6 month update...

 

I have kept up my diet of no meat and no high fructose corn syrup to date and limited fish. No gout issues so far, and what should help me is I have dropped 55lbs since October. After the prior gout event, I quit meat for 6 months and dropped 65 although a lot of it at the end was water weight, but I kept 32 of it off, which means I dropped a total of 87lbs to date!

 

I now look like a rapper wearing clothes that did not fit me in November. That should help keep the gout away and not wreck my fall fishing season this year, and I imagine I will lose a little bit more especially as the weather improves and the lakes thaw out.