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??? Big question!

Posted , 10 users are following.

constance.de
constance.de

Has anyone on this forum any experience with gout (family or friends)?

Went to my own doctor yesterday and HE doesn't think I have RA.  (Reumy just looked at my swollen ankles and said RA)!!

Years and years ago I had a swollen big toe, very painful, couldn't walk properly for weeks.  Then it cleared up.

At the moment uric acid level is 6 - 7.  Pain in both ankles often excruciating.

Have googled gout and will start diet asap.  Gout forum not particularly helpful.

I know this isn't the right forum for this, but just thought someone may have come across it in family.

Views would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks.  Constance

 

1 like, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • tina-uk_cwall
    tina-uk_cwall constance.de

    Posted

    Oh Constance, I understand you love your wine!? My friend up the road suffers from gout in his feet and sometimes it's so bad he can't put on his shoes. His Dr recommends he refrain from the booze. You can tell he clearly doesn't heed the advise otherwise he'd have it less often!

    i think when he has the gout flares he is given medication, but I don't know what.

    regards, tina

    • constance.de
      constance.de tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      Actually, no, my tipple is gin and bitter lemon.  Only one glass every 3 days though.  Still alcohol, however.

      This would be all I needed!  Have enough with PMR.

    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall constance.de

      Posted

      Yes I know what you mean. I don't drink alcohol, my vice is food, food and more food! No problem prior to PMR. Was always about 9.5 stone no matter what and how much I ate. Am 5'5" so was always nice and slim. Now I'm on a diet working down slowly from 13 stone!!!! It's darn near killing me, but I have lost over 3/4 of a stone so will eventually get there. Regards, tina
    • margaret22251
      margaret22251 constance.de

      Posted

      another bit Constance he drinks 3 glasses of wine every day!!!!!!!!!!!  and i went down from 12.5 stone to 11 stone when i started pred, my doctor was surprised as she thought people put on weight and the moon face.biggrin 
    • constance.de
      constance.de tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      It really is peculiar that most put on a lot of weight with PMR and some very lucky ones, like me, take weight off - I lost 1 1/2 stones.  I've put on about 5 pounds in the last couple of months, but am nowhere near the 10+ stone I was.

      Good luck with the dieting.

      Constance

    • constance.de
      constance.de

      Posted

      Sorry!  Should have said Pred.
    • dan38655
      dan38655 constance.de

      Posted

      Yes, in my case I lost 1.5 stone in the early months of pmr, before taking prednisone, yet never gained any back even after 1.5 years on pred now.

      Now at 5mg and with manageable level of pain symptoms and seemingly no fatigue at the moment, but I am one thin bicycle rider.

    • constance.de
      constance.de dan38655

      Posted

      Hi Dan.  Pleased to hear you are down to 5mg after only 1.5 years.  I've only just reached that desirable state, after 3 1/2 years.  Pain also manageable, but the fatigue!!!!😡😡
  • margaret22251
    margaret22251 constance.de

    Posted

    Hi Constance my husband has had gout for years he could not walk, i remember he once crawled up the bedroom steps like a baby.

    The doctor took one look at ir and said GOUT, gave him tablets as he said the food you could not eat , was food you needed so medication was the best, this was about 25 years ago he still takes the tablets as he does not know what would happen if he stopped, one doctor just said try it. But the pain is so bad he does not want to stop them.

    I am sure some one will come along better informed then myself to help you.

    Hope you have a pain free day. Take care Mags

  • lodgerUK_NE
    lodgerUK_NE constance.de

    Posted

    I had pseudo-gout, caused by calcium crystals.   They then stopped the Calichew as they realised I did not need the additional calcium.   Ask them to check your calcium and minerals levels.
  • EileenH
    EileenH constance.de

    Posted

    Constance - at the beginning of the PMR, probably a couple of years before I noted the "real" PMR symptoms the middle joint of both big toes was terribly tender to touch. So much so I practically stopped wearing shoes and moved to permanent Birkenstocks! Summer and winter!

    It faded over time, with pred disappeared altogether - and hasn't returned. I have heard other people mention similar things. Maybe it is the same?

    That GP is talking some hot air - beer and spirits are the alcoholic drinks that increase the risk of gout - and although many people who have gout drink it is the rest of their lifestyle that is more relevant! A diet rich in purines - found in liver and some fish in particular - leads to a raised uric acid and that is what causes gout when it is deposited in the joints. If you have a raised blood uric acid it could be gout - if you don't, it probably isn't. Has that been checked?

    As lodger says - there is also psuedogout which can be due to other crystals in the joints, sometimes calcium. 

    But your G&BL is fairly safe!

    • constance.de
      constance.de EileenH

      Posted

      I actually now think it IS LORA.  The swelling is bad in both ankles, they are stiff and painful, and this over many weeks.  However, I feel I did have a gout attack.  It was totally different pain - excruciating for 2 days and has now disappeared.  Mad!  I think I'd rather have gout, it attacks then disappears.😏😏
    • constance.de
      constance.de EileenH

      Posted

      My doctor checked back in his records and said before PMR the uric acid in blood was always high.  Now, however, it's only just above normal.  Strange or what?  Pred can't do anything for uric acid, can it?????
    • EileenH
      EileenH constance.de

      Posted

      Pred is often used for the treatment of gout - whether it just reduces the inflammation or whether it has an effect on the uric acid levels I don't know.

      But I'm fairly sure that a diagnosis of gout can only be properly made with an aspiration of joint fluid to identify the cause of the inflammation - uric acid crystals, other crystals or even arthritis.

  • Mrs.Mac-Canada
    Mrs.Mac-Canada constance.de

    Posted

    Hi Constance,

    I suffer from gout in the joint of my big toe.  I can tell when it is starting by the pain but it also becomes very swollen and very red and hot.  Before I recognized an attack coming and started treatment right away the pain was excruciating. I couldn't put any weight at all on it and couldn't even stand the weight of a light sheet at night. Shoes were totally out of the question.  

    I can now tell when it is going to flare and immediately take colchesine (sp??).  I have come up with my own dosage plan and it works well when caught early.  I only have about 1 attack a year.  I believe it is hereditary to some degree as my father and brother both had it as well.  It has caused a bunion on that joint and I have gouty arthritis in that joint.  The pain is different than RA which I have in my ankle. 

    Whatever is causing your pain I hope you find something that will help soon.

    Hugs, 

    Diana🌸

    • constance.de
      constance.de Mrs.Mac-Canada

      Posted

      Hi Diana,

      PMR, gout AND arthritis,  aren't we the  'lucky'  ones??  At least they're not life threatening!

      Have a great, pain free, week.

      Regards

      Constance 💐

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