Curious why the most recommended Gout treatments are not working for me.
Posted , 9 users are following.
I've had a serious case of Gout since 2/9/17. Taking Doctor prescribed Colchicine twice a day along with two G-Out capsules and a lot of Tart Cherry extract juice. Going on the eleventh day of pain and swelling with no real rewlief thus far. Also staying away from alcohol and what I've been able to determine are 'bad' Gout foods, but trying to drink a lot of water. Any opinions?
0 likes, 57 replies
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
Dear Olly
You have had hyperuricemia for years, is the fundamental answer.
Is this your first gout attack?
Do you take any medication including aspirin? Do you have any other illnesses? Are you a nicotine addict?
What is your BMI (if you don't know tell me your height and weight).
Colchecine takes time to work. But after 11 days it will be working already - just not enough. Unfortunately the dangerous dose is close to the therapeutic dose so it's not to be messed around with. However my doctor had me on 1 x 500mg tablet every 6 hours. *I do not suggest you do the same without consulting your dictor*
Are you drinking enough water? You need lots of water. You should be producing (from memory) at least 2-3?litres of urine per day.
As for foods - they are responsible for only 15% of purines so unless you are living in a diet exclusively of lamb, offal and sea food that is not going to do it for you. However fructose is heavily involved so are you drinking anything or consuming anything with high fructose syrup? Purine levels rise 15 minutes after consumption Too much fruit or worse fruit juice also has fructose.
I think they suggest cold which helps on the foot. Personally I used very hot water - as hot as I could take it. I found it helped the pain and should help to dissolve the crystal in the joint.
You can definitely take Ibufren as it not only reduces pain but it's also an anti inflammatory.
nancy6459 Ollyoop129
Posted
Sometimes you need more. I saw a rheumatologist right away. He prescribed Indomethacin for the pain and then Allopurinol. I take 3 allopurinol a day now and haven't had a flareup. My last flareup lasted 9 weeks. Everyone is different. I can only suggest you see the doctor immediately. Meanwhile, drink tons of water. Stay away from alcohol and sugars and purine-high foods.
rustygecko nancy6459
Posted
All good advice from Nancy, Olly. As for the pain - smoking some opium would probably help too, but I guess it's not that freely available nowadays :-D
Ollyoop129 nancy6459
Posted
Hi Nancy,
My cardiologist prescribed the Colchicine to give me some relief but I'll have to locate a rheumatologist in our area and have at least a consultation and a recommendation for meds. I've noticed a lot of folks in these forums don't have a lot of faith in Colchicine. See my response to Rusty for all the details of my 'bout with gout'...
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
I'm not one of them Olly. Colchecine is very good and useful, but to be treated with respect.
nancy6459 Ollyoop129
Posted
I wasn't offered Colchicine. Never heard of it until I found the forum. Maybe location? I'm in Florida, USA. What is G-outs? Gout out? Or just Gout?
rustygecko nancy6459
Posted
If you want to know more wiki has an article on it.
Ollyoop129 rustygecko
Posted
As I mentioned earlier, my cardiologist prescribed this as a quick relief for my Gout after he saw my foot. He's not a rheaumatologist, simply wanted to help with the pain and swelling. When I filled the Colchicine order I found it was a Tier 3 drug and my co-pay was $47.00. Kinda like the 'shock' I had with Diovan - was relatively cheap for the first year if I reemember but jumped way up thereafter so my PCP switched me to Valsartan (same BP med but a generic version) with a $2 co-pay.
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
That is $47 for how many tablets? 100?
I have no idea what this tier is and co pay; iguess it's the part you pay and the insurance co picks up the bill?
Ollyoop129 nancy6459
Posted
Hi Nancy'
I'm also in Florida (East Central) My Colchicine order was filled at CVS, and so far I haven't heard back from my insurance carrier. This stuff is a Tier 3 drug so it has a fairly high co-pay, and is quantity limited. After perusing the internet, I ordered and started taking G-OUT! as it was highly recommended - I've since learned you can find a totally different recommendation for many different supplements and drugs from many different posters so, as the old saying goes, 'Your Results May Vary'!
Regardless, the G-OUT! label says it promotes healthy Uric Acid levels. Go to the EU Natural website to learn more.
Ollyoop129 rustygecko
Posted
Good Morning Rusty,
Tier levels are how the insurance company sets the cost sharing for a given drug. Tier 1 and 2 are considered 'standard' drugs and have a zero annual deductable, with a $2 co-pay for Tier 1, and a $12 copay for Tier 2. Tiers 3, 4, and 5 are preferred brands (as opposed to generic) and have higher co-pays ($47, $100, and 28% of the total drug cost for Tier 5 drugs - usually reserved for the most expensive drugs out there, if the carrier agrees to cover it). There is also a $230.00 deductable for Tiers 3,4, and 5 that has to be met before the carrier picks up any of the cost of the top three Tiers. In essence, the cost of the Colchicine (0.6mg tablets) is $277.00 for 60 tablets, or $47 if you've met the deductable as I have. That's the 'full monty' ...
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
You can buy those online and get the sent to the USA free postage for $30-50 dollars!
Thanks for the explanation: it's a mad way to organize a healthcare system though.
Good health.
Btw Allopurinol is dirt cheap couple of cents a tablet ... well it is outside the USA! :-D
W-H Ollyoop129
Posted
I don't see you taking anythign that is dealing with the root problem. If you have a broken water pipe, painting the pipe it is not going to fix water leakage problem ;-)
You need to get on Allopurinol and it will work it's magic in time. Initially it might cause havoc though as part of the treatment.
rustygecko W-H
Posted
Absolutely correct but I'm not clear if its first attack. If he's lucky it could be a one-off.
Ollyoop129 W-H
Posted
I'll research Allopurinol and also see if my PCP is willing to prescribe.it.
Thanks for the post.
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
Olly
It depends on how often you are having / have had gout. If it's your first attack - some never have another. However if you are having a couple of attacks a year - according to their own guidelines you should have already been offered it.
rustygecko Ollyoop129
Posted
I'm assuming you're in the U.K. when I said about their guidelines.
*NB Do not take allopurinol if you are of Thai Chinese or Korean descent.*
Be aware though: don't start taking allopurinol during an attack. Allopurinol will cause gout attacks during the first period you take it as it cleans stored uric acid crystals. You should be given something like colchecine to control those attacks.
Ollyoop129 rustygecko
Posted
Roots are definitely UK but born and raised in the USA. I will wait until this attack is completely over before trying the Allopurinol. I assume there's a protocol for taking Allopurinol along with Colchicine to keep things down to a roar.