Drinking water throughout the night
Posted , 7 users are following.
I am an occasional gout sufferer for the past 26 years. A year ago I had a heart attack, and have been on a number of medications since then. I began suffering more frequent gout attacks in Sept 2016. My cardio doctor said none of the heart meds I take are indicated as having gout causing side effects. My general practitioner, sent me for blood tests and my uric acid levels came back as 7.0, which is on the high side of the expected range for uric acid levels. I was put on allopurinol for uric acid suppression. The attacks persisted,occuring every couple of weeks. I use colchicine for 7 days when severe attacks occur (doc said I could take colchicine in addtition to the allopurinol), After my last gout attack, I began to drink 16-20 ounces of water during the night, waking every so often to drink, and finish all the water by morning. It calls for a bathroom trip or two during the night. But I have not had a gout attack since beginning the water drinking at night. It may seem like a hassle to do it, but it is way better than having those frequent gout attacks. I hope this helps someone else. Try it!
0 likes, 22 replies
rustygecko steven69209
Posted
My cardio doctor said none of the heart meds I take are indicated as having gout causing side effects.
•Are you on any aspirin or diuretic drugs? They both cause gout, even micro aspirin.
My general practitioner, sent me for blood tests and my uric acid levels came back as 7.0, which is on the high side of the expected range for uric acid levels.
•If that is taken during an attack that figure is very high. If taken 15 days after all symptoms gone it is borderline high.
I was put on allopurinol for uric acid suppression. The attacks persisted,occuring every couple of weeks. I use colchicine for 7 days when severe attacks occur (doc said I could take colchicine in addtition to the allopurinol), After my last gout attack, I began to drink 16-20 ounces of water during the night, waking every so often to drink, and finish all the water by morning.
•It is well known that allopurinol will cause gout flares during the first few months or longer as it cleans out the stored monosodium urate in the tissues. The solution of drinking 20 ounces of water is good, although at 1/2 litre I would have thought it very much at the low end of what is needed especially as you are also taking colchecine, which also needs extra water to protect the kidney. It is recommended that the patient urinates 2 litres of urine every 24 hours to end a gout attack.
•The unfortunate thing about this story is that it is well known that untreated hypereuricemia represents a very high increase (almost triple) in the risk of heart attack and along with the danger of joint damage and is the reason that gout should be treated. The heart attacks happen a decade down the road, and so are discounted by local doctors if not by rheumatologists. When I was first diagnosed I had the good fortune to be sent to the rheumatologist, the nephrologist and the cardiologist. It is thanks to their advice to immediately begin urate lowering medication that I hope avoiding heart attacks and kidney problems 10 years down the line.
Thank you for sharing this with us and I wish you very good health.
steven69209 rustygecko
Posted
Rustygecko thanks very much for your information. I didn't know that excess uric acid would build up and store in the tissues. I read further in your reply to Steve1973 about how the urate is covered over in the body by a protein and isolated. The human body certainly is amazing! More on my story is the fact that I had a total hip replacement on Feb 6. The surgeon put me on 325mg aspirin twice daily to prevent blood clots. It makes sense that coincident with that increase (I was on 81mg twice daily as part of the heart regimen), I had a gout attack one week after surgery. Not fun on top of surgical pain to have to limp on the outside edge of my foot again as per usual with the gout attacks! I drink several glasses of water daily in addition to the 16-20 during the night. I guess I am lucky in that I have only gotten the gout in my left big toe joint. I had tried once to ice the foot, which I felt made the pain worse. Perhaps I should try immersing in cold water or try applying heat in the future. Thank you again for your insight. I wish you good health!
steven69209
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rustygecko steven69209
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There is the cause of the attacks, and the reason it won't go - the hi-dose aspirin. Now there are very good reasons for taking it (avoiding a stroke is more important than gout), but there are alternative blood thinners to aspirin e.g. Very low dose warafin (more hassle), or maybe he will take you off the aspirin in a few weeks anyway. Anyway, when you get off the aspirin I'd bet things will improve in days.
philip_53291 steven69209
Posted
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease last November and have been on a gluten-free diet ever since which has made me feel much healthier but my gout now seems to be almost a permanet fixture. I drink 3/4 litres of water a day normally and have cleaned up my diet ever since it started. The body is a complex machine and any alteration seems to have an effect especially in old age. I try to stay away from doctors generally and sort out my problems without drugs as there is always a knock-on effect. The gout, whilst semi-permanent is liveable with (mildish) and I can sleep with Ibuprofen. It is supposed to take up to a year to clear the body of gluten so I'm trying to avoid any more complications with drugs until at least then but still . . . Have you seen a film called "The Straight Story" where a young girl asks an old man what's the worst thing about being old and he replies "knowing how it feels to be young"? Just about sums it up I find!
steven69209 philip_53291
Posted
Philip sorry to hear your gout lingers. Perhaps along with the gluten elimination your body is getting rid of excess uric acid in your body. In my case, as rustygecko has explained to me, aspirin may be a contributing factor in my gout flare ups. I have found that since I began to drink 16-20 ounces of water during the night, in addition to 48-60 ounces during the daytime, my gout has eased. This requires an extra bathroom trip during the night/early morning, but it's a good trade off to have less pain. I liked the "knowing how it feels to be young" comment. So true indeed! I wish you good health.
rustygecko philip_53291
Posted
Semi permanent gout - the pain may be controllable (especially for those of a stoic disposition), but the damage to the joints continues, and so does the damage to the blood vessels. If you don't want to take allopurinol the best thing you can do is lose weight - get your weight down to BMI 23/24 and it could well sort itself.
philip_53291 rustygecko
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MohammedSmith steven69209
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I am not sure if I will agree with your doctor on the issue of your blood pressure meds playing a role in your gout attacks. I suffered multiple very short attacks every few months last year and the year before. This was due to the doctor increasing my candarsaten dose from 8mg to 12 mg. I had multiple episodes of gout attacks in my ankles and my left toe. Every time i stopped my BP medication, the attacks also stopped. I argued with my GP for months and finally he agreed to offer replacement BP tablets. Since my change I have had little to no problems but i am not 100% satusfied with this new medication. I have been put on 2mp of Daxazosin.
Although my Uric acid levels are always hovering around 6 to 6.6, i have not been put on any Allupurinol.
My biggest issue now is my feet. I am unable to walk long distances and trek.
rustygecko MohammedSmith
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As for your feet and gout etc... how much do you weigh?
MohammedSmith rustygecko
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rustygecko MohammedSmith
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There, I am afraid is the issue: 91 kg. You almost certainly have fatty liver (25% of people do, men more), which is the precursor of hyperuricemia for most people. I'm sure if you bought your weight down 15-20 kg the foot problem would resolve and it would greatly improve if not resolve your gout. It's harsh advice, and unfortunately in today's PC workd a doctor won't say it. When I got my gout I was 20 kg heavier than today and it's largely resolved: my blood urate is now 6.7 down from 10+.
steven69209 MohammedSmith
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MohammedSmith steven69209
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Hi Steven, yes that suggestion has been on the cards for quite some time now but every time I see my GP, I am told to wait until my BP settles and they have control over it before they begin with starting the Allupurinol tablets. Have been waiting for at least 2 years now. I think I willl push for this treatment now. My ankle pain has been under control and I have had little to no gout attacks since I started the Daxazosin. Will certainly reduce my weight first down to 80kg for now 🙂 then also start on the allopurinol tablets. Many thanks for the advice. Regards
MohammedSmith rustygecko
Posted
I totally agree with you and I have started taking great care in what I eat. The plan is to get my weight down to 80kg by changing my diet and exercise. I know this will help my joints tremendously. Thank you for your kind words.