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Help and advice needed.

Posted , 8 users are following.

craig22855
craig22855

Hi everyone

I have been suffering with gout for the past 10 years or so. I am a 35 year old male weighing about 14 and a half stone.

I take 300mg of allopurinol every day which does have an effect on whether attacks come on. However there are some things that come on even though I am taking them.

At the moment I have bad pain and swelling in my right hand which came on through repetitive strain from using my phone. Has anyone else had an attack like this?

I also get foot pain next day if I have been crouching with our kids for prolonged periods. This pain then moves throughout the foot into various areas. To be honest any repetition will bring joint pain.

The whole condition is really starting to get me down. I have really cut down on alcohol consumption but I feel like I am walking on egg shells with it all the time, just waiting on the next attack.

Look forward to hearing from you all with some words of wisdom!

Thanks

Craig

0 likes, 45 replies

45 Replies

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  • rustygecko
    rustygecko craig22855

    Posted

    Hi Craig

    An important fact missing is the level of blood urate test results. Without this it's difficult to know if the allopurinol is doing its job.

    Second - the repativr strain from the phone, I'm sure is common and isn't related to gout.

    You mention your weight but not your height. I'm assuming you're of average height say - 5'9 to 6'0. At 5'9 you are obese and 6 ft you are overweight. I weighed a similar amount at just under 5'11 and suffered the problems as you. I lost 10+ kg and they disappeared. Additionally gout is enormously helped by weight loss. (I don't drink alcohol though).

    My other comment would be - do you drink enough water? That's the one thing we can all do to help gout and help allopurinol to do it's job.

    • craig22855
      craig22855 rustygecko

      Posted

      Hi rustygecko

      I'm 6'1" and don't know my results. I'm planning going to the gp for a review as soon as possible.

      Water is something I drink more of now. I work in sales do regularly travel, but I do carry at least a couple of litres with me at a time.

      I actually got gout from a crash diet I went on. Doctor said it threw out all my levels. I'm still keen to lose a bit of weight though.

    • rustygecko
      rustygecko craig22855

      Posted

      A crash diet won't cause gout in somebody that hasn't got high levels of blood urate.

      I was wrong about your height - you're tall - even so as you seem to be aware - you'd be fighting fit with another half a stone or so gone.

      The important thing to know your blood urate levels. Assuming (again possibly wrongly) that you're not eating insane levels of red meat offal and shellfish - the allopurinol would usually bring down the blood urate to a point where you no longer get gout attacks. Once the blood urate is low enough that you don't get an attack for a year or so you can decrease the level of allopurinol. At this point you need your level to be below 5. Your GP will probably think below 6 is ok - which is "normal" but you need to flush out the urate crystals deposited throughout your tissues.

      I would note though that having seen comments here, a lot of GPs don't really know much about gout. In many countries the patient would be sent to a rheumatologist - but UK GPs erroneously think this is within their capability (and perhaps it would be if they had the time to get up to speed on it).

  • roger47054
    roger47054 craig22855

    Posted

    Are you taking supplements for joint mobility?

    • rustygecko
      rustygecko roger47054

      Posted

      Are any of these supplements supported by peer reviewed research Roger? (I'm not saying there aren't any it's just I see a lot of promotion of them but have never seen any research base).

    • roger47054
      roger47054 rustygecko

      Posted

      I cannot say I have seen any evidence.

      I am a little naive as to how the Allopurionol actually works and what is in it?

      Obviously I know what it does.

      I only ask as we will happily pop certain pills but be sceptical about others?

      My point is do anti inflammatory foods or juices work? Can anyone comment?

      And if certain medicines are made from plants then why shouldnt glucosamine or cod liver oil for example aid mobility.

    • rustygecko
      rustygecko roger47054

      Posted

      I gave a whole answer to this with research which supports your POV for glucosamine (and something else) but it will probably be deleted by the moderator. There also seems to be some research indicating cod liver oil helps with some forms of arthritis- however with gout - cod liver oilmcontains purines.
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 roger47054

      Posted

      I am one to drink cherry juice when I feel I'm going to get a gout attack. Yes, it works as it neutralizes the crystals and I avoid getting an attack. By this same token, I also drink lots of water to flush out the crystals. Thus, I avoided an attack but the underlying condition remains.

    • Emis_Moderator
      Emis_Moderator rustygecko

      Posted

      I've replaced the copied and pasted content with a link to the full article. We do not "delete all posts with a link". If links are to reputable sites and relevant they will be approved.

      Regards,

      Alan

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 rustygecko

      Posted

      I have taken glucosamine chondroitin in the past with great results. Usually. I stop taking it after I feel well. I had no idea it was beneficial for gout. Good information Rusty, thanks.
  • rustygecko
    rustygecko craig22855

    Posted

    Ooh - gout as a metabolic disease is helped by exercise - I'd guess you spend a lot of time sitting in the car - my gout started when I was spending a lot of time sitting in planes / airports and taxis and generally not moving as much as I should. A part of my recovery was an hour a day on the bike - I'm not saying the bike is the magic bullet - but running shoes or a pair of speedos or ballet shoes might be!

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 rustygecko

      Posted

      Yes, absolutely correct. When I exercise, especially bike or elliptical I avoid any type of tingling feeling from gout.

      Please mention to others, also that fructose causes gout along with wheat, like wheat bread and farina, which is whole wheat.

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 rustygecko

      Posted

      No on the ballet shoes! This was how I got my first attack, I was a ballerina. I had to give it up because of gout inflammation when I was 14. So, skip the ballet shoes and try ice skates instead.
  • philip_53291
    philip_53291 craig22855

    Posted

    I sympathise with anyone who develops this at an early age, It's a nasty thing to have to cope with. Sounds like you are a much worst case than me. All the comments here are good, diet, exercise, weight loss etc but you are correct in saying it's like walking on egg shells. when ever I get gout I go "clean" immediately which usually gets rid of it within three weeks. Clean means avoiding all foods and drinks that can cause gout and drink plenty of water. Personally I drink decaffeinated coffee as I find water a bit tedious. Colchisine works for me if I get a particularly severe attack but I avoid it for the less severe as it's dodgy for the kidneys etc. I have tried cherries and vitamin C and haven't noticed any effect but they may work for you. It sounds like you may have to go total diet-nazi all the time if you are so susceptible to attacks as depressing as that sounds (and is). The main thing I've learned from this forum is that we all differ and finding your own solution is the only way to go, never mind the doctors and other sufferers. It's a pain when others can eat and drink as they please but the pain of gout will ultimately convince you to take it seriously I have found. Good luck.

    • craig22855
      craig22855 philip_53291

      Posted

      Thanks all.

      I have just started back running again so I am hoping that helps. I do spend a lot of time in the car day to day so I am trying to do as much as I can. I'm also getting an exercise bike.

      The cherry juice story I have heard before. Like so many things there are loads of different theories on what helps and what doesn't. It seems every person is different.

      I need to have a good study at possible triggers for me and work hard at avoiding.

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