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Misdiagnosed gout

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russ78696
russ78696

I have been getting pain and loss of mobility in my wrists and hands for a few months now, it is often hard to pick things up or do things that require wrist strength, driving the car increases the pain.

I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with gout, the medication did not help, and I have now been told by another doctor that I do not have gout, as gout is not permanent but comes in attacks.

I have not been offered any other solution or medication, and the only other explanation the Dr gave me is that it is probably because I spent a lot of time on the computer so it is probably RSI. But I know from experience that RSI generally only occurs on the mouse hand, whereas I have it is both arms, although it is worse in the right one.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

I do have diabetes as well if that makes any difference.

 

0 likes, 32 replies

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  • russ78696
    russ78696

    Posted

    ok so I went and had a scan of my hands and wrists at the hospital, and have been told that all I have is some mild arthritis in my knuckles, and nothing else. So neither the Dr nor the physio has no idea why I am having the pains with my wrists and ankles. It has gotten worse, spreading down my hands and feet, often getting pins and needles as well now.

    This is pretty much the situation I have been left in with many of my health problems, I just get a "don't know" from the Doc, and left to suffer. :-(

     

    • jx41870
      jx41870 russ78696

      Posted

      Russ, me too, even the best doctors seem to do a lot of eye-rolling and shrugging.  Maybe the science just isn't up to Star Trek levels yet, like we always hope it is. 

      What about your diabetes doctors, have you asked them about these pains?  Could be a related nerve condition.

    • russ78696
      russ78696 jx41870

      Posted

      it is all the same doctors, so one would hope they would know if it was related to my diabetes. But I suppose that might be too much to assume.
    • rustygecko
      rustygecko russ78696

      Posted

      Did they give you a blood urate test? I had pain and tingling from about halfway down my forearm to my fingers. Tingling worse at night. Stopped within a couple of weeks starting allopurinol. 

  • mark38381
    mark38381 russ78696

    Posted

    why not try rf test, anti cpp test, crp test and cbc test. this are mostly the test for ra so you wont worry anymore about one kind. i am also suffering like you but i have elevated levels of uric acid so mostly my diagnosis is gout
  • russ78696
    russ78696

    Posted

    Well I have now been told it is neither gout nor Arthritis but fibromyalgia that I have and that there is no treatment just some medication that will have little to no effect. Google seems to tell me the same. Wonderfull :-(

    I am now suffering aches and tingling/numbness in all extremities most of the day, every day.

     

    • jx41870
      jx41870 russ78696

      Posted

      Diabetes also raises the possibility of general neuralgia, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump from fibromyalgia - doctors barely know what either one is.

      ?Be sure to check your vitamin D levels and if they're low, fix it and see if that helps.

       

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 russ78696

      Posted

      There are 2 causes for Fibromyalgia. One can occur from sensitivity to some sort of food. I know this because for years I suffered with horrible pains throughout my body. I was prescribed Guaifenesin after suffering from a horrible cough and like magic it went away, both the cough and the fibromyalgia. For me it comes from eating wheat products of any kind. I get a double dose of fibromyalgia and gout when I eat wheat. I suggest you find the culprit but I also know from experience of working in the medical industry that eating wheat products of any kind causes a lot of ailments in the body. The 2nd condition could be nerve damage which is very common in patients with diabetes. The trick is to find where the damage is coming from, either the neck or spine. I hope you're doing better, and hope your pain has calm down, if not maybe look into some of my suggestions.

  • Michael1972
    Michael1972 russ78696

    Posted

    Hello russ78696

    I recently posted with what I feel are quite similar symptoms to yourself

    esp re pain lifting things, and the fact the pain has been going for 5 months continually rather than flares of days/weeks:

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/do-you-think-i-have-gout--661657

    So was then interested to find your posts and read all the responses. You mentioned a loss of movement in hands - I wondered if you had any visible inflamed fingers or nodules; I imagine possibly not since you don't mention them. I'm wondering if I'm a candidate for fibromyalgia however the swollen fingers / couple of nodules perhaps make it unlikely it's anything other than inflammatory arthritis (gout or RA).

    Is your condition still the same / have u found anything that helps?

    Thanks

    Michael

    • russ78696
      russ78696 Michael1972

      Posted

      No I did not have any noticeable inflammation.  

      The Doctor I originally saw had made no attempt to at any other diagnosis, so would have presumably left me on gout medication I did not need had I not seen a different doctor.

      I did also develop RSI (tennis elbow) in my right arm, which was the original cause of my pain and being unable to lift or grasp anything, a coincidence I guess, but was then made worse by the fibromyalgia. 

      The condition is worse now. I have a constant ache in both arms, which generally feel heavy, the ache is worse in the hands and wrists, and it flares up during the day, more so when doing certain activities.

      I probably only have half my normal strength, my hands and wrists are the worst affected areas, and things like opening jars have become quite hard.

      I have a general feeling of lethargy and tiredness, regularly have a feeling of light headedness/drowsyness, body feels like a lead weight which washes over me, very much like when you have a really bad cold and don't want to even move. I usually have to take codine at least once per day.

      From what I have read, fibromyalgia pretty much covers any kind of pain for which there is no other explanation.

    • Michael1972
      Michael1972 russ78696

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Russ, although obviously sorry to hear that things are worse. Thanks also for describing the symptoms in details - sounds very tough going.

      I can definitely relate to the continual pain in fingers and arms etc, weakness gripping and also my head feels a bit fuzzy - however I suspect my swollen hands and a couple of lumps suggest it probably isn't fibromyalgia, altho I'll mention it to my GP.

      Thanks again, and I hope you eventually find something that helps.

  • fiona71269
    fiona71269 russ78696

    Posted

    Gout is a form of arthritis, I think it does not come and go,a full blood count will verify if you have it.,I have it,and will have it for life,managing flare-ups is not easy, allopurinol goes some way to dissolving the gout needle sharp crystals which form in joints,and not always big toe joints,my ankle is swollen right around the foot, feels like it's broken,not slipped or fallen, unpredictable agonising pain and I can hardly stand,also in wrists and numb fingers,IV just been prescribed dihydracodeine as paracetamol is ineffective.the pain of gout is horrendous.Think you need to go back to GP, it is difficult to diagnose,good luck.

    • jx41870
      jx41870 fiona71269

      Posted

      Gout is not for life, you can often limit your purine levels with diet.  You will be susceptible for life, some people can eat anything and still not have the problem.  Not everyone can fix it just with diet - and even for those who can, it can take months.

      Diet and celery seed, anyway!  Or allopurinol, if you prefer.

  • russ78696
    russ78696

    Posted

    I had all of that done months ago, thus why I have now been told I have fibromyalgia.
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