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My story...fit vegetarian, no alcohol still got Gout lol

Posted , 9 users are following.

W-H
W-H

I got hit by Gout around 5 years ago at the age of 35. I had been a very healthy vegetarian for 10 years before that and super fit and lean. Hardly touched alcohol either.

So in my case it definitely was not diet related. My dad and maternal granddad both had Gout so I guess my excellent lifestlye choices could not overcome the genetic lottery :-(

My first Gout attack was not a typical classic Gout attack, you know severe pain for few days and then gone. In my case it lasted almost a year at low intensity. In this 1 year I went to see 6 specialists and to each I said I think it is related to Gout. All dismissed it and came out with all kinds of excuses. I begged them to test my toe joint fluid to confirm it, none would do it!!!!!! MOFOS!

The 7th specialist did it and my Gout was 100% confirmed. Then I got the classic Gout attack.....mother of all pain :-( It lasted few days and then went. Then I got on 300mg of Allupurinol and haven't had another since.

I run half marathons and train in the gym regularly. I am super fit but always wonder if everythign is ok inside me. I test my kidney liver regularly and all is A OK so far.

Thought my story might help someone so posted it. Yes I am still vegetarian and will be for rest fo my life Gout or no Gout smile

 

2 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • lor37380
    lor37380 W-H

    Posted

    GoutBuster - I think the same happened to me. I was getting told I had the early stages of RA, but my tests were inconclusive. I am a fit vegetarian and was at the time I first began having the symptoms. I went thought a series of different doctors. Then my friend told me he had gout. He was a man and at the time rather overweight and he loved to eat meat and drank alcohol (I don't drink much at all). He showed me the symptoms and I was like -- that is similar to what I feel like. Then he showed me a diet his doctor suggested. For him it was too extreme -- basically a raw vegan diet with some cooked vegs also. He said he wasn't going to do it. So I tried it and my symptoms went away. I had not been a vegan and it was a hard diet to stay on, honestly. I spent half my life peeling and chopping vegetables. But it worked. Every doctor laughs at me when I suggest I got gout. However, my grandmother had problems with uric acid and many other food sensitivities. She had gout issues with her feet, but they were not properly diagnosed..

    • dee44451
      dee44451 lor37380

      Posted

      I realize this is an old thread, but I was googling "vegan and gout" and realized the posting by lor37380 is recent.   I am almost certain I have just had a gout attack and my foot doctor confirmed that the pictures I showed her seemed to be exactly that.   My attack happened Friday and I saw the doctor Monday and the swelling and redness were virtually gone because I juiced all weekend and drank tons of extra water and even ate a bag of cherries and had apple cider vinegar too because I wanted to try to get rid of it ASAP.  The doctor acknowledged that vegans can get gout.  Just eating vegan doesn't apparently get rid of gout, but it seems that eating a very alkaline vegan diet would take care of it for the most part.  Gout is very hereditary in my family.  I am not overweight, do not drink alcohol, eat very healthy and exercise.  So I think the hereditary factor got me.  Also I feel I was probably dehydrated at the time and had a bit too much sugar.  I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis four years ago, but now I'm wondering how much of my pains may have been caused by chronic uric acid problems that I didn't know about.  I know I might not get a definite diagnosis even with blood tests, but at least I am now going to be able to look into it further.   I feel like a very alkaline balanced vegan diet can control gout.  I've had many health improvements in the last 5 months being vegan, so this gout popping up is kind of discouraging, but also I think it might be a big part of the puzzle that will help me figure out my overall health even better.      

  • RWOCTOPUS
    RWOCTOPUS W-H

    Posted

    I have an unusual case. My symptoms started maybe 20 years ago (I’m 58) in my left hip. I was in a severe motorcycle accident at 17 and injured the area. I have all the typical reactions in the hip as one would in the joint of the big toe.  I now have continuous discomfort with bouts of severe pain lasting a few days to a few weeks.  I have been primarily plant based for better than a decade and a vegan for 3 months.  My real vice is a glass or two of dry red wine every night. 

    Does anyone else have a similar story? 

    How can I rebuild my body from the long term effects from undiagnosed gout?

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