No meat and still having flare ups

Posted , 8 users are following.

I am a Vietnam Veteran and dealt with plenty injuries but this gout is starting to take the blue ribbon. I wasn't a heavy meat eater unless at a cook out. But last 6 months the Allopurinol at 200mg no longer is helping. VA medical staff doubt I'm suffering gout because it attacks my upper spine, hands and ankle. Then big toe. Even with my uric acid levels between 6.0 to 8.0 I'm still getting horrid flare ups.

The doctor swares up and down I cant be having an attack in the spine.

Ive since stopped eating meat. and also having difficulty eating beans, soy milk.

I am running out of ideas to treat this. Cherry juice and valarian root isn't helping.

0 likes, 35 replies

35 Replies

Next
  • Posted

    The norm gout med is 300 mg of allopurinol. Ask your Dr about adding colchicine as well
    • Posted

      They refuse to give me colchicine because they say my numbers aren't high enough. And last night I got another flare up. This time my big toe was throbbing but not red yet.

    • Posted

      When did they do the blood checks?

      In the UK their protocol is to give allopurinol colchecine after 2 flares in any 12 month period.

      If you take Allopurinol you WILL get flares - hence the reason for always having the colchecine at hand. 

       

    • Posted

      a few years ago and the staff back then gave me both. The mew staff wont. I also haven't seen a real doctor in VA for 4 years. just nurse practioners. I requested and gave me mumbo jumbo about jumping through hoops to see one. Special request forms and pre approval. I shouldn't have to deal with that much red tape to feel good.

  • Posted

    Hello, there doctor's are right, you cannot get gout on your back, but what you can get is Rheumatism. It sounds like rheumatoid arthritis to me. How old, how tall and how much do you weigh? 

    • Posted

      The doctor is wrong.

      You can get gout in the spine.

      There are loads of academic articles written about it.

    • Posted

      that's what I told them and showed quotes on my phone. They still refuse colchicine to treat me.

    • Posted

      I agree. But that is another conundrum. I have Obama insurance. And there are no male American white doctors in our network because they don't get paid enough. Thus just middle. East and India doctors. And I'm not ready to put my lillie white Irish ass in their care yet.

    • Posted

      I'm with ya but you know what you need no matter what kind of dr. You know you need a 300 mg allopurinol and a colchicine

    • Posted

      they wont give me colchicine. they stand by their claim... I cant have gout in my upper spine. I still think its about the money. $150 for 30 pills of colchicine. But as long as they deny my pleage for the colchicine. I will continue to suffer horribly.

      And even xrays show something and they play it off as minor arthritis and they deemed it not a problem. Even though that causes pain too.

      Arizona va lost 8 patients due to the lack of care on their watch. Its as if what us veterans feel don't matter.

    • Posted

      Would you like me to give them some academic papers about spinal gout to show them?
    • Posted

      They ignored my evidence. I had plenty and they didnt even want to lay their eyes on it.
  • Posted

    Many questions here.

    The blood urate of 6-8 was it taken during or within 15 days of a gout flare?

    Second, there are at least 68 scholarly medical research articles written about gout pain in the spine. Any medical staff should be aware of this. FYI 69% of those who report pain in the spine actually have it in the neck or very top of the back.

    Next, gout pain in the wrists and hands is not unknown. Medical staff should know that too.

    Allopurinol will trigger gout attacks. You medical staff should have warned you of that and given you prophylaxis.

    The standard does of Allopurinol during the first year or so is 300mg... again your medical staff should know this.

    • Posted

      Well, that sounds like good advice to me.

      This is cut n paste. I won't put quote marks or they'll block it.

      Spinal gout most commonly present as back or neck pain with majority of reported patients with elevated uric acid. The diagnosis of spinal gout is confirmed with the presence of negatively birefringent monosodium urate crystals in tissue. Treatment for spinal gout involves medication for the reduction of uric acid level and surgery if patient symptoms failed to respond to medical treatment.

    • Posted

      I under stand all this. Its my VA heath providers forcing me to go outside the network out of pocket. I cannot afford that and they know it.
    • Posted

      This whole sad saga with your VA reminds me of something I heard only yesterday:

      If you are in the USA and have an iphone in your hand, the irony is, the exploited Chinese wage-slave that made the phone probably has a better health care plan than you do.

    • Posted

      That ain't no lie. Sfter all this its time to find a new network

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.