Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi everyone. I'm new to this site , although I have been suffering from pseudo gout for the past 34 years . I was diagnosed with it at 20 and it has deteriorated since then. I am in constant pain all over as it affects most of my joints . It has now been identified in my ligaments and soft tissues in various areas too. Any one else out there that suffers with it this severely ?
1 like, 16 replies
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timothy12884 Cazzle
Posted
al63929 timothy12884
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Fomich al63929
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"The crystals are different" - do you mean the chemical formula of the crystals is different? Phosphate? Oxalate?
Thanks.
BR
venetia90377 timothy12884
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usps63 Cazzle
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My husband has been diagnosed recently & is deteriorating quickly. He's been taking prednisone in low doses (10mg) and colchicine. Dr tries to wean him off prednisone but hasn't been successful. Most recently they've tried taking him down to 7 1/2mg only to be brought back to 10mg. After 3 days he doesn't seem to be bouncing back. His arm strength is deteriorating & the skin there is becoming wrinkly. Other joints are also affected, including shoulder, elbow, wrist, neck, hip & ankle. Basically every joint in his body. He is just miserable. I know diet doesn't affect pseudogout & we're just at a loss.... Any suggestions or opinions are appreciated
Fomich Cazzle
Posted
Dear All, how can you identify pseudogout? Special serum UA level or any other certain features? What's the difference in gout and pseudogout?
Thanks.
BR
usps63 Fomich
Posted
I learned so much through googling, but when it was all said and done the Rheumatologist is the one who diagnosed it through bloodwork and examination. My husband has other issues as well, but i believe the pseudogout diagnosis centered around symtoms and inflammation markers. his sed rate was 116, normal being 0-2, and his c-reactive protein was also skyrocketed. those are both markers of inflammation. difference between pseudogout and gout has to do with uric acid (i believe). my husband tested negative for uric acid. his syptoms started with drenching night sweats. the body aches are something he's always dealt with so those early signs were ignored. his knee swelled up and was so painful he couldn't barely move it without screaming out in pain. people with gout say that even a sheet is too much weight, with pseudogout that really wasn't a problem. moving it tho was excruciating. it has now moved to almost every joint in his body. waiting until Tuesday (after holiday today) to call dr again. i'll guess he increases his Prednisone. i'm happy to keep you updated, or try to answer any questions. i'm still learning myself tho
Fomich usps63
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Dear usps63, please answer:
"and his c-reactive protein was also skyrocketed" - how high in figures? My c-reactive protein(CRP) was 1,7mg\l right after attack and 12mg\l during attack. Is it closer to pseudogout or to gout?
"sed rate" - as well as CRP shows inflammation process. My sed rate during attack was 8 or 10mm\hour. Is it a gout? I suppose nobody knows the correct answer.
"my husband tested negative for uric acid." - how is it possible? Had that test been done when he suffered or while remission? Normal lever of UA for a male 4,4-7,6mg\dl. But UA level is going down considerably during attack! All Uric Acid tests don't show correct picture while a patient is under attack. Much of UA turns into crystals keeps the blood clean of dessolved UA.
"people with gout say that even a sheet is too much weight," - sometimes yes, it depends on how massive the attack is. After years of gout suffering the attacks are gettig easier. But more often.
BR
usps63 Fomich
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His C-Reactive protein was 3.8mg from his GP, and 65.2mg from his Rheumatologist a month later. I guess having or not having Uric Acid in range is one way to know whether it is Gout or Pseudogout. His UA was 4.5 when the range is 3.5-8.5. i'm guessing normal UA is one of the reasons why the Rheumatologist came to the conclusion that it couldn't be Gout. All this is new to us, never had a problem with Gout or anything other than reflux and slightly elevated blood pressure. now he takes about a dozen different pills a day, including ones for anemia. have you been diagnosed with Pseudogout?
usps63
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all of this started with the drenching night sweats the end of May. he's never been in remission, yet. the symptoms have subsided somewhat but have never gone away, and he's never been able to go without his medication from the start.
Fomich usps63
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"3.8mg" - per what? Per liter or ml? 10 times differ. "65.2mg" - anyway huge figures.
"Uric Acid in range is one way to know whether it is Gout or Pseudogout" - no way! Meds (and attack also!) can decrease UA level very much and very fast even for real gouter. My minimum UA level was 156mkmoll\l=2,6mg\dl and max level was 10,9mg\dl. Far away even from wide UK allowed range. I see each country and probably each hospital has its own "good UA range". Test of serum UA level, be taken when attack is taking place, shows nothing.
"have you been diagnosed with Pseudogout?" - me not. Sometimes it seems to me I have some strange gout, but for sure it's completely different like your husband has.
BR
Fomich usps63
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"all of this started with the drenching night sweats" - several times I had similar drenching night sweats, but I felt much better in the morning and attack went down. During that sweats it's very important to drink a lot to compensate water losses. Did your husband drink much water?
usps63 Fomich
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now that the holiday weekend is over it is difficult to keep up with this thread. after working all day i come home to take care of my husband and 2 grandchildren until their parents get off work. i'll check in as i can. called the dr yesterday, he raised the Prednisone up to 20mg (double what he was taking), more blood work today, and we go in on the 16th to see the dr. i'll keep you updated as i can.
neeraj89266 Fomich
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is ur husband having morning stiffness?
delcie00020 Fomich
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I've been diagnosed with pseudogout. Pseudogout is calcium crystals and not uric acid crystals. Pseudogout doesn't have anything to do with your diet as regular gout does.
delcie00020 usps63
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They can tell you if it's pseudogout by asperating the area and then test the fluid to find out if its calcium crystals or not. I have been diagnosed with pseudogout which mimics gout but is different as it has nothing to do with diet.