Any Gout sufferers out there?

[curmudgeon]

I'm in the middle of my second Gout attack. The first was around 7 years ago. I was prescribed a medication which I chose not to take. I'm glad I refused or I would have been taking them for the last 7 years for no good reason. Now I'm thinking maybe I need to reconsider as this attack seems worse then the first. It's been 5 days and I'm not completely over it yet. :hurt1:

So If anybody else out there has this condition could you tell me about it?
Which med you use if any?
How well you tolerate the med and if you have any side effects?
Has the med prevented any recurrence?

[dannyk]

Ibuprofin killed the pain for me, worked within several minutes of taking it, haven't had a bout since, hope that statement holds true. Some of the worst pain I have ever felt. :biker:

[Xantee]

I'm not a gout sufferer, but I am a nurse and do know a few things about gout.

The classic prescription treatment for gout is colchicine. Any other medicine you take would be some type of pain relief.

Diet should also be modified to reduce or prevent gout. If your health-care source did not talk to you about diet then they did you a great disservice. There is a list of foods to avoid (http://arthritis.about.com/cs/gout/a/foodstoavoid.htm) that you should try to stay in compliance with if you don't want to take medicines all the time.

Hope this helps.

[Blrfl]

To add to what Xantee said: If you've reduced the amount of exercise you get, you may be building up uric acid in places where you weren't before.

--Mark

[Lou65]

Yucca capsules (3 to 6 per day) and wild cherry concentrate
from the health food store...and diet of course....worked for me....I never trust the pharmaceuticals.

[DaBear]

I had it (at forty-six) when I was in law school. Ibuprofen for the pain and diet has controlled it ever since.

[georgiast]

+1 on the cherry juice.

My Mother-in-law has had a couple of very bad bouts. The wife did some research on the cherry concentrate and she has been on it for a couple of years now with no reoccurrence.

She is 87 and the cherry juice seems to have dulled the pain of her arthritis as well.

I am not real big on health food remedies, but this one seems to be on the mark.


Yucca capsules (3 to 6 per day) and wild cherry concentrate
from the health food store...and diet of course....worked for me....I never trust the pharmaceuticals.

[moeg]

Another believer of wild cherry concentrate capsules. Increasing water intake also a plus.

[STingray]

Phil, sorry to hear of you plight. While not having gout, I have had 1 Uric Acid kidney stone (same/similar causes), back in '04.

Our bodies don't metabolize proteins completely properly, or, if we consume higher qantities of protein rich foods, and it ends up building the uric acid levels to the point where they build up in our bodies (you, with 'gout' in your joints, etc.; me with a 'stone' in my kidneys). According to my urologist and my nutritionist/chiropractor, staying away from "dark" foods will help (blueberries, spinach <yay!>, and the worst one for me: stout/dark beers...among many other things).

To get rid of my stone (a whopping 7mm!), they gave me an prescription called "Urocit-K". It dissolved the stone in about 5 days. No side effects, and no issues at all that I remember.

What I've done since is "watch" my intake of dark foods, but still enjoy them on occassion (I tell the wife "I'm not supposed to have spinach honey..." :D ), and even just brewed another batch of Oatmeal Stout, so... But what I *have* done is really increase my intake of water. I found through research that not just drinking, but eliminating 2 quarts per day is what we should all strive for. No problems since...:hotpepper And I hear that cherry juice is excellent...I'm all for not putting chemicals in our bodies that weren't there to begin with!

Hope you get over this ASAP!

[the Ferret]

Just suffered my first bout this year. Damn it was painful. Nothing could touch that toe..I mean nothing..no sock, no sheet at night, nothing! Lasted about 10 days. Finally took a script and it went away. Dr said I could take a daily script and almost guarantee it wouldn't come back or I could take my chances and it might never come back. I'm taking my chances, but it was so painful that if it ever does come back I may agree to the daily script.

I feel for ya man, and anyone else who suffers from this malady.

[scotto]

Some of the medicine the doctors give you actually makes it worse if you take it during an attack. The only thing that works for me is INDOMETHECINE which I take only when I feel one coming on. If I catch it early and take it for a few days, It doesn't turn into something worse. Imagine someone dropping a bowling ball on your toe joint from 6 ft and you'll know what I am talking about.

I had a kidney stone once and I never felt in so much pain. It was tolerable during the day but at night it was unbearable. I found a kidney stone dissolve kit on the internet (herbs and a grocery list for the other items) and had it overnighted. I followed the directions and after 15 minutes of drinking the stuff the pain in my side and back dulled greatly. I continued to drink the mixture for 48 hrs after and never passed the stone or have had the problem since. I know it sounds crazy but it worked for me.

[curmudgeon]

Just suffered my first bout this year. Damn it was painful. Nothing could touch that toe..I mean nothing..no sock, no sheet at night, nothing! Lasted about 10 days. Finally took a script and it went away. Dr said I could take a daily script and almost guarantee it wouldn't come back or I could take my chances and it might never come back. I'm taking my chances, but it was so painful that if it ever does come back I may agree to the daily script.

I feel for ya man, and anyone else who suffers from this malady.

OK, I give up, what is Script? I even Googled it and can't find anything. Are you using some sort of slang?

[curmudgeon]

Some of the medicine the doctors give you actually makes it worse if you take it during an attack. The only thing that works for me is INDOMETHECINE which I take only when I feel one coming on. If I catch it early and take it for a few days, It doesn't turn into something worse. Imagine someone dropping a bowling ball on your toe joint from 6 ft and you'll know what I am talking about.

I had a kidney stone once and I never felt in so much pain. It was tolerable during the day but at night it was unbearable. I found a kidney stone dissolve kit on the internet (herbs and a grocery list for the other items) and had it overnighted. I followed the directions and after 15 minutes of drinking the stuff the pain in my side and back dulled greatly. I continued to drink the mixture for 48 hrs after and never passed the stone or have had the problem since. I know it sounds crazy but it worked for me.

I was given some Indomethacin three years ago, but never took any. The pills being 3 years old I decided not to take them. So you say the stuff is good? If so maybe I should keep some around.

[curmudgeon]

Thanks for all the input so far.

I think I will go looking for some Cherry concentrate. I read some time ago about using Black Cherry juice.

[Bacon]

My experience of suffering gout is as follows.

During my first attack many years ago, they X-Rayed my foot as they thought it was broken as the pain was so bad. Blood tests show high uric acid so gout diagnosed. I opted to let it go and handle the attacks as they occured perhaps once a year. This was fine for several years but developed into attacks every other month. So drugs as follow.

1. Colchicine when I feel an attack starting and during an attack. Don't plan on going anywhere that's not close to a lavy.

2. Allopurinol taken daily to minimise the chances of an attack. Should an attack occur while on this drug, stop taking it and revert back to Colchicine to handle the attack.

Ibuprofin helps with the pain and a walking stick when I need to walk during an attack. Strange thing is I could go to bed without any issues and waken with severe gout pain.

As always, ask your doctor for advice as you will/may have a different requirement. These are prescription drugs anyway.

[DaBear]

'Script' is a colloqualism for 'prescription', Curmudgeon.

[steve3b3]

I'm prescribed Indomethicyn (sp?) for when I have an attack. That knocks it down pretty quickly.

It does make me a little light-headed just after taking it, and I avoid grapefruit products while taking it as well.

Steve

[STrep]

1. Colchicine when I feel an attack starting and during an attack. Don't plan on going anywhere that's not close to a lavy.

2. Allopurinol taken daily to minimise the chances of an attack. Should an attack occur while on this drug, stop taking it and revert back to Colchicine to handle the attack.

This is what my Doctor prescribed for me a few months ago.

As always, ask your doctor for advice as you will/may have a different requirement. These are prescription drugs anyway.

Absolutely

Not wanting to be on prescription medication the rest of my life, I have been visiting a Naturopathic Doctor. Here is the "skinny"on what my ND said for me:

1. Maintain an ideal body weight (i.e. in my case lose some wieght-15kg,{33lbs.})

2. Drink 2 litres of water per day (70 onces).

3. Eat fresh whole foods (unrefined and unprocessed). Fruits, vegetables, whole grains (brown rice) , soy, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, and halibut).

4. Eliminate purine-containing foods, such as organ meats, shellfish, anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, brewers yeast (beer), bakers yeast (baked goods and bread).

5. Eat black cherries (unsweetened canned, fresh, or frozen) In my case, I dilute concentrated Black cherry juice. Cherries lower uric acid levels and can prevent gout attack. Blueberries, blackberries, and other deeply pigmented berries are also helpful.

6. Limit Caffeine (in my case, two cups of coffee/day)

7. Avoid (limit) alcohol, animal fats, red meat, white sugar, dairy products, fried foods and junk foods.

This is for information purposes only. I suggest you talk to a medical professional.

[STingray]

I had a kidney stone once and I never felt in so much pain. It was tolerable during the day but at night it was unbearable. I found a kidney stone dissolve kit on the internet (herbs and a grocery list for the other items) and had it overnighted. I followed the directions and after 15 minutes of drinking the stuff the pain in my side and back dulled greatly. I continued to drink the mixture for 48 hrs after and never passed the stone or have had the problem since. I know it sounds crazy but it worked for me.

All depends on what the composition of the stone was (there are 4 different types). The 2 most common are Calcium and uric acid (make up about 90% of the cases) Uric acid stones react well to 'dissolving kits'. Calcium stones, not so much (but it HAS been known to happen)

STrep's recommendation of 70oz of water per day "intake" is OK if you have an office job, are not that physically active, or don't have chronic issues. Just taking it in cannot tell you if your body is getting enough fluids. (heck, on a long day rally ride I fill my 50oz Camelbak several times...and that doesn't include what I drink in a restaurant ;) )

The only way to monitor this is to regulate "elimination". Here's the gross part: You can tell by the color of your urine. It should be very pale yellow - very near clear. If not, you're not drinking enough no matter HOW much you're drinking. Now, if someone works a physically demanding job (like me), or is outside (like me) in the heat, (and even the cold), or has chronic stone issues (like me) you need to increase your intake. That's why 2 doctors (1- a urologist) and internet research has told me that ELIMINATING 2 quarts per day is the goal toward which to press.

Bottom line though, follow doctor's orders...

[the Ferret]

OK, I give up, what is Script? I even Googled it and can't find anything. Are you using some sort of slang?

Sorry a pre"script"ion. I went to a Urgent Care facility on a weekend and they gave me the colchine stuff, but on Monday I got to my regular doctor and I think he gave me a Z Pack or something like that and that took care of it.

Someone asked me what it felt like

I said for the first 3 days it felt like someone smashed my big toe with a sledge hamemer as hard as they could

for the next 3 days it just felt like it was badly broken

and for the last 3 days it just felt like it was stubbed badly

[Mike]

"Z" pack? Isn't that Zythromax? an antibiotic is it not.

[FOG]

..................................
6. Limit Caffeine (in my case, two cups of coffee/day)

7. Avoid (limit) alcohol, animal fats, red meat, white sugar, dairy products, fried foods and junk foods.
........................


I would rater live with the pain:D

Seriously, had an attack over 15 years ago, hurt worse that when I broke my Femur skiing. It was the MOST pain I have ever had, luckily subsided in 2 days and never reoccurred.

[NewsMag]

Gout is a crystallization of needle-shaped uric acid crystals in a joint. These are an irritant, and exercising the joint causes the sharp crystals to grind in and cause inflammation and (often unbearable) pain. It affects more men than women, and most often attacks the great toe on the left foot first. But you can have a gout attack in ANY joint. I have had both big toes and the occasional finger attack, but after control, never anything but my left big toe.

Allopurinol (http://www.drugs.com/cdi/allopurinol.html) taken daily inhibits uric acid from forming in the bloodstream. Indomethacin (http://www.drugs.com/pdr/indomethacin.html) is a high-powered NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) inflammation reducer, in the same family as ketoprofen, ibuprofen, and aspirin. Neither allopurinol nor indomethacin is an analgesic (pain-killer).

There's an interesting panoply of experience here! And my STory is even a bit different. I consume almost nothing on the purine-food list, and I have had chronic, agonizing gout attacks for about 8 years. I also don't like drugs, so I fought with diet and hydration.

The hydration really works. If I could input (and output) ONE GALLON (or more) per day, I could be attack free. I am also overweight, and losing weight actually drives more uric acid into the bloodstream and can cause more attacks. So in a controlled environment (air conditioned office, home, motorcycle trip, vacation) I could keep the attacks at bay. I was motivated to do so because the agony was so great that even the touch of a sock or a bedsheet was unbearable. How did I know my hydration was sufficient? If my pee was nearly clear, all good. Any yellow or dark yellow called for chugging a quart or more of liquid. Water is best - I favored iced tea or crystal light at room temperature - it goes down easier. Cold (and hot) beverages are very difficult to consume quickly.

Then I did some international travel. In hot areas (Turkey and Egypt). Even though bottled water was available, I was never in control of the environment, and I could never keep my hydration to the required levels. Bad news. The real downside was that every attack added to the damage done before, and I now have permanent joint damage in my left foot. I tried cherry juice, garlic and herb pills, the lot. Some things worked for a while and then stopped, others did nothing. All were relatively expensive.

4 years ago I went to a doctor who is a "Holistic MD," who really looks for diet and other alternatives before prescribing pills. He recommended allopurinol, as it's a pretty benign drug, and cheap. I am paying $4 a month for generic, and it's cheaper than any alternative stuff I tried. It works, too. I have had only 2 attacks since beginning the regimen, and both were due to under-hydrating. Neither attack was as severe as before. I need at least half a gallon a day if sedentary, and closer to a gallon if active in the summer. Not hydrating on my first flight leg and then sprinting back and forth in O'Hare's tunnel 5 times to chase flight connections in the summertime was responsible for my last attack.

Bottom line, if your case is severe as mine was, you can fight it with hydration alone, but you risk permanent damage adding up every time you screw up. Allopurinol is cheap and effective and benign. Indomethacin is really hard on your stomach and liver, and should be avoided.

So that's MY 2 cents worth...

[curmudgeon]

Thanks Steve best info yet. I have been a big water drinker for a long time. There are times of course that I don't do as well. Now that I think about it I got this attack after returning from a 5 day flying trip and didn't hydrate nearly as much as usual.

I have been on a Thiazide diuretic for many years and I now find out it is a big trigger for Gout. So I'm going to have to modify my hypertension meds.

I have only had two major Gout attacks and there was 7 years between them. I go back in in a few weeks and if my doc says to take allopurinol I have decided to take it. My brother has been on allopurinol for 3 or 4 years and it works for him.

The up side is I never seem to get pain I'd describe as bad as many have noted.

[forgitaboutut]

I started getting Gout earlier than most...in my 20's!...( the hard part was that I wasn't diagnosed with it till about 10 years later...and did't know what was happening)
I would get it in my ankles knees...all parts of the foot....OUCH that big toe....that felt like it was clamped in a vise!
I was on meds...and quit...didnt seem to be helping....plus it seemed to just make me really tired....
But it got so bad that I couldn't make it through a WEEK without serious - demobilizing pain!

I think the biggest thing that helped me was to slow down on the beers
ok...I like to pound them on the weekends.....I mean REALLY pound them!
But since I have cut back quite a bit, I can honestly say that my gout attacks have decresed by 70%! along with everyday meds....I might get a minor attack once or twice a year...that may seem like still alot....I used to get attacks about every 3 weeks! sometimes more!

The allopurinal (50mg. daily)works for me...(I think!) but it seems like everytime I get lab work done, My Uric Acid levels are slightly too high yet...
all I know is I don't get the attacks like I used too! so I keep taking it!

The Indomethicin helps when I'm having an attack....which I havn't had to take in over a year!

Hydration is not an option for me! I think I would have to wear Depends
24 7!
Good luck with that!

[MFRider]

Acupuncture to the localized area of pain: big toe, etc. Works wonders!

[BrewhouseBob]

I've had intermittent pain in my knees - frequency started at once per year and increased over several years to once every 2-3 months. The increased frequency coincides with increase beer drinking (bought a new house close to a favorite bar). I also have a history of kidney stones (twice in the past 15 years). I thought the knee pain was caused by exercise (running - 10 to 15 miles per week), until I had an attack after a period of no exercise at all for 3 months (wrecked my '06 ST). My doctor suspects gout, but said a definitive diagnosis requires aspirating fluid from the joint during an attack. I greatly reduced beer drinking and increased water intake - seems to have helped so far. I'm running again and I've replaced the '06 with an '07 ST... but I really miss my beer.

[Jactana]

I had my first bout of gout six months ago, after taking Viskizide for blood pressure for about fifteen years. I got my doctor to switch my blood pressure meds and luckily haven't had a repeat attack yet. I read about black cherry juice being very effective for individuals suffering repeated attacks, you might want to try that.

[Bbob]

Went on low salt instead of hydrochlorothiazide to control BP, and that stopped it. No sign of it for two years.

Hard to upshift with it.

http://imagemeister.blogspot.com