- This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Howdy folks:
?
I think there is a good chance that I may be a fellow sufferer.? A couple of days ago I work up and the bottom of the ball at the base of my big toe hurt.? I remembered reading that gout often affected the big toe, so I've spent the past couple of days reading, although the pain wasn't of the level that many have described (I can walk on it without limping if I wear shoes, but barefoot on a hardwood floor I have to favor it a little), and it's on the bottom inside part of the bunion joint (i.e. closer to the center of the foot) rather than the outside edge or top.?
?
That said, I still think there's a very good chance it's gout, because I've done practically everything possible to cause it, as it started just about 48 hours after a New Year's Eve party I was at, where I did nothing but eat giant shrimp all evening, as they goofed up and had far more shrimp than they thought so I just ate and ate.? I also drank a bunch of dark beer since I wasn't the designated driver.? On top of that I've been taking a low dose aspirin a day for the past couple years as I'm a somewhat overweight middle aged male with high BP.? Added to that I started taking calcium supplements a couple of weeks ago and I read that calcium supplements can be an issue too.
?
So to sum it up, I guess I inadvertantly did a gout stress test on myself, and possibly flunked.? I've got an appointment with a rheumatologist next week, and hopefully he will do a uric acid test (I suspect my joint will be better by then since the only symptom is some discomfort and no redness or swelling, which from what I read will make the joint fluid test pointless).???
?
I've got a couple of questions from all I'v read.? First, have these little crystals been building up in my joints in small quantities over the years and they finally reached critical mass, or do the crystals all form at one time, once the blood concentration and temperature are right??? The reason I ask is that I'm trying to figure out if I'm in for a lifetime of trouble (i.e. the crystals took decades to build up and they aren't going away any time soon), or if I just overloaded my system with uric acid by all the “wrong” things I've done recently, and if I don't repeat the stress test, I'm unlikely to have it again.?
?
Also, should I ask the doc for meds anyway so that I can have them on hand if it ever happens again?? From what I've read it sounds like a second attack is usually much worse than a first one, and it also seems like docs are reluctant to diagnose gout without at least two occurrances and/or a positive joint fluid test, plus it also seems very important to take the meds for an acute attack as soon as possible after it starts if you don't want to experience days of pain.?
?
Thoughts and suggestions welcome.
Quick answer is- that if you have gout diagnosed ,that's 'it's for life'? – at least in the background, if lucky!?
It's been building for ages- you just haven't triggered your immune reaction till now. When /where is rather acedemic, tbh.
You'll have to watch your step on diet as you well know- but when [& if] you then get a 'full blown' attack, you'll know it, alright 🙁
Best thing to do is get?an?SUA taken?and a subsequent diagnosis. Then have some Colchicine on standby to deal with any flares and decide a management stategy then- with your medics.
By then you'll know whether they're on top of the issue or not from your own searches/treatment gained?etc,?and be even more aware yourself.
Pain is a great teacher, as we all know here 🙂 , but?gout can be handled OK- with the right approach.
@maybegout
You seem to have the same trigger as me? lots of shrimp and dark beer.
Let me tell you about my experience with gout so you can learn from my mistakes.? Please bear in mind, I am not a doctor and gout can vary wildly from person to person.
That said, I'm just getting over my 6th attack in just about as many years.? Like you, a feast of shrimp and dark beer over New Years Eve is the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, though I'm sure there is a variety of contributors that build up over time..? Like you, I am middle aged and have all of the classic gout lifestyle risk factors.? Like you, my gout is at the base of my big toe, left foot for me.?
My first two attacks, years ago, I thought to be pain from work shoes or I brusied my toe/foot without knowing it somehow. Those first couple of attacks were mild compared to later attacks.? I could walk with some pain, but no real limp.? My 3rd attack was much worse than the first two and I started to complain.? That's when someone said “Maybe it's gout?”. Never really heard of gout before that.?
My health care provider has been largely useless and I felt like I was on my own, until finding this site this week.
My 4th attack was in the spring of 2008. Brutal and made worse by popping aspirin day and night.? Big mistake.? On a scale of 1 ? 10, let's classify attacks 1 and 2 at pain level 2 or 3 .? This attack was a solid pain level 8 or 9 and for days with the whole event spanning weeks.? Worst pain of my life and I know pain.? I reserve pain level 10 for things I haven't felt yet like torture and certain kinds of death.? Blinding pain where you see sparks and flashes should you bang you toe on something ? to the brink of passing out.? Pain that is both throbbing AND stabbing and contant, day and night. My 5th attack reached pain level 8, but peak and overall duration was less due to a slightly better understanding of what was going on.
Up to this point, I misunderstood my gout.? Like trev said, “it's for life” ? pending diagnosis.? I did not realize this until coming here.? I had assumed it was rather like catching cold.? I assumed I had gout only during the attacks and not in between.? Wrong.? It's a condition I need to monitor and manage.? I know that now.
Finding this site has been the best thing possible for helping me understand my gout and adjust my lifestyle.? This, my 6th attack, while getting up to a pain level 7 or 8, was only there for hours, not days.? Now 5 days into my attack, I'm at pain level 2 and dropping. All thanks to the advice I've read on this site.
Since we seem to have similar triggers for an attack, we may have similar remedies.? See what worked for me this week in my recent post in “Giving Gout The Finger” thread.? Get to know your gout, and do yourself a big favor; poke around this site and learn from others like I have.
Regards,
SB
?
Your rounds one and two sound exactly like what I'm experiencing.? Since you've been having about one attack a year, has changing your diet or taking medication helped?? Do your attacks coincide with still having dark beer and shrimp, or do other things now trigger it?? I don't see the doc until late next week, but I already stopped the aspirin and the calcium.? Toe still somewhat sore though, although no evidence of any swelling or discoloration of the skin.?
has changing your diet or taking medication helped
I've only just now changed my diet.? The only meds I've taken is 800 mg ibuprofen 3 x a day and that was only for current and previous attacks. That did help. Perhaps one day I'll need something stonger and/or more specific. Until then I will try to manage it without “special” pills.? You do whatever you and doc feel is best for you.
Do your attacks coincide with having dark beer and shrimp, or other things
My attacks are mainly due to my overall diet.? From what I now understand, the uric acid builds up in my blood over time until saturation is maxed out and precipitation of crystals occurs ? a gout attack.? I often pull my left leg out from under the covers while sleeping, that's near a window ? left foot becomes a cool part of my body and *_boom_* there it is.
Beer and shrimp are not part of my normal diet. I suspect it's a coincidence that at least 2 of my attacks (#4 and #6) arrived ~36 hours after such indulgence.? It may be the case that I am especially intolerant to beer and shrimp, though I doubt it. More likely that I gorged myself on beer and shrimp a couple of times when an attack was probably imminent anyway.
To answer your question; It's other things, a combination of everything in my (previously) gout-prone diet.? Don't remember if anything special brought on the other attacks ? probably was just my “normal” diet catching up with me? lots of booze mixed with cola and other sodas, lots of meat ? all kinds, maybe some fruit and veggies for color now and then… maybe.
I've sworn off beer and shrimp just to be safe and am now making a real effort to improve my diet and fitness.? We'll see how far that gets me.
Good Luck to You,
stevieb said:
…? The only meds I've taken is 800 mg ibuprofen 3 x a day …
Ibuprofen won't do a thing for GOUT. All it does is covering your pain while Mother Nature continues behind the scene (pronounced: in your metabolism) to increase your chances of more twinges/flares/attacks by increasing your uric acid. Trev has already given you advice what to do.
Do your attacks coincide with having dark beer and shrimp, or other things
My attacks are mainly due to my overall diet.
Don't kid yourself!!!
From what I now understand, the uric acid builds up in my blood over time until saturation is maxed out and precipitation of crystals occurs ? a gout attack.? I often pull my left leg out from under the covers while sleeping, that's near a window ? left foot becomes a cool part of my body and *_boom_* there it is.
Quite true.
Beer and shrimp are not part of my normal diet. I suspect it's a coincidence that at least 2 of my attacks (#4 and #6) arrived ~36 hours after such indulgence.? It may be the case that I am especially intolerant to beer and shrimp, though I doubt it. More likely that I gorged myself on beer and shrimp a couple of times when an attack was probably imminent anyway.
To answer your question; It's other things, a combination of everything in my (previously) gout-prone diet.? Don't remember if anything special brought on the other attacks ? probably was just my “normal” diet catching up with me? lots of booze mixed with cola and other sodas, lots of meat ? all kinds, maybe some fruit and veggies for color now and then… maybe.
I've sworn off beer and shrimp just to be safe and am now making a real effort to improve my diet and fitness.? We'll see how far that gets me….?Diet and exercise don't cause your gout! They just add to or subtract from your misery which gout causes.
Keith, the founder and Administrator, and the many members (and contributors) of this forum have spent many hours to show the way: MANAGE YOUR GOUT!!! Just take the time (particularly when you are in pain and can't go anywhere) and read, read, read what has been presented to you on silver platter (the Web.)
Went to the rheumatologist late last week and he thought it could be gout, based on symptoms, but by that point my toe had quit hurting, and there wasn't anything to see (although there never was anything to see as it didn't swell or turn red).? He did a uric acid test on me and it came back at 5.2, which apparently is OK.? He said that's not conclusive though, even though test was done after attack was over.? Told me to quit eating bad food, lose some weight, and come back in three months.?? Instead of colchicine he gave me indomethacin in case it happened again.? He said he didn't like to prescribe colchicine because of the side effects and potential drug interactions.?
?
Not sure where to go from here.? I think I'm going to order one of those uric acid test kits online and see if certain foods make my uric acid go up.? Any thoughts on how long after eating a suspect food I should test?? I was thinking off hand about 12 hours, which is long enough for it all to be absorbed.?
If you really don't like pain or meds? -then an SUA meter will be a good buy.
Learn to use it over some weeks or [more likely] months and keep records. If you learn wnat your body is telling/asking you -it will pay off.?????
5.2 SUA is too near danger for a gouty, post attack…
Likewise, 12 hours? SUA variation?doesn't compare with the 12 years gout probably took to come calling by!
Keep clear of your known gout?triggers and keep up 'non joint stress' exercise , water [!!] and stuff like anthocyanin rich Blueberries, Black Bean broth etc.? ie Alkalise? to the max, lose weight slowly and control BP-avoiding diuretics if at all?possible.[Sometimes unavoidable]
Your Dr is right to be passing the buck back?to you- if you can't handle it alone the meds are an adequate answer for long term management. The more you can get ahead now- the better your chances of long term success. Failure is painful and risky, if you don't want torture or near death experiences- as Stevie tellingly puts it!
Some people come here for a dabble, others to really learn, so it really is up to your best efforts to knock this curse back into the box. Good luck!
skyhigh said:
Follow doctor's advice. that's the best way to solve I mean to cure your condition.
What kind of a doctor (Podiatrist Melbourne) are you? If he has gout, you should not tell him that there is a cure for his condition. Gout CANNOT be cured, only managed/controlled, as all gouties will tell YOU.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.