Sorry to hear that Jim, but thanks for letting us know.
I've had gout in my big toes now I think I've got it in my knee, I broken a few bones and been stitched up a bit but this is pain like nothing else I've had.
Sorry to hear that Jim, but thanks for letting us know.
I stubbornly refused Allopurinol for 15 years, so don’t delay, it’s not worth it!
You have my sympathy.
As a fellow gout sufferer I feel your pain (no pun intended!). I’ve been on 200mg allopurinol daily and that combined with uric acid checks for the last 10 years or so has kept attacks at bay -touch wood. I still get the odd tingling when the weather turns colder. Hope it gets better soon.
Get the allopurinol inside you, I used to suffer in both big toes and as you say the pain is unbearable.
Allopurinol is a preventative medicine. It's no use in an attack.
Rest, splintage (leg splint), lots of oral fluids, strongest NSAID you can manage (Indometacin or Naproxen best) and some codeine for breaththrough pain if it's really bad.
You are trying to get the uric crystals back into solution (dissolve them) in your knee and damp down the synovitis (joint lining inflammation)
William
Knee Specialist.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Yes the advice is great cheers guy's.
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Yes the advice is great cheers guy's.
Yeouwch! Having suffered it in my big toe I dread to think how that must hurt in the knee - sympathies.
I second the Alopurinol recommendation (once your attack is over of course) - its been 10 years since I last had an attack
Years ago I had gout in one big toe. Or, at least, I think it was gout. I gave up drinking port and heavy red wines (and later became teetotal). After giving up the port and red wine, it disappeared. Was it the tannins? Or just a coincidence?
Best wishes,
Bob
No coincidence at all. Gout is due to high levels of uric acid, which is linked to purine, and that piccy above shows the trigger foods.
There is another crystal joint disease called pseudogout, but that's calcium pyrophosphate crystals.
It isn't quite as simple as eat the foods, get the purine, high uric acid and you get gout, though. There's likely to be a mixed genetic predisposition to it. Many people simply never get it, ever.
At medical school we were taught the Romans 'invented' gout with their love of rich diets and proliferation of wines. Gout is all very bacchanalian. (who was actually Greek)
[pedant] Bacchus was Roman; like many Roman gods he was indeed based on a Greek one, Dionysos.[/pedant]
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
OP, you have my sympathy.
I too have suffered from gout, and the frequency of attacks have been increasing as I get older. My dad had it and I've the genetic pre-disposition for it too unfortunately.
I woke up on Tuesday with a pain in my elbow. It was out of the blue and I thought it was some kind of insect bite. Over the day, my elbow started swelling and giving off much heat and redness. It was painful, but nothing like gout. Wife was worried and googled around, came up with bursitis. One possible cause gout. As the pain was so different I thought otherwise.
Called 111, then got a call with GP federation. Sent picture. Doctor confirmed bursitis, but could not tell if it was sceptic or asceptic. She had contacted othopedics at the local hospital. They told her to send me in for tests.
So I go to A&E and get triaged, then have blood taken and finally see the ortho doctor (3 hours wait as it was busy) who examined and got me to do certain arm movements. He was happy with the joint and was confident it was not infected. He said he needed to get my blood results to confirm though. I explained I did suffer from gout and he said he would check my urate too. If I had infection markers I was going to have to stay in and have IV anti-biotics (gulp).
Results come back. Infection markers show as low. Urate as highish. Wife is right to suspect gout. Discharged. Phew.
Get home. Take some ibuprofen and Colchicine. Wake up next day. Pain and swelling much worse and it is a gout pain. Arrange appointment for GP. Speak to GP on Friday. Explain this is my 3rd attack in a year. I have not had a drink in 2 months and did not really want to become vegetarian. Allopurinol + Colchicine prescribed, but I can only start in 3 weeks to not risk another flare up during this attack.
I've been trying to avoid being medicated, but my body is telling me otherwise.
The only plus side is the elbow pain whilst nasty, is not as badly affecting as toe or ankle which I have had previously. Knee pain must be horrific going from my elbow pain and also needing to put weight on it. Get better soon.
My brother had gout, which he attributed to the oats in his cereal, rather then the dozen daily bottles of beer he was drinking.
He stopped eating cereal round about the same time he knocked the drinking on the head and the gout went away.
He still believes it was the cereal.
My Father used to get it in his foot, agonising, without a shadow it was down to the volume of beer on a daily basis. Wines been fine.
Owwww Jesus right foot especially the big toe, red and swollen, can't bare any pressure on it
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I suffered from gout in my big toe in the mid 1980s at a relatively young age. My Doc said at someone in their early thirties it was probably down to lifestyle. I gave up the business lunches which were always boozy in those days and it disappeared within days. Also the weight fell off me for well over a year.
I went back to the lunches (I am not a Saint) but dropped the booze and I was fine.
I enjoy my whisky and Gin but I still limit the wine and have been fine ever sine.