# Calling all Gout sufferers - Sympathy please



## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

Woke uo today with gout in BOTH feet.

One in the big toe the other in the ankle.

Is this common as I have only ever had it in one leg at a time?

Trying to get sympathy off Shirley but so far she says I am worse than a man with a cold!!!


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Gout sympathy*

 Ciao, well you have my sympathy. Been fortunate to not suffer it myself, but have seen the agony it caused my no. 3 son some time ago. Crutches, hospital, injections, drastic diets - really nasty experience for him; and anyone that suffers it has my full sympathy.
saluti,
eddied


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## Deno (Jan 17, 2008)

Oh man
You have my full and unmitigated sympathy. You should lie down on the settee with feet in the air and not let anything touch them - the feet that is!. :lol: 
If you don't have any propriety medication Ibuprofen is the way to go. You need care, attention and sympathy - despatch the wife to the Chemist shop with all haste. :roll: 
I would not wish gout upon my worst enemy - child birth is nothing compared to gout and in both feet - pergatory.  
Get well soon
Deno


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/apr/16/drugsandalcohol.medicineandhealth1
Oh dear Im really sorry to here you have Gout as it is very painful.
It used to be said that drinking Port caused gout but they now say that Beer can cause it.
Is it really a form of arthritis?  
Mavis


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## domannhal (Aug 13, 2008)

When I had my last attack, 20 years ago, I read that you can get inflammation of any large bone, even in your head! Needless to say, I take my daily tablet, allopurinol, without fail. The pain I had in my big toe was so extreme,and I have had four children, that I couldnt even imagine trying to cope with it in my head. I found it was lemon which seemed to start an attack, so I try to avoid it, but it is difficult as it is a favourite ingredient in a lot of foodstuffs. A double tablet usually takes any niggles away. You have my sympathy, and I think your wife should give you some too :!:


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

Taken from the Arthritis Care web site:

Gout is an inflammatory reaction caused by a build up of crystals in the joints. It is a type of arthritis.

It is quite often seen in the big toe, but it can also affect the ankles, knees, hands, wrist or elbows. Gout is treatable and affected joints will usually return to normal after an attack.

What happens?
Gout is caused when uric acid, a waste product of the body which normally passes out of the body, accumulates in the joints.

It occurs because some people do not pass out enough uric acid or they produce too much of it in the first place. When uric acid builds up in the body it can form crystals in and around joints, which leads to inflammation and pain.

How will it affect me?
Your joints will become swollen, red and extremely painful. An attack will usually only last for a few days. The joints will return to normal in most people.

How is it treated?
There are several ways in which you can make yourself feel better. Anti-inflammatory drugs will ease the inflammation and pain. You should not take aspirin because this increases the levels of uric acid in the body.

It is important to visit your GP as some people will require drugs to lower the uric acid levels in their body.

What can you do?
To prevent further attacks of gout you should consider:

losing weight if you are overweight and generally keeping fit
limiting your alcohol intake as alcohol can increase the uric acid levels
avoiding certain foods, such as red meat (particularly offal such as liver and kidneys) which can also increase uric acid levels

The Arthritis Care Helpline is available to answer any specific questions you may have on all aspects of gout and arthritis.

My late husband who was in renal failure was a sufferer and didn't we know it! He was certainly helped by taking allopurinol that was prescribed by his renal consultant.

What must be considered with any medicine is do the effects out way any side effects that may occur. I was gaily taking an anti inflammatory for back and hand pain only to find at a medical for a driving licence that my blood pressure was sky high. On reading the enclosed literature, (yes I admit I hadn't done so!), I found that one side effect of the anti inflammatory medication I had been prescribed by the GP, was a raised blood pressure!

Everyone reading this should read the enclosed leaflet of any medication they are taking if there is one or look it up on a search engine to read of its side effects, how it should be taken, ie time of day, on a full or empty stomach and with what, (fruit juices are known to interfere with the absorbtion of some medicines). In my experience the caring professions are not good at warning people of these.

As a midwife I encountered women who had fallen pregnant while taking the contraceptive 'pill'. They did so when also taking a course of antibiotics. No one had warned them !


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## 107558 (Oct 10, 2007)

:twisted: 

I have 3 bottles of Graham's 1985 Vintage Port that's just ready for drinking. Had a bottle at New Year and it's silky smooth and velvety. Gorgeous.

:twisted: 



Oops, I'll get my coat


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Invicta said:


> Taken from the Arthritis Care web site:
> 
> Gout is an inflammatory reaction caused by a build up of crystals in the joints. It is a type of arthritis.
> 
> ...


You are so right Invicta.
I always think that Tablets give you more illness in the side affects.
It really worries me when we read all the side affects to Ray's medicines they are supposed to cure him not make him worse. 8O but thats what they do.


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## Broom (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Andrew

I have the tee shirt. Would not wish it on my worst enemy if I had one.

Feet up drink lots of water, take Indometacin then Allopurinol, also had steriod injections.

Don't drink Beer and Orange Juice or eat Sea Food, Pork, Turkey lots to read about it.

Not had an attack for around 2 years since starting to take Allopurinol.

You will be OK in 10 days

Best Regards
Broom


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Broom said:


> I have the tee shirt. Would not wish it on my worst enemy if I had one.
> 
> Feet up drink lots of water, take Indometacin then Allopurinol, also had steriod injections.


Yup, I'm with you Broom. Suffered it for about a decade, at times to the extent that I couldn't walk. In the toe is bad enough, but I also variously had it in ankles, knuckles, knee (consequently tore ligaments by walking abnormally because of the pain). Looking back, I can't believe I had to live with it for so long before being put on what really is the routine treatment.

Allopurinol's a miracle cure as far as I'm concerned. Been on it for about 6 years now and never had anything more than a very minor attack. No side effects for me. However, it's pointless starting to take it while a bad attack is still ongoing...it makes things worse before it makes them better.

For acute attacks, Indocid's definitely the best painkiller. Stuff like Ibuprofen was simply never strong enough for me. Only thing is that Indocid's pretty effective at stripping the contents of the stomach, so the advice about taking after a meal is absolutely critical.

So to re-inforce what Broom said....Indocid to deal with the acute attack, then get put onto Allopurinol (took me a few iterations with steadily increasing dose...300mg now) to stop it recurring in the future.

Oh, and of course sympathy to OP...as others have said it's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, made worse by the jokers who seem to believe it's funny and in some way self-inflicted.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

My sympathy I'm also a sufferer and it is triggered by oranges.

Anyone who thinks it's funny wants a smack

Loddy


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

Last year my wife had gout in fact after a blood test the doctor said she had a dangerously high level of uric acid in her. This was mainly caused by the type of blood pressure tablets she was on, she was in terrible pain and had to be prescribe medication. The doctor told her not to drink any red wine or eat shell fish especially prawns, both of which she loves. I found a web site that sell concentrated cherry juice which is supposed to be very good for relieving gout and has been drinking it each day for the last year.

www.cherryactive.co.uk/health/index.html

You have my sympathy Wobby


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Agree with Rosbothem. I've been on Allpurinol for over twenty years without any side effects and can lead a normal life without worrying about what or what not to eat or drink. According to my GP it is one of the safest drugs around.


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## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

The odd thing about gout is the fact that no matter how carefull you are some always manages to kick it 8O 8O 8O 
Richard


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Sorry Loddy, i`ve just got to tell this .... i went to the doctors with a sore big toe, he said GOUT, i said i`ve only just come in . :lol:


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

lifestyle said:


> Sorry Loddy, i`ve just got to tell this .... i went to the doctors with a sore big toe, he said GOUT, i said i`ve only just come in . :lol:


very good :lol:


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## Polo (Jul 5, 2007)

*Gout*

Hi Invicta. Thanks so much for the extract that you posted. Ray is on the healing end of his first attack of gout. In fact the article has offered us a a trigger point. Aspirin was mentioned, which made us both say 'I wonder'. Ray had a mini stroke in early December and the Stroke Clinic upped his Aspirin intake to 4 a day instead of one a day - just for two weeks. It was after the cut off point that the gout appeared. Was that the trigger? We will never know. I can only sympathise with anyone suffering for it is very painful.

Thank you for the information given.

Ta ever so

Polo


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## sirhandel (Mar 5, 2008)

Don't mess around and suffer - gout is too painful. Go see your doc and get some indomethacin (anti-inflam drug) and allopurinol. I suffered 6 bouts of gout 14years ago and tried all sorts of painkillers to no avail. Allopurinol taken under your doc's supervision on a daily basis cures it completely with no side effects. I've not been revisited since I started taking it.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

My next door neighbour, thin as a stick, is in agony with it at the moment. She has it in her heels and she looks absolutely drained by the pain. She's no idea what brought it on; she's never had it before and can't think of any changes she's made to her life or anything she's done that might cause it.

You have my sympathies and I hope it gets better soon.


G


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## Saxonman (Aug 23, 2007)

Had an attack 7/8 years ago while on holiday in France. The doctor in the local hospital whose English was as good as my French asked me if I understood the word _goot_ and when I confirmed I did he asked me if I drank much WHITE wine! Temper this information with the fact that the hospital was in Cahors!

Hope all sufferers' attacks are as temporary as mine was.

Bob


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

I am suffering my first attack, right big toe

Sunday evening I could not even bear to have the covers on my foot

Dr prescribed, well reccomended, telephone night doctor, Ibuprofen for the inflamantion and a apin killer. He suggested paracetomaol which I have to avoid as I have raised bits and pieces in my blood since a Hep B jab which went wrong 10 yeras ago

It is better 5 days in, 

I do not drink due to the liver probs and the fact I live with an alcoholic

All my redaing this week seems to indicate carbonated sugary soft drinks and fructose as the aggravating factor

From what you guys say I had better go see the GP and lose lots of weight

Anyone who feels as I do deserves the sympathy of the world


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I woke up on 7 July last year in agony, I could have cut my big toe off .
It was the worst pain i have ever endured.
We were on a sight at Pisa. My first thought was that i may have stubbed my toe the prviouse evening or that it may be DVT.
I put my foot in a bucket of cold water for two days. Drove to Florence and tried to rest foot in buckets of cold water again.
After a total of five days the pain had gone as quickly as it had appeard.

Saw doctor on return, had a check up and ended up on blood pressure ,statin, aspirin and other pills. Having gout probably helped prevent a more serious illness.

Should have put foot in warm water to help dissolve crystals.

Dave P

The pain was worse than childbirth i am sure


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## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

Latest update - The original post was dated 11/01 and I still have GOUT!!!!

Despite great efforts by my doc to find the cause, she has now given me some pills and its only now in one part of my big toe.

Its bearable but boy today when I woke up painless, I felt like a spring chicken, but the wife told me where to go!!!!

We all moan about the NHS but I have to say all credit to my Dr Hunter.


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

When it does go. Go and see your doctor for a prescription of Allopurinol
It really is magic as a preventative. I have not had serious attack for years whilst taking it.


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## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

Thats the stuff (Allopurinol) she has given me to start as soon as I feel its nearly gone.

I have taken it for two days and am due a blood test in the next few days.

I have broken bones, dislocated things, been married for 28 years and watched Ipswich for 47 years but nothng can prepare for the pure and unrelenting pain of gout.


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## Sport-Pics (Jan 28, 2007)

I can only add what others have said. Allipurinol, not had an attack since I started taking it 20 years ago. Only pain that has ever surpassed that of Gout is the passing of a Kidney Stone! 

Rusty


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## crimpleken (Jan 13, 2009)

*Gout*

You have my sympathy. I first suffered gout about 35 years ago and have taken allopurinol ever since,1 tablet per day. only ever get a problem now if I am ill in some other way but even then only mildly.
apparently if I do not take the pills I could have liver or Kidney problems.
Crimpleken


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

The problem with allipurinol is when you start taking it it can bring on an attack of Gout, your doctor will prescribe pain killers to take prior to going on allipurinol, my Brothers used to laugh when I got it but they started to suffer when they also suffered with it, not laughing now

And Ladies it is worse than Childbirth

Loddy


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