GOUT

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alzieboy

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Was awoken in the early hours of Friday Morning with a searing pain in my big toe on my right foot , the pain is like nothing I have experienced before, the foot has swollen up and is so painfull I can’t even bear to have a sock on that foot.
SWMBO has googled up symptoms and it appears I am having my first ( and I hope) my only attack of Gout, Am taking ibuprofen tablets and drinking large amounts of water, have been resting the foot which is all I can do, as I can barely walk on it.
Will not be able to see a doctor ( I hope) until WED 27th Dec. :mad:
 
Yikes. You have my sympathy. Although I've never suffered from it I have many friends and family that have. Hope you can find some relief from it soon.

All the best. :thumb:
 
I used to suffer with it quite periodically and damp weather seemed to make it worse. I am on daily medication to keep it at bay.
 
Been there had that and yes it's incredibly painful. I couldn't even tolerate a gentle breeze across my feet (I had it in both feet!) at night as I couldn't have a bedsheet touch them.
Still get the occasional twinge, nothing for it but ride it out, Colchicine gives me the trots....
 
I'm on Alpurinol for life due to gout. Don't eat red meat and don't drink. I feel for you. The pain feels like someone holding a lighter to the toe.
 
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Mr Google is your friend. Essentially it's a lifestyle choice thing. You can change your diet, or maybe do some drugs (allopurinol), but the important thing is to knock it on the head quickly because if it becomes a regular "thing" it will do long-term damage your joints, especially that big toe, permanently.

Short term, do what you're doing: full dosage of neurofen, making sure you eat something minor before hand. Lots of water - maybe 4 litres of water a day. (Beer doesn't count). Best to drink the water hourly rather than it just three or four blasts. Raise the leg as much as you can (e.g. stool in front of the sofa), and chill the joint using iced water (but not ice direct onto the skin)

Why has it happened? Bleeding obvious really: rich food, especially red meat, beer and red wine, and food high in purines (e.g seafood, anchovies, marmite, liver), and not enough water, so you end up with crystals in your toe joint. And generally, as ever, if you have a generous 36+" waist, you'll suffer with it more than most. (Volume in...)

Avoid red wine and beer over Christmas, switching to moderate white wine and clean spirits (with glasses of water in between) if you must, but better to skip the diuretic alcohol altogether, if you have the willpower.

If you've been flying long haul this month, that could have aggravated it. My attacks were usually the result of business flying and failure to drink enough water on the flight or on arriving at the destination, especially if I did proper exercise somewhere hot.

The good news: if you fiddle with your diet and drink some water, you can fix it and it'll go away. If you don't want to change diet, any NHS GP will put you on Allopurinol for the rest of your life.

I'd strongly advocate lifestyle change, as I have known many 20 stone types who get into real problems in their sixties, and died early, from a combination of gout, arthritis, diabetes, cancers, knee/hip, and heart difficulties.
 
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Not always necessary to choose prescribed medication as a first resort. Aside from small changes in diet, something like a Swanson Tart Cherry (500mg) capsule daily is often enough.

I started taking them following a single episode some years ago - my own fault.... not enough fluid, v-e-r-y long shift - and I've not had a recurrence.
 
Me choosing the medicine route was after I was left no choice. It got to the point where I wasn't eating anything trying to work out what's causing my attacks. In the end it was determined due to my extremely quick weight loss my kidneys couldn't adjust in getting rid of the uric acid from my blood. The meds sorted it. You will get a few attacks as you settle on the meds but long term it will sort it.

People need to remember that everyone is different. Some people like myself who don't have a uric rich diet can still get gout. Gone are the days of getting it eating loads of red meat and drinking red wine and beer.
 
Was awoken in the early hours of Friday Morning with a searing pain in my big toe on my right foot , the pain is like nothing I have experienced before, the foot has swollen up and is so painfull I can’t even bear to have a sock on that foot..

Ugh. Couldn't be worse timing. Doc will give you something to clear it up in 2-4 days, although in my case, relief started within hours of taking first tab. The trick is to avoid future occurrences.

I had an attack a few years back and don't drink or touch red meat etc. Although consume unhealthy, it would seem, amounts of spinach and oily fish. These days I watch for the warning sign, a slight tingling around the joint coupled to a very obvious redness. When that happens I consume lots of water and touch wood, it's not reoccured. @Giantvanman has recommended Tart Cherry which I will be trying. Trouble is, like most preventative medicines, you can never be sure they are working... until you stop taking them.

Not always necessary to choose prescribed medication as a first resort. Aside from small changes in diet, something like a Swanson Tart Cherry (500mg) capsule daily is often enough.

I started taking them following a single episode some years ago - my own fault.... not enough fluid, v-e-r-y long shift - and I've not had a recurrence.

Thanks for the tip, I already take Cherry Complex, but seems like Tart Cherry is better. Will give it a whirl. And as you say, dehydration is one of main things to avoid. I drink 4-5 litres a day, but in the summer when it's warm and when I'm working out, it's probably not enough.

People need to remember that everyone is different. Some people like myself who don't have a uric rich diet can still get gout. Gone are the days of getting it eating loads of red meat and drinking red wine and beer.

exactly.
 
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Go to your doctor and insist he gives you a prescription for naproxen, you don’t need to take them, just keep them handy for the next time you think you’ve stubbed your toe. Saved me from absolute agony a few times.
 
My Wife remembered she had some some Naproxen that she was given at the Hospital when she had her second hip replacement.
Well I started taking them yesterday and this morning , the relief has been marvellous, there are few left for later today and tomorrow.
I know you shouldn’t take medication not prescribed for yourself, but this has given me such relief.
Still laid up but feeling better.
 
My Wife remembered she had some some Naproxen that she was given at the Hospital when she had her second hip replacement.
Well I started taking them yesterday and this morning , the relief has been marvellous, there are few left for later today and tomorrow.
I know you shouldn’t take medication not prescribed for yourself, but this has given me such relief.
Still laid up but feeling better.

As long as you stay within the prescribed dose you'll be fine. Naproxen is a standard prescription anti-inflamatory but for me, unlike Ibuprofen, they do actually work. I've had it in the past and I know it's painful but it can be treated. For me I suspect fructose was the problem but it's worth making a list of food/drink that can trigger gout and avoid them. Hopefully Christmas pud will be OK.
 
Make sure you take any NSAID [non steroidal anti inflammatory drug ] with or just after food as these things can play havoc with your gut lining . Although widely used by many with no ill effects they are not for everyone.
NSAIDs
 
Make sure you take any NSAID [non steroidal anti inflammatory drug ] with or just after food as these things can play havoc with your gut lining . Although widely used by many with no ill effects they are not for everyone.
NSAIDs
Hi
I Followed the dosage instructions and took them after a meal .
Thanks
 
My sympathy to you.
I am a long time sufferer. I also get it in the thumb/wrist. That painful I can't drive with it. Luckily it eases after a few days. I limit the amount of Port I drink to two or three bottles a week. Also limit venison to a couple of kg a week.:)
 
Had a sudden attack years ago. Left knee slightly injured whilst on holiday then woke up at 03.00, felt like it had been hit with hammers and then somebody was sticking hot needles in. Local A&E, 5 hour wait, lot of rubbish advice none of which included Gout

Purines are you enemy, and it is not just red meat that can be a trigger: fish, seafood, bacon, turkey, veal and venison bad. Alcohol as well, so that is your Christmas done....

Dehydration makes it worse, so lots of water.
 
Bloody Hell Mike, that's some good advice you've given. This may be my last post ( pun intended).
I could have done with this advice 45 years ago.:)
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Mr Google is your friend. Essentially it's a lifestyle choice thing. You can change your diet, or maybe do some drugs (allopurinol), but the important thing is to knock it on the head quickly because if it becomes a regular "thing" it will do long-term damage your joints, especially that big toe, permanently.

Short term, do what you're doing: full dosage of neurofen, making sure you eat something minor before hand. Lots of water - maybe 4 litres of water a day. (Beer doesn't count). Best to drink the water hourly rather than it just three or four blasts. Raise the leg as much as you can (e.g. stool in front of the sofa), and chill the joint using iced water (but not ice direct onto the skin)

Why has it happened? Bleeding obvious really: rich food, especially red meat, beer and red wine, and food high in purines (e.g seafood, anchovies, marmite, liver), and not enough water, so you end up with crystals in your toe joint. And generally, as ever, if you have a generous 36+" waist, you'll suffer with it more than most. (Volume in...)

Avoid red wine and beer over Christmas, switching to moderate white wine and clean spirits (with glasses of water in between) if you must, but better to skip the diuretic alcohol altogether, if you have the willpower.

If you've been flying long haul this month, that could have aggravated it. My attacks were usually the result of business flying and failure to drink enough water on the flight or on arriving at the destination, especially if I did proper exercise somewhere hot.

The good news: if you fiddle with your diet and drink some water, you can fix it and it'll go away. If you don't want to change diet, any NHS GP will put you on Allopurinol for the rest of your life.

I'd strongly advocate lifestyle change, as I have known many 20 stone types who get into real problems in their sixties, and died early, from a combination of gout, arthritis, diabetes, cancers, knee/hip, and heart difficulties.
 
I have had two bouts of gout in my late 20s and it was genuinely agonising. Pains that from your foot and I doing shooting right up mu legs.

First time I found drinking water cured it. Got home from the dr drank three pints of water and it went within a day or two.

Second time lasted around 3-4 weeks and symptoms lasted longer.

Couldn’t actually figure out the roof cause. Not a huge drinker or red meat eater but it seems that all sorts of food that contain purines can cause it.
 

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