Anyone up here ever had gout?

JoeSam1975

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I know kind of gross, but I have been having severe pain in my feet lately, bad enough somedays I don't even feel like walking. I finally went to an ortho urgent care Saturday and was told it was possibly gout along with "extreme arthritis and degeneration in the foot/ankle". I have always had hip, knee and ankle problems but this hurts worse than anything I have ever had (even surgeries). Going to get lab work done tomorrow. If you have had it, what worked to help with it?
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
My wife works with gout patients. Your lab results are going to set up your treatments most likely. The first thing out of most doctors mouths is no red meat and no alcohol. I can tell you this. It's not something to ignore. It needs to be treated or it can be debilitating. My wife deals with the worst cases.
 

dobber

Old Mossy Horns
Even the energy bars, cattle farmer buddy of mine suffered from it, working int he field all day he was eating goose jerky by the pound, them cliff bars which he thought were like a granola bar (apparently a meal supplement) plus the copious amounts of beer caused nothing but pain with the gout
 

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Have you had your uric acid level checked?

When I had gout in my big toe, there was no doubt about what it was. The area was swelled, hot to the touch and hurt like hell. There was no putting weight on it.
My uric acid level was right at the top end of the normal range. Dr started me on NASID regimen and it nocked the pain and swelling back quick but as the medication reduced, it did not go away and started getting worse again. Then he put me on a steroid regimen. Same result, immediate relief but returned as meds were reduced.

Then, they tried a direct injection in the joint. That was a mistake I will never make again, worst pain I have ever experienced in my life and it did not make the gout pain go away either.

They finally put me on allopurinol along with another steroid pack and that took care of it. The allopurinol reduces you uric acid level that triggers gout which is a form of arthritis. Cherry juice as has already been mentioned helps with uric acid reduction for some folks.

I took allopurinol for several years until my Dr said to try without it. I went 3 or 4 years without taking it an no gout. Then, out of the blue, I had another gout attack. I was out of town but managed to get seen at an urgent care and got a prescription for a steroid pack. That knocked it back and I was able to complete my trip OK. But the next time I saw my primary and told them about the flare, they ran my uric acid and put me back on allopurinol and I am still on it but no more gout.

If you have gout, you will not ignore it if you want to be active.
 

C120

Six Pointer
Allopurinol daily at bedtime works great to control gout, if that's what is causing the pain.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Tart cherry juice , celery seed extract will help a lot. Ice the affected joint until you can't stand it. Wait 20 minutes and ice it again. That will help with the stabbing pains.
 

JoeSam1975

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I actually have not had an alcoholic drink in 20 years. I do drink Mt. Dew and Sunkist which I have read can aggravate it. I do eat a lot of red meat, and have a freezer full of venison which is red meat. Foot stays swollen. Doc said until labs come back to keep a copper fit compression sleeve on it and put me on celebrex for the swelling and pain from the arthritis. All I can say is this sucks when you spend most of your day on your feet!!
 

spinnerbaitor48

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Shellfish will kick it off in me...or a really rich sauce......tried several diff med combos and finally landed on probenecid/cholchecine ....used to take daily, but i have cut back to 2x wk now with no problems....steroids will help with pain too..no problems in several yrs now...knocking on wood....used to keep a box with u cut out to keep sheet off of my foot at nite....good luck
 

thandy

Ten Pointer
I have it flare up every now and then. I started a keto diet mid November and had two flare ups right when I started but none sense. I have some pills I take when it flares up but they are about as bad and the gout. The directions for the pills are "Take two when the pain starts and one every hour until you get diarrhea". You really have to watch what you eat though thing like spinach can cause a flare up.
 

timber

Twelve Pointer
Have had it in both big toes. If you have the gout you want have to wonder if you have it or not. For a day or so couldn’t put a shoe on. Just a sheet touching feels like somebody sticking a knife through it. Finally went to doctor the third time had it got prescription. Only take it when I feel it’s coming on knocks it out.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I can feel it coming on, if I start taking my meds 95% of the time I can thwart it off. Ignore it one day and I have a full blown case. I have figured this out over the years so I seldom ever have it now thank goodness.
 
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Moose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Shell fish and beans is what usually kicks mine off. Cherry juice works plus i increase my water intake a lot. I can get it in almost any joint.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
Colchicine is my miracle.
This is a nasty drug but it does work. I’ve had it 4x twice in big toe and twice in ankle. One time I was traveling home from Salt Lake City. Had a layover in Charlotte and had to buy a bottle of Aleve between gates and eat about half of it just to make it. Now I have colchicine on hand and a anti inflammatory. Luckily I haven’t had a flare in years.

if it’s chronic you’ll probably get put on alipirinal or uloric. Have a buddy that gets it if he looks at a beer. He’s been on uloric for a while and it’s helped.

best of luck, gout sucks! It is as painful as people make it out to be.
 

DFisher

Eight Pointer
Alopurinol daily, never miss a single day. Gout is the worst pain I have ever had. Doc said it was because my uric acid was too high, and I could stop eating red meat or take a pill. I'm still eating read meat.
 

DaddyRat

Four Pointer
Go back about 3 days in what you ate to get an idea of what triggered it. Red meat, beer, shrimp, beans, asparagus are common ones but everyone is different.

Now, ditch the soft drinks and tea. You need to drink water, water and more water. Drink till you are pissing clear. Being well hydrated will take care of most of the gout because the uric acid levels will not get built up. Real cherry juice works in a pinch but can give you the shits.
 

sll

Four Pointer
I used to suffer with it on a bi-monthly basis. Started taking Allopurinol daily to prevent it and haven't had a flare-up in 3-4 years (knock on wood). Keeping your Uric Acid level under 6.0 is key.
 

rlpsystems

Four Pointer
I have had it multiple times. Had my uric acid level checked at a flare up. It was was 5.0 which is on the normal side. Foods that are high in purines should be avoided. Mushrooms, spinach, legumes and so on. Google it and learn what foods. it wasn't the red meat and beer for me as everyone thinks. If you don't drink a lot of water now thats a good start . But gout cases seem to very between people. Good luck I know it hurts like a sumbitch
 

specialk

Twelve Pointer
Have you had your uric acid level checked?

When I had gout in my big toe, there was no doubt about what it was. The area was swelled, hot to the touch and hurt like hell. There was no putting weight on it.
My uric acid level was right at the top end of the normal range. Dr started me on NASID regimen and it nocked the pain and swelling back quick but as the medication reduced, it did not go away and started getting worse again. Then he put me on a steroid regimen. Same result, immediate relief but returned as meds were reduced.

Then, they tried a direct injection in the joint. That was a mistake I will never make again, worst pain I have ever experienced in my life and it did not make the gout pain go away either.

They finally put me on allopurinol along with another steroid pack and that took care of it. The allopurinol reduces you uric acid level that triggers gout which is a form of arthritis. Cherry juice as has already been mentioned helps with uric acid reduction for some folks.

I took allopurinol for several years until my Dr said to try without it. I went 3 or 4 years without taking it an no gout. Then, out of the blue, I had another gout attack. I was out of town but managed to get seen at an urgent care and got a prescription for a steroid pack. That knocked it back and I was able to complete my trip OK. But the next time I saw my primary and told them about the flare, they ran my uric acid and put me back on allopurinol and I am still on it but no more gout.

If you have gout, you will not ignore it if you want to be active.


QBD is pretty much spot on.....hadn't had it in years but very painful....there was a drug back then called indomethicin....cheap.....rough on the stomach though...had to take it with food but it worked right away......it took care of the uric acid......
 

Luv2Boutdoors!

Ten Pointer
I take allopurinol daily to reduce the uric acid levels in my blood and only had 1-2 flare ups last year. If I do get a flare up I take Colchicine which usually clears up the pain in a day or 2. I continue to eat what ever I want. I'd say, for me, the 3 worst culprits are seafood (shellfish), venison and high fructose corn syrup. I do drink alot of alcohol, but doesn't seem to bother it.

Good luck and sorry about the news. Hope you can manage it as well as I do, cuz it hurts.....ALOT!
 

ScottyB

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Never had it…… got friends who get it…..I feel for anybody that has to deal with it!
 

ncscrubmaster

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I have had it many times. Matter of fact I have it right now. I take indomethacin during a flare up and it usually takes care of it. My biggest problem that I have found seems to be pork. I make barbecue for Christmas each year and I eat it to many times in a row and get the gout. My uric acid the last time was 9.0 thats like the worse. Like others have said water or liquid to stay hydrated is important.
 

Tbone

Six Pointer
I have had it multiple times. Had my uric acid level checked at a flare up. It was was 5.0 which is on the normal side. Foods that are high in purines should be avoided. Mushrooms, spinach, legumes and so on. Google it and learn what foods. it wasn't the red meat and beer for me as everyone thinks. If you don't drink a lot of water now thats a good start . But gout cases seem to very between people. Good luck I know it hurts like a sumbitch
Well stated. Purines are the culprit, and they are found in a wide variety of foods. I take allopurinol daily, which is a great maintenance medication.
 

country

Ten Pointer
Had it one time. Doctor gave me Colchicine and it knocked it out after only 1 pill. Never had it again.

Not sure what triggered it. Went to bed that night and couldn't hardly walk in the morning. Hopefully never will experience it again...
 
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