Discussion
So I've had a recurring injury in my foot for the last 7 years, I'm pretty sure it started when I stepped off a curb badly. About once to twice a year and usually just after a gym session it happens again.
No end of specialists, osteopaths, physios, a couple of mri, a few x-rays, an ultra sound, a cartigram, and a cortisone injection (no effect), all gave conflicting opinions. The one I didnt take seriously was gout, especially since subsequent to that I saw my gp and asked them to test me for that, and they reckoned it was fine.
Anyway, after another episode I was good to go, and 3 weeks later did it again, but this time it was in the other foot. Given that injuries dont magically change sides, I gave a bit more credence to gout. Called in a doctor, and being in the states, they quite happily injected me with an anti-inflamitory, and a steroid injection, and gave me 5 days worth of prednisone to take. Well, 12 hours later I was dancing around the room, whereas before it took me 5 minutes to get to the toilet to take a leak. She said that it could be gout and/or arthritis and that what she was giving me would work for both, but obviously not help in determining what I had, I missed a flight, but just needed to get mobile, so didnt care about that at the time.
So my questions is, if I do get back and have a gout test what that generally mean apart from cutting out high purine foods etc. If it flares up in the uk can you have a couple of jabs to get back on track? I seem to hear more about people being forced to wait it out? is anyone on constant medication for regulation of uric acid? Do these steroid jabs wear off in efficiency after a while?
Any sufferers?
No end of specialists, osteopaths, physios, a couple of mri, a few x-rays, an ultra sound, a cartigram, and a cortisone injection (no effect), all gave conflicting opinions. The one I didnt take seriously was gout, especially since subsequent to that I saw my gp and asked them to test me for that, and they reckoned it was fine.
Anyway, after another episode I was good to go, and 3 weeks later did it again, but this time it was in the other foot. Given that injuries dont magically change sides, I gave a bit more credence to gout. Called in a doctor, and being in the states, they quite happily injected me with an anti-inflamitory, and a steroid injection, and gave me 5 days worth of prednisone to take. Well, 12 hours later I was dancing around the room, whereas before it took me 5 minutes to get to the toilet to take a leak. She said that it could be gout and/or arthritis and that what she was giving me would work for both, but obviously not help in determining what I had, I missed a flight, but just needed to get mobile, so didnt care about that at the time.
So my questions is, if I do get back and have a gout test what that generally mean apart from cutting out high purine foods etc. If it flares up in the uk can you have a couple of jabs to get back on track? I seem to hear more about people being forced to wait it out? is anyone on constant medication for regulation of uric acid? Do these steroid jabs wear off in efficiency after a while?
Any sufferers?
Many previous threads on PH, here's one:-
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=11...
Just do a search for Gout.
HTH.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=11...
Just do a search for Gout.
HTH.
The Mad Monk said:
Colchicine to get rid of it, then Allopurinol for the rest of your life to keep it at bay.
Depends how bad it is regarding your first point. My flare-ups were completely immune to colchicine and NSAIDs and the only way to deal with it for me was to treat the cause with Allopurinol.Last time they gave me a blood test, I had reverted to normal meaning they were unable to find high levels of uric and they reckoned it was the cause but as I was necking back the h20 it helped a lot.
Diet and water is how I manage it. I carry a bottle of water around now all day, gives me a measure of how much I drink to help flush the stuff out. Like to see a few refills done a day at least.
Edit. Usual caveat, what works for me might not be suitable for others.
Diet and water is how I manage it. I carry a bottle of water around now all day, gives me a measure of how much I drink to help flush the stuff out. Like to see a few refills done a day at least.
Edit. Usual caveat, what works for me might not be suitable for others.
garyhun said:
OP - you’ll need a blood test to check your urate levels BUT you can only do this when you are NOT suffering from gout.
During gout, the urate levels will be fairly normal because the uric acid has crystallised.
Is that right? When I had it last year I had several blood tests and as you state they all came back clear so if this is true I wonder what my doctor was thinking?During gout, the urate levels will be fairly normal because the uric acid has crystallised.
I was on colchicine as well but it took several months to settle down. No real attacks since however it always seems to be bubbling under, nothing particulary serious and if I didn't know what gout felt like I probably wouldn't even notice.
jurbie said:
garyhun said:
OP - you’ll need a blood test to check your urate levels BUT you can only do this when you are NOT suffering from gout.
During gout, the urate levels will be fairly normal because the uric acid has crystallised.
Is that right? When I had it last year I had several blood tests and as you state they all came back clear so if this is true I wonder what my doctor was thinking?During gout, the urate levels will be fairly normal because the uric acid has crystallised.
I was on colchicine as well but it took several months to settle down. No real attacks since however it always seems to be bubbling under, nothing particulary serious and if I didn't know what gout felt like I probably wouldn't even notice.
Just a quick google will confirm.
jurbie said:
I don't doubt you and it does explain why my results all came back as normal which was a bit baffling so thank you for that.
My experience is that doctors read about gout in medical books and think they know what it’s all about BUT the reality is that every sufferer is different, has different trigger foods and reasons they have gout* and when it comes to understanding the way to really test for it they often fall short. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to educate doctors on the subject.- Although it’s a uric issue, for some people it’s the kidneys not doing their job properly to filter it out and for others it’s the body over-producing the acid so even properly working kidneys can’t cope.
Ive had issues in my feet which i assumed was tendonitis but it feels more like gout as i do suffer with it.
I do have a habit of drinking too much fruit squash which will have to stop as i think fructose is a big issue.
I can also confirm blood tests need to be done when an attack has subsided.
I do have a habit of drinking too much fruit squash which will have to stop as i think fructose is a big issue.
I can also confirm blood tests need to be done when an attack has subsided.
t through the eye of a needle.Belle427 said:
Ive had issues in my feet which i assumed was tendonitis but it feels more like gout as i do suffer with it.
I do have a habit of drinking too much fruit squash which will have to stop as i think fructose is a big issue.
I can also confirm blood tests need to be done when an attack has subsided.
The problem is that different people have different trigger foods. Sometimes the medical profession won’t believe you and often it’s a case of keeping a food diary to work out what causes it for you.I do have a habit of drinking too much fruit squash which will have to stop as i think fructose is a big issue.
I can also confirm blood tests need to be done when an attack has subsided.
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