I've had 5 attacks in 6 years although my previous to this was 2014 (now Jan 2017). I've coped pretty well with alcohol consuming no more than 2 x pints of beer on alternate days and similarly with wine (maybe a little more wine). Having been recently diagnosed with Coeliac disease I stopped beer and drank the equivalent in spirits (4 units alternate days). BANG, instant gout but everyone says beer is by far the worst? Can I believe ANY of the literature?
Alcohol causes gout because it dehydrates. Your system may have dealt with it in the past because your kidneys were younger.
Alcohol in general will cause gout. Beer is the one that causes it to come on the fastest. There are a lot of factors to consider, like the quality of the spirits. Cheap stuff will make your body more acidic causing the environment in your body to neutralize itself, the result is gout for sufferers of high uric acid. Now that you've been diagnosed with celiac and have a predisposition to gout maybe you should be more careful with consuming alcohol. Maybe it's time to give it up.
Yes, agree with Rusty that dehydration plays a major role in gout attacks. Be mindful of this too.
It's a bit strange that the change from beer to spirits should have such a sudden effect?
Yes, well getting old seems to be just about giving up all the things that have given you pleasure throughout your life and I'm loathe to sit in front of the telly 18 hours a day just yet. These were regular drinks as served in my local football club bar. Maybe it's time to give up living.
That's a strange outlook on life at least to me. Because alcohol has recently been in medical news as being a poison to the body. I think we all know that alcohol is a poison even if you're not ready to admit it. Millions of people have been living life without alcohol, now you're telling me you want to give up on it because you can't drink. Maybe it's time to seek a therapist. Because clearly your mind is not in its right frame of state.
You're not old yet are you?
I'm an antique, lol.
I have never been a spirit drinker so wont comment on that. I do think that there are individual triggers for everyone but to find out what they are may prove time consuming and..... painful.
I have recently given up drinking and the health benefits are there if you want to do it. Assuming you enjoy it and dont want to give it up then white wine or pilsner lager would seem to be your best option.
I will say that looking back all of my attacks have happened when i lowered my water consumption. Thats was the one thing i can say happened prior to an attack.
I drink stacks of water but on certain occasions work courses or activity meant i couldnt facillitate it.
Finally, i chose to believe for a long time that it was a combination of food and beer that caused my attacks. I.e i could drink but eat like a trapist monk and all would be fine... Basically i wanted to keep drinking!
A lot of people will state Allipurinol as a wonder drug... Thing is im now not drinking so the wonder drug can work to full effect. I want rid of any topgi deposits as soon as possible.
Joint damage is progressive and debilitating.
Apologies for long post..... just my thoughts
Roger, you make a valid point in seeking out the culprits that trigger gout. I can certainly attest to this as I have found the culprits that trigger gout in my system. But oh how I miss eating pickled herring.
Yes but when you then think of the worst attack you have had you dont feel hungry anymore.....
True.
Why not go to the local football club and drink a non alcoholic drink? It wasn't suggested you give up all pleasures - just one. But if alcohol is triggering your gout, you will be bought to heal .
I know I will eventually but I'm stubborn and old and I feel like I've had to give up so much to old age already.
oops is not in the right state of mind.
Really, you think you're old, how old are you?
62
Wow, so young and you say you're old. I know of rock stars pushing 65/66 with a few more detrimental ailments than little old gout and they're still going strong.
If you have tophi you must get your blood urate down as low as possible: research indicates it takes up to 60 months but most people get rid of them in 33 months. Good luck. You will know you have flushed it all out when a) the tophi have gone and b) you haven't had an attack or flare up for 1 year. At that point you can reduce the level of allopurinol to maintenance dose.