Hi all let me give you a brief history...I passed a kidney stone in my late twenties and have suffered approx. 10 gout attacks since then and im now 42. I drink rarely and eat a relatively balanced diet.
In the past my gout has been managed with Diclofenac and lasted only a few days.
However I have suffered an attack/foot pain of varying levels for the past SIX WEEKS!
I have taken a variety of NSAIDs but found Diclofenac were the most effective at the height of the acute attack some three weeks ago however....I am still extremely tender on the edge of my foot and the pain progressively worsens as the day goes on. I have been given Allopurinol but cant commence with them until pain free...but what is this remaining pain? Its clearly not an acute attack but still very painful. Im staying hydrated and cant put my finger on any food triggers, im now at the point of trying to get a referral to a consultatnt as im sick of GP's asking me if ive been on a stag weekend or drink too much!!! If anyone has suffered similar prolonged pain id appreciate any advice!
Thanks
That prolonged pain is definitely the worst pain Ive experienced to date. Ive been taking celery seed capsules from the herbal shop as recommended by a friend and I have to say its made a difference to my pain management. no longer do I get bouts of extreme pain Unlike other medication I dont have to wait for the pain to subside before taking it and as far as Im aware no side affects.
It might be worth a try, it seemed to take a few days to get working but for the last 5 months little or no pain.
Good luck
BootleRed - I've suffered from gout for nearly 20 years so I can appreciate what you are going through
it sounds to me as though you need to get your GP to prescribe cochicine, which although it does have some nasty side effects if you take too many, it will sort your attack out
at the same time get your GP to refer you to an NHS Gout specialist, there are some around but it has taken me 20 years to find one.
I personally keep taking allopurinol during an attack but there are other drugs out there so see what the specialist says or if you can't find one of those, a local rheumatology department should be able to help
I would also recommend drinking about a litre of diluted cherry concentrate a day
cheers
Hello all above.
I've had gout for 5 years and have been trying to manage without taking pharmaceuticals. As any gout sufferer will know it is a hit and miss thing when gout turns up.
I'm just on the end of the worst I've ever had it (5 attacks in 4 weeks, deep in the back of my ankle, my toes, mid way in my foot and my knee.) I had 2 weeks on crutches and couldn't drive but am just getting back to being able to walk properly again. I've had it in all parts of both feet (We have 33 joints in our feet and we can get it in any one of them.) I've been making do with Ibuprofen and plenty of moaning!
I was prescribed Allopurinol by my GP a couple of months ago. He did mention diet before prescribing and I said I had looked at it all. To be honest though I had been pretty half hearted about it, I like my food!
After I picked up my medication I decided to try a low purine diet before taking the tablets, I'm not so keen on taking pills for the rest of my life. He also advised me that I would experience gout attacks while the medication started to work as it would start to break up the crystals in my joints.
I have been on a diet that has cut out all purine rich foods for a few months now (Along with a low fat diet that has worked wonders, 16Lb off and only 5Lb till I'm down to my normal weight.) I wonder if I have done what the pills would have done through lifestyle change. I will know on the next blood test in a couple of months and if it hasn't worked I will bite the bullet and take the pills.
From what I can gather there is very little clinical study into diet and how it affects gout sufferers. Does anyone have any links that I can look at that they may think useful?
I've been on loads of forums and sites where people are sharing their experiences and trying to sell books ect ect. Lol. I would prefer to share stuff for free amongst sufferers of this painful, debilitating illness though. I don't think anyone really gets how much it hurts until they have had it.
I've been taking Cherry active for the last 5 years since I found I had gout. It really does help, as do any dark berries, blueberries ect. It's something in the colour of the skin of the berries by all accounts. Google Cherry Active and Gout and see what it brings up.
Hi apart from the kidney stone your problem is a mirror image of my gout attack.I am now in my seventh week of the worse attack ever. I went back to my Doctor Tuesday where she changed my medication from Naproxin to Colchicine , she also gave me a further month sick certificate.
My swelling has reduced greatly but i am now sufferig very bad leg muscle stiffness....just cant win with this horrid ailment. I am going to give this new medication a week and then i will insist on seeing a specialist , i cant bare this anylonger, your whole is virtually put on hold Hope you are free of gout now.
your GP should be prescribing you an anti-inflammatory as well as strong pain relief medication
Colchicine will make you ill if yo take too many in one day, so limit yourself to 6 maximum
if your GP says Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory, agree but the side effects are dreadful, so say you need Indomethecine as well, believe me it works
for pain relief i would ask for Tramadol
Cheers for that. I have no swelling now, apart from mild ache in index finger the actual gout seems to have abated. Its the stiffness that is annoying me at the present !!! I have an telephone consultation with my Doc next Weds hopefully all will be good by then, if not , as i mentioned earlier i will be asking to see a specialist.
All the best
James.
I suffer similarly, apart from very little swelling. When I feel it coming on I use a NSAID and Colchicum, a herbal form of Colchicine I think. I don't know if it helps to be honest. Normally the pain comes in the night, lasts for a couple of hours. The problem is I limp for 3 to 4 weeks afterwards because of stiff joints especially the big toe. One day it seems to have almost disappeared, and the next it is back stiff again. Anyone got a suggestions for this prolonged stiffness and ideas of how to losen it up??
all i can recommend for the stiffness is an anti-inflammatory other than colchicine plus lots of water, vitamin c and concentrated cherry juice
I've not had a gout attack for well over 6 months now.
I reduced my alcohol intake, the regularity rather than the quantity and only drink when i'm 'out out' which works out at around once a fortnight. After drinking before going to bed I ensure that I drink a glass of water with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
I avoid Liver Pate, something i'd been eating every week. I have less gravy and less soup than i'd previously consumed whilst still hammering the indian takeaways and chip shop!
I started taking Barley Grass powder mixed in milk, a teaspoon in half a pint 2 or 3 times a week (Reccomended dose is 4 times that in a day!) It helps reduce acid levels and restores PH balance.
I know a lot of this is general stuff but i've reached the conclusion that trying to exclude rather than reduce what your body has been used to for many years is possibly as damaging as going the whole hog and masking with drugs.
I have been suffering for over a year. My blood tests always come back with no uric acid in my blood. I have had an X-ray which turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis . I've been taked off appupurinol and put on naproxen 500mg. My pain has all but gone. It can take time to get to the bottom of things.
When I had my first 2 attacks I had nothing to fight it with as I didn't know what it was. After the visiting the doctor they gave me Naproxen which was useless. The doc never said it was gout either. But it has reacurred a few times since. I reckon I need to be on Allopurinol myself. So my experience is opposite to yours. Life's crazy sometimes. Lol.
Thanks. I have been doing the first 3, and have now bought some concentrated cherry juice (which is very nice indeed)
Those kind of treatments I like....if it works for me then I will be very happy!
I'd be very interested on how you solve this stiffness, it's the same thing that really annoys me. Sometimes lasts for 4 weeks, limping.
Very helpful and open.
Tell me, what a low purine diet would be like, what worked for you?
I've started on cherry (very nice) I hope it works for me. Do you take cherry every day regardless of when you have gout problem or not?
Apart from your kidney stone your story is familiar. After the first few attacks, and reading up on it, when I get the warm gouty feeling in the night I take NSAIDs and Colchicum, which I think is a herbal Colchicine. This has usually prevented a full blown attack. However, I had a full blown attack 3 weeks ago (2 years since my previous) so I guess my ideas are no longer effective. Sorry I can't help further, I am also seeking help form this dreadful illness.
I've been suffering from a gout attack in my big toe for the last 3 weeks and this is the 2nd attack this year (last attack was my other big toe). I usually use Indometacin for the pain but it does make me feel dizzy. In total i've had gout for about 6 years with on average 1 attack per year. I also drink Cherry Active regularly and try to control my weight and avoid my trigger foods (mussels, pineapple), but i do enjoy beer stll!
It is starting to get me down at the moment as it feels it like it is clearing up and the swelling is going and then it wil flare up agin and I'm hobbling about.
Go for CRP Test only to confirm no infection is there at big toe joint.
Hi all, I've meaning to share this online for a while but never did. So I've been a Gout sufferer for 10 years and I'm only 34 now. I've had it everywhere and have done treatment with Alopurinol which I believe I didn't have any Gout after a couple of months after the treatment but then had it all again, tried reducing purines in food and very sadly beer is what triggers it for me, so I tend to drink cider and I drink a lot less than what I used too. I heard about this cohicchine but never tried and the Cherry juice is something I just learned here now, will definately do it loads.
So this was a bit of my background, now the extremely good news for who is a fighter is, I did something for a year that I could even drink beer like never before and Gout was something from the past, guess what, the 5:2 Diet! If you never heard of google it around.
Due to my lifestyle nowadays (basically I have a Mon-Fri job lol ) I cannot manage to do it again but in the future I plan to do it again mainly for my Gout but also for many other health benefits.
Ok so if you do do it please share here so we all know if it was just with me!
Thanks!!
Leo
I'm 31, I've had gout for the past 6 years....I was definitely partying too much and eating poorly mostly protein and hard liquor.
I've used cohicchine and allopurnol in the past. my doctor took me off it because I unfortunately, I have elevated liver levels.
I've had an attack that has lasted a month. I have not drank alcohol since the attack started.
Been drinking cherry juice and nettle tea like it's my job.I have the attack in my whole left foot. walking is very tough, and it's very painful. the whole foot hurts, top and bottom so every step is an ordeal.
Does the pain ever go away with long attacks? I really haven't had any relief. NAID'S don't help at all neither does Tylenol. My specialist has been booked for the last month so I have to wait another week or so to see her.
Does this pain ever go away or subside? I feel like it will never go away...This is by far my worst attack.