pseudogout effect

Foot care
1

What on earth is this thing called PSUEDOGOUT? Having not yet reached the golden age of 50, I found out over a year ago that I am suffering from psuedogout in both knees , I have also been diagnosed with osteoarthritus in both kees and lower back!

I suffer contstant pain but I try to keep moving as often as I can, however the pain I experience from pseudogout is undiscribable !!!!! the swelling is such that I am unable to move and yet nobody can help except by draining fluid and washing the knee joint . Anyone out there that can offer ant help or is experiencing the same ? I keep on being told that there is no cure and the problem is very rare for people my age! anyone offer any advice please as this condition is not allowing me to work and believe me I really want to get to work as I am having no support from dhs or works and pensions

2

Hello to you from USA near the Ohio River, also East Liverpool, home of Homer Laughin and many otherChina companies whose English ancestors came over from Stoke on Trent, and never forgotten will they let this be!

My Hospital has a doctor or two who are very familiar with this and should be able to help you.

My experiences may not be right for you. I've found others with pseudo-gout who have it in many different ways and combinations than my familly.

First, you are not too young. It came on me when I was 28.

Second, it might be in your family's genes.

Third, it is my experience and that of my family members that the

LAST THING WE WOULD DO IS WALK IT OFF.

When it first hits I get off of it, put a cold compress on it. Have my feet up. Drink a lot of fluid and do not expect it to be gone by night, by the weekend. It may be. When it occurs we get on couch or bed and stay there until it leaves. It can take two days or 5 months for me.

Believe me our spouses who have the care of us are the first to push us into reclining positions.

Before I was diagnosed I might be taking 34 aspirin a day. I now take daily an antinflamatory.

At 28 there was no food that I needed to avoid. Could eat all the purines, meat, and etc. that I would. Also all the sweets.

Now I am glucose intolerant, not yet diabetic I eilimante almost all starches such as white bread, pasta, eating the more complex kind. Any sweet now throws me into an instant attact..

I intend to start a website.

Good luck and keep in touch.

Sassafras tea

(Sorry but Patient Admin have removed a Doctor, Consultant and or Hospital name from this posting, as it is the policy of Patient UK not to publish these on this forum.)

3

Hello again,

My mistake! Not MY hospital. There is a hospital near Notingham in which 2 doctors are very knowledgeable about pseudo gout. Do get in touch with them.

I lay day after day after day with very little happening, but it slowly recedes. And I am now constantly on anti-inflamatoroy medicine. At first no doctors seemed to believe me. It was before it made the text books. So when I had the strength I would daily draw my swollen foot, ankle, knee, or other joint. Mmmmmm. Then I thought! I could take daily pictures to show them. As they don't visit me, so when I'm laid up they never see me.

And to move much on bed, to even sit with my legs down causes me to go backward, so I certainly didn't go out. The best way when I had to was laying flat in an ambulance, but since this is virtually unrecognized they do not have a code # that permits it. I'd have to sit in a wheel chair and that would set me back weeks if not months.

My husband bought an old guerney from the fire department and he had an extended van. We didn't do that but a couple of times.

Take care and let me hear back from you.

Sassafras tea

For me it can be in ankle and move to knee, then elebow, and like that until it settles in one place.

Yes. The pain is undescribeable.

(Sorry but Patient Admin have removed a Doctor, Consultant and or Hospital name from this posting, as it is the policy of Patient UK not to publish these on this forum.)

4

just to let you know you are not on your own my husband has been suffering for a few years nobody knew what was wrong doctor said he needed knee replacement, which he had done, made no differance then started in other knee anf foot, after much pain and loads of tests they have come up withPseudogout, he is oder than you and would have been60 at the start and very active.

5

I had this in my right knee, both ankles and yes, it's painful. They were not sure if it was gout or Pseudo but I had a large amount of Calcium pyrophosphate in my blood along with uric acid.When the GP's could do no more I bit the bullet and went to see a Rhumatologist privately.

Like you, she drained it off and then gave me a steroid injection and a course of steroid tablets. In two days I was walking properly. She then put me on a course of tablets and so far (2 months) I'm ok. it cost a bit of money but how much is pain-free worth. Gp's can't know it all and what they do is treat using case study or experience. You can see a rhumatologist on the NHS but may wait for an appointment as there are not as many around as midwives and I'm sure the pain I was suffering was much worse than having a baby!! One strange thing tho, isn't it funny how once the pain has gone you can't remember how bad it was??