Does Gout effect entire joints for some? Diet Suggestions

[Richard Finotti]

My shoulders, hips, elbows (starting to get a bulge), knees, and ankles. For a while, it was thought I had more Rheumatoid Arthritis, but gout seems to be the main issue. Wonder if it has affected others like this. I am on Allopurinol and Colchicine (2xday).
Diet Suggestions also.

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Which of your joints have gout?

[nobody]

Hi!

If your elbows (or any other place) are starting to get a bulge, it should be possible to make sure what is causing the problem by examining the bulge.
If it’s gout, it sounds pretty severe. Gout is typically worst on the toe joints and the rheumatologist I’ve seen doesn’t think gout would normally affect shoulders (as opposed to the joints on the arms and legs). But if gout’s bad enough, I guess it could affect anything. What do your uric acid blood tests look like?
If you’ve only started getting pain all over after starting allopurinol however, that’s a things that’s known to happen. It seems people have caught the phenomenon with medical imagery so it may not be all in our heads.

The main thing with allopurinol isn’t to tweak your diet but to make sure you are getting an adequate dose. That takes blood tests (and possibly some arguing with your doctor if they’re not proactive enough).
You can follow mainstream diet recommendations for gout sufferers like not eating animal flesh but allopurinol makes diet less important anyway. The main things you want to do once you have started allopurinol in my opinion are: drinking lots of water, abstaining from alcohol or anyhing else that could cause dehydratation and consuming milk or yogurt (assuming that is a reasonably healthy option for you).

If you aren’t doing OK in spite of the colchicine, there are other things you could potentially take in combination with allopurinol. If you’ve just started colchicine though, give it a few days.

[Richard Finotti]

Thanks for responding. I’ve had recent X-rays claiming no arthritis in knees, but they are stiff and hurt like heck. I’ve done every diet you can think of. No long term solution. My only idea is that my joints are affected by Gouty arthritis. I’ve been on this for years. Prednisone works like magic for me though.
What diet restrictions due to suggest? Other than dairy? What are common side effects to Allopurinoll?

[nobody]

Good on you to have found a drug that keeps your symptoms down!

Like you said, diet isn’t a cure-all when it comes to gout. So I don’t think you should focus on diet right now.
Likewise, I wouldn’t worry about allopurinol side effects unless you already suspect you are experiencing side effects. But do rush to a doctor if you get a serious akin rash or allergy-like swelling because that could be serious. Getting your blood tests in due course is also useful when it comes to potential side effects because that’s an opportunity to monitor your liver and kidney function.

[nobody]

Also, thanks to Keith’s latest post I noticed this page which is relevant to your original question:

Gout in Shoulder

[Fred Deer]

My gout started in my ankle. I tripped and it didn’t seem to severe but the next day it got worse and i was unable to walk. I went to the doctor and they treated me for a sprain. Making me walk on it. I spent 3 months in a foot cast not able to climb stairs and looking back I went to the hospital 3 times at about 3am because the pain was so bad. I showed all the symptoms of gout but because it was in my ankle and it happened after a trip it was never considered as gout by anyone least of all me as I’d never had any signs of gout before.

I had ibuprofen to reduce the sprain inflammation and went to a consultant every week but nothing helped. Not surprising if I was being treated for a sprain which involved me walking on it as much as possible.

I was lucky because a practice nurse at the doctors stepped in on one occasion when they were busy. She asked if I suffered from gout. I said no but and suggested I try Sodium diclofenac and gave me a prescription. Within 2 days it was gone!!))) Three months of unbearable pain disappeared in 48 hours.

The next attack was in my toe about 6 months later but this time they realised it was gout. The diclofenac worked in a few days once again.

Since then I have had other attacks. It is my knee joints and ankle joints on both sides that get it. Again it was not recognised as gout and I was simply told i was getting old and it was arthritis. It took the 5th attack for me to put 2 and 2 together and then suggest it might be gout to them. A quick blood test and they knew I was right

Now i am aware that gout can come in any joint I simply take a single diclofenac pill when i feel an onset in any joint and it subsides.

Rest assured gout can get into any joint and not only the toe. Fort me the signs are the following

It comes on in the night for no reason
The pain is worst during the night at around 1-4am
It feels hot and cooling soothes it

Whilst not a be all or end all but these are my clues.

Diclofenac is my saviour but I’m sure it does not work for all. I have a supply at hand at all times and take one pill (sometime a follow up) and its gone really quickly. Normally in an hour or 2.

Find what works for you and if you get joint pain anywhere and are prone to gout do not think it simply lives in the toe. I’ve only had one toe attack and ever other one is in my leg and ankle joints.

Hope that helps.

[Ucatsexas .]

It seems that gout has attacked my shoulder and neck. Background: I first recognized and was subsequently diagnosed with gout in my big toe about 6 weeks ago (I’m now on 2 mg Allopurinol). About 10 days ago pain in my shoulder became excruciating. (N.b. I had a rotator cuff injury and saw a PT. Most of that pain was gone and I was on home therapy.) Never did the rotator cuff pain hit so severely where the shoulder pain is now. So, I’m thinking it’s gout.

Gout also struck my toe again, this time the other foot and I seem to have a tophi on top of that toe.

I’m no gout expert, but it SEEMS like a lot of gout pain. I’m going to ask doc for Sodium diclofenac and hopefully it will ease the pain.

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