Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
@d_q Hi! thanks for the response.
Prick tester I’m using is a Benecheck device, here’s a link to the supplier I bought it from in the UK: http://www.millermedicalsupplies.com/diagnostics/cholesterol-meters-strips/benecheck-meters-strips/benecheck-plus-multi-monitoring-system-with-carry-case-lancing-pen-and-lancets
It also does cholestrol and glucose but I’ve not tried those so cant really vouch for it being any good for those. As I said in previous post, personally I’ve compared 2 UA tests with the Lab and both matched to 2 decimal places (a little confusing as the NHS seem to use mmmol where as the tester is ummol but just a question of shifting the decimal place)
Exercise has been mainly the cross trainer, which I have at home. Quite a lot of walking (Sunday week I walked 17 miles!) and a bit of swimming too.
Hope that helps.
Hello all
Appreciate that I haven’t posted for a while and I wanted to give an update on my situation as things have moved on significantly.
My gout diagnosis has now been confirmed, I’ve been taking 100mg of Allopurinol since early May and (luckily) haven’t needed to continue with my Colchicine dose although I have some in case of emergency. Touch wood, I’ve had no major symptoms since I started the Allopurinol.
I’ve had 2 lab blood tests over that time averaging around the 0.37/39 mmol mark. Both tests matched my Benecheck meter prick test which I was really pleased about so I can use this as a viable way to monitor my UA levels going forward.
Bought myself an activity watch, sorted out my diet significantly and I’ve so far lost just over a stone of weight and I’m exercising 6 days a week. Last month I did the BHF May marathon and managed 52 miles (over the whole of May).
All of the above seems to be working for me. I even had my first steak since last year on Monday night and doesn’t seem to have caused me any problems. I’ve been limiting my alchohol intake but I have been drinking, mainly sticking to dry (less fructose sugar) cider and slimline gin and tonic. Again I haven’t had any significant symptoms nor have I really seen an increase in UA levels after consumption.
I’ll continue to update on progress, hopefully this will be useful to other/new members of the forum. Again thanks to everyone who’s provided input.
Hi all
Bit of a brief update this time. Went to doc’s again this morning. Spoke to him about how I should be using the Colchicine, turns out the pharmacy printed the wrong instructions on the label! It should have read – Take 2 daily but no more than 4 – but actually read to only take them when needed!
So anyway, he said to take 2 per day for the time being until he has a chance to check my UA level via lab test then we can work it out next steps from there. Based on how its gone last few days I think I may be able to get away with 1 per day, I discussed that with him and he said if you can then even better. So my plan will probably be 2 per day this week then try 1 per day next week and see how it goes. As I said I want to get back on the exercising (I have a cross trainer at home!) so that’s the immediate plan and maintain the diet of course!
We also spoke about the rash around my eyes, he said nothing really to worry about but its a trade off vs. the agony of the flare ups. So I think I’ll take that. As I said in a previous post I’ve not had any of the usual side effects like being sick or diarrhoea (or not yet anyway fingers crossed).
Just to add a bit of humour he was also telling me how he was still ‘hanging’ from a stag weekend in Dublin. Copious amounts of Harp Lager and Jameson’s Whisky?? I’m like, you’ll be next mate!! ๐
Next milestone will be blood test on Sat morning.
Again, thanks everyone for your replies/support!
Hi @nobody
Yes, the doc gave me 12 x 0.5 mcg pills and said to take 1 as soon as an attack shows signs, if it hasnt improved after an hour then take another – no more than 4 a day. I did take another one last night at 10pm and another this morning at around 9am.
Foot was great yesterday, probably better than it’s been for 3 weeks I would say, even after that really bad attack on Friday night. If I could maintain it at that level I could definately be starting to exercise again. (at the moment just walking seems to bring it on). I was also taking 400mg Ibuprofen with each meal 1600mg in total over the day which I think is probably quite a lot!?
One odd thing that has happened is I now have a rash around my eyes (including the eyelids). I dont have a rash anywhere else. I’ve looked it up and it seems it could be a side effect of the Colchicine or the Ibuprofen. I’ve now stopped taking both until I see the doc at 10am tomorrow morning. I had a little bit of sick feeling yesterday for the odd 30 mins but nothing major, that could also have been down to the lack of sleep as I actually feel fine today. Not had any other issues than the eye rash so I will defo be breaching the option of preventative use with the doc tomorrow.
Hello all
Bit of an update.
Finally managed to get a doctor’s appointment last Thursday morning. Explained to him what was going on and showed him my readings. He said they are interesting but they won’t use prick test meters to make a diagnosis.
Because the pain isn’t in my great toe (I get it around my smaller toes, but behind) he’s not entirely set on gout and he’s unsure if it’s gout or a mortons neuromo. Could be both I guess? (Nice ….). Anyway he said to tell my wife I am ‘an odd case’. I have a further appointment booked for Monday morning and a follow up week today including lab blood test.
We talked about diet, he was surprised I had even cut out the moderate purines like chicken, he was fairly adamant I’d be ok on those.
We talked about pain relief, I said the naproxen works to some degree but not for a severe attack so he has prescribed me some colchicine.
Last night I had my first curry (chicken madras) in a month and 1 beer. I got into bed at around 10pm then I was up in agony until 2.30am. I took 2 naproxen at 11pm – did nothing. So I decided to break out the colchicine. Took one of those at midnight, by 1am I seemed to have some relief but still too painful to sleep so took another around 1.30am. Last time I checked the clock was 2.15 am then kids woke up at 6.30am lol. I’m now low on naproxen so took 2x400mg ibuprofen with my breakfast and I have to say the pain today is now much lower (probably more the colchicine?). This is the first time I’ve experienced that on a really bad attack, I’m normally in agony for at least 2 whole days.
Another thing I wanted to mention, was last night when I had the pain my leg muscles were also spasming (this was before any medication) anyone else ever had that? Not sure if it could be just a reaction to the pain?
UA prick test reading was 0.41 this morning so definitely on my high end based on previous results above. My mate (who has gout) says he was told they don’t normally prescribe allopurinol unless you’re over 0.5? Don’t know how true that is? Was just what his doc said.
Anyone know anything about mortons neuromo or what else this could be of it’s not gout or that? Nerve related maybe? I’ve looked at mortons neuromo and although the pain area seems to fit the level of pain profile doesn’t.
Anyway thanks again too everyone that’s responded. I’m sure we’ll all get there in the end.
Hi Keith
Thanks again for taking the time to respond and with such a detailed post.
The Gout Hell theory makes a lot of sense based on what you are saying and the readings I’m getting.
These are my readings since I started tracking (mmol/l). I do these each morning between 7:30 and 8:00 am :
Sat 08/04/2017 0.44
Sun 09/04/2017 0.42
Mon 10/04/2017 0.39
Tue 11/04/2017 0.38
Wed 12/04/2017 0.41
Thu 13/04/2017 0.38
Fri 14/04/2017 0.37
Sat 15/04/2017 0.37
Sun 16/04/2017 0.39
Mon 17/04/2017 0.39This is basically what I’ve been eating since 8th April (does any of this look dodgey?):
Cheese
White Bread
Bananas, Apples, Blueberries, Raspberries
Weeatabix
Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk
Cabbage, Carrots, Potato
Cocunut Oil
Olive Oil
Spread
Fresh squeezed lemon/lime/orange juice (watered down)
Lots of filtered water (I mean like 8 pints a day!)
Tea (general 1 or 2 cups a day)
Yellow and red peppers
Cucumber
Eggs (normally omelette)
Garlic
Onion
Tomatoes
ACV (2 glugs per day)
Honey (small quantities)I’m going to try for an emergency GP appointment tomorrow, will let you know how that goes and will be raising the points you’ve made for sure!
Thanks again for your help
GavinThanks for replying Keith
Yep the battle with Uric Acid seems to be a daily struggle, i.e. today I’m back up to 0.39 so on the brink of the danger zone ๐ I’m going to get in with the docs this week to talk about the options going forward and likely I’ll need to take the allopurinol as you say. At least that way I can aim to get somewhere near back to normal and it gives me some bandwidth to be able to get on a low cal diet and exercise properly (seems to set it off for me!). At the moment I just seem to be tracking between 0.37 and 0.4 and as soon as I go over 0.4 I get another attack so not sure what else I can do at the moment tbh. I’m nailing the ACV and tried the cherry juice (didnt seem to work for me) and obviously I’m completely off all meats, gravy, booze etc. as I just cant risk tipping over that 0.4 mark.
Naproxen wise, doc has told me to take 2X250mg as soon as it hits, then repeat every 4 hours until pain has gone. With this latest attack it does actually seem to have relieved the symptoms but previous attacks its either not had any effect or just taken the edge of it.