Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Why isn’t beer gout healthy for you, Carroll?
The only thing I can think of that might raise uric acid levels is weight-gain. And, obviously volume of beer drinking and the interaction of alcohol on kidneys might have an impact. But, that depends on individual kidney function. Also, beer is only one component of diet. So, it has to be viewed in the context of the rest of your food intake. It’s complicated (*).
Everyone is different. If you want better analysis, I need more personal information. Regular posting of beer intake, weight, and uric acid test results would be a good start.
(*) I mean analyzing a single component of diet is complicated. Controlling gout is actually very simple. When you put your mind to it.
Iโm constantly worried about doing any physical exercise in case I cause an attack whilst finding my optimum allopurinol dose.
My left toe has never felt right since the first attack and Iโm really hoping in time allopurinol will fix that and Iโll regain complete flexibility
James, I don’t want to push you towards exercise that might make your toe pain worse. But, my experience is similar to Patrick’s. I found walking always helped me control pain better. Initially, boosted with ibuprofen. Then later, as allopurinol started to work it’s magic, it was a joy to realize I could walk bigger distances with increasing freedom from discomfort.
I know we’re all different. But I sense a similar tendency with you, James. Because, I believe we both sometimes overthink potential problems. So, if I’m right, it’s time to get those walking boots on. By the way, stout boots are always better for gouty feet. Because, they support your joints better, if they are fitted correctly.
My website should not say “take no more than one capsule a day”
Please can you let me know where it says that, so I can correct it.
Also, Andrew, can you tell us which country you are in. Dosing guidelines, and colchicine pill sizes, vary from country to country.
It’s hard to put exact figures on the crystallization point. Uric acid concentration is one factor. But, it can vary in different points of the body. So, you get an exact result of 555. But, that probably means “around the 540 to 570 range”. And, I’m being deliberately vague, because we never really know the upper and lower values. Then, we have several other factors that affect crystallization. Temperature, blood flow, and mysterious factors that some people have that give them very high crystallization points. So, we don’t know. But, the most likely explanation is, a normal gout flare because your uric acid is still too high.
I realize that’s not at all helpful. But it’s true.
Personally, I just rejoice in the fact that you know you need to get uric acid lower. Other than take pain meds, there’s little else you can do.
I just always read that gout always has swelling
Not really. Swelling is common. But, it can be so slight as to be barely noticeable. Gout pain is an immune system reaction to uric acid crystals. And every gout sufferer has different reactions. As well as swelling, we often see redness, itching, and fever as symptoms of inflammation.
So, it’s definitely gout. But, I’m concerned that your doctor hasn’t offered a few months of gout pain prevention therapy.
Is it safe for him to take any indomethacin while on the probenecid?
I see no reason why not. But, the indomethacin dose for gout should be prescribed by your doctor. Maximum dose is usually required for gout pain. And, your doctor and pharmacist need to check it is compatible with all medications and supplements that your husband is taking.Does he take the colchicine only during flares?
Colchicine is best taken as a preventative before flares start. Or, take it at the very first sign of a flare. Once the gout flare starts, colchicine doesn’t do anything to reduce the pain. It just stops inflammation getting worse, until nature, or anti-inflammatories do their work.I read to drink baking soda water while on the probencid
You need to stop reading Baking Soda Gout Myths!how much should he take of the baking soda?
None! Because Baking Soda for Gout is Dangerous.Is probenecid safer or more dangerous than allopurinol?
Both are safe. Allopurinol has a genetic risk for some Han Chinese, Thai, and Korean gout sufferers. But, that can be screened for. One danger of probenecid is that it might not get uric acid low enough to be safe. You should be able to check that at his next blood test.The real danger is excess uric acid. Gout pain in the joints is best seen as a warning sign. The warning is for a progression of effects of uric acid crystals. These get increasingly dangerous:
- Permanent joint damage.
- Visible tophi (lumps of uric acid crystals) that damage the skin.
- Tophi spread to all organs, except the brain. Kidney failure or heart failure are the usual causes of death from gout.
Maybe you husband should look at some of my tophi pictures. Who on earth wants to spend their later years suffering like that? And, that’s really the point that your husband has to understand. It’s very easy in your thirties and forties to shrug off gout with a painkiller or two. But gout always gets worse when uric acid is above 5mg/dL. The longterm effects that I listed get worse every day – even when there is no pain. So, at a time of life when he is less able to cope, your husband will have to fight much bigger and more painful problems.
I do understand how your husband feels. I put off going on allopurinol for far too long. Even when I started to understand the real longterm dangers. Eventually, when I couldn’t tell the difference between gout and a broken knee, I took the plunge. It’s really great knowing that I do not have to face a gout flare ever again.
With the right pain control package, there is no need to suffer during the time it takes to get rid of old crystals. I hope I can help your husband to take control of his gout properly. Before it’s too late.
From My experience โ your advice please:
Hey Keith,
Thanks for your supportive words itโs much appreciated.
Will check back and update once I get the meds underway and monitor UA levels.
This site has been a great help so just wanted to say thanks for your efforts.
I would say, aspirin shouldn’t have any significant effect because of your allopurinol. Ie, I agree with your doctor. My logic is: where aspirin is causing excess uric acid, it make sense to avoid it if there is an alternative. But, where you are already controlling uric acid, then using aspirin has little or no relevance to gout. Please note that I’m saying this from my understanding of gout and uric acid. I have very little cardiac knowledge. So, I can’t say if there is a better alternative to aspirin.
[I hope you don’t mind, Mauri, but I’ve split this, as I think it deserves a new topic.]
Allopurinol vs Uloric for Heart disease
Is allopurinol and heart disease information important to you? Please let me know with your replies here.
I’ve flagged Have A Heart! Allopurinol Helps More Than Gout for review. And, I’ve added a comment at the end of that article, about some recent research. So, I really should review all articles related to heart disease and allopurinol.
Importantly, I should also review how all alternatives to allopurinol might affect cardiovascular events. So I should research Uloric and heart disease.
What are your thoughts on Uloric, allopurinol, and heart disease? How do you think I can improve my current information?
Ryan, that is all fantastic. I love that you’ve taken control, and doing this on your own terms.
100mg allopurinol is exactly the right way to start. It’s safe. And, if it’s causing problems they will show up on kidney function and liver function tests, when you get your next uric acid test. There’s no downside to this approach.
The pain control issue is a situation where there are lots of options. And, if naproxen keeps gout pain bearable for you, that’s the way to go. Maybe I overemphasize combination packages. That’s usually in response to specific complaints that they cannot control their gout pain. Personally, I was always happy with ibuprofen. And, I only tried colchicine when the doctor suggested it. It’s all about being able to take control. So, you are absolutely right to leave colchicine for now and keep an open mind about what might happen later.
As for delaying uric acid control, I totally agree with your decision. There’s more to gout recovery than just the meds. You have to feel comfortable with your treatment plan. So yes, a few more weeks wonโt make that much of a difference. Don’t forget, you might have a flare on holiday anyway. So, be prepared with your naproxen.
Please don’t bother with gifts and souvenirs. ๐
Just get back refreshed and ready for your allopurinol treatment. I’m looking forward to your progress reports.I’ve also had the flu. So, you have my sympathies. Thankfully getting better now.
It’s very wise to keep hydrated. Allopurinol can cause problems if you have insufficient urine to clear it’s by-products. Problems are rare, but it’s good to be aware of them.
Tophi shrinking is definitely a long term outcome. But, you’re going in the right direction ๐
Sleep apnea is a specific sleep disorder that is definitely associated with gout. And, as James says:
sleep plays such an important role in our general health and lack of sleep (sleep deprivation) or even low quality sleep can cause so many general issues
There is help and information from a trio of websites from American Sleep Apnea Association.
This is perfect!
Not the actual numbers, because they should be lower. But, we know you are doing something about that, Ryan. The fact that we have a run of results is perfect. Because, it means you have good information to base uric acid lowering treatment on.
There’ll be dancing in the streets when three consecutive years show below 5! ๐
And this is the kind of comment that starts my day feeling good. It’s my inspiration to keep improving. Thanks Patrick.
Naproxen is like a BB gun, where Colchicine is a Bazooka.
Not an analogy I’d chose. But, I think there’s a place in the gout pain arsenal for both.
In layman’s terms, colchicine to block inflammation. Naproxen to fight any inflammation that gets through (usually, because you took the colchicine too late). Medically (ish), naproxen blocks enzymes. But, colchicine blocks immune cell replication. Entirely different battle scenarios.
It reinforces what I learned a long time ago. Never ask a doctor about pain control. Hospital nurses know what works.
