[Ryan]

Hey Keith,

Thanks for your supportive words it’s 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.

[Ryan]

Hi all,

Update on matters, been to the Dr’s this morning and got my prescription for Allopurinol, he’s starting me on 100mg per day and test again after 1 month to see if it needs changing. Despite seeing others are on a lot higher dosage, I’m happy to start at this and adjust if necessary.

I asked about Colchicine, his take on it was ‘not to complicate’ things and just stick with Allopurinol and then Naproxen to fight an attack if necessary. Again I think I’m happy with this as would prefer to take less rather than more medication. If I find this isn’t working then I’ll go back and ask for the Colchicine.

Finally, against the advice of Keith & others, I’ve decided to delay starting the Allopurinol until late March, after I return from holiday. I’m expecting a week with a lot of walking and don’t want to throw anything into the mix that could add to the possibility of a flare up. I’m thinking that given I’ve had high UA levels now probably for a number of years, a few more weeks hopefully won’t make that much of a difference. Once back from holiday I’ll start the Allopurinol and if it brings on a flare up then no problems as I’ll be at home and happy to deal with it, I don’t want to be stuck on holiday unable to get around!

Will report back with progress once I’ve started the Allopurinol.

Thanks again for all the support and advice.

[Ryan]

Just had my latest reading back, so the 3 I have so far are as follows:

July 2015 – 8.93
Jan 2016 – 8.04
Feb 2017 – 7.7

Got a meeting Monday to discuss treatment going forward so will update once I know the outcome of that.

[Ryan]

Hi Keith,

Just so I’ve got this straight in my own mind, is it ok to take the Colchicine daily as a preventative measure, and add in Naproxen if a flare up occurs? Can’t seem to find much info if these two can be taken together.

Many thanks

[Ryan]

Hey Patrick,

Thanks again for your response. That’s good to know then, I’ll definitely look to add colchicine to the prescription, in the UK it should be just a standard prescription charge so nothing for me to worry about really.

Will update once I know more.

Cheers

[Ryan]

Quick update – another blood test done at the Dr’s yesterday and expecting the results within a couple of days, have an appointment booked for Monday morning to discuss results and treatment.

So, based upon my research I should be looking to discuss the following:

1.Allopurinol to lower uric acid, will go with the recommended dosage from Dr and review from there.

2. Naproxen to deal with any flare ups, this has been prescribed previously and seems to be pretty effective.

3. Should I also be looking to add colchicine to this as a preventative measure, or is it one or the other with Naproxen and Colchicine?

Many thanks

[Ryan]

Thanks for the advice Patrick. I’ve not yet been referred to a Rhuematologist, only seen the GP. I’ve got another appointment booked with the GP so I’ll see what he says. If GP is helpful enough and happy to prescribe the Allopurinol etc is there any need to then see the Rheumatologist also?

Cheers

[Ryan]

Thanks for the reply Patrick, much appreciated.

Quick update, had my blood test results back today and uric acid is at 478 umol, so around 8mg. The only other thing picked up was low neutrophils (reading was 0.95), looking into this these are a type of white blood cell I believe so would make sense that they are low after an attack?

I have actually got another blood test booked in for next week to test it again at the GP’s so will be interesting to see what comes back on that.

So the plan will be to go to the doctors and look to be put on medication to reduce uric acid and hopefully get things under control.

Quick questions for you guys, I go to Italy in 4 weeks time for a week and there will be a lot of walking involved. Given that the medication may bring attacks on when I start to use it I’m thinking of deferring it until I get back, just wanted your thoughts?

Many thanks

[Ryan]

Thanks for the replies guys, quick update – off for a blood test today so will post back results as soon as I have them. I’ve actually paid for a private appointment to have an array of things tested so will be interesting to see results. As soon as that is back will be straight to the GP’s to discuss medication.

[Ryan]

Quick update, managed to get my previous reading which was from July 2015 and read 531 umol. So I can see from that I am in the high danger level and presume I still am, for a blood test booked for later this week so will see why comes back

[Ryan]

Thanks for the info Keith. I’ll see if I can get the reading from the GP for the test that was done a while ago, and will also look for some up to date results.

Is there a recommended period of time to wait before doing the blood test after an attack? I’ve read that UA levels are lowered in the blood during and immediately after an attack, therefore best to wait a few weeks.

Are we saying then that all this apple cider vinegar and baking soda isn’t worth doing? Is the cherry juice worth keeping in?

Appreciate your response.

Cheers

[Ryan]

My experience – your advice please

Hi all,

Been having a look through all the old posts and some really useful info on there, thought I’d share my experience and see what you all think.

I’m a 34 year old male, not overweight and for the main part eat a healthy balanced diet. If anything I’d maybe say protein intake is higher than it should be, and I like a beer at the weekend. Never drink through the week and I may have 3 or 4 bottles of beer on a Friday & Saturday night, although more if going out.

I exercise regularly, gym 3 times a week usually and play golf at the weekend. I played football Saturdays & Sundays from a young age until my mid twenties, and then more recently played 5 a side once a week. Over the last say 5 years I’ve had probably 3 or 4 flare ups in my big toes from what I now perceive to be gout. At the time I had put it down to a sporting injury. The last time I had a flare up around 2 years ago I brought up the possibility of gout with the GP, who wasn’t so sure and referred me to a specialist (unfortunately I can’t remember what the specialist specialised in!), who took a look at the way I walk and said there was a slight imbalance in my walking pattern which meant I walked on the outside of my feet and that I should buy stiff soled shoes as I probably had a mild form of arthritis. I also went for a blood test but as the GP’s never came back to me with results and the pain had subsided I never thought anymore of it and got on with life.

3 weeks ago I awoke of a Monday morning to a stiff right ankle, I had gone over slightly on it the day before while out walking so put it down to that and thought nothing more of it. The ankle wasn’t painful but was certainly stiff and had restricted movement, this eased during the day and by the end of the day was pretty much fine. I was at the gym that week and didn’t really notice it. This continued throughout that week, walking on a morning to a stiff ankle which gradually eased throughout the day. On the Friday night I was at home watching football (the mighty Leeds) and noticed that my ankle was becoming more stiff and I had started limping more heavily when I was getting up. I had 3 bottles of lager that night (not sure if this made any difference or brought it on). I awoke around 2 am, ankle very swollen, red, hot to touch and very painful. I took some ibuprofen and managed to get back to sleep a few hours later. Over the course of the next 2 days I could hardly walk on it and self diagnosed it as gout.

Internet searches brought up lots of home remedies so I was straight on the cherry juice, baking soda and apple cider vinegar. The swelling and restriction of movement in the joint took until around Wednesday to calm down and I was able to get back to work, albeit limping heavily still.

Last Sunday I ventured out to do a bit of shopping, and was nearly limp free, the ankle just felt a little stiff, nothing more. That night the pain started again (not as bad as before) and I visited the local drop in centre who, after an xray, diagnosed it as a sprain. Said it would be painful as I’d walked about a bit that day. I decided it wasn’t and went to the GP’s on Monday. He said the symptoms definitely agree with gout, and looking at my records the blood test I did a couple of years prior showed a high UA reading (I need to find out what it was). He gave me Naproxen (I’m taking 500mg twice a day) and advised that most people will keep this on hand, if the have signs of a flare up then start taking straight away and should keep it at bay. If not and I am having regular flare ups then would look to put me on UA reducing meds, but didn’t want to do that straight away as it’s a lifelong thing.

I’m now 3 weeks on after the initial ankle pain, it’s still stiff and I’m still limping. The pain/stiffness has certainly moved from one side of my ankle to the other and moved up my foot a bit rather than the ankle joint itself. I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol for those 3 weeks and been trying to follow all the diet advice, as well as continuing with the cherry juice/apple cider vinegar/ baking soda. Wouldn’t be able to say if any of these has had a positive effect.

GP advised to wait a few weeks after symptoms clear up and then do another blood test. Also just found out that my Dad showed a high reading (around 8) on a blood test 2 years back, but he doesn’t experience symptoms.

Sorry for the essay, just hoping to get some pointers.

Thing that I have found strange is that the really painful part only lasted a few hours really, after that it was more stiffness in the joint and now it feels like more of a sprain than anything else. Is this normal? Also do people tend to get the build up a few days before the attack, or does it just come on straight away?

I’m going to get my bloods done and see how that turns out. How do people go about seeing a rheumatologist, is it a referral through the GP?

Thanks for reading, hoping to get this under control!

[Author]

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