Do You Know Any Gout Foods?

by KeithTaylor Comment Closed
Gout foods might be important, but never in isolation. In my explanation of the right approach to gout foods, I try to explain that there are no good gout foods, and no bad gout foods. There is only the right approach to all gout foods. This is very hard for people to accept. Gout sufferers are inundated with lists of foods to avoid, and occasional lists of foods that might be good for gout. I say these are dangerously misleading. read the best way to approach Gout Foods...
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Colgout Discussion Guidelines

by KeithTaylor Comment Closed
Colgout is a brand of colchicine, commonly sold in Australia and New Zealand. Just like Colcrys in the United States, everything we discuss about colchicine also applies to Colgout. Colgout Overview There maybe minor differences in dosage between generic colchicine, Colgout, and other branded preparations. However, these are not significant, so the overall advice is: Preventative Colgout Colgout may be taken as a preventative during the early stabilization stages of uric acid lowering treatment (allopurinol, febuxostat etc) at the dose of one per day. As-Required Colgout When taken as required to combat a gout flare, one tablet to be taken as soon as possible, with a second tablet after one hour if needed. If gout pain continues after two Colgout, supplement with anti-inflammatories and other analgesics as advised by your doctor or pharmacist. There is no specific advice on Colgout, so for detailed information, please see the colchicine guidelines. Colgout Side Effects Colgout side effects are no different from colchicine side effects. For complete information, please see the colchicine side effects...
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Does Alkaline Water Help Gout?

by Keith Taylor Comment Closed
The use of alkaline water to help gout has been raised many times, and I will summarize old discussions here. There are two aspects to consider. First, the act of taking on fluids is almost always a good thing for gout sufferers, within reason. As most drinks contain an extremely high proportion of water, it does not matter what the drink is. Avoiding dehydration allows the kidneys to excrete uric acid better, but there is little benefit beyond that. Most important aspect is to keep urine output to around 2-2.5 liters per day which helps avoid kidney stones. This is also true when on allopurinol, because unused allopurinol, usually excreted as oxypurinol, can form stones in extreme cases. For more, see my articles about water and gout. Second, is the issue of alkaline water "dissolving" uric acid. There is no evidence to support this claim. There is evidence to suggest that alkaline urine helps to lower uric acid. It falls into the category...
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How Can I Get a Gout Diagnosis?

by Keith Taylor Comment Closed
Many people with sore toes, feet, or other joints find it difficult to get a clear diagnosis. Over the years, the gout symptoms forum has seen many people who are totally frustrated. I am not talking about people who refrain from visiting their doctor, who talk with their mates in the pub, and decide that a swollen foot must be gout. I'm referring to people who have consulted doctors, presented suspicions of gout, yet been told they can't have gout, for whatever reason. In my case, I was originally told by my family doctor (since retired) that I could not have gout, as swelling was in my ankle, not my big toe. Joint fluid analysis by a rheumatologist confirmed that I did have gout. It's a shame I had to endure 4 days in hospital to get that simple test, but at least I knew exactly what my problem was. I will summarize other old forum discussions about this issue, but I want to...
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Who Wants Free Colchicine?

by Keith Taylor Comment Closed
This is a repeat call for members in the US to take up the offer of free colchicine kindly donated by a recovering gout patient who no longer needs it, and kindly distributed by an American gout patient who wants to help you. The relevant information from previous discussions is: thanks to a compassionate goutie from Ireland. He gave me 8 packs with 20 pills of 1.0 mg Colchicine to be given away to a needy (without insurance) goutie here in the States. Each pill is individually sealed, has never been touched by a human hand, and ONE pill is almost as much as 2 US pills, being 0.6 mg. Rather than giving all 160 pills to just one goutie, I prefer that 4 get the benefit of 40 pills each. (WE are looking here at a total of ~$1350 if purchased.) If you think you qualify, please, ask Keith Taylor to send me your email address so that we may converse freely concerning...
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Is Gout Help Worth Paying For?

by Keith Taylor Comment Closed
I am mindful that gout sufferers do not get the help they deserve. I never understood it until I spent over 5 years learning what the right treatment should be, then fighting successive doctors until I found one that listened, understood, and helped me fix my gout. I seriously believe that the only way to manage gout is through a good relationship with a doctor who understands gout. But what do you do if you do not have that relationship, or cannot find that doctor? That is the essence of my gout support services. I seek ways to help you build that relationship with simple basic facts. I realize that gout that is complicated with other diseases or intolerance to gout medications is always going to be challenging. For that, you must consult a rheumatologist who has experience with similar cases. But "common or garden" gout is very easy to manage. Keep uric acid at 5mg/dL (0.30mmol/L), or below. For the first few months,...
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Allopurinol Advice Needed

by nina bak Comment Closed
Allopurinol is great for gout, but only if the dose is right. Get it wrong, and the effect on uric acid level is useless, as this reader's father is finding out.Hello, i run into web site after helplessly trying to get some info about gout. My dad is visiting me here, and he is having one of his attacks. He is 72. I guess he was never diagnosed properly, and last 15 years he was given some non-steroid, anti-inflammatory medication. At the end he ended up in a hospital for a bleeding ulcer, and that was first time he was diagnosed with gout. That was last year in September. His gout was so bad, that he couldn?t walk. He was given injections for pain and inflammation. They put him on allopurinol 100 mg. he got better, but never 100%. When he came here, I looked through his lab tests. Back in September his uric acid was 516 umol/l. Average should...
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