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First, I would like to say “Thank You” to the originator of this site as well as the many users that have submitted information and advice on the subject of gout. This forum has been very useful and informative tool with my decision to start Allopurinol.
I am 43 and it has been about 5-6 years since my first gout attack. I have had 1 to 3 attacks per year since then. All attacks were in my feet(toe joints) and I have fought them with NSAIDS, Colchicine, and a couple shots. Each time(after an attack) my UA level was around 6 to 7.5. A few months ago the attacks migrated to my knees to the point that I had to have fluid drawn off one of them. About 2 months ago I had another attack in my left foot and my UA level was 9.6. Other than the gout I am healthy. My blood pressure is on the high side of the normal range which I have controlled with exercise in the past. But as of lately, every time I start back on the treadmill(2-3 miles) and begin losing weight I get another gout attack. May have to switch over to an exercise that is less stressful on the joints than a treadmill. I drink ALOT of water which seems to help, but all of this just doesn't seem to be enough.
I have tried cherry juice concentrate as well as several other natural remedies. I've watched what I ate staying away from the wrong foods such as gravies, red meat(once or twice a month), steaks(2 in 2 years, no shrimp, no peas, no wheat breads, no turkey, etc…you know the drill). I even cut beer out as I do enjoy drinking a few on the weekends. Evidently this is not working. My grandfather got gout at about the same age I did and he took Allopurinol the rest of his life with great results. I guess you can't fight heredity.
I guess I have been in denial to this point and did not like the thought of taking Allopurinol for the rest of my life. However, I am tired of worrying about every single thing I eat, missing work and functions due to gout( not to mention the pain), people asking me why I am limping, as well as the slight depression that goes along with not being “normal”. I know there are people out there with a lot worse health problems than my gout, but it does get in your head over time. I believe I am to the point where I don't have much choice.
The doctor started me on a full month of Colchicine(1 a day) which he said would help clean my blood of UA from the last attack prior to starting Allopurinol. I then started Allopurinol(100mg) a day for one week, then 200mg for the second week, and just started my 3rd week @ 300mg where he wants me to stay until another UA level test. So far my left foot is under attack. Not as bad as I have had in the past, but just enough to keep me out of work and hurt. As of yesterday, my knee is beginning to hurt with a little swelling. I am not sure if that is from gout or walking on the side of my foot for 7 days in steel toe boats on concrete. From everything I've read and the results I am having, I guess the Allopurinol is working. So far the only side effect is some light fatigue and today I have a 99.1 fever. I've had a fever before with gout so I'm hoping it is due to the gout and not the Allopurinol.
Anyway, wish me luck as I join the ranks of the many Allopurinol takers in this forum and throughout the world and thanks again to the originator of the site as well as the many contributors.
HAWG HUNTER, Welcome the the club nobody wants to join (as someone else once posted) I have to agree with you this is a great site. I wish I would have found last year when I first started having my attacks but as they say. Better late than never. I'm going to guess from your user name your from the South I'm I right? Good luck with your Gout. LIMPY
Welcome Hawgy to the depression inducing Gout club. I see you hold the VIP AlloP membership card too
Hang in there as sooner or later AlloP will make you turn things around. In my case it took 5+ months and 4-5 AlloP induced attacks in those 5 months before AlloP got the upper hand on the De Beers diamond mine (crystal deposits).Thanks for the welcome, Limpy. And yes I am from North Carolina. Some may think my user id is from pig or hog hunting, but it is actually from bass fishing. A lot of times here large bass are called hawgs so that's where I got it from. Joining a bass fishing forum is much more fun, but I guess we will have to make the best of this forum as I believe it will help.
Hi Hawghunter,
Your doctor is mistaken about colchicine “cleaning your blood of UA.” It really has no such effect. Rather it interrupts the inflammation-acidity-uric acid precipitaiton in an ailing joint.
Yes, allopurinol, 300 mg./day, is probably where you will stay your entire life and after things settle down there will be no need for any dietary restrictions within reason…12 cans of dark beer and a fish fry will probalby still give a few throbs the next day. But eventually gout gets reduced to nothing more than popping a pill in the morning.
While things are settling down there is no reason not to continue using colchicine as needed and no need to restrtict to 1 per day. Often 2 a day going to 4 whenever you feel an attack coming on. This might be a consideration for a few months. Youlll soon learn to anticipate the laxative effect of colchicine.
Fevers are still part of the world…I just got over bronchitis. Perhaps yours is gout related, perhaps not. I doubt it's allopurinol, the earliest reactions are usually rashes, hives and the like.
Remember too, if you cannot get your SUA's down around 5.0 in the early days, there's no law that you cannot take 400 mg. allopurinol. It is TRULY a wonder drug.
Good luck.
Thanks for the welcome vegetarianGuy & zip2play!
zip2play, the statement about “colchicine cleaning your blood of UA” is probably my error in understanding the doctor rather than the doctor being wrong. We talked and I was trying to absorb many things in a short time. Anyway, I guess it was a prelude to the start of Allopurinol. So taking colchicine with Allopurinol is not a problem? I either missed that part with the doctor or he didn't say. Also, i read where fatigue is a common side effect. I'm out of work today just doing nothing due to my foot & knee and I am much more tired than normal. I'm on my 3rd day of 300mg Allop. Is this fatigue something that will diminish or will it be a daily part of the Allop treatment?
Well, the pain in my left knee is not from walking on the side of my left foot from a flare-up in my foot like I was hoping….it's the gout. The Allop must be working cause it's in my knee now…warm, swelling, & starting to get red.
Lady Colchicine is putting on her dress now and we are going dancing tonight. Popped 2 the first hour then another the second hour. My wife is coming with my refill and I'll pop another one every hour until things well(start happening). I've made it to 9 before, so we'll see what it takes tonight. It will probably be a long night but I've missed enough work over this and it just has to be done. Hello Lady Colchicine……
Hawghunter,
I never experienced fatigue, but other report some for a while when starting. Likely though, whatever is causing your fever is causing the fatigue…also PAIN is exhausting.
Let us know how your dance with Lady Colchicine goes. A popular tune is the Porcelain Throne Waltz. Some prefer the Johnny Trot (that's two slow steps OUT and three quick steps back IN.)!
Hawghunter,
Welcome to this very exclusive club! Don't get discouraged, we'll all work together to fight this condition!
2011 Update
Please see the allopurinol common questions page for the latest answer to “Is allopurinol for the rest of my life?”
For more information, see Is Allopurinol A Lifetime Drug? in the allopurinol pages. You will find related information in the gout medications pages within the Gout Treatment Help Section.
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