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Hey guys…. im a newb in the forum but not to gout. Always lurked around and finally decided to join in the fun.
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So, currently, I am getting beat up by my worst gout ever!
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Both of my ankles have gotten gout, I cant even walk or limp… I stay on my bed or literally crawl to get to places…..
I am 28 now, my first gout attack was when I was 22. I have had about 6 episodes of Gout (About once a year) so this year I have finally decided to change my diet and live a healthier lifestyle.
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I am 6 feet tall, used to weigh 265lbs 3 months ago, now I weigh 245 and still losing weight.
I have a body builder type so been working out a lot also, but have no idea why I just got attacked with both of my ankles… Its been a week so far.?
Been taking advil, apple cider drinks, eating vegetables, etc. What did I do wrong here?
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Been taking Endomethacin and that didn't really work. (Since flare up) and sad that I just ran out… =(
Hi all. I don't know what else to try. Looking for advice. I've been reading posts here for a couple hours and there seem to be some bright, helpful people. Here's my situation:
– Kidney transplant 15 years ago.
– used to get gout for a year before the transplant, could cure easily with colchizine. Went away until a year ago. Been more frequent and painful ever since. Current episode has been for a month straight. Have to walk with a cane. Today is the worst ever; I can barely get out of bed to go to the bathroom. Both big toes, one trophi on one.
– can't take allopurinol – tried it and had the textbook allergic reaction to it.
– can't take colchizine anymore- one pill gives me violent diarrhea and makes me so sick I can't get out of bed- other than to the toilet. Plus, I have to take other immunosuppressant medication; so I have to be able to keep something in my system.
– tried ACV and cherries with some success for a time, but no longer working.
– stopped eating red meat and sea food a year ago. Don't drink alcohol, caffeinated drinks, carbonated drinks. Eat a fairly health diet.
– started on goutcure.com's herbal remedy 4 days ago which is really three things: 1) pill that supposedly breaks down uric acid and moves it into the blood stream. 2) drink 75 oz of water to clear the UA. 3) extremely strict diet (fruits, vegetables, brown rice, etc) for 5-7 days to not add more UA during the cleansing time. Normally the pill is 3 per day, but for reduced kidney function they suggest 1 pill because your body cannot cleanse the UA being broken down and put into the blood stream- they don't want you to have more dissolved UA in your blood than the body can clear in 24 hours.
– the goutcure.com stuff makes some sense to me and they have a lot of people that swear by it, but so far, it has made me significantly worse. I suspect that is because I have more dissolved UA in my blood than I can clear- even though I only take 1 pill a day, drink plenty of water, and follow the strict low purine cleansing diet. I contacted them and they said to stop taking the pill for now and a nutritionist will contact me tomorrow. I'm also on an antibiotic for a sinus infection right now which they say causes havoc on gout; it may be the first one in a year, so that could be the cause; I don't know.
-the goutcure folks say that you have to have a high enough alkaline level to clear the UA in the blood. Is there a way to measure your PH level? I don't know if that is the problem or not. Just in case, I'm trying the baking soda drink today.
– After more internet research, today I am trying the baking soda drink. I've done that once before, but I think I only drank one glass; no results. We'll see.
– I'm also going to try the black bean broth listed on this site today. I'm also loading up on cherries again.
– This site mentions measuring your UA level quite a bit. I'll ask my nephrologist tomorrow if he measured that at my last blood test a couple weeks ago. Not sure what to do about it if its high, but I'll ask.
That's what's going on. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I need to get better so I can work and spend time with my family again. I'm too young to be a disabled cripple which is about where I'm at.
When you could not take allopurinol, you had 2 options.
- Get 24 hour urine test to assess suitability for probenecid or other uricosuric.
- Start an allopurinol desensitization schedule.
There is now the third option of febuxostat (Uloric, Adenuric).
The unspoken option of ignoring uric acid is what leads to tophi and crippling joint damage, with possible kidney disease, heart disease, stroke and diabetes thrown in. Colchicine and other painkillers without attention to uric acid levels only serve to make matters worse, as they mask the danger until it is too late.
From what you have written, I would assess your situation as critical, and no amount of herbal or kitchen cupboard cures are going to save you.
A serious session with a good, gout specializing, rheumatologist is your best way forward.
Another new alternative for those sensitive to allopurinol is febuxostat (Uloric in the United States.) It may be your answer. I rather strongly feel that your nephrologist will go ballistic at the thought of probenecid or any other uricosuric with a donor kidney (especially if a cadaver kidney) because the increased urate exceretion is very hard on the kidneys. I know a woman who has maintained her cadaver kidney for 30 years with daily cyclosporin…but there are very few drugs that she can take.
Febuxostat will cause less urate to form and thus probably HELP your kidney cope.
David,
The VERY important number you have not reported was your uric acid level.
I concur with GP…some mixed herbal nonsense being peddled as a gout cure is just old-fasioned fraudulent quackery, it will always be with us as long as there is a gullible and desperate person suffering. If it actually had any effective ingredients it would need FDA approval. Save your money and get your herbs in a delicious salad instead. 😀
You two are awesome. Thanks for the advice. I called my nephrologist Monday to get my UA levels, but he and his partners are out all week, but I just called back and talked to the nurse and it was at 9.1 on Dec 1 prior to the latest flare up. Holy crap! I had no idea. I can't believe my Nephrologist never discussed my high UA levels or the need to bring them down. Unbelievable. No wonder my gout is so out of control.
I just read everything on the Uloric.com web site. Lots of good info. It contraindicates with Azathioprine which is one of the immunosuppressants I am on for my kidney transplant. Fortunately, when I tried Allopurinol, I had the same problem and I was able to swap out Allopurinol for Myfortic- another immunosuppressant. When I had the allergic reaction to Allopurinol (dizziness, foggy head- could not function), he took me off both meds and put me back on the azithioprine. The correct solution would have been to try Uloric which I'll see if he'll try with me next week. (We weren't sure which new medicine I was reacting to, the Allopurinol or the Myfortic, but the more I read, the more it sounds like it was the Allopurinol).
When you find an immunosuppressant regimen that has worked for 15 years, you really hesitate to change it. I'll try changing from Azithioprine to Myfortic so I can try the Urlic, but know that it is with a bit of hesitancy. (regimen is cyclosporine- which I've read causes gout-, azathioprine, and low does prednisone).
I'll also follow your advice on looking for a good rheumatologist. My nephrologist is a good guy, but young and seemingly a bit inexperienced in certain areas.
I hear you on the ineffectiveness of herbals and generally agree, but I'd like your advice on this: This goutcure herbal remedy contains: Artichoke, Saponins from Yucca root, Aged-odorless Garlic (allium sativum), Tumeric, and Certified 80% Silymarin from Milk Thistle. They claim it breaks down the crystals and does in fact reduce UA levels. The fact that I had a more severe acute attack after taking it for a few days is similar to Allopurinol or Uloric, so I'm curious if it is doing a similar thing as those drugs but with herbs. I'm not enamored with this goutcure herbal remedy, but given the problems I had with Allopurinol and the need to change my immunosuppressant regimen to try Uloric, I'd be interested if this herbal remedy might lower my UA. I stopped taking it a few days ago when the attack became more severe.
Other update: I started on high dose prednisone a few days ago and the swelling and pain is significantly reduced. I can hobble around the house with minimal pain. Both toes are still inflammed and I can't bend them upward, so the last part of walking is not possible– this is the state I've been in for a month, but it's now both toes where it was usually just one. I also started on colchicine two days ago. Just two .6 pills per day- maximum allowed for kidney transplant patients. The diarrhea started this morning. I took a half pill this morning and will try to keep taking .5 to 1 pill per day if I can.
Thanks again for the great advice. It's clear to me I have to get my UA levels down. Now I just need to find a medicine I can take.
The medicine choice is a difficult one. We've had discussions here before on the difficulties of getting nephrologist and rheumatologist to agree on what will control uric acid without compromising kidney function. At least you've got to stage 1, which is recognizing the need to lower uric acid – lets see what the medics recommend.
On the non-medical front, there is a host of things you can do. Lowering by 3 points without medication is hard, but depends where you are starting from. Weight loss and exercise, if applicable, can bring tremendous benefits if taken gradually. Tea, coffee and skim milk have been shown to reduce uric acid, as has 500mg per day vitamin C.
I can't buy into the herbal thing. I do believe that natural sources of uric acid reducing compounds exist, but getting them to a stage where they have any significant effect is another matter. The most effective part of the goutcure remedy is their advice on fluid intake and diet – do that without the goutcure, and you are likely to get the same results. The fact is that the product is only any good if it lowers uric acid, and this needs to be measured and monitored. Gout flares are absolutely no use as a measure – they can happen whatever you do until all uric acid deposits are dissolved and your blood uric acid stays at 6.
Medical or lifestyle – it all comes down to keeping uric acid levels in the safe zone.
Wanted to give an update but first, let me again express my sincere thanks to you GP and zip2play. You take a lot of your time to keep this site going and to reply so thoroughly, logically, and thoughtfully to so many posts.
I finally got into my Nephrologist today. I started on Uloric 40 mg and he is getting me into a rheumatologist. (I tried, but they were all booked out 2 months for new patients, but he'll get me in). My Nephrologist was not familiar with Uloric… probably part of my problem. Also did not seem too aware of the problem with having high UA even though I've been complaining of gout to him on and off for a year and he has 3 labs with high UA levels. Oh well, thank goodness for the knowledgeable folks at gout-pal. (by the way GP, if you don't mind sharing I'm curious your educational/ work background- you are obviously highly intelligent and logical).
My levels have been:
5/3/2008 10.0
4/28/2009 7.7
12/1/2009 9.1
I am 45 years old, 5'10 and weigh 145 lbs and have followed a pretty rigid gout diet for a year, so there's nothing more I can do with diet or weight (I've always been skinny and active– until now- still skinny, but I can't get any exercise since I can't walk).
I appreciate the advice on the herbals. I've come the same thinking; I think I was able to manage my gout more or less for a while with things like cherries, diet, apple cider vinegar–and I do think some of the herbals can help some with breaking down crystals, but I'm way beyond that now.
I know my gout will get worse before it gets better now that I'm on the Uloric, not looking forward to the next few weeks, but optimistic that there is a future for me that does not involve a walking cane. (I'm also taking colchicine and prednisone to get through the flare ups that will be coming).
Thanks again and I hope to be able to report good news over the coming weeks.
Dave
DavidK….Just want to let you know that my gout was out of control for over two years. My internist and rhumatologist would not prescribe meds as long a my uric acid was below 10(it was 9.2). I finally read about uloric and bought some. Two month later(last week) my uric acid is 5. I have had minor symptoms thru the two months….easily stopped by 500mg EC Naprosyn. I am eagerly looking forward to having the trophi start to resolve.
Ron.
kiaora, I have also been taking Uloric to reduce my SUA level. I’m curious as to what dose you are taking? I was taking 40mg for over a month and couldn’t get my Sua below 6.0 until I went to the 80 mg dose. At last testing my SUA level was 4.4 but it took the 80mg dose to get there. I have been improving over the past month to the point that I’m walking almost normally, able to get out of a chair and mostly just have some pain left in the hands. (I stopped taking all pain meds about a month ago.)
I’m happy to see that davidk is able to take Uloric without causing problems with his other meds. Hopefully he will have the same success we have in his battle against this nightmare that is gout.
davidk said:
I know my gout will get worse before it gets better now that I'm on the Uloric, not looking forward to the next few weeks, but optimistic that there is a future for me that does not involve a walking cane. (I'm also taking colchicine and prednisone to get through the flare ups that will be coming).
Thanks again and I hope to be able to report good news over the coming weeks.
Dave
Dave, let's hope it is all good news. I'm guilty of overplaying the “gout flare when lowering uric acid” card. Yes, you have to be prepared for the possibility – hence the preventative colchicine and prednisone – but ultimately the flares will reduce to zero. Absolutely vital is getting the uric acid level below 6, so hopefully you have some follow-up tests scheduled.
Analytical (accountant), persistent (marketing) and logical (computer), maybe, but “highly intelligent”?
I wish
Update: 1.5 years of gout, 9 weeks of walking with a cane, 3 weeks after finding gout-pal.com. Gout-pal.com wins. Per your recommendations I researched Uloric and got started on it 16 days ago–40 mg. Got back my UA levels from 2 days ago and they are already down to 4.4.
(from 9.1 on Dec 1 and 10.0 1.5 years ago). Before I got the results today I noticed my toes both felt a little better today than they have in weeks. I even walked out to the mailbox with no cane, albeit slowly, with minimal pain. I hope and suspect I'll see some decent improvement over the coming weeks. Finally getting in with a rheumatologist next Thursday, so we'll see if he has anything new to say.THANK YOU GOUT PAL! THANKS TO GP ESPECIALLY AND TO ALL OF YOU WHO KINDLY POST AND SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCES! SOME OF YOU GAVE ME SOLUTIONS; SOME OF YOU GAVE ME HOPE; I DESPERATELY NEEDED BOTH!
I had gone to my doctors multiple times and told them I had gout and needed help. I tried ACV, Cherries, Baking soda, I haven't eaten red meat, alcohol, or seafood in a year. I've tried several herbal gout pills. I spent over 50 hours over the holidays researching gout on line and then found gout-pal.com. I've sense posted on a couple other sites– I share with them what I've learned about gout and give them this advice: go to gout-pal.com.
I know this is a site of all middle age guys, but I gotta tell you anyway, I have tears of gratitude in my eyes.
Thank you guys! I am 45 yrs old with a wonderful wife and 4 kids. I can't walk without a cane, can't take my kids skiing, can't get the mail, shovel the snow, mow the lawn, ride my road bike. Took my family to disney land in July and by the second day had to have them push me around in a wheel chair. For 2 months, I have left my house about three times other than for work and church. My lifestyle was shot until you guys steered me in the right direction. I fully suspect I'll have full function back over the coming weeks thanks to you.Dave
4.4 is fantastic! I can't wait to hear about your dancing exploits in a few weeks.
If you do run into problems until all the old crystals have gone, we are lucky to be building a band of people here who can help. Now that you are on the road to recovery, I hope you can spend a little time pointing others in the right direction (and thank you very much for spreading the news about this site).
David- I'm interested in your experience with Goutcure. I thought when trying it first that the water needed was more than enough to improve matters whilst taking it- but the problem is the long times needed to both develop and cure this gout.
You tried really hard to stay off meds for good personal reasons. I hope you've got the right one now and make continued progress.
I'm sticking with the herbal approach for 'fine tuning' now , as I've got down to 4.5mg/dl on repeated am. tests and want to make as sure as possible that the urate still hanging around will disperse.
The diet is indeed quite particular and different to normal. No refined carbs, wheat etc is the hardest thing!
Otherwise, I've felt better in general apart from detoxy type headaches- which I got with Gout quite a bit anyway. I suspect it may be connected with UA levels.
I'm not starting a new thread rightaway on this- as you are my 'Goutcare link' now
I will approach Goutcare about their research anyway- and persist with this path for a bit.
PS: I understand peoples' doubts over herbal remedies- they're far from guaranteed- but given the paucity of good uber professional advice you have found, like many, they're maybe not so very flaky after all ,in the wider scheme of things.
I'm interested in your experience with Goutcure
Hi Trev- not sure I have much good info, but I'll share my opinion. I took the goutcure pills for and followed their 5 day cleansing diet exactly. I only took one pill per day per their recommendation because of my kidney transplant. By day 4 or 5, my gout flared up worse than ever. I emailed the goutcure folks and they told me to stop taking the pills. then they had their nutritionist email me with various changes to the diet. By now I had found gout-pal and learned about how critical UA levels were and then discovered mine was at 9.1. I exchanged emails with the goutcure folks (always a nutritionist) and they confirmed their belief as on their web site that UA levels don't really matter much because it does not measure crystals in the joint. I pressed them to answer if their remedy lowers UA levels and if they had and evidence/ studies of this. They finally answered that long term, it does lower UA levels, but that I was too focused on that. By now I told them I was going on Uloric and they shared that they felt I was going down the wrong road taking a prescription drug that has potential side effects, etc.
I offered up in my email to them that if their herbal pill was causing the flare up, so does Allopurinol initially and I was ok with that if in fact that was their experience and it was just the first step to breaking down crystals, but in that case, a) I needed them to confirm that was what was happening, guesstimate how long it might last, confirm it really was going to lower UA levels, and recommend something for the interim pain. They could not do any of those things. they thought the reason I was having problems was because I was on an antibiotic at the time and took an occasional tylenol because their diet gave me such headaches I could not function.
So, here's my take on goutcure… but I may well be incorrect.
* they may very well have a medicine that breaks down crystals and perhaps even lowers UA levels– I still have quite a few pills and I'm not convince that I might try them again after I get everything dissolved and see if my UA stays low… but if it doesn't I'm right back on Uloric.. and I won't be even thinking about this for months.
* But even if their remedy works, they don't seem to understand very well what it is doing and don't seem to have any empirical data to share.. which makes it harder for me to believe in what they are doing
* They are way overboard on diet. It is so incredibly strict that it made me weak and sick. Granted it is only for 5 days and I did it, but they think everything can be cured by diet. They are opposed to any prescription or OTC pills for almost anything. Their advice to me during the flare up was to avoid baths only take short luke warm showers because the chlorine in water can seep into your body.. there may or may not be truth to that.. I have no clue, but when that was the best advice they could give me for gout… they lost credibility with me.
* They have no advice at all for short term inflammation and pain (except that “lemon juice is a good topical anesthetic.. and alternate ice and heat…). If their pill really does lower UA, but causes short term flare up.. like Allopurinol or Uloric can.. then they need to also address the interim pain.
* If you read the reviews on Yahoo, they seem to have a lot of folks that it has worked for and I think it probably does do something– especially for those on the borderline. But it was never going to be enough for someone like me with levels in the 9, 10 range and with reduced kidney function therefore lower ability to excrete UA.
So, bottom line, I think their product probably does break down crystals and does some good, but they don't seem to really be able to articulate exactly what their product does, so its hard for me to know how to use it. They seem a little too focused on diet and don't seem to understand several important aspects of gout… like UA levels or short term pain and inflammation. For those on the borderline it may be worth a try.
Thanks for the fill-in David.
The headaches we have in common- I feel it may be connected with urates shifting around from my experience with gout flares.
Also, the herbal mix has to be taken after meals but the water bulk has to wait ideally for a couple of hours between meals. This maybe causes a lag in the flushing and builds up levels of what may be indeed quite powerful agents.
I can definitely get the taste in mouth if not taking enough fluids with Goutcure.
Anyway-I can see how hard you tried with the plan, given your co-current attack!
I'm in a better place to run with it than you were- so I'll keep going.
The suppliers have an extensive world wide distribution service- and I hope that there is a reason for the popularity of the approach, ie: it can work.
The diet is very alkalising and only recommended for 5-7days, so I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal diet now and seeing headaches reduce.
The old gout niggles have settled, too.
PS: I know about the Chlorine and Fluoride in long bath soaks- but it's one major relaxant when everything else doesn't work! Marvellous after a 10 mile hike!
Good luck with your continued progress- seems like the worst could well be over!
Be prepared, though, this is Gout!¬
The only good thing about getting gout young, is that you won't have to learn when you're older- and that's about all!
Early onset must mean that whatever genes you have that don't work right for UA handling are top of the list for some reason.
Can you post any SUA figures ? maybe get a back record from your doc? You must have flagged up early with your medics as you have a clear diagnosis.
Losing weight can exacerbate gout easily. When things have settled down attack wise I would consider urate lowering medication -as there's a long way for you to go, lifewise. My personal view only.
Gout95 said:
Both of my ankles have gotten gout, I cant even walk or limp… I stay on my bed or literally crawl to get to places…..
I am 28 now, my first gout attack was when I was 22. I have had about 6 episodes of Gout (About once a year) so this year I have finally decided to change my diet and live a healthier lifestyle.
Man, much sympathy for that! I'm lucky enough never to have gotten it in both legs at once. The absolute worst pain I've ever had is when it hit my hip, but that was at least only one hip…
I was in a similar situation – got diagnosed when I was 22 (exactly the same age!) and only had an attack once a year or so, so I just took anti-inflamatories when it hit and didn't think about it between attacks. My first doctor put me on Allopurinol but, being a stupid and distracted university student, I kept forgetting to take it, and when I was supposed to go back for my followup blood test I realized I'd only taken one or two pills a week, so I never bothered.?
I found that dietary advice meant nothing. I first got diagnosed after a drinking binge (not a huge one, standard college stuff), and so I stopped drinking entirely for a while. But then when I didn't have any followup attacks, I got sloppy and started drinking again, with no ill effects. And then for the next few years, I tried to track what would set off my gout: I'd go to a barbecue, eat a bunch of red meat and drink lots of beer, no problem. Then a month later I'd visit a vegetarian friend and eat no meat at all for a weekend, and get a gout attack. Ok, maybe it was the extreme change? No, next time I'd get an attack in the middle of two weeks of eating basically the same thing over and over – meat in moderation with plenty of vegetables on the side, and a beer or a glass of wine every couple of days. I'd try cutting things out of my diet, and get attacks, and give up.
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But then last year (I'm 33 now) it suddenly ramped up and I started getting more attacks, that lasted for longer, and hurt more. And started moving around to other joints – before this I've only ever had it in my toes and ankles, but last year I've also had it in my knee, hip, and hand. And now it DEFINITELY gets triggered by even one glass of wine. So I finally went to a new doctor, told him that I'd had gout for a long time but it was getting worse, and he actually asked me questions about it:
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“Who's treating it?”
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Well, nobody. I've been going to clinics and they've been giving me Naproxen and not scheduling any followups.
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“Are you taking Allopurinol?”
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Oh, THAT'S the name of the drug I keep asking about! No, not anymore.
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“When was your last blood test?”
10 years ago, when I was first diagnosed.?
He looked more and more shocked with every answer…
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So now I'm back on allopurinol. ?It hasn't had an effect yet but I'm told it will take a few months, so I'm hopeful.
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The moral of this story: don't wait until it gets worse, and don't trust to dietary changes to fix it (although they can't hurt, medicine's more powerful). Get your doctor to put you on allopurinol if you're not already!
I'm so sorry you have gout while young. Mine started several years ago and I'm 49 now. I recommend that you actively treat this disease, much as diabetes should be actively treated. Lifestyle changes, meds and regularly scheduled Dr visits and SUA levels, etc… For me, I'm a non-drinker, almost 100% vegetarian, not overweight, etc… and I still have gout symptoms and flare-ups, even while taking 300Mg of Allopurinol a day and my SUA is 4.3. so, what I'm saying is that you really need to get a good Dr who knows about gout and treat this disease so you don't get any worse! Good luck!!
Joe and Gouty95,
??I agree that diet may play a role in gout, but at least for me, there isn't a link. I can and have had attacks while eating a vegetarian diet, no alcohol of any kind and drinking 3 liters of water a day with tart cherry juice concentrate mixed in it. I do not eat a single thing on the “high purine, foods to avoid” lists. I have checked my “gout history” notes and have noticed that although my weight ranges from 185lbs -200lbs, the gout attacks seem to occur more often at the heavier weight (during the cold MI winters) than at my lighter “summer” weight when I'm also getting more physical exercise. So, I'm making an effort to get back to 185 (or 180) and I'm at 190 right now. My long-term goal is to stay at this weight and stop the fluctuation and see if this helps.?
?I wish you both the best, I know how challenging this is!
I too echo the assertion that diet has very little to do with gout or it's control.
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Get on allopurinol and TAKE it, ?monitor your uric acid regularly, and have a supply of colchicine when and if you have an attack, and pretty much eat what you wish.
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Once you have gout you will NEVER be cured, but treatment is REALLY effective.
so do you guys recommend me taking allopurinol right now, during my Gout Attack?
Or am I supposed to wait until my Gout is gone?
I am wanting to know the same thing?.when do I start Allo?swelling mostly down but can't get shoes on. Still get the tingling if I don't keep my feet up enough I am on Indomethacin.? How long do I stay on Indo? [started 3/28] and cherry pills. Eating everything correct. Only have one real red spot near big toe [am sure crystals are there
] the other foot has no deep red and never got the extreme pain as the first foot..This all started 3/09/11 left foot 3/28 right foot?never had gout before this that I know of. Both feet still have some soreness and some swelling, more as the day goes on.Feb 11 routine blood test?first I knew Uric was 8.2..I didn't even look at it until the pain started. The doctor said it was because I have artritis and hypothroidism I have a predisposition for gout.
Later I found out my Hydrochlorothiazide was also very bad so am now on Amloipine/Norvasc
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what does anyone think of this herb for gout:
The herbs in Gout care are 100% natural and consist of the following:
Artichoke,
Saponins from Yucca root, Aged-odourless Garlic (allium sativum),
Turmeric, and Certified 80% Silymarin from Milk Thistle.I've tried the herbs mentioned and though they didn't make things worse I couldn't detect any improvement.
I was trying other routes at the same time {BP meds plus diet] as well. No one can say they can't work but meds if you?need them badly enough, and can stomach same, are a safer route.
People who report success are not necessarily wrong, it's always hard to gauge till you try and they're not cheap ,either.
On the AlloP uptake- I reckon Docs are wary of kicking off a storm? attack [possible] and don't want the bad press.
Otherwise ,I can't see the difference between a normal attack and an induced one, tbh.
Foolish to start meds?during a big?attack- but flares are not so bad. Many variables, as ever.
Better off the HCT, too!
Hey guys…. So i spoke to my doctor, and he prescribed a new medication for me. Colcrys.
So, from what I have been hearing, take 2 tablets at first, then 1 after each hour…. I have already taken in 2 at first then 5 (5hrs), the pain is still there.
I thought this drug was pretty effective?
Am I doing something wrong here??
I believe Colcrys is Colchicine. I tried it last month and I took 2 the 1st hour, then one every hour after that to a total of 11 pills with no positive effect on my gout pain. The next two days were horrible and I had severe diarrhea and nausea. I WILL NOT take Colchicine again…
azasadny said:
I believe Colcrys is Colchicine. I tried it last month and I took 2 the 1st hour, then one every hour after that to a total of 11 pills with no positive effect on my gout pain. The next two days were horrible and I had severe diarrhea and nausea. I WILL NOT take Colchicine again?
Art, if you don't mind me saying so: I think you have dealt with Colchicine=Colcrys (parma's new extortion gimmick) the wrong=”uneducated” way (NO CRITICISM.)
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Colchicine does NOT work on your pain directly, but indirectly by dealing with your attack/inflammation, the cause of your pain. The degree of your attack/inflammation greatly depending on the amount of MSU build-up in/on your joints.
In my case, 2 Colchicine pills/day for anywhere 4-14 days took care of me. And when/if the pain level exceeded 5-8? (on a scale of 0-10), I had to take additionally 2-500mg Naproxen pills/day, for, generally, 2-3 days.
11-16 Colchicine pills/day will cause nausea AND diarrhea. Consult with Zip on this issue. He is the authority on that subject. If you can endure 11-16 pills/day, you, probably, may get rid of the attack/inflammation in 3-4 instead of 14 days.?
I hope, I somewhat clarified, not confused, the issue of COLCHICINE and DIARRHEA.?
hansinnm,
?? Thanks for the info! The Colchicine made me extremely ill when I took the large dose, so I took the advice of an MD who also has gout and tried 1 Colchicine pill per day and that made me very sick, too. ?I just don't tolerate that medicine well at all, and neither does my brother who also has gout. I'll take my 300mg of Allopurinol and 220mg of Alever every 12 hours for pain when I need it and continue to look for a better way to manage/control this disease. Thanks again!!
Over the past few years I've only been treating my attacks with Colchicine and I love it, though I have just started taking AllP and hope it starts “preventing” attacks and allowing me to eat shellfish again (fingers crossed).? Once I feel an attack coming I usually start taking 1 pill every hour for about 3-4 hours, and then sleep on it to see if I avoided the attack or need to keep going.? If I need to keep going, I take 1 pill every hour until I'm feeling better or I'm in the bathroom with a stomach ache.? At the point I'm in the bathroom, I know the “massive pain” will be gone in a few hours and the soreness will remain for a week… I agree the sickness sucks, but I'll take sickness over sever pain and throbbing for days.
Think about how colchicine works.
When white blood cells see uric acid crystals, they grow so that they
can engulf the crystal invader, and send out signals for more, which results in exquisitely painful inflammation. Colchicine prevents inflammation spreading by slowing down your white blood cells. This is compromising your immune system, but most gout sufferers will accept the benefits of stopping the pain getting worse against the increased risk of infection. As far as I am aware, colchicine has no analgesic effect, so once the pain has started, it will prevent it getting worse, but not reduce it. That is why it is most effective when taken at the first twinge.Any dose beyond two per day is totally unnecessary.
If you have left the colchicine treatment too late, give an anti-inflammatory a chance. Naproxen is reputedly the best, though personally I have not tried it, and rely on double dose (under medical supervision) of ibuprofen. This can be further supported by other painkillers like acetaminophen (paracetamol). Your doctor or pharmacist can advise safe combinations for maximum relief.
I cannot see the point of trying to invoke diarrhea. The pain will subside naturally in a few hours, so wait it out or take something else, or get very very drunk. All choices have their benefits and drawbacks, but excess colchicine is pointless at best, and potentially very dangerous.
If you can endure 11-16 pills/day, you, probably, may get rid of the attack/inflammation in 3-4 instead of 14 days.?
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Or ONE DAY! That was my experience with the worst attack imagineable that went on for 14 days. But I took 22 pills?one an hour!
Of course, I shat my brains out for hours and hours. Each glass of water ran through me in?5 minutes. But I ran to the bathroom with a smile because I was running and not CRAWLING. (This was all before allopurinol!)
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Now I take 2 if I feel anything that I really suspect as gout?and 2 more if the pain is still there an hour later. Four gets rid of the pain and causes mild diarrhea the next day. I use about?8 colchicne a year.
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For an attack that is crippling and has gone on for a week I recommend the dosage from the PDR a couple decades ago:
2 to start + 1 every hour until pain ceases, diarrhea starts or you hit 16.
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Of course, now that the FDA has colluded with a manufacturer to repatent colchine, the oldest known drug,?the cost of 16 colchicine?is exorbitent.
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