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Hey all, been lurking around these parts since I recently learned I most likely have gout. Gotta admit I've been anxious since the start of this, but hoping it will make me feel better talking about it with others who know what the deal is 😛
So, a little about me: I'm 28 male, 5'6″, 228lbs (active, but pretty overweight, I know… slowly working on it! Down from 275lbs in 2007). World-class foodie so I probably eat a lot of stuff that isn't great for me. Also a lover of beer, though I've cut that out.
It didn't dawn on me until today that my probably first episode was in the beginning of April, I woke up and my knee hurt and buckled when I walked. I thought it was a torn meniscus since I do martial arts and a couple of years ago I damaged that knee pretty badly in softball while sliding (I was out!). MRI was clear, but my othropedic said it was probably inflamed cartilage since I was moving into a new place and was carrying heavy stuff up and down stairs for a couple of days. Easily could have been, since I know knees are complicated joints and I have previous injuries there. Just thought I'd mention it because I just remembered it! It wasn't unbearable pain or anything, just annoying.
Anyway, the thing that got me to Urgent Care was in the joint above my second little toe. Around the beginning of June it started out as just general soreness, didn't think too much of it. Then a few days later I got out of bed and it was really tender to step on, since I hobbled over to urgent care thinking I broke something during class (i do capoeira, a brazilian martial art). X-ray was clear so the attending physician suggested that it's probably gout and took a blood sample for testing. I took an ibuprofen that morning and was walking normally by the time I left Urgent Care (about an hour later). He prescribed Indocin for the next two days just in case.
On the 18th, I had an appointment with my regular doc to go over test results. Lo and behold, my SUA is through the roof (11.4, yikes I know.) He tells me that, yes, it's most likely gout and that I really have to make some lifestyle changes and get that SUA under control. He is reluctant to put me on lifelong medicine yet.
Following week: Despite feeling perfectly fine, my anxiety and hypochondria get the better of me and I make an appointment with a rheumotologist because I want to be proactive about taming this thing! She tells me the same stuff, but is more knowledgable about gout so drops some reality bombs like, “In reality 11.4 is very high and you'll most likely have more attacks”, but she's pretty nice and for some reason it makes me feel better. She's also reluctant to put me on lifelong meds, but gives me a prescription for 60 capsules of Indocin in case of another. Then come back and see her during the next attack.
Where am I now: Since the urgent care doc first mentioned that it might be gout (about 3 weeks ago), I've stopped drinking beer and I've radically changed my diet to be more vegetarian with occasional chicken and tofu. I've lost 5lbs too! I'm really determined to beat this thing… to the extent that it can be beat, that is.
Jeez, I was hoping to make this brief, but I feel like sharing today I guess. I was also hoping I could ask a couple of questions that I keep forgetting to ask the doctor. (I don't know about you guys, but after any medical visit I remember a ton of questions I forgot to ask :P)
1. Do you guys ever get over being hyper-aware/sensitive to little twinges and mysterious sensations. It's driving me nuts. As far as I know, I've always had little itches and twinges in my toes and now I'm just being over-sensitive.
2. What are the earliest symptoms you get of a flare up or attack? I was at festival last Friday and felt a very very slight tingling in my big toe and thought “Oh great, this is probably the beginning” but it went away. It's all quite confusing.
3. This thing is totally managable right? With the right combination of lifestyle and meds, I can eventually get back to a mostly normal life?
Thanks a lot guys, there has been a ton of great info on these forums.
Cheers,
Parceiro
Wow, that was not a short post at all. Sorry about that!
Also left out that I've been drinking a ton of water too, about 115-150oz a day. Trying to pee the bad out of me 😛
parceiro said:
It didn't dawn on me until today that my probably first episode was in the beginning of April, I woke up and my knee hurt and buckled when I walked. I thought it was a torn meniscus since I do martial arts and a couple of years ago I damaged that knee pretty badly in softball while sliding (I was out!). MRI was clear, but my othropedic said it was probably inflamed cartilage since I was moving into a new place and was carrying heavy stuff up and down stairs for a couple of days. Easily could have been, since I know knees are complicated joints and I have previous injuries there. Just thought I'd mention it because I just remembered it! It wasn't unbearable pain or anything, just annoying.
1. Do you guys ever get over being hyper-aware/sensitive to little twinges and mysterious sensations. It's driving me nuts. As far as I know, I've always had little itches and twinges in my toes and now I'm just being over-sensitive.
2. What are the earliest symptoms you get of a flare up or attack? I was at festival last Friday and felt a very very slight tingling in my big toe and thought “Oh great, this is probably the beginning” but it went away. It's all quite confusing.
3. This thing is totally managable right? With the right combination of lifestyle and meds, I can eventually get back to a mostly normal life?
Thanks a lot guys, there has been a ton of great info on these forums.
Cheers,
Parceiro
Hi Parciero,
On the knee, that “buckling” is more indicative of cartigege wandering where it shouldn't. I have a piece in my right leg that, after 30 years still gets out of place if a sit in a jostling subway…it occasionally buckles up my knee (cannot get it completely straight) for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour until I can walk it back into place. (I should have long ago cut it out but a frind of mine died having that done…and he was 29.)
#1. Yep, hypersentsitivity to twinges will scare you forever once you've had a couple major attacks.
#2. My easrliest problem is always that first footfall out of bed in the morning on my right bunion joint or the instep immediately behind. With allopurinol it usually walks off after a couple minutes.
#3. Gout is usually completely controllable with the meds. It is usually NOT controllable with “lifestyle changes.” With the proper meds you can eat or drink almost anything you want.
Wait until you and your doctor are completely sure it is gout before beginning meds even if it means another attack or two…although with an 11.4 uric acid gout is HIGHLY likely.
Yes, lose weight but do it slowly…rapid weight loss brings on attacks in those prone to them.
I don't know when you every get over that “pit in your stomach” feeling, everytime you feel a twinge. I'm 41 now, and had my first attack at 17, and I'm still not over it. But for me, I really know it's coming on when I start to feel like a joint does right after you twist it, but before the swelling kicks in. I've found that if I take indocine right at that point, it will minimize the attack, for me anyway. I can't be on any of the “life-long” drugs because they kill my liver, so consider yourself fortunate to have the option! I will say that you are lucky to be diagnosed as young as you are, and that you are taking it so seriously, because the long-term damage to your joints, aside from the flares can be hell. I've now got osteoarthritis in my knees and ankles, mostly due to not taking it seriously until I was about 30. But no one told me about the long-term consequences, or what really I could do, besides alter my diet. Oh, and most of what I've read says that diet isn't as large a factor as it once was, but the weight is, so congrats on the weight loss (I know how hard it can be, I'm at 209 down from 235, with about 25 more to go), but the less pressure you put on your lower extremeties with the added weight, the better it will be for you long-term. Nice to meet you, feel free to chat any time you'd like!!
Parc- the weight loss could well have contributed to gout, but the good side is that you now have it flagged whilst still in the small toe.
The quick changes to lifestyle you've done will not change the big picture much- you next few readings of SUA will say more.
Keeping weight down and losing the beer will be a plus, medium term- but if your figures stay 11 -ish, urate lowering meds are pretty well unavoidable.
Contrary to many on this forum posting, I think even a level reduction in longterm meds is worthwhile- as there are many other benefits to diet control and not automatically reaching for the Big meds bag! With the right backup you can manage your program to minimise any side effects and benefit from better cardio vascular awareness too.
Gout is a metabolic, hereditary disorder which flags up and is exacerbated by other medical issues and you are right to take it seriously at your age, if a bit unlucky getting it so young.
Thanks for the comments and the welcome, guys. I'm really hoping I was just having a real off day when I got the 11.4, but I'm being realistic and figure that's probably not likely. I have another blood test in a month, so I'll see where I'm at. I wouldn't be too bummed by having to go on lifelong meds if it means I can lower my number and live my life (new, healthy lifestyle life that is)
Today I'm a little pleased since I went to my capoeira class (video of capoeira for those not knowing what it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..q_uwzDjf4) last night and it felt great. I was a little worried that the work out might trigger a flare up/attack since I've read about that happening. To be fair though, I did take it a little easier than I normally would.
Hey!- that Capo vid reminds me of Latin soccer! :~)) -maybe the English team could try it?
Actually, it looks low impact and must strengthen the joint muscle support a lot- so a good gout program for that reason!
Hey guys,
I just got my Kernel meter today and I'm getting pretty consistent readings of around 8.4. I know that's still in the danger-zone but it's heartening to see that my lifestyle changes have had some effect (down from 11.4 since last month).
I know that diet/lifestyle alone isn't gonna get me below 6, but I'm just pleased that something is actually happening. Thanks for all the great info you guys provide on these boards.
Cheers
Parciero,
I get “twinges” and a burning sensation in my large toe on each foot just before the full-blown attack. I'm taking Allopurinol now and this is the 1st week on the meds. I'm in constant discomfort, but it's made worse by the clutch pedal in my cars. I drink 1 gallon of water every day and I watch my diet and weight very carefully. Losing any extra weight will help your liver and would probably help your gout, too. Good luck!
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