[D.C. Yee]

Well, my fluctuating blood test results was in reference to my Bilirubin levels, as mentioned above. One concern I have are side effects of the drugs.

My Urate levels have been in steady decline since i have been watching my diet and taking the Benzbromarone 50mg.

I think I will continue to take the 50mg every other day for this month and then see my Urate results in May. If they are still low, then i think i would be ok with every other day. If they’ve creeped higher, I will take 25mg every day. Then, have another blood test in June. Of course, my LFT results will also have a factor in the dosage of the drug. Hopefully, I do not experience any negative side effects.

[D.C. Yee]

Hello everyone

The latest update now:

I have now taken Benzbromarone for one month. I just had a test done and my Urate levels are now 227 ?mol/l.

Wow, so 634 in Sept, 2013, down to 445 last month (during an attack), and now 227 today.

I have had some pain suddenly come up today in my left foot (middle area on the very left side) but I heard it’s pretty normal for Gout to come out during the cleansing process of lowering uric acid levels. Taking some anti-inflammatory medicine now to reduce the pain. Hoping its gone in a couple days. No swelling, seems like a mild attack.

I had been taking 50 mg per day….I have asked my doctor if i can reduce that to 50 mg every other day and she said that is fine.

Is it better to break the pill in half and take 25 mg per day or 50 every other day??

The reason i want to reduce the dosage is because this drug seems to be doing wonders for me in a short period of time…almost to the point where its unbelievable and maybe too powerful for me…. and I don’t like to take drugs in general. In addition, i read some scary reports online of side effects. There is a reason why this drug is banned in USA/Canada. I had the Liver Function Test (LFT) done and everything checked out normal for me (ALT, etc) but my Bilirubin levels went from 6.5 ?mol/l last month to 19.0 ?mol/l this month. The normal range states it should be 3.4 – 17.1. (although I’ve seen ranges set higher in other labs) Having said that, I checked my last 5 years of Bilirubin levels and I’ve always ranged from 14 ?mol/l – 21.5 ?mol/l over the years, so i wasn’t very concerned about it. However, jumping from 6.5 to 19 in one month was a bit alarming considering it’s happened at the same time I took Benzbromarone. Maybe just a pure coincidence. Maybe not. I am taking my blood test again next month to monitor it.

Any feedback on this members? Keith? So, 25 mg each day or 50 mg every other day now?

[D.C. Yee]

Well, now my knee pain has subsided a lot. Probably 1.5 on a scale of 1-10 (where i was at level 10 just a couple weeks ago and level 8 when my attack came back. The Mobic anti-inflammatory medicine has helped a lot. However, i still cannot fully flex my right leg all the way. Any ideas when that will return to normal?

My last Urate level test i did was a couple days INTO my attack a couple weeks ago. The reading was 448 ?mol/l. (Down from my 634 ?mol/l back in sept 2013, although i do realize levels drop during an attack)

I have reduced the Mobic to one 7.5 mg tablet per day until I see the Doctor again on Monday. I must confess i have not started my Benzbromarone just yet. I guess holding out a few more days so i can run some liver function tests and collect data doesn’t hurt…..so i can monitor if the drug will have any side effects. In the past i have had slightly elevated Liver function test related results. (Such as occasionally high ALT, Bilirubin…although they seem to fluctuate over the years between normal to elevated over my last 4 years of blood tests)

My main concern is whether i have Rheumatoid Athritis which my doctor suggested i may have. I am also going to take a “Rheumatoid Factor” blood test to collect information on that. I still think it’s more a sign of Gout and not RA….but i guess you never know.

[D.C. Yee]

Well…another update. Just when i thought things would get better…last night it struck back. My same right knee is again swollen and very painful. No foods I ate were high in purines lately and the only thing i did was massage the area that was hurting. I have now gone back to the Mobic anti-inflammatory medicine. Now, the doctors are thinking maybe Rheumatoid Arthritis but i don’t believe it is that, although at this point i am totally lost what’s going on.

How common is it for a gout attack to start subsiding (not fully subsided) and then come back as a full attack in the same general area within days?

I took anti-inflammatory for 7 days and it helped, but 4 days after i stopped, its back now.

I am hesitant to start taking the Benzbromarone now that an acute attack has happened in the same spot.

[D.C. Yee]

Hello

To update my story..the pain in my knee has subsided a lot but i still have pain when walking so I still have a limp. I cannot fully bend my leg yet. It has been over 2 weeks now and I am worried about any permanent damage caused. Any feedback regarding my knee? It just feels like its not stable and ready to give out any minute and it also feels strained with one area very tender when i press it. At least i am mobile now but i cannot play sports or walk normally and its been a long time already. I think because i delayed my anti inflammatory medicine in the beginning, it is causing this extended leg pain problem.

Secondly, my doctor here in China has given me a drug called Benzbromarone. It is widely used and effective in lowering uric acid levels but it is not approved for use in the USA. I did take that into consideration but after talking to the doctor and finding out my uncle takes this drug with good results, I am going to try it first. Allopurinol and Uloric is not readily available here. So, Keith Admin, you are saying I should start to take the drugs right now despite the pain in my knee (which indicates gout attack has not fully finished)?

Thanks a lot. Great website here.

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