Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I think most of us have read that Allopurinol reduces one's ability to combat germs and hence more infections are possible. Then, there is always the risk that certain antibiotics can interact with the drug causing skin irritations. I did have a bacterial infection while on allopurinol and the pharmacist said to avoid taking the antibiotic and allopurinol at the same time.
I think I would have kept the Porche. Just a beautiful car. Why let gout force you to sell such a vehicle.
jonpayson, it is really not unusual to have gout flares 2-4 months out after starting allopurinol. I am sure your doctor warned you that attacks are not uncommon when initiating the therapy. I have had the unfortunate experience of having attacks within a few months after going on the drug and even up to a year after the initiation of allopurinol. I have taken allopurinol on and off for 20 years and have I experienced attacks even after a year of being on the drug. I will say that the attacks early on, within the first 1-3 months can be severe, especially if you are a long time gout sufferer and have not been on allopurinol for a many, many years. To avoid this for the most part, continue take colchicine or another drug designed to combact an attack. I have taken the steroid and it works very well. I have a cousin who took both allopurinol 300 with the colchicine for 12 years. Just recently, his doctor told him he can discontinue the colchicine.
I have been through the trips to the orthopedic surgeon, had numerous MRI's, because it could not be gout right? For the last 15 years, I have had 7 MRI's involving both knees, over 20 trips to an orthopedic surgeon, aspiration of both knees etc. I can only base what I tell you on personal experience but I have come to the conclusion that any pain in my feet, ankles or knees is gout pain unless proven otherwise. Everytime I had my knee fluid aspirated, my doctor would send it to the lab to inspect for gout cyrstals. Each time this has occured, the sample of my knee fluid came back positve for gout. Interestingly, many of the MRI's on my knees were at the insistence of the doctor. He always maintained that ”he did not like where the pain was coming from” or ” it sounds like a torn meniscus…” Less than a year ago, I was back to exercising, taking my allopurinol and watching my diet when one evening I started getting pain in my knee at the top of my knee cap. It happened about 3 hours after I ran a few miles. I suffered for about 2 weeks, not severe pain as I was mobile, able to work and sleep. The pain and moderate swelling would not desist. I went to my othorpedic surgeon, who has become a friend, he said maybe it's gout, I said, no way, he said “let's get an MRI because the pain is in an odd location.” He drained my knee, gave me a shot of prednisone, and sent the yellow, cloudy fluid to the lab.
It came back gout. I was fooled, again. So all I can tell you, or anyone else who has suffered for years from the pain of gout to assume it is in fact gout everytime you get pain in your lower extremities and treat it accordingly. Certainly, go to the doctor and see what he thinks. I will say one more thing: everytime I experienced gout in my knee it was soon after I began taking allopurinol. It comes on so quickly that I am unable to abate a full blown attack. I get the knee drained, get a shot, I'm good for 6 weeks, the gout returns in a less severe form, and then goes away without a fuss. I don't know why, but I call it a double dip gout attack and it only applies to my knee.
