[jlew]

Thanks again to all of you! Your advice and info have been such a help! I found a friend who had been using BBB for years and got some from her, unfortunately it hasn't helped much. I have also been given alfalfa to try. I always prefer the natural methods of dealing with medical issues, but I'm not one to believe that's always the best way to go. My pain got very, very intense again yesterday, and so today I have been started on a steroid. Since starting it early this morning I can already feel the pain getting better. But now I notice my big toe looking almost purple. Hmmmm…..my doc is gone for the day, so I'm hoping this change isn't a sign of something worse. Previously I was just swollen and red, but now I look almost like I have a huge bruise.

Other than the discoloration issue, and some tingling sensations in my other toes, I'm still just waiting for real relief. My pain is better, but it's still there, sometimes worse than others. I've decided that since my normal, personal remedies for pain aren't a bit of help that I'll go ahead and take pain meds and the steroids until this gets under control. I have found there are a lot more causes for gout than I had realized. My doctor told me that some people produce too much uric acid, others can't filter it properly, and others have completely unrelated illnesses that cause an attack. Unfortunately he's thinking I'm the latter, but no way to know without lots of testing. But based on some other medical problems I have, family history, and some other basic tests, I may actually have a kidney problem that may not have been found so quickly had it not been for causing this gout. Soooo, strange to say, gout may end up being a blessing in disguise for me (if this larger issue is truly to blame). But no thanks from me until the verdict is in. I won't be thankful for this awful pain unless I know for sure it's helped me in some larger way.

For those of you who have had to deal with this for any amount of time, you will all be in my prayers, collectively, forever! I am not a religious person, more of a spiritual being, but there are certain things, people, that enter my thoughts daily, and you will all be there from now on. Because no one can truly understand the immense pain and disruption of daily life that this causes without having been through it themselves. I hope you all find the best way for each of you to be pain free and healthy!

As for me, I'm going to take my next dose of steroid and pain med and continue to wait and see!

Thanks again SO MUCH!!!!! This forum really has been so helpful to me! The big cry baby! =) But I now know that this is definitely something to cry about!

[jlew]

Thank you all so much even just for responding. This has been by far one of the most painful issues I've ever had to deal with. (worse than endometriosis and worse than my worst migraine). I think the reason it's been so horrible is because it's something I knew absolutely nothing about, and had no one to turn to for info. Doctors just say “take this medicine and call me if you don't feel better”. I didn't get much of an explanation at all when I went to the ER. Another unfortunate part of this whole ordeal is that I had to go to the ER in a different state. I happened to be in KS helping my sister after she had surgery to remove her gall bladder. I was there 2 days and ended up in the ER with gout. Big help I was after that! The problem now, is that I have to start all over here with my regular doc, who won't be seeing me until tomorrow. Until then, the lortabs I was given are of no help AT ALL! The anti-inflammatory I was prescribed seems to just make my stomach upset (even though taking with meals). I looked it up online, Indomethacin, and apparently it's not even a top 5 choice of most docs for a medicine to fight gout. Also, I read that the tylenol in the lortab I was given can actually make the problem worse. So I feel like I'm just in the gray here. What should I take, what shouldn't I take? What works, what makes it worse? Is everyone different and I'll have to just find my own way? One of my cousins is a PA, and she said that with the severity of my attack (which seems to be moving to my ankle now too) she would suggest I take a very strong pain med (oxy-somethingorother) and colchicine, until I find some relief. Then I can start to try to keep it under control with diet, exercise, and milder meds. Thoughts? She did say the pain med she recommends is extremely strong, but that since I've had chronic pain issues and have been on and off pain meds since I was 10 years old that the meds that are strong to most people won't work well for me.

Thanks again just for reading and responding. I'm so unbelievably frustrated right now. I've recently been working hard to find natural ways to deal with my endometriosis(very painful condition) as well as my chronic migraines and tension headaches(again very painful). My husband and I are ready to try to start a family, and I will not take a bunch of drugs while trying to get pregnant or while I am pregnant. I was doing pretty good until this. Now with the recommendations of strong pain meds and long term med treatments, I'm feeling like I'm at square one again.

So, normally I'm a person who is generally thankful for the wonderful things I have in my life, and even though I have health issues that are not curable, they are manageable and I try to be thankful for that as well. I'm not dealing with terminal issues, I could have it much worse. But I am very thankful that I've found this site where I can vent about this pain, confusion and frustration with others who have been, or are currently going through the same type of pain I am.

Please don't think me a cry baby! I just really need a place to vent, and this just seems to really help.

Thanks a million!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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