[Tavery]

Well…..I cheered too soon.

Last couple days I have been feeling my big toe getting achey. Not quite a full-on attack – but enough to let me know I am still a goutie. Fortunately I can bend it without pain so riding is still possible.

I did have two cheap beers (Pabst Blue Ribbon) on Friday night, but my diet has been good otherwise. The only thing different is that I added chocolate back into my diet.

I kinda hope it is the exercise causing my numbers to rise and not a more serious problem.

Ugh. Frustrating.

[Tavery]

I got my 40 year old physical last Monday. They did a uric acid test since I mentioned I had gout. The test (taken at 830am with no food yet) came back at 8.2 mg/dL.

8.2 is very different than the readings I get with my UASure test kit. I consistantly test below 6.0. I tested myself that morning and got a 5.8 reading. I tested each morning for 3 days before and 4 days after the test (every time on an empty stomach right after shower) and all readings were always between 5.3 and 5.9. (control solution reads correctly)

Why would the doctor test be so much different? It seems like I wasted my money on the UASure test kit…

Thoughts?

p.s. For the record my other tests came back as follows:

Liver: ALT @ 44 (norm is 10-55) AST @ 28 (norm 10-40)

Diabetes: Glucose fasting @ 102 (norm is 70-99)

Cholesterol is high with HDL of 32 and LDL of 177 (he wants to treat with meds)

Total Protein Serum is 6.8 (dont know norm)

[Tavery]

My response below may be a bit controversial and I welcome people to disagree with my opinion.

Here are my thoughts…

1.  If you have a test kit, next time you go for a long ride, test yourself just before and then a few hours after the ride (assuming you do not eat any high purine/uric foods in the meantime). If your acid goes up significantly, it may be because of crystals dissolving. It would be worth the extra strips to test before the ride, an hour or so after, right before bed and once again the next morning to see how your body is handling all the acids in your blood stream.

2.  Remember that all “sports” drinks have a lot of sodium and excessive salt can easily cause a flare up. (speaking painfully from experience) Try drinking only water during and after the ride and just drink enough to stay hydrated naturally without the HFCS sugar and “electrolytes” (aka sodium). See the great replies to my post about salt causing a flare up for better details on this.

3.  Remember than a lot of exercise creates lactic acid in your muscles and joints. When your body is trying to rid itself of all this acid, it is not ridding itself of your uric acid as fast (same issue as when you have too much salt). Drinking large amounts of water helps, but if you are hovering at the borderline of a flare up, it may not take much imbalance to push you over the edge. Testing yourself before and after a ride will help you know more about how your body works.

4.  You might also consider staying away from the fancy energy bars/supplements and whatnot and build your own out of more organic things. Water and honey (100% pure maple syrup also works) mixed with your preferred natural anti-uric extracts like black cherry juice, bee pollen, celery seed powder and whatever else you like will frequently work just as well as an “energy drink” and may help keep your acid levels from fluxuating up as much.

5.  Unless you are doing these long 5 hour rides every day or two, I dont think it is not necessary to use a bunch of supplements and energy boosters since your body can easily replenish your stores through your normal diet before the next training ride. My sports medicine doctor told me only athletes who work out very hard every day need to make extra effort fuel their body with things beyond eating healthy foods. If you physically poop out at 4 hours instead of 5 hours, then that is a sign you need to make diet/exercise changes rather than just artificially boost your “energy” level to go one more hour using packaged stuff.

[Tavery]

I ordered the UASure kit last week. I am still waiting for it to arrive. I will be doing some self-monitoring. I also set up a doctor visit to get the usually battery of tests every 40 year old should have and discuss.

I admit though – I hate the thought of having to take a drug for the rest of my life. Ugh. But if its what I need, then its what I need. However, I dont want the drug to be a crutch to let me continue living as yet another unhealthy overweight American. Gout should be a swift kick in the ass to start living better.

[Author]

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