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As far as I am concerned…6.8 is not good enough for us who suffer gout.
everyone has opinions though, I think the goal for us sufferers is below 6.0
I was still have frequent gout attacks at 6.5
At 5.3 GONE!
wow, that dosage sounds like what once does with a “steroid” like prednisone ?
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sure that is the correct dosage ?
Guys, remember not all Doc's are bad…find a good one and you will be in good hands.
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EXAMPLE:? My doc just wrote me a script for Colchicine…told me HE BETS if I took this and went to a pharmacy in Canada I might be surprised!
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NOW this is an example of a Doc working with you!
Ok, so my Rheumatologist told me that a Uric Acid level ON MEDS (uloric) of 6.5 was just perfect…and that he had succeeded.?
Well I was still having attacks, living on Colchicine, etc….
Found a doc that knew a thing or three..
Off Colchicine
No more attacks
on cheap allopurinol (300 mg)
uric acid is 5.2 –
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BUT every body is different…plus as mentioned your UA is LOW around an attack.
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Perhaps a second opinion with another doc (non rheumatollgist) is in order.
my personal opinion ?? your ua levels are not low enough to be attack free.
an attack for you could be a spike from the 5.7 to say 6.2 or whatever.? all our bodies react differently…if you are still getting frequent attacks that often, try bumping up your allopurinol to 300MG
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I would NOT want to take any PAIN bill continiously…just not a great idea.
Best of luck again…keep in mind at 7.2 you are still in the danger range for attacks…
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I hope you get everything straigthened out, and I don't mean to be negative, but I think I am jaded as I just spend about $10K with a doctor (rheumatogolical specialist) who INSISTED I had RA and NOT GOUT, and he was so very wrong.?
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I know not all doctors are evil…but just make sure you get all the facts.
Well, I still don't see your Uric Acid levels, so I guess we can never be sure.
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Not drawing the joint fluid does not mean you don't have gout.? Just not sure why a simple little test result is not shared with you…as I said I would demand it.
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If you had a reaction to Allopurinol, that explains the rash…
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My gout pain lingered with weeks and weeks and months, before I got my uric acid levels straightened out…
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anyways, best of luck and keep us informed.
Woodrow….
Get your Uric acid levels checked…that will help you understand where you are vs. where you need to go.
I wish I knew the answer…
But I think the key is the DEATH and MONEY
Gout does not kill like diabetes…so who cares about a little pain.
No one can understand gout pain unless you've had it.
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Gout is CHEAP to treat and once your diagnosed there really is not a HUGE amount of long term follow up.
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So no long term revenue from treating gout, vs. diabetes makes money for lots of people.
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I know docs may hate me, but in the US Healthcare is FOR PROFIT…so little attention is paid to those things that don't kill or don't make the system rich.
Well I still think you have a doctor that got his degree from a cracker jack box…no offense.
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If they thought you needed Allopurinol because of high Uric Acid…then they told you to stop and never did a Uric Acid test again ?
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You are just asking for trouble.? Demand a Uric Acid Blood test or don't pay the bills.
missy,
although I am not a female, I had similar issues starting in my early/mid 30's.? everyone swore I had RA, but it took almost 9 years to discover I had gout.
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no family history, i was thin, did not eat/drink, etc.? so it can happen.
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just thank someone that soon you will know your uric acid levels…which will go a long way.
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As suggested, this is the first step…but at least you will begin to have answers soon.
Seriously guys and gals…we need to try and figure out what we can do to make a difference.
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I can't have my son grow up in this country…what happend to all of us looking out for each other…doesn't work when greed is king.
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I know we can't change the world overnight, but can't we do something ?? All sign a petitiion and make sure it get's viewed…even if it is just a YouTube viral thing or something ?
zip,
sort of unrelated…however your response made me think.
since I am an over-producer – any reason to think it might be heathier for me to take a uricosuric like you mentioned above to simply help me pee more uric acid? – why is Allopurinol better ?? (just trying to continue to learn)
Cantaner,
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I was on 40 MG and I was not able to get below 6.5 – that took about 3 weeks, for the next 4 weeks no change, still around 6.5
I started with almost 10, so good, but not great.
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I was suffering some pretty significant side effects, so the doctors recommended up to 80 MG was a absolute NO WAY for me.
Ok, so clearly in this case a rash is a “somewhat common” side effect of allopurinol.? Still don't understand the Liver related issue, but clearly Allopurinol is out.
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For me Uloric (in case you ever do have access, be very careful)? actually caused some bizzare Liver functions…it wacked my Billirubin levels…Doctor said it was in no way related…although for 42 years my Liver was perfect…then 2 weeks of Uloric issues, then off Uloric Liver goes back to normal.
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Good luck!
Sort of related but not…
Has anyone every found evidence that Allopurinol effects Liver Function ??
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I know it (Allopurinol) MIGHT cause a Kidney issue, thus the claim why Uloric is better IF Allopurinol makes your Kidney wacked out, or if you have reduced kidney functions,? etc.
Well, whatever you do, don't lose faith.? It took me 3 doctor changes, actually 6 if you include all the way back.
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I went 8 YEARS before someone realized what was going on…so the hard part is done for you hopefully.? Getting the meds right will take a bit of patience and DONT be afraid to ask a ton of questions…if the docs get bothered by your questions, take your charts and test results and go find another doctor.
Hey, I've always said everything (even good things) over indulged can't be good for us.? You were drinking a ton of coffee, so glad this helped you out.
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The ONLY thing I don't get and wanted to point out to you…since Allopurinol is metabolized in the Kidney's, and NOT THE LIVER, not sure HOW Allopurinol can be blaimed for Liver issues ?? Uloric is metabolized in the Liver, so when I was on Uloric my liver functions were slightly abnormal…but it was because of the Uloric.? When I changed to Allopurinol, my liver functions returned to normal.
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I did not change anything else in my diet (I am careful across the board though) so for me I gotta believe your Allopurinol had nothing to do with your liver issues…
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However, as always, I am no doctor and this is purely my opinion…but curious what others may think and feel about this ???? My doctor (the one who forced Uloric on me) had a HUGE opinion that Allopurinol is bad for the Kidneys and Uloric is much better because it works in the liver, something I never really understood in all honesty.
zip,
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i have not had a blood SUA test since moving to 300 allopurinol.? I have one in a few weeks.? If not below 6, will increase to 400 mg then.
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I managed to get to 6.5 on the uloric…but of course that was not enough…you know the rest of the story.
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stay tuned on how 300mg impacts my levels…
Once again, as posted before…this from REAL LIFE recent experience.
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Get on and stay on allopurinol…dosage is up to you and docs.
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however, KNOW that you WILL have some flares on the early stages, perhaps up to a year.? BUT BUT BUT if you are super mindful, and as soon as you feel a flare up, start the colchicine…take one every few hours till your pain goes away.
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IT WORKS.
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Been on 300 Allpurinol for 45 days now…UA moving down from 10 to 6.5 (recent test)
Had two flares..one minor one MAJOR.? Minor one was killed with two colchicine…major one took 6 colchicine..all while staying on the allopurinol.
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All other advise is right on…
Be very careful with a rheumatologist
I was told I HAD to go to one?after thousands of dollars of BS tests, wrong drugs, him telling me I DON'T have gout, I found a good Family Physician who UNDERSTANDS what gout really is and how to treat.
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I am (edited and removed not) on my way to solid gout mgmt.? Meaning I found a regular GP that understands gout and I am on may way to managing it nicely.
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Honestly if you go see a rheumatologist ? YOU MUST ask for references of people he treated for GOUT.? Most try to say you don't have gout.
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good luck!
I wonder how much a UA tests costs…
I went 8 years with multiple attacks a year…3-4 complete physicals (for work insurance) and no one EVER tested my UA.
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Wasn't until I got lucky and found someone that said, hey lets take your UA level.
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So to add to your plan, wonder if a simple UA test, starting with men say in there 30's, might help solve some of the pain mystery so many of us have for so many years.
I think it is different for everyone…but it really?depends on HOW high was your UA when cutting out chicken worked.
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My UA was almost 10, and nothing worked, from black bean broth to cherry juice, to everything else.
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I can't believe that if your UA is super high, simply cutting out chicken works.? Oh, I did not eat any meat for almost a year, and my UA was still hoverin around 10.? So at least for me, it did not work.
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Glad it worked for you though…seems everybody reacts differently.
hansinnm
I think we are all entitled to opinions?and my opinion, (at least in the US) is that a HUGE percentage of rheumatologists look at gout as a super easy, simple, no problem disease.? They LOVE the challenge of the complexities of RA, and in fact I've personally had 3 rheumatolgists say NO WAY do you have gout.? Even with UA of almost 10.? They've then spent thousands of dollars in tests, trying to prove I have RA and not GOUT.
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In fact one of the teaching heads of ALL rheumatologists in the US, made a statement that gout is basically beneath us and any run of the mill GP can treat it.?
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Getting lulled to believe that Rheumatologists are better at treating gout is a VERY DANGEROUS and EXPENSIVE belief?and may cause more damage than good.
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So, my statement was just that no sense going to a self proclaimed high end doctor.? As most GP's really don't get gout either.? You have to be educated, know the facts, then SEARCH for a regular old GP who understands.?
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Keith nailed it above?”The only answer I can find to the problem of getting stuck with a doctor who knows too little is to read GoutPal.com, discuss the problem here, then instruct your doctor clearly and precisely, or find a new one.”
No Ice ? pretty simple.
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Well?- after thinking a bit, I decided to update my post.
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LOGICALLY? one should realize that Ice is most likely a bad idea.? HOWEVER we all react differently to different inputs, so if ICE does make your short term pain less, then go for it.?
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All I know is for me ICE was the devil and for many others…so just be careful.
woodster…
as a quick note, I personally would avoid a rheumatologist. (assuming you are in the United States)
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they will most likely spend thousands of dollars on meaningless tests.? most rheumatologist as mentioned above do not understand gout.
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find a good GP, that is what worked for me.? my first GP was clueless, said I needed knee surgery…my second was much the same.? Then I was told find a rheumatologist, WOW that was even worse.? You have to call around, ask a ton of questions before you make the appointment though, so you don't waste your time.
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What is you UA Levels ?? This is also a very critical key area…looks like maybe no one told you yet ?
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Finally I was referred to a GP who worked with Gout and understood it.? Pretty simple, I am fixed 100%.? If you EVER want to talk to me, we can exchange phone numbers, as I am your same exact age, similar health, etc.
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DIET did not work for me, and I doubt it will work for you.
