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Just got diagnosed (33M) - it is hereditary in my case. Doing my best with diet to prevent future flare ups (believe me when I say I would give ANYTHING up to never feel that pain again). No more beer for me
It is in the first joint of my big toe primarily - so devastating for my favorite hobby. Anyone here also suffer and have any footwear recs/tips/etc to keep on hiking and prevent flare-ups? Obviously, I have been resting it and following doctors orders for now.
Oh, man, yes, and you're right about the pain. It's freaking horrible! Feels like glass grinding away in your joints.
I've had it in one of my wrists and (somehow) on the bottom of one of my feet. But it's been a lot of years since it showed up. The last time was after Octoberfest back in... maybe 2004? All I remember is I drank a lot of dark beer that night and woke up in a lot of pain. My doctor told me to stay away from dark beer after that, so I do. You can get low-purine and purine-free beers, which are less likely to cause an outbreak, apparently.
I don't have any tricks for dealing with it, really. You just have to hydrate, stay off foods and drinks that create uric acid, and stick it out.
susanjoypaul wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2024 1:19 pm
The last time was after Octoberfest back in... maybe 2004? All I remember is I drank a lot of dark beer that night
Thanks for the response and so glad to hear you haven't had a flare up in such a long time - that gives me a lot of hope!
Good to know about the low-purine beers too, I'm going to have to check that out....eventually haha
I've had Pseudo Gout in my knee. It's a different of course , usually treated with a knee aspiration, and anti-inflammatory's. Had it off and on for a long while. An orthopedic surgeon fixed a couple of years ago with a total knee replacement. Smooth sailing since then. I going to have a second total sometime in January. I've not had any gout problems in that knee. ATB
A good friend of mine has it. During a flare up he drank a TON of water and ate cherries (if he could find any). Took OTC drugs and just endured. I suggested he drink cherry juice, but not sure if he did. Once he got a prescription from the doc and it worked pretty well. Not sure if any better than the non prescription treatment.
He was forced to drastically change his diet, but he would stray from it now and then. Most times he gets away with it. Luckily he's allergic to shellfish, doesn't like fish, and red meat isn't a big part of his diet. Pork and bacon?! Ouch. For him the tough items were reducing sugars and alcohol, but he managed and even drank beer or a mixed drink on occasion. He says its not that alcohol causes it, but during a flare up makes it waaaay worse and takes longer to go away. And sometimes you don't realize a flare up is starting while you're on a bender.
Good luck with it! Must suck.
- I didn't say it was your fault. I said I was blaming you.
I too suffer from the "Disease of Kings." I have flare ups in the classic spot, my big toe. The first time I had it, I thought I had mysteriously broken my toe because it hurt that bad. I finally ended up going to the doctor and had it diagnosed correctly. They gave me a prescription for inflammation that worked really well, but it's been several years and I don't remember what it was and I never bothered to get it refilled after that initial course of treatment. I have flare ups about every six months. An anti-inflammatory diet helps and I try to stay away from beer and red and cured meats (basically all the fun things in life) as much as I can.
As soon as I feel any pain in my toe, I start taking ibuprofen up to the maximum dose recommended. Sometimes that keeps it at bay and it doesn't become a full blown flare up, but sometimes it does. Luckily it hasn't happened at a time when I have a big trip planned (knock on wood), because I wouldn't be able to even put on a mountaineering boot, let alone walk like a normal human being.
Anyway, good luck. There is no cure but diet and fast pain management during flare ups is key.
Allopurinol is a fairly innocuous medicine but it reduces your uric acid production which is the primary cause of gout. I've had gout, among every other foot/joint malady there is, for 30 years. If you get a blood test, and your uric acid levels are high, a script of Allopurinol is the way to go. I have been on it for nearly a decade now, and I honestly cannot recall the last occurrence. If you have an outbreak, the best medicine to take for "the most immediate" relief is Colchicine. It's also fairly benign otherwise. I used to carry a small quantity on all hikes and it really could break down an attack in about 20-30 minutes. Without insurance, it's now a pricy drug - but with a provider, it's not that bad and is great last-minute insurance when you're stuck 14K up and 150 miles from home, taking off the boot to massage a hot toe or ankle.
Diet is also a good route, especially if you aren't a believer in chemistry or western medicine.
Bill W.
Time for the next great losing streak to begin.
#forcedrefocus
A good friend of mine has it. During a flare up he drank a TON of water and ate cherries (if he could find any). Took OTC drugs and just endured. I suggested he drink cherry juice, but not sure if he did. Once he got a prescription from the doc and it worked pretty well. Not sure if any better than the non prescription treatment.
Pharmacist here.
This has been a Godsend for me --> https://nootropicsdepot.com/tart-cherry ... t-tablets/
It's like a gallon's worth of anthocyanin content from cherry juice in one tablet. Standardized for the active ingredient that reduces uric acid levels.
I only wish I'd known about this in my years of "climb a lot, drink a lot afterward." I have an atypical presentation of gout, so docs were confused for years.
These days, I take a tart cherry and put down about 3-4L of water every day. If I go out for a beer, I take two extra. No gout attacks in ages.
No rx medicine either. I can feel a twinge in the joint before an attack starts and taking several extra tart cherry tabs and a couple other supplements can drastically reduce the attack or prevent it altogether. FWIW.
We are all greater artists than we realize -FWN A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. -HDT Peak List
Whenever I hear "Thanksgiving", I always think of gout. A friend started experiencing gout in his late 40s back around 2020 - also in his big toe. He cutout meat and alcohol and doesn't seem to be afflicted anymore. The cherry hack seems like a nice option if you don't want to alter your diet.
Traveling light is the only way to fly.
IG: @colorado_invasive
Strava: Brent Herring
My first flair up was in my mid 40s and when I was still vegetarian... go figure. I've never had success with OTC methods once a flair up has occurred so I focus more energy on the preventative side. As most have said, tons of water and moderation of the foods that trigger, especially after activity on hot days. Loved a pizza with all the processed meats available and a couple of beers after long runs, but no more. Just not worth the risk of a flare up. I haven't had to go extreme with managing my diet, just mainly try to avoid too many days in a week of the "bad" foods. I'm intrigued by the cherry extract suggested, going to give that a go. Good luck!
Matt wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2024 11:14 am
Standardized for the active ingredient that reduces uric acid levels.
This is similar to what my dad takes/recommended. As someone who sells botanical powders and extracts I appreciate that it is standardized (a lot of my customers go for the cheaper options). I have to pick some up!
thatguy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 8:18 am
Just not worth the risk of a flare up
Definitely - one benefit is I am going to be a lot healthier from now on. Issue will be protein intake - my body is used to 100g+ per day during heavy lifting weeks. I've been using a lot of chickpeas and other legumes, chicken and salmon but its hard to hit my usual macros without whey...
wildlobo71 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2024 11:10 amColchicine
This was prescribed to me but just 3 pills to stop the flare up from getting worse. When I go see primary I am definitely going to ask for some extra to have for emergencies. Really worried about this happening when my wife and I travel internationally. Have to wait a month or so to test uric and see if I need to take the allopurinol since it goes down during a flare up.
mtree wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:26 am
And sometimes you don't realize a flare up is starting while you're on a bender.
Exactly what happened - I'm used to drinking 3-4L of water daily as it is. Driving to MN I hardly drank anything to avoid stops then immediately had a 6 pack of IPAs with family the next day. On the way back we stopped about 7 times in 13 hours so I could stay hydrated haha
