Anyone ever suffered "The Damn Gout"

[benmcd]

Hi Guys,

In pain after a run last week, generally do 5 km each day to remain fit, last week got to about 3 km and the shins started to hurt, I though it was nothing to worry about and then kept going. All was pretty good till the next morning and I went to put my left foot on the floor.. Holy S#@t was it soar.. Anyway this went on for a few days and not getting any better, so I headed for the  Doc and he quickly diagnosed gout !! I wish he had said it was a muscle tear, & not this affliction. Has any one any experience of this? I thought this was an ol'mans' complaint, who has been over doing it with riches of life..
Currently on pills to deal with the ankle pain and pills to stop those ones making me sick..
I want to get back out for more exercise and this is frustrating..

[Sooner Steve]

Never had it personally.  I have had some colleagues who had it and they say it is nasty.  Good luck with it.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

I haven't ever gotten that, but friends, men and women, have--they follow a diet and avoidance of some foods, pills to help w/ the deposits that cause  the pain.  Good luck, if you've got it, it can't be an "old man's" disease though, you look very young.

[The Noggin]

My brother had the first attack when he was 20 or so.

[wpruitt]

From what I hear (from friends who have it), diet has a lot to do with controlling the pain

[Alexander215]

My buddy couldn't get into the Army because he had gout at the age of 17. Anyone can get it I think.

[otaku30]

Sorry to hear about the pain there BaldWill.

I ended up with a predispostion to gout attacks from my mothers side of the family.  I used to get attacks several times a year.  The only thing worse pain wise I can think of are the kidney stones I get to deal with on occasion.

Did your Dr take a fluid sample from the joint or run a blood test to check your Uric acid levels?

There are several drugs that are taken on a daily basis that can lower the amount of uric acid in the system to help keep the crystals from building up in the joints.

Diet can have an effect if you can figure out your trigger foods.  For a lot of people red meat is an issue.  My uncle only had attacks whenever he ate fruit.  Never have been able to figure out my trigger foods. 

I haven't had a gout attack in about a year now - I attribute that to a better diet and loosing about 30 pounds since I haven't been taking any of the meds my doc prescribed - I detest pills.

Hopefully this is only a one time issue for you.

[benmcd]

Thanks Otaku30,

As it so happens this morning I was at a specialist and he ran both of those tests, he removed fluid from my ankle joint (not as bad as it sounds.. really) and ran some blood tests, he also had x-rays on the ankle done as well (the pics of the ankle were all normal and no issues), I just have to wait for the joint fluid and blood results you speak off.

My hope is that it is a soft tissue injury that I got while jogging last week, as this was the start of all this trouble.. running past the point of pain is never a good idea..  but all causes have to be examined.

Appreciate your feedback and taking time to give me that info..

BW

[Nonick]

Amazingly, I was talking to a guy yesterday, and he told me that he had gout and he treats it by taking concentrated cherry capsules that he gets at a health food store - and it works!  Then last night gout came up in a conversation with another guy and I mentioned the cherry capsules, and he concurred- that is what he takes!  I hadn't heard of this before yesterday.  I hope this helps you!   

[otaku30]

Nonick - good catch - ya cherries and cherry juice work well - sour cherries work the best.

I totally spaced that one since I don't eat cherries anymore - they tend to mess up my blood sugar.

[(|8-)]

In my 20s, I worked in a medical research lab, and had excruciating pain in my big toe one day walking through the halls.

I just described it to one of the doctors I worked for (I may have even been limping a bit), and "Gout" was his gut reaction diagnosis, I guess from the location of the pain and the way I described it.  The pain faded before our discussion went further and I never saw anyone about it. 

I did cut out some red meat and whatever else was on the list and I haven't had any problems since then except I think a few minor episodes that same week. 

(I also learned that my ear infections are really impressive-looking, worth showing everybody in the neighboring labs.  There is no bedside manner among co-workers...)

[Rusty Shackleford]

Soft-tissue foot pains?  I wonder if I have this.

Silver lining?  Years ago I read that uric acid played some role with the nerves and that those with MS rarely (if ever) had the gout.

[Rusty Shackleford]

A few weeks ago the Achilles Tendon of my right foot just started hurting for no reason whatsoever.  It was difficult to walk, and painful to run.  But I'm a stubborn guy so after giving it what I thought should be enough time I decided to go on a 4 mile run.  It hurt afterwards.  I gave it another 2 weeks to heal and it still hurt.  I then said "screw it, it's just going to have to hurt" and ran 4 miles and the next day it finally started feeling better.  I've gone running another couple times since then and it's always a little sore but I can deal with it.

I know you shouldn't push an injury but @$#$*$#, HEAL ALREADY.

This thread makes me wonder if it might be gout.  I read up on it and learned what can trigger it and what does not.  I recently spent several weeks in the heat and sweated a lot, and that's supposed to be one.  I don't eat any of the nasty non-muscle meats (that no modern human should eat anyway) and that's supposed to influence this.

I think I'm going to take some cherry pills and see what happens.

[benmcd]

Hey Rusty,

Not good to hear that this problem is ongoing. However to be absolutely sure it is not gout you need to have a small amount of fluid from the affected area tested. It is a really quick procedure and there is little pain involved. Trust me, I hate shots and needles, but it was quite fine. My doctor was able to tell me that the uric levels were ok and that the cause of the problem was muscle strain. This can be very slow to heal and it is worth giving it time to do so. Right now I am good and I feel that I could go for a run, but I am going to give it a little more time and then hit the pavement. I am not prepared to have another 4 weeks of crap with an ankle that hurts like hell to walk on.

Good luck and give it a chance to recover, soft tissue injury can be quite slow to heal.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Hey Rusty,

Not good to hear that this problem is ongoing. However to be absolutely sure it is not gout you need to have a small amount of fluid from the affected area tested. It is a really quick procedure and there is little pain involved. Trust me, I hate shots and needles, but it was quite fine. My doctor was able to tell me that the uric levels were ok and that the cause of the problem was muscle strain. This can be very slow to heal and it is worth giving it time to do so. Right now I am good and I feel that I could go for a run, but I am going to give it a little more time and then hit the pavement. I am not prepared to have another 4 weeks of crap with an ankle that hurts like hell to walk on.

Good luck and give it a chance to recover, soft tissue injury can be quite slow to heal.

Needles don't really bother me anymore.  I was taking a medicine a decade ago where I had to get regular blood tests and because of that they stopped bothering me.  My big hesitation is that this could require making an appointment and going to the doctor and blah-blah-blah... what a pain.  I swear, every time I go to a doctor for a pain like this all they seem to do is talk with me and then give me a useless anti-inflammatory.   Has anyone ever had a pain cured by taking an anti-inflammatory?