# Gout...



## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

Hi Guys,

The morning before Christmas Eve I woke up to find a lump under the skin on my cheek. It felt about the size of a 50p piece but it didn't hurt so thought no more about it. But during the day it just got bigger and bigger so by lunchtime I looked like Don Corleone from The Godfather... :roll:

I called the doctor and got an appointment for that evening. He took a cursory glance and said it was teeth related. I said I had no problems with my teeth or gums and was in no pain. He said it was too far forward along my jawline to be saliva gland related so put on some rubber gloves and checked in my mouth. He agreed it was not dental so was flumoxed. He suggested a course of anti-biotics and off I went to get them.

I took two that evening and by Christmas Eve it was looking worse. Concerned that our Christmas would be ruined (we were hosting) I decided to double the dose, so took four tablets in the morning and another four that evening. I awoke on Christmas Day to find the cheek had gone down a bit so swallowed another three.

As I was on the drugs I only drank two or three glasses of champagne and a couple of red wines and again took three tablets that night.

The next morning I got up and had a real pain in my big toe. It wasn't really swollen so I took two of the anti-biotics and also some Nurofen to reduce the pain. By lunchtime I was feeling much better and we went to the pub for a swift drink before a late lunch of cold turkey, beef, salad and chips at home. I had just one pint of Harveys Best (my favourite bitter) to drink all day...

By the evening my foot was really beginning to throb. :roll: I'd had my boots on all day so drove the mother-in-law home and then took my boots off when I got back. It hurt like buggery (not that I know what that feels like!) and I knew immediately this was a gout attack. [smiley=bomb.gif] I had one about three years ago and my whole leg swelled up to the knee...

With it being Boxing Day I could not call the doctor, so I took more Nurofen and went online to find a suitable treatment. The NHS Direct site (which is excellent) had a fairly comprehensive piece about the problem and suggested anti-inflammatories, colchicine (prescription drug) and plenty of water. Other sites I went on had lists of possible causes and there I discovered that turkey, beef, cheese, beer, wine and anti-biotics were amongst the culprits! I also discovered that cherries, cherry juice, apple cider vinegar, pumpkin seed oil and Vitamin C were good natural foods to combat it.

By the next morning I was in agony and couldn't even stand. My wife went out and came back armed with all the above potions and I started taking them. I stopped the anti-biotics, upped the Nurofen and stayed in bed with my foot elevated. [smiley=bigcry.gif]

Since that morning I have been housebound and the TT is on a charger/conditioner. I have had two days out of bed but everytime I stay up for extended periods my foot turns purple and throbs relentlessly.

The pain has largely passed thank god. I can only describe that as like having your big toe clamped by a red-hot pair of pincers. My foot looks like an overstretched balloon full of water. The skin is all drying out and because I haven't shaved for at least a week I look like Catweazle! :?

The natural remedies are beginning to work, but curiously the shelves in Waitrose are bereft of stock. Could it be there are others in my neighbourhood suffering like me?! :lol:

Gout is caused by the inability of the body to get rid of uric acid which is a by-product of digesting purines (proteins) in food. The uric acid crystalises and settles mostly in the big toe joint but can also affect the knees, elbows and hands. These crystals are like shards of glass and it is the soft tissue between the joints that gets damaged and creates the pain. It's actually a form of arthritis and right now I feel like an old man! :lol:

So has anyone else experienced this? What helped you get better and what do you think brought on your attack? It appears to only affect men from 30 upwards (ie most on here :roll: ) but does occasionally affect women.

I tell you what though, the big benefit is I have lost 9lb in weight!  I just haven't eaten through fear of making it worse. I've had fruit - that's all!!!

What a fab start to 2011!

Cheers

Rich


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

I think a kick in the balls is less painful than gout, i had gout in November, went to the doctors after a weeks course it had gone completley, i normally end up gout every 3/ 4 years, the doctor always take a blood sample and it shows i have uric acid in my system
get yourself of to the doctors,and get some proper tablets, the tablets normally kick in after a coulpe of days,


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

davelincs said:


> get yourself of to the doctors,and get some proper tablets, the tablets normally kick in after a coulpe of days,


Therein lies the problem. Can't drive and my wife is away. Can't call him out because I'm out of his area and shouldn't officially be registered with him anymore!

What tablets did your doc prescribe?

Cheers

Rich


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

The doc gave me, naproxen 250mg for the gout, and because i am over 50, omeprazole for my stomach, as the naproxen can damage the stomach wall
hope this helps


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

And this is in the flame room, because...? :?

Gout! Gout! Let it all out! :lol:

Gout can be very painful. Drinking plenty of water to decrease the concentration of uric acid in the blood and hence allow the crystals to dissolve is a good move.


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## wallstreet (Oct 19, 2009)

Ask fir a TTer nearby to take you. My brotherinlaw gets it and it's bloody horrid.

Stop being a plonk & sure a nearby chap will help.


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## T3RBO (Dec 9, 2003)

Sounds bloody awful Rich... get well soon mate


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

ScoobyTT said:


> And this is in the flame room, because...? :?


It fucking hurts mate! However I'm trying to curb my language... :wink:


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

davelincs said:


> The doc gave me, naproxen 250mg for the gout, and because i am over 50, omeprazole for my stomach, as the naproxen can damage the stomach wall
> hope this helps


Thanks mate. Wifey home tomorrow so will fix up the doc. :wink:


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

T3RBO said:


> Sounds bloody awful Rich... get well soon mate


Cheers Robb


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## techfreak (Aug 13, 2010)

Never knew what this was, get well soon


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

techfreak said:


> Never knew what this was, get well soon


Cheers mate!

Nor did I until i first got it. All I could think of was Henry VIII, serving wenches and debauchery... :lol:

I wouldn't mind but I haven't had any of that... :lol:


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

rustyintegrale said:


> techfreak said:
> 
> 
> > Never knew what this was, get well soon
> ...


sounds painfull,, go see a homeopath and get some dietry advice,, good luck,, ( i like the bit,, " only a few champers and a few red wines " !!!!


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## Hilly10 (Feb 4, 2004)

Feel for you I had one proper attack worse pain ever. Still get rumblings so I always hit the Porridge and naproxen dies down after 2 days. Did you know a build up of things can bring it on ie Oily fish, wine, baked beans, broccoli and one of the worst is spinach.


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## MarcusR (Jan 14, 2011)

I had a bout of gout after overdosing on red wines and fine cheese - by christ it hurt!

Feel for you mate !!!

Get well soon


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

Thanks guys. Went to the doc and now on Diclophenac. Hopefully that'll put it to bed...


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## davelincs (Jan 1, 2010)

it should feel 100% better, this time tomorrow Rich


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

davelincs said:


> it should feel 100% better, this time tomorrow Rich


I do hope so! Thanks for your advice.

cheers

Rich


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

rustyintegrale said:


> davelincs said:
> 
> 
> > get yourself of to the doctors,and get some proper tablets, the tablets normally kick in after a coulpe of days,
> ...


so your busting a gut helping me to raise dosh for the cause and all the time ure sat in pain!!!!!!! wanker wanker wanker, if i'd have known rich wud have driven down and footing taken u bud. hope them bloody tabs work and u can function again m8ee


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

C'mon on I want to see what gout is so stick up some piccies  . Hope you get better soon Rich :-* xxx


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

Here's a gouty finger:









...and an adequate illustration of what it feels like:


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

ScoobyTT said:


> Here's a gouty finger:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yup that looks sore scoob


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

gazzer1964 said:


> ScoobyTT said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a gouty finger:
> ...


That's pretty much how it feels too. :lol:

On the mend now though...


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

excellantehhh me owld mucker & glad to hear it


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

gazzer1964 said:


> excellantehhh me owld mucker & glad to hear it


Cheers Gaz!


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## Rustytt (Mar 24, 2009)

Gout, the medical equivalent of being smashed repeatedly in the toe by red hot guided missile with an attitude problem. It runs in our family & I escaped it until last year, jesus wept, even a bedsheet on my foot made me jump six feet in the air.

Anyway, top tips: stay off the shellfish at all costs, red wine's not great either, white's fine though and Indomethacin - ask for it by name. I got my brother to post his supply & one tablet cleared the agony in 30 minutes - be careful though if you have ulcers, reflux or any other kind of funny tummy. Good luck, you've got my every sympathy.


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

glad i dpnt have gout then as i love all of the above


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