dagnabitboy
26th July 2009, 11:21 PM
I had gout for 12 years, and am still susceptible to it of course. I've not cured myself, I've always had a high normal uric acid reading, but I can say I've learned how to prevent attacks. I've come to understand the root causes of my attacks. In my case, becoming dehydrated, which concentrates the blood, causing uric acid to precipitate out as crystals, was the root cause. Perhaps my solutions will help someone else!!
I used to drink diet sodas like crazy! I eventually came to realize the diet drinks were really no good and quit, substituting only water. I gained 15 lbs in 2 months. That's nearly two gallons of liquid!! It turns out I was chronically dehydrated all those years, and for some reason the diet soda really did a number on me!! After gaining that water weight my gout attacks stopped completely. I was taking allopurinol at the time, which was causing it's own problems, but I was able to wean myself off of it. I had a couple of minor attacks in the process, but eventually no attacks and no allopurinol. It was great!!
The next thing I figure out was salt intake. Not too much of it, but the other way around, not enough of it!! I recently started having gout attacks again, infrequently, and not bad attacks, but they coincided with trying to get in better shape, lots of hiking, lots of sweating, becoming momentarily dehydrated, enough to start an attack. Years ago, when I was about 30 I decided to not use salt with my food. (I'm 61 now) Not a problem until a doctor put me on Lisinopril for high blood pressure. After 15 years of Lisinopril I realized my gout had become worse when I started that medication. I looked up the details of the med: one of the things it does is to promote the excretion of salt. I had tried to create a healthy diet for myself, only natural foods, no salt, very limited beef. So, now I was dehydrated abnormally again!! I now put a couple of shakes of salt in the palm of my hand and lick it off, usually once a day. If I'm going to go on a long hike, I'll have a small bit of salt before I get started, and chug a lot of water before I start!! ( I think the salt is absorbed more completely and quickly that way, instead of adding it to food) I've gained a couple of pounds of water weight presumably, my BP went up a few points (still in good range) but I no longer have gout attacks of any kind. Also, constant aching of my toe and knee joints has almost completely gone away.
Sorry for the long winded story, I had gout for many years, some very very serious attacks. I truly know the misery it causes. I hope a few folks out there might benefit the way I did. Good luck!
Phil
I used to drink diet sodas like crazy! I eventually came to realize the diet drinks were really no good and quit, substituting only water. I gained 15 lbs in 2 months. That's nearly two gallons of liquid!! It turns out I was chronically dehydrated all those years, and for some reason the diet soda really did a number on me!! After gaining that water weight my gout attacks stopped completely. I was taking allopurinol at the time, which was causing it's own problems, but I was able to wean myself off of it. I had a couple of minor attacks in the process, but eventually no attacks and no allopurinol. It was great!!
The next thing I figure out was salt intake. Not too much of it, but the other way around, not enough of it!! I recently started having gout attacks again, infrequently, and not bad attacks, but they coincided with trying to get in better shape, lots of hiking, lots of sweating, becoming momentarily dehydrated, enough to start an attack. Years ago, when I was about 30 I decided to not use salt with my food. (I'm 61 now) Not a problem until a doctor put me on Lisinopril for high blood pressure. After 15 years of Lisinopril I realized my gout had become worse when I started that medication. I looked up the details of the med: one of the things it does is to promote the excretion of salt. I had tried to create a healthy diet for myself, only natural foods, no salt, very limited beef. So, now I was dehydrated abnormally again!! I now put a couple of shakes of salt in the palm of my hand and lick it off, usually once a day. If I'm going to go on a long hike, I'll have a small bit of salt before I get started, and chug a lot of water before I start!! ( I think the salt is absorbed more completely and quickly that way, instead of adding it to food) I've gained a couple of pounds of water weight presumably, my BP went up a few points (still in good range) but I no longer have gout attacks of any kind. Also, constant aching of my toe and knee joints has almost completely gone away.
Sorry for the long winded story, I had gout for many years, some very very serious attacks. I truly know the misery it causes. I hope a few folks out there might benefit the way I did. Good luck!
Phil