Nothing working for my gout - Help please

[bluesman1952]

I was diagnosed with gout 4 weeks ago and still cannot even get on a pair of socks.
First treatment was 20mg prednisone for a week with little help. Doctor increased it to 40 mg a day for another week with little help.
Then he tried colchicine which produced vomiting, then indocin which did the same.
I am about ready to get a wheel chair and give up.

Anything over the counter to help? What can I do?

Thanks...

[kvjdk]

Firstly why have you not been on NSAIDS ( Diclofenac, naproxen ect.ect.) , Obviously reduce: alchohol, meat intake, fat intake (except for good fats "omega 3") , yeah being nausiated is common on colchicine, you could try intra-articular corticosteroids, and also long term treatments such as allopurinol should be started if its chronic gout . Hope it helps buddy

[bluesman1952]

Firstly why have you not been on NSAIDS ( Diclofenac, naproxen ect.ect.) , Obviously reduce: alchohol, meat intake, fat intake (except for good fats "omega 3") , yeah being nausiated is common on colchicine, you could try intra-articular corticosteroids, and also long term treatments such as allopurinol should be started if its chronic gout . Hope it helps buddy

I didn't mention that and I am sorry. Along with the prednisone I have been taking Ibuprofen/naproxen but it only helps for a while...
The colchicine and indocin caused violent vomiting so the doc took me off.

Right now I am just about set to go and get a shot right in the joint.
Years ago, I had a battle with gout and they had to inject 4 toes. I hit the roof in pain, but haven't suffered in that area in 40 years.

Well - thanks for the reply... I will let you know what I decide.
P.S. Blood work showed no signs of abnormal levels of uric acid so the doc hasn't put me on allopurinol. He says the uric acid won't show in the blood at this stage???
Also - I do not drink and I don't eat red meat...

[curemygoutfast]

I have been taking Allopurinol for several years.
On the few occasions I get an attack, I find that cherries really do help.

Its quite hard to get them in Ireland (climate is to wet) so I get an extract of black cherry from my local health food shop

Hope they help you - I know how agonising a gout attack can be.
Keith

[bluesman1952]

I have been taking Allopurinol for several years.
On the few occasions I get an attack, I find that cherries really do help.

Its quite hard to get them in Ireland (climate is to wet) so I get an extract of black cherry from my local health food shop

Hope they help you - I know how agonising a gout attack can be.
Keith

Thank you so much for that info.
On Thursday I couldn't stand the pain any longer and I begged for a cortisone shot.
The pain is mostly gone but the lump on the bone behind the toe is still there so I still cannot wear shoes. My Dr. said after 3 weeks, if it isn't gone, they would want to go in and scrape out the crystals. I won't do it.
I will buy cherries by the boat load and also the extract. I'll keep you updated

[Mkeboy92]

I was diagnosed with gout 4 weeks ago and still cannot even get on a pair of socks.
First treatment was 20mg prednisone for a week with little help. Doctor increased it to 40 mg a day for another week with little help.
Then he tried colchicine which produced vomiting, then indocin which did the same.
I am about ready to get a wheel chair and give up.

Anything over the counter to help? What can I do?

Thanks...
Water, H2O, rest, elevate, Don't eat anything but oatmeal and water for the next 24hrs. I had my first attack at 27 and the first thing I reached for is a Mountain Dew. Big mistake! Caffeine makes you dehydrated and worse...Oatmeal plain, blueberries, whatever the flavor, just cleanse...be careful with water intake. Stay away from colch, I take Indomethacin 3 x a day (50 mg x 3) when a flare occurs. It has spread to my elbow and now knee...doctor says diet and exercise 100 + overweight...still fighting! am 35 soon to be 36. Still much to learn, but the one thing I knew worked was rest and water. Natural cherry juice, juicy juice seemed to help also. Hope this finds you well! Peace.

[bluesman1952]

Water, H2O, rest, elevate, Don't eat anything but oatmeal and water for the next 24hrs. I had my first attack at 27 and the first thing I reached for is a Mountain Dew. Big mistake! Caffeine makes you dehydrated and worse...Oatmeal plain, blueberries, whatever the flavor, just cleanse...be careful with water intake. Stay away from colch, I take Indomethacin 3 x a day (50 mg x 3) when a flare occurs. It has spread to my elbow and now knee...doctor says diet and exercise 100 + overweight...still fighting! am 35 soon to be 36. Still much to learn, but the one thing I knew worked was rest and water. Natural cherry juice, juicy juice seemed to help also. Hope this finds you well! Peace.

Thanks Mike.
I am very depressed over this. I went and got a cortisone shot and it took away the inflammation and most of the pain, but I still can't wear shoes because the uric acid crystals are still all around the bone on my big toe and the bone sticks out like the size of a grape. When I put a shoe on, it is extremely uncomfortable and I can't walk right. My whole body is getting out of whack because I am walking weird.
Water makes me vomit. I cannot drink water. I am forcing down about 2 pints of water a day. That's it. I heard about the cherry juice but cannot find any here.
Oatmeal huh? I don't know if I can do this. I guess anything is better than another shot. I hit the roof with the last one. I will look in town tomorrow for a health food place and maybe see if they have this highly concentrated black cherry juice I heard about.
Thanks for the tips.
Peace!

[bbells]

I have had gout for over 25 years. If your doctor is not finding higher than normal uric acid levels while you are having an attack, your attack is probably not gout. Some docs have a very hard time confirming the diagnoses. Often the first sign that a doc has misdiagnosed is that the treatment does not work - Especially if it is a first attack. You should find an arthritis doctor or have your doctor push a syringe into your joint and suck out a sample of the fluid and have it tested. That will confirm or rule out gout. Reading your posting regarding treatment, etc., makes me believe that this probably is not a gout attack. Unless, of course, your doctor is not giving you the proper type of steroids, etc.

[bluesman1952]

I have had gout for over 25 years. If your doctor is not finding higher than normal uric acid levels while you are having an attack, your attack is probably not gout. Some docs have a very hard time confirming the diagnoses. Often the first sign that a doc has misdiagnosed is that the treatment does not work - Especially if it is a first attack. You should find an arthritis doctor or have your doctor push a syringe into your joint and suck out a sample of the fluid and have it tested. That will confirm or rule out gout. Reading your posting regarding treatment, etc., makes me believe that this probably is not a gout attack. Unless, of course, your doctor is not giving you the proper type of steroids, etc.

Well, he put me on prednisone for one week with little results, so he doubled the dose for another week with little results. Then he tried colchicine and no help, then indocin with no help. Finally I got a cortisone shot in the joint which I will never get again. I have no more pain, but the bone is still red and a bit swollen.
I can live with this. I wish I knew what it was....Probably basic arthritis

[metamorph]

Hi bluesman,

I had been suffering from heal pains, toe pains, etc for a few years and had seen doctors who prescribed painkillers (NSAIDS) which provided temporary relief for those horrible pain. They were telling me that I was having "bunion", "bursitis", etc. I was also referred to Orthopaedic specialists but my gout pains still persisted. In fact, the pain came on more frequently - perhaps due to my diet.

Many of you might not believe it, and others might be very skeptical about it, because beans are known to cause gout and black beans have also been included in the list of "gout food". But, it is true because black bean broth has been tried proven to be very effective in relieving Gout pain and inflammation. I can vouch to that as I tried it myself and found it's effectiveness almost "miraculous" - within hours.
This is definitely not a "sales pitch" to make money, or for any personal gains. I am sharing this for free and without any conditions. I do so because I understand how terrible it is during a gout flareup. I also know there are some gout medications available but most of them cause side effects which affect our body's normal functioning. Black bean is natural and therfore do not cause side effects. Besides, black beans has lots of other health benefits too.

The method of preparation of black bean broth (shown below) is simple but involves a lengthy slow boil process, so it is advisable to use a timer so you do not end up in a pot of burnt beans.

Preparation of BBB
1. Rinse 200gm (7oz) of black beans and remove grits and other debris.
2. Cover with 2 litres of water and boil it for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 90 minutes.
4. Strain the liquid, which is what you drink and discard the beans.
5. Allow to cool, then gulp down 1/2 litre of the broth. For a start gulp down all the remaining broth within one or two hours.

By the time you finished the broth you will be amazed how effective it is in relieving the gout pain and inflammation.

Cheers!

[Jeem]

Vitamin C , 1000mg a day , you will be amazed at how quickly the attack dissapears ,

and does not cost a fortune unlike the cherry tablets ..

Good Luck

Jeem

[azzare57]

I was diagnosed with gout 4 weeks ago and still cannot even get on a pair of socks.
First treatment was 20mg prednisone for a week with little help. Doctor increased it to 40 mg a day for another week with little help.
Then he tried colchicine which produced vomiting, then indocin which did the same.
I am about ready to get a wheel chair and give up.

Anything over the counter to help? What can I do?

Thanks...

ni blueman,

my age is 53, i was first diagnosed with gout 3 years ago and the attacked came almost every 2 or 3 months interval. Same like others i got the treatments from doctors everytime the attacked....as u know it is very painful experience.
..........almost a year ago,i met a friend of mine who developed nutritional food(capsules) from WILD HORSE MILK..he asked me to try his product,it was during the gout attacked so i took 2 capsules next day it worked wonderful all the pain gone and the swollened toe slowly gone.
i then taken the capsules everyday for more than 6 months,...during that period NO MORE GOUT ATTACK although i ate anything from red meat,seafood etc..........now i am free fro gout and take 1 or 2 capsules on and off ,and sometimes never taken for more than 2 months.

It works wonderful,it has no side effects beside it good for diabeties,high blood pressure sufferers and good for your kidney.

[rafaela]

Folks, how long does an attack last? I've had my first, and it's been here a week, and while the intense pain is gone, I'm still hobbling. What's the average, if there is such a thing?

[berniegout]

Been a gout sufferer for approx. 30 years now. Tried different medications but they only work temporarily. Body responds differently to food. The food that triggers your gout may not be the case for others. So observe how food reacts on your body.

Thank God for the natural cure that was revealed to me by two of my friends. Friend1 advised me to squeezed half lemon into a 1.5 liter of water and slowly drink it during the day. Took me two years to listen. It worked welll, it helps flush the uric acid in addition to the many benefits lemon gives in the body.

Friend2 (this is amazing when you have an attack) told me to grate a handful of ginger and put it in a pitcher of water, leave it for 24 hours then filter it with a strainer and keep in the fridge. Drink 1 glass in the morning and 1 glass in evening. NO MORE URIC ACID! NO MORE SWELING! NO MORE PAIN!

These two drinks are now a part of my life.

Please post this to other gout-websites that you know. It's a gift from God that must be shared for free to everyone. Be blessed always.....

[rafaela]

Berniegout, how wonderful you are! Thank you so much. I will do this, of course. This first attack is beginning to wear off. I have begun taking Ledum, a homeopathic remedy. It works immediately in that it takes away most of the pain, and after 5 days on it, I can feel that this attack is on the wane. But the lemon and ginger - simple and healthy, I am so grateful for.

[kg88]

I've had gout in my toes, knee, ankle and foot. Medicine did not work and I was allergic to indomethcine. i know it seems crazy, but this worked for me. Try 1/8 teaspoon of Baking soda mixed with some water 3 times a day. it changes the PH of your body. 6 months of gout in my knee went away after 3 days. Good luck and Spread the work if it works for you. I still get flare-ups.....I need to know why my gout gets worse after exercise.-kg

[Gout-hero]

can allopurinol and indomethacin be taken at the same time?

[ajonesgirl]

I am a 58 year old woman - have had increasing attacks of gout. May be gouty arthritis (runs in family). Yesterday I woke up with pain on bottoms of feet and one toe beginning to flare up. I took a Lysine tab as I was developing a cold sore and today, no pain, no swelling. I do not know if this was coincidence, but thought I would pass it on. I took another Lysine at night and one this morning. Also, my knees feel better. Anyone else tried this? (Also, I have been regularly taking wild cherry capsules - 2 in am and 2 in pm.)

[ajonesgirl]

Are you drinking both drinks even when there is no flare-up or just doing it when gout occurs?

[Ihavegout]

Turmeric can also help with the inflammation. I take a turmeric supplement every morning. And if it is gout, oatmeal is bad, coffee is actually good.

[thurstonb]

I posted on my blog recently about coffee and gout. I found two articles about the combination - one said coffee lowered gout risk, and another said it raised the risk!

Contradictory? Well not really.

It seems that in the very short term (24-48 hours) coffee actually increases the risk of gout. But taking caffeine over an extended period lowers the risk.

To see the full article - go to either the facebook or blog link in my signature and you can find it there.

Cheers
Brett

[Jeem]

I posted on my blog recently about coffee and gout. I found two articles about the combination - one said coffee lowered gout risk, and another said it raised the risk!

Contradictory? Well not really.

It seems that in the very short term (24-48 hours) coffee actually increases the risk of gout. But taking caffeine over an extended period lowers the risk.
Cheers
Brett

Thats one of the joys of gout there is so many contradictions in what is good/bad for it ,

Jeem

[thurstonb]

I'm not so convinced that they are contradictions. It's just that different people do react in different ways to their gout and to the treatments they try.

Plus everyone will approach gout from their own perspective. Some will take quite an aggressive approach and try a bit of everything, while others will put their feet up in front of the television and send their kids off to get another beer!

Really there are two things that a sufferer needs to remember. 1) The swelling is causing a lot of the pain. Treat the swelling and the pain will subside. 2) High uric acid is the most probable cause. Get that down through better diet, medication or both.

Probably should add number 3) if you've not seen a doctor about it then you should.

Brett

[Quincy]

The big issue with trying to manage gout is that no single remedy works for everyone.
I found that once I isolated what was causing the increase in uric acid, I was able to better manage the problem.

For me alcohol was not really an issue (unless I really overdid things!!). My nemesis was shellfish, cured red meats and tomatoes. Tomatoes is weird as they are low in purines but none the less if I ate a lot of tomatoes, the following morning I was greeted with the dreaded "gout twinge".

I continued with the traditional meds and started to eliminate the above from my diet. This coupled with lots of water, a bit of exercise each day and trying to keep everything in moderation reduced the number of attacks.

Trying to eliminate gout can be a long journey. Try remedies (both natural and with meds) one at a time. If things don't work, scratch it off the list and move on to the next one.

Believe me, once you find your holy grail, all the trial and error will be worth every second.

Good luck.

[Jeem]

Sadly there is no quick fix ,
when you start trawling for info , mostly what you find is negative information, all the list of things that are bad for gout.

There is a shortage of good info, its if the medical profession just assumes its our own fault therefore not there problem.

Hopefully every gout sufferer will find there holy grail .

Jeem

[thurstonb]

Actually a part of the problem is that there is just so much that is still unknown about gout. I just posted on my blog a portion of an article I found, written by a rheumatologist, detailing how much of gout is still a mystery, and listing several things that are still not all that well understood about gout.

Including
# Why do attacks last only a few days in most cases?
# Why do some people get the disease while others do not, even when they have the same risk factors for the condition?
# And why does gout develop even in people without risk factors?

The post is titled "Mysterious Gout". Just go to my blog (in the signature). If it's not on the front page then do a search.

[thurstonb]

Jeem...

when you start trawling for info , mostly what you find is negative information, all the list of things that are bad for gout.

There is a shortage of good info, its if the medical profession just assumes its our own fault therefore not there problem.

When you say this, do you mean that you are finding it hard to find "what to do" as opposed to "what not to do"? Aren't they two sides of the same coin?

Perhaps I'm not following you?

Cheers

[Jeem]

Hi Bret

What I'm trying get at , is that there are so many foodstuffs high in purines that can be potential triggers.
Along with others which by there acidity can also trigger attacks, such as tomato.

why is it that the majority of the population can have a tomato salad with a nice bit of mackrel, washed down with a glass of chardonay, yet most of us here would be crippling.

What is wrong with us, what are our bodies lacking , what are we not producing to get rid of the uric acid ?.


When trawling for information there is so little about what we can add to our diet to improve our lot, even then there is a lot of expensive snake oil out there.

Jeem

[Ohithurtssomuch]

It does seem that the information is lopsided. Don't eat this ,don't drink this, lot's of info on what not to eat mainly my diet. Very few things that are good for you unless you are a vegetarian. I have to admit my gout attacks (90%) of them is over indulging on the wrong foods or drinks. If I eat small quanity of seafood or even organ meat I will not get gout attack. I think a balance of these foods will help me.:(

[thurstonb]

I think that a part of the problem is that there are differing views on how best to treat it.

Some people, like Bert who contributes to this forum, believe that gout is to do with the acid/alkaline balance in your diet and advocate a more alkaline diet.

Others believe that it is the high level of purines in food that causes the problems. And another crowd have their feet in the "Forget all that diet stuff and just take the drugs" camp.

Still others advocate acupuncture, homeopathy, and refelxology. And probably a whole lot I've forgotten about too!

I think that rather than try to look at all the lists of foods you can and cannot have, you should pick one of these lines of thinking and stick with it for several months to see what happens. If you notice a change then that's great. If you don't then try another strategy. But the important thing is to have a strategy, try it out, and see if it works.

And everyone is different, so you have to adjust it to suit you.

Most importantly you have to take some action, rather than just trying to absorb all the conflicting information and ending up with paralysis by analysis!

[John426]

I’ve been using Inflamazol (a natural gout product). It has a high potency of tart cherry in it along with Tumeric, and other ingredients. They have all of the ingredients listed on their website. I take 2 in the morning and 2 at night. I’ve already seen an improvement with my foot, so I’d look into it, it may help you also.

[John426]

I'm sticking with the Inflamazol product right now because I've already seen a major improvement after using it. Inflamazol helps lower the uric acid levels in the body so its targeting the root cause, high uric acid, as oppose to just using a topical spray which seems to be a temporary relief. However, I'm glad thats helping you though.

[philip328]

Try the natural approach!!! As I stated on another thread, I have been taking a product called Inflamazol which is all natural so no prescription was needed. I was amazed at how fast I felt relief. Certainly was not expected, however I am more than pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this stuff, certainly worth looking into.

[horton]

I was diagnosed with gout 4 weeks ago and still cannot even get on a pair of socks.
First treatment was 20mg prednisone for a week with little help. Doctor increased it to 40 mg a day for another week with little help.
Then he tried colchicine which produced vomiting, then indocin which did the same.
I am about ready to get a wheel chair and give up.

Anything over the counter to help? What can I do?

Thanks...

I have a herbal remedy that my dad has used for years and swears by (see my post on here) would you be interetsed in trying this for free?? he swears by it and so now do many of his friends and family whohave had the same problem?

[dutchman]

Hello all, I.m also a gout patient, but I have my gout problem under control, What I recommend to all gout patients is to wright down every day what you eat and drink, so that when a gout attack pops up you can see what you have eat and drink to day before, so you can locate what gout "triggers" you. all people do react different on food and drinks, when you locate what "triggers" your gout, you simply change you diet. for example the foods that "triggers" my gout are; 1e, Pork organ meat (sausage meat) , 2e, 2 or 3 days in a row eating red meat, 3e, same with eating fish 2 or 3 days in a row, 4e, the compressed "chicken meat" ( chicken nuggets ) , Alcohol is not a problem for me same for beer, and check you urine always !!, when it starts darkening, start drinking plenty of clear water to flush your system, P.S. Tart cherry works very good for me, I take Tart Cherry then every hour, 1/4 of a 1 cup