Adp
26th September 2010, 04:47 PM
I would just like to pass along my story quickly in hopes that it helps others. I am 48 and have had gout since I was 18.
Early in life the attacks were once or twice a year but as I go older, the last ten years the grew out of control. I tried everything but nothing worked. Allopurinol was very hard for me to take. Colchcine works but is so bad for you and it's side effects are rough.
Only us who deal with gout can ever understand the degree of pain. It just can become overwhelming.
Well two years ago the attacks were several a month. I would call them cluster attacks. Knee, foot elbow. My quality of life was very low. My uric acid level was always over 12. Then Uloric became available in the us. I was the first in my area to take it. First 40mg then 80.
A miracle drug is an understatement. Yes it made for more attacks but you don't have to stop taking the drug. My uric acid level drop to below 7 almost overnight.
Here is where the nightmare began. Three months after beginning the drug my kidneys began failing. I had no history of kidney problems before. My GFR kept falling. Dr. Said I had stage 3 kidney failure and it would only get worse.
After thinking my life was going to be shorted and would need dialysis I came up with an hypothesis, what is the sudden and huge drop in uric acid was sending vast amount of crystals into my blood and was damaging the kidneys. All my doctors agreed it was a long shot but advised I go off Uloric. Even faced with kidney failure I refused to give up on Uloric. I would take the risk vs going back to gout.
One year later my kidneys are 100percent normal and my uric acid is 4.
So, that is my story, I love Uloric but keep on eye on your kidneys.
Early in life the attacks were once or twice a year but as I go older, the last ten years the grew out of control. I tried everything but nothing worked. Allopurinol was very hard for me to take. Colchcine works but is so bad for you and it's side effects are rough.
Only us who deal with gout can ever understand the degree of pain. It just can become overwhelming.
Well two years ago the attacks were several a month. I would call them cluster attacks. Knee, foot elbow. My quality of life was very low. My uric acid level was always over 12. Then Uloric became available in the us. I was the first in my area to take it. First 40mg then 80.
A miracle drug is an understatement. Yes it made for more attacks but you don't have to stop taking the drug. My uric acid level drop to below 7 almost overnight.
Here is where the nightmare began. Three months after beginning the drug my kidneys began failing. I had no history of kidney problems before. My GFR kept falling. Dr. Said I had stage 3 kidney failure and it would only get worse.
After thinking my life was going to be shorted and would need dialysis I came up with an hypothesis, what is the sudden and huge drop in uric acid was sending vast amount of crystals into my blood and was damaging the kidneys. All my doctors agreed it was a long shot but advised I go off Uloric. Even faced with kidney failure I refused to give up on Uloric. I would take the risk vs going back to gout.
One year later my kidneys are 100percent normal and my uric acid is 4.
So, that is my story, I love Uloric but keep on eye on your kidneys.