Gout

[Aspen20]

Has anyone had success with keeping gout attacks under control, with traditional or alternate medication

[gingernut]

Allupurinol seems to work very well, but of course you have to take it every day of your life.

Some say avoiding booze and certain fish helps. (? Mussels)


Don't know of any alternative medication that works.

How often are you suffering attacks?

[Loose rivets]

I'm a gout sufferer and yes, I was given a stern warning to take Allopurinol for the rest of my life.

I didn't know what was causing the pain, but it improved within 24 hours. The next attack was when I was 40. I got off the aircraft, declined a ride in the engineers van and set off across 200 yards of tarmac. I made it 100 yards. Nothing could have made me walk any further. I was off for a week with that one. Finally it was diagnosed.

I tried coming off the med when I was c 48, dunno why. I paid the price...carpet slippers to the pub for a month.

Someone on this forum was kind enough to give me a briefing, and the main point for me was that it had started at age 30. If I understand correctly, this implies that it is primarily hereditary with the diet just making things worse.

For thems in the US, the good news is that one can obtain 'generic' Allopurinol for about $4 a month.

Edit to say that in the UK your GP will have your Uric acid monitored and while I'm here I have a yearly trip to an outfit that offers a detailed checkup (ECG, prostate, various blood factors. ) all for $50.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uric_acid

[Lou Scannon]

First diagnosed with gout at age 30 and placed on 300mg allopurinol daily at age 32. Now in my late sixties and never had a twinge since.

....but can still remember how b....y painful it was!

[Aspen20]

I've had 4 serious attacks this year already. On two occasions had to go for injections at emergency at 2am. Have tried Allopurinol, with limited success.
Back to the specialist next week for another try.

Thanks for the info so far much appreciated

[kotakota]

First attack of gout aged about 43 ( my Dad used to suffer badly ) 48 hours after arriving in KL to work in 92. The surfeit of prawns did not help I am sure , but have now learned to try and avoid getting dehydrated for a start.
I have kept Voltaren pills handy ever since , and pop one as soon as twinge starts. Tried Zyloric on daily basis but this can raise your Uric acid levels if already high.
Came across a feature on gout on the BBC website saying that regular coffee drinkers suffer less so have been doing this and have improved mightily this year. Strangely , I cut coffee out about when gout attacks started !!Thing to remember is that coffee can dehydrate too , so keep that water pouring down the throat especially while flying - the ultimate dehydrater.
good luck.

[Loose rivets]

Any doctors available? I'm confused by this statement.

Tried Zyloric on daily basis but this can raise your Uric acid levels if already high.


Zyloric is a brand name for Allopurinol. My understanding of this is that you take this is to reduce your Uric acid level.

However, the specialist will I'm sure, test for the levels in your blood.

One of the main points about Allopurinol is that it takes time to make a change. Starting it again after a break could even cause a flare-up of the symptoms. From memory Feldene (Piroxicam) is or was used for the flare-ups.

[veloo maniam]

Hi Aspen20...try Xango the mangosteen juice.you'll be surprised.

[homesick rae]

I've had one bad attack this year and was prescribed Dicoflax. You are allowed to take 6 per day as and when you want and they work wonders. Any twinge now, I take a couple and it seems to work!

Cheers

HR

[Loose rivets]

Taking a 'fix', may get you going again, but the whole point of taking a drug to reduce uric acid is to protect you from a slew of problems in the long term.

[ramble on]

Apple Cider Vinegar!

Amazing relief within hours...1-2 capfuls in a glass of juice of your choice.

Please try it.

[Aspen20]

Thanks all for the advice so far. Standing by for a bout of gout to try some of the advice.
Xango juice hard to come by at the moment.

[veloo maniam]

I can arrange for it.

[veloo maniam]

I can arrange for it.:ok:

[Loose rivets]

Standing by for a bout of gout to try some of the advice.


:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[kotakota]

Well , can ANYBODY claim to have been gout-free since they started whatever treatment ? Or is the best we can hope for is that we reduce the number of attacks and /or have a good wheeze for knocking it on the head ? ( Not the toe.....doh ! )

Keep taking the madzi

[Whossat Forrus]

I feel for you. As a long time gout king I know what you are going through. Sticking with allopurinol is hard for the first two years because any attack is made worse by the drug. My advice is to stick with it until you are better and then stay on it for good. I held out for as long as I could before starting on it but I haven't got a clue as to why, I gave up sport, every time I tried to do something I would think about a gout attack and whether it would inconvenience me too much etc etc. Forget all the herbal stuff and get a consultant to get the prescription pad out. I did 400mg a day for a year, now on 300. Doc considering dropping me to 100 cos hardly any uric acid to be found in me at all (alright with me). Got a life now. Best of luck.

[currawong]

Is the gout diagnosis definate?

There are other things around that can "mimic" the condition.

Which may explain the lack of response to the gout medication.

Good luck.

PS the idea is to prevent the gout attack in the first place, not treat the attack once it occurs - it is then too late.

[Slasher]

Years ago one overnight I pigged out on the thickest steaks while guzzlin gallons of red wine. Hosties got me to me room and shoved me (in a coma) into bed and left (I certainly wasnt fit for anything).

In the late morning (apart from a wompin hangover) my big left toe was sore and aching as hell. Got up and couldnt bloodey walk for the pain - thought Id slept with me toe pushed out of wack. The day wore on and it got worse and I thought I needed crutches! Went to a quack round the corner who said I was sufferin from "rich mans disease". Im not rich so asked what the hell is that? - GOUT!

I thought "gout" was somethin old codgers get in there kidneys or gall-bladder or somethin. Anyway took the meds which got me ok to fly back to base late that night. Since then Ive never mixed meat and booze at the same time and never had an attack since.

[ramble on]

Any feedback?

Just wondering if it worked for anyone who has tried it?

Let me know.....

good luck y'all

[Loose rivets]

The only times I got gout were when I was flying so hard that I couldn't practice my main sport, judo.

I recall someone saying their doc had told them to get back on the mat to "Break the crystals up." Certainly, while going three nights a week and all the associated running etc., I never had a twinge.

I take a nominal 300mg, but cut that back based on my blood test results.

[Kirstey]

Allopuriniol will initially raise your uric acid levels for a few months. Don't start it until you're well clear of a gout attack. I've been on it 6 months I've had 1 episode of it a couple of months in. Not too bad and probably not helped with beer, champagne and Fruit de Mer all weekend!

I only tak 100mg a day and all's good so far. Did take a few months to get used to the drugs though.

[reynoldsno1]

Suffered my 1st attack in my early 40's after getting my foot run over by a toddler on a trike .... had been eating prawns and liver the day before so my uric acid levels were elevated. My dad was a sufferer.

I don't take daily medication, and probably suffer, on average, one bout a year - I take diclofenac at 1st signs of attack (stiffness in big toe) - 2 x 100mg, then 1 x 100mg every 8 hours for 2 days. Goes away every time.

Get generic pills from Thailand - about 2 quid for 100 - they are just fine.

Too much beer, shellfish, liver, kidneys will precipitate an attack - I can eat in moderation. It varies for each individual - there are a squillion sites on the Web.

[Loose rivets]

Allopuriniol will initially raise your uric acid levels for a few months.


That's interesting, I hadn't realized that it took that long.

To quote myself


One of the main points about Allopurinol is that it takes time to make a change. Starting it again after a break could even cause a flare-up of the symptoms. From memory Feldene (Piroxicam) is or was used for the flare-ups.

[Kirstey]

My GP told me "up to 2 months" internet research seemed to concur. I was perscribed diclaflex to cope with any flare up.

I have to say I'm very happy with the result so far.. the thing with me was I could go a year without a serious episode then all of sudden I'd be getting one a month. Last Feb was the first completely crippling episode I had.. so I took the plunge with Allopurinol.

[Fly380]

I was watching one of those phone in programs on BBC TV with Dr Rosemary Leonard. A 61 year old woman rang in with gout. Dr Leonard said that it is often caused by certain blood pressure medications. She didn't say which ones. A bit obscure but I hope this helps.

[eastern wiseguy]

"Hi Aspen20...try Xango the mangosteen juice.you'll be surprised"

at how quickly you can spend $19 us on a bottle of fruit juice. This stuff "cures" everything...yeah right...

I suffer from gout..Ibuprofen ...knocks it down..works for me

[keithl]

No No No! Bin the pills - take Cider Vinegar! Haven't had a gout attack for 2.5 yrs now. Read a book called "Curing Arthritis the Drug-Free Way" by Margaret Hills. Its available on Amazon. I take Cider vinegar, sweetened with pure honey, in a cup of hot water each day and it really works.

[ramble on]

Hey team,

Are you guys working on behalf of the big medical companies??

As K said and I have said, please do yourselves a favour and just at least try Apple Cider Vinegar.

A couple of dollars or euros for a bottle as compared to the cost of pills and the unknowns with prescription meds.

Please, try it.....I have no motive except to pass on the feeling of wonderful relief it gave me.

Again, good luck.

[Kirstey]

Personally I'm not knocking Cider Vinegar. But £50 a year for one pill a day works for me.. no faffing about, and not the end of the world if I forget for a day.

[Loose rivets]

I suffer from gout..Ibuprofen ...knocks it down..works for me


It is my unqualified opinion that this is exactly what not to do.

Firstly, Ibuprofen is a useful anti-inflammatory, but I'm fairly sure that it has a more deleterious effect on mental processing than is widely thought...and indeed compared to oft used painkillers.

(This is not real science, but I have been doing some 'research' on sleepers, and taking carefully filtered cognitive tests to see their effects. Ibuprofen seems to be showing up with a significant reduction in score.)

Secondly, as I mentioned before, if you have a raised uric acid level, there are a slew of reasons not to allow this to continue. Read about one Prince Phillip of Spain. (Sorry forgot date) his agonizing death from gout and its related problems is horrifying.

[sky9]

For fellow gout sufferers.

I had gout when I was about 26 (36 years ago) and was prescribed allopurinol (Zyloric). I suffered bad reactions to the drug and was changed to Probenecid which I have been on for about 25 years.

I retired from flying in 2003 and continued to take Probenecid until about 4 months ago when my GP suggested that I should try stopping the drug.

In the last 4 months I haven't suffered any attack. My thoughts are that flying and the inevitable dehydration involved in the job exacerbates the condition. If you are on Allopurinol or any other drug and have retired from flying now might be a good time to see whether you need the medication.

[NigelOnDraft]

Attacks of varying severity / frequency since ~age 40. Dad had also suffered. Red Wine a factor for him & me? Usual suspects less so (meat, liver, beer).

Docs so far prescribe Indosomething/Dicoflax [think they are same stuff], and as stated above, take them as soon as a hint. Some even advocate in anticipation if you've over-indulged :ooh: Provided you start taking them soon and often enough, they can knock an attack on the head before it gets bad - that said, I do understand they are treating the symptoms, not the cause :eek:

When I have an attack / run out of the above, I ask Doc about permanent treatment. They say until attacks regular (6+ a year?) avoid a once a day pill. No doubt will be other opinions...

NoD

[Bertie Thruster]

No doubt will be other opinions...

Eat less fruit. (Fruit sugar metabolism increases uric acid levels)

[beany]

Febuxostat is being used here in the UK and it is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, which can be used to treat hyperuricemia and gout. It's expensive.

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005 (Becker et al.) compared it with allopurinol. It's meant to be better at lowering uric acid levels but less well tolerated side effects wise. It's not used first line and I don't know what the CAA's take on it is.............. Anyone know?