Has anyone ever had this problem? I can't wait until the flare-up is over.

I feel ya. Out of the blue, I had an episode of it about 8 years ago. I had no idea what was wrong, I woke up with it in the middle of the night. I thought I had somehow broke my toe in the middle of the night, and I could barely walk. I couldn't even have a sheet over top of my foot. The weight of the sheet actually hurt. Gout never even entered my mind, and I thought the doctor was crazy. It took a few days of medication before it cleared up. The bad part (aside from the pain) was that I was sensitive to one of the medications, which gave me "Montezuma's Revenge" after taking it for awhile.

I was way too young (I thought) and I didn't really fit the common perception diet wise of what causes gout. And I had it when I was at a normal weight. I've since learned that diet has much less to do with it that previously thought, and in some cases doesn't cause it at all.

Once you have it, you will always have it. However, medication can control it. I take allopurinol every day, and periodically have a blood test to check levels. We've had to adjust the dosage. Occasionally I feel a flare-up coming on, and I take some colchicine and it goes away. Since that initial episode, I've only had one or two episodes that progressed beyond minor discomfort, and those were before we adjusted the allopurinol dosage. That usually keeps it under control, and if necessary one or two colchicine pills takes care of any flare-ups before they get serious. Unlike the initial episode, which came out of nowhere, I can now tell when the crystals are building up in a joinit to the point they are going to cause a problem, and that's when I take the colchicine which stops it before it gets going.

I don't like having to take medication daily, but it does the trick, and is better than having a full fledged flare-up that practically confines you to bed until it's over.

Eddie:

It is one of the most painful conditions that I have encountered when working with patients.... and yes- just the weight of the sheet is excruciating to them....

Best to stay on any meds and keep some strong pain meds with you if needed....

Other recommendation to you would be to contact the Arthritis Foundation- they have a website (google it) and if you call their 1-800 number they will send you a plethora of knowledge...

Kisses babe...

Kick

Wow, my mother had it along with what I thought were a bunch of other poor white trash health conditions because she was reallly overweight. I though it was caused by her poor diet. After her diet changed with less food but better quality, (she lost over 100 pounds), and had a lot less stress in her life and more joy/fun it went away and never came back without meds. Her health improved overall the last few years, but then she died just recently from the stuff that she use to have when she didn't take care of her health. I always thought that diet caused it but if it is genetics then I am fu--ked. Can you get it iif you are in good shape?

Apparently when Atkins was "the" diet to be on, there was a huge increase in gout. Heavy intake of protein, particularly beef, the culprit.

Eddie, hang in there, and take care....sending good thoughts your way.

Thanks guys.Before this I hadn't had an episode in 5 years so I guess I let my guard down.It is very difficult for me to stay off my feet but I am trying.Hopefully this episode is just about over since it began early Wednesday morning.

Yes, you can potentially get it if you are in good shape. It is caused by a high level of uric acid in your body that isn't processed properly and excreted. If not processed, crystals of the acid deposit in tissues, particularly in joint fluid and lining (which is why the big toe is the most common area). The gout attack is caused when white blood cells surround and attack the crystal buildup, resulting in inflammation and pain.

Purine metabolism results in uric acid, which is normally excreted in urine. Purines are produced in the breakdown of cells in normal cell turnover. And, certain foods are rich in purines. So, yes, diet can contribute, but doesn't cause it. Frequently, the cause is an inherited abnormality in the body's ability to process the uric acid in their body. To further complicate things... although gout usually occurs in people with high levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia), not everyone with elevated levels gets gout, and you can get gout without elevated levels. The presence of uric acid itself doesn't cause the gout... it has to start changing into crystals that deposit themselves in tissues, and that is more likely to happen with elevated levels of uric acid. Often, it's a sudden change in uric acid levels (up or down) that throws the body off. Dehydration has been known to trigger gout, as has surgery (most likely due to change in body fluid balances). The kidneys process about 2/3 of the uric acid, so problems with your kidneys can also contribute.

Diet can contribute, but here are the foods that can potentially trigger a rise in uric acid levels: seafood, meat, beer, spirits (to a MUCH lower extent that beer... and wine is OK, but beer is bad), tofu, sardines and anchovies, kidneys, liver, sweetbreads and brains, dry beans (lentils and peas). So, if that's your idea of a bad diet... notice, there are no junk foods listed. The reason these foods may cause a rise in uric acid levels is because they are naturally full of purines that your body has to break down. For most people, it's really probably not much of a problem (remember, many people with elevated levels of uric acid never develop gout)... unless you are already predisposed to having problems processing the purines in the first place. And... dairy (particularly milk, yogurt and cheese) can actually help lower uric acid levels. So, eat a cheeseburger to neutralize the beef.

Obesity is a contributing factor... but not because of all the junk food you may be eating, as we have established above. Obesity causes a whole slew of problems, and can put a stress on your kidneys. Since most uric acid is processed in the kidneys, obesity can worsen that affect. But, again, you can be at a normal weight, and still get gout!

A metabolic disorder can also contribute to developing gout. This disorder can either be caused by obesity, or it can be inherited.

Aspirin... in low doses (such as the 75-81 mg per day recommended to prevent heart disease) is fine. And in extremely high doses (prescribed by a doctor to treat severe forms of inflammatory arthritis) it actually lowers uric acid levels. But in moderate doses (two 325 mg tablets every 4 hours) it can impair the excretion of uric acid from the kidneys.

Bottom line... if you are predisposed to being unable to process uric acid properly, then things like diet, dehydration, aspirin, obesity can increase your chances of having a gout attack, either singularly, or in combination. But for most people, they don't have to worry about it. Otherwise you'd see people eating seafood and taking aspirin, disabled with gout everywhere you went. Unfortunately, most people don't know if they are predisposed until they experience an episode of gout. I've take aspirin, eaten lots of meat (even done Atkins), without triggering additional outbreaks. For me, I think it's a combination of factors that causes that "perfect storm" of an attack... plus, I take my medication regularly to control it as well. I've had a couple of minor episodes, but never a major attack like the first one eight years ago.

Sorry for the long post, but I do my research when something like this affects me, and there is also a lot of misinformation out there about gout.