Joined Nov 2005
L10: Grand Master
Forum Thread
If you have gout, how do you manage it? [No OT Pls]
February 2, 2016 at
02:56 PM
in
Question
Well the Dr seems to think I had (my first) episode of gout about a week ago. Big toe (although not first joint, second) inflamed, swelled and hurt like hell last week. Actually, I went from OK to not being able to walk over the course of a day, went to urgent care the next day (and got meds), and have been getting better every day since. That was last Tuesday and today (week later) I am 95% "better". UA level was 8.1.
First it was colchicine, followed by a daily indomethicin. I had a followup with my PCP today, he concurred gout and gave me the standard list of stuff to avoid (not that I really eat any of that stuff anyway). PCP said the UA level was "mildly high" but seemed more concerned if it was 11-12. I'm still taking the indomethicin, more or less just so I don't cut it "cold turkey" (the gel caps can't be split), but would like to stop taking it within a week, leaving a 2 week supply for me to "hold onto" in case I need it.
the PCP said they don't give "maintenance" meds (e.g. allopurinol) until you've had ~3 episodes within a year. I've been doing research online and have already started taking 500 mg vitamin C (already take daily multi) in addition to drinking more water and am considering getting some tart cherry supplements (cherries are expensive). PCP didn't think much of the plan but didn't tell me not to do it either.
I'd really like to avoid another episode (although the next time around I will have had the colchicine and indomethicin on hand already) but also don't want any maintenance meds.
So does anyone else here suffer from gout?
First it was colchicine, followed by a daily indomethicin. I had a followup with my PCP today, he concurred gout and gave me the standard list of stuff to avoid (not that I really eat any of that stuff anyway). PCP said the UA level was "mildly high" but seemed more concerned if it was 11-12. I'm still taking the indomethicin, more or less just so I don't cut it "cold turkey" (the gel caps can't be split), but would like to stop taking it within a week, leaving a 2 week supply for me to "hold onto" in case I need it.
the PCP said they don't give "maintenance" meds (e.g. allopurinol) until you've had ~3 episodes within a year. I've been doing research online and have already started taking 500 mg vitamin C (already take daily multi) in addition to drinking more water and am considering getting some tart cherry supplements (cherries are expensive). PCP didn't think much of the plan but didn't tell me not to do it either.
I'd really like to avoid another episode (although the next time around I will have had the colchicine and indomethicin on hand already) but also don't want any maintenance meds.
So does anyone else here suffer from gout?
17 Comments
Your comment cannot be blank.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
If you have the condition, NOTHING will prevent flares from happening totally.
The biggest cause of flares is actually injury to a joint.
Every time i slightly sprain, or even slightly tweak a joint, i can pretty much expect a flare within a day or two at that joint.
I've been on allopurinol lately and it seems to help the most in preventing and keeping flares very moderate.
Also, if you do get a flare, you should be taking a steroid like prednisone to combat the flare immediately.
Indomethicin doesnt really do much other than dull the pain, while the steroid will actually help to kill the flare off.
usually they will give the prednisone in a "pulse" which is a setup where you take a bunch of small dosage pills over the course of the first day, same thing with one less the next day again with oine less the next, etc for 5-6 days.
Also, as much as it hurts to do so, MOVE! Moving the joint will actually break up the crystals and allowe the body to flush them away more quickly. Its gonna hurt liek a mother but it beats having it go on for weeks.
As to the not putting you on maintenance meds, if you have a second flare within a year, tell them to put you on it. Gout hurts liek a mother, and while that is bad eenough, it actually DESTROYS your joints which is much worse in the long run.
I'm 43, and have had gout all my life and basically have knees, shoulders, ankles and hips that are all now susceptible and all are severely damaged to the point of needing daily pain therapy meds just to be functional.
Don't just sit back and be passive about this. PUSH your doctors to do something.
There are literally so few side effects to daily suppression drugs that NOT prescribing them to you is nearly malpractice.
If you have the condition, NOTHING will prevent flares from happening totally.
The biggest cause of flares is actually injury to a joint.
Every time i slightly sprain, or even slightly tweak a joint, i can pretty much expect a flare within a day or two at that joint.
I've been on allopurinol lately and it seems to help the most in preventing and keeping flares very moderate.
Also, if you do get a flare, you should be taking a steroid like prednisone to combat the flare immediately.
Indomethicin doesnt really do much other than dull the pain, while the steroid will actually help to kill the flare off.
usually they will give the prednisone in a "pulse" which is a setup where you take a bunch of small dosage pills over the course of the first day, same thing with one less the next day again with oine less the next, etc for 5-6 days.
Also, as much as it hurts to do so, MOVE! Moving the joint will actually break up the crystals and allowe the body to flush them away more quickly. Its gonna hurt liek a mother but it beats having it go on for weeks.
As to the not putting you on maintenance meds, if you have a second flare within a year, tell them to put you on it. Gout hurts liek a mother, and while that is bad eenough, it actually DESTROYS your joints which is much worse in the long run.
I'm 43, and have had gout all my life and basically have knees, shoulders, ankles and hips that are all now susceptible and all are severely damaged to the point of needing daily pain therapy meds just to be functional.
Don't just sit back and be passive about this. PUSH your doctors to do something.
There are literally so few side effects to daily suppression drugs that NOT prescribing them to you is nearly malpractice.
Thanks for the input. It's been about 2 weeks or so - I've been off the indomethicin for 48 hrs or so after the advice of my PCP. I've been traveling lately (currently in LA area) and been walking a lot which actually feels good. I've been taking vit c and tart cherry supplements since (almost 2 weeks) - PCP basically said no harm in doing so but wouldn't say they'd help either. Ahh well the supplements are far cheaper than eating a couple handfuls of cherries daily (not to mention less sugar).
I'll keep an eye on it and certainly pursue a maintenance med if needed, but I'd really like to stay off *drugs* if possble.
Yet the one thing that annoyed me about the medication is that it can supposedly CAUSE a flareup too. :-X
http://www.healthline.
Isn't the whole point of taking meds for something to get rid of the condition?