Terrible Tale of a Tender Trotter (My Experience Of Gout)

Member Name: Suzan

Product:	My Experience Of Gout
Date:	24/10/01 (783 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I don't think so!

Disadvantages: Very painful, Disabling, People laugh!

Gout is not a laughing matter.. oh no, sirree! When my hubby had his first attack I didn’t laugh. Well, maybe just a little titter behind my hand. I mean…gout…after all, the rich man’s disease. And when I saw his big toe doing a passable impersonation of a belisha beacon, all round, red and shiny, the titter became a snort.

Then I realised just how much pain he was in. In fact, I felt his pain. Just a second or two after the TV remote control hit me on the side of the head!
“Sorry dear, did that hurt?”
“Yes, it did hurt!”
“Well, so does my **** foot!”(expletive deleted!)

Within the hour we were sitting in the A&E department of our local hospital, hubby perched on a trolley with naked feet dangling over the edge, one of which looked quite normal, with five healthy little pinkies, and one looking rather swollen, with four healthy little pinkies and one looking like an over-ripe plum tomato about to burst its skin.
“Which foot is it?”asked the doctor.
I have to tell you, we were not overfilled with confidence.
“The right one,”hubby replied, in a strange voice.
“Ah yes.” The doctor then went on to make his second mistake. He moved to touch the offending foot. I stepped in just in time to prevent hubby’s good left foot from propelling the doctor straight from A&E right up to ITU!
“Hurts a bit, does it?” said the doctor, judiciously backing away.”I think we’d better get it x-rayed/Would you like to hop down now?” (Feeble attempt at humour…stick to medicine, Doc…. you’ll never make it in Showbiz.)

Anyway, one x-ray and one blood test later it was confirmed. Hubby had gout. (Snort!!)

ABOUT GOUT

Traditionally, but erroneously described as a disease of the upper classes, gout is actually a type of arthritis caused by something as plebeian as uric acid,
which we all have in our bloodstreams (yes, even us “grockles!”) Uric acid is a waste by-product which, in the normal course of events, is excreted in our urine. Sufferers of gout have too much uric acid in their blood, either because they produce too much, or because their kidneys are not excreting it properly. The excess uric acid can then form into crystals which lodge in the joints, giving rise to inflammation and the very severe pain of gout.

Gout is more common in men than in women, although that is not to say that it is unheard of in women. Quite often, women become more prone to attacks after the menopause. Gout is very uncommon in children.

There are two types of gout.

Primary gout…some sufferers have a genetic predisposition to gout. It may be that you are unfortunate enough to inherit this painful condition from a parent.

Secondary gout…this can be caused by certain medicines, notably some antibiotics, diuretics, (quite often used in the management of hypertension, and heart disease) and aspirin.
Some foods may trigger an attack of gout in susceptible people, especially foods containing high levels of a substance called purine. (which increases the levels of uric acid in the blood.) Foods for the gout sufferer to avoid include high-protein foods such as liver, anchovies, brains, kidney, sweetbreads, herring, mussels, sardines and meat extracts.
As far as alcohol is concerned, the jury is still out. Beer is thought to be a trigger, and spirits and red wine to a somewhat lesser extent. Other experts say that alcohol in moderation is fine. And that does seem to be the key…moderation! Excessive imbibing of alcohol may well trigger an attack.

SYMPTOMS

Although the big toe is a prime target for gout, almost any other joint can be affected…elbows, knees, wrists and fingers. In some cases, crystals of uric acid can form under the skin and often on the lobes of the ea
rs. These look like little white pimples and are called tophi (toe-fee)
The tremendous inflammation around the joint is what causes the pain, and I am reliably informed that the pain is exquisite…described by hubby as like raging toothache, only worse. During an acute attack, the patient is unable to bear even the slightest pressure on the joint, not even a single bed sheet. I had to construct a sort of cage to lift the sheet off hubby’s foot. I was also applying cold, wet handkerchiefs to his foot, and watching in amazement as they dried out right away.

DIAGNOSIS

If you suspect that you have gout, but have not had an attack before, it is imperative that you consult a doctor. Hubby’s gout was confirmed by x-ray and a blood test, which showed that he did have raised levels of uric acid in his blood. Another test often used is where the doctor uses a syringe to withdraw fluid from around the affected joint (synovial fluid.) This is then examined under a microscope for the tell-tale crystals of urate (uric acid salts) This test does sound scary, but really, it is no more painful than having a blood test.

TREATMENT

Obviously, your doctor’s first concern will be to treat the acute attack and relieve the pain. The usual treat is for the doctor to prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of which there are a number of options. Ibuprofen is an excellent choice but do avoid aspirin as this may actually increase the severity of the attack (aspirin increases levels of uric acid in the blood.) Paracetamol is not much use, as it lacks the ability to reduce inflammation. Whatever treatment you are given, always follow your doctor’s advice regarding dosage and reports any adverse side effects at once. Possible side effects of NSAIDs may include indigestion, dizziness, headache, rashes and nausea.

FOLLOW UP TREATMENT

Some people may experience one attack of gout and then not have
another attack for years. Others may be unlucky enough to suffer recurrent attacks. Your doctor may prescribe long-term drug treatment to reduce the level of uric acid in the bloodstream, or treatment aimed at flushing out the excess uric acid via the kidneys. The drug prescribed for my hubby was allopurinol, which is very safe and can be taken daily as a preventative measure. Gout is an eminently treatable condition and complications (such as kidney problems) can be avoided so long as the patient takes the doctor’s advice.

SELF HELP MEASURES

Patients can do much to help themselves, and if these measures are taken in conjunction with prescribed treatments, the prognosis for most patients is very good. As well as avoiding, or restricting, the foods mentioned earlier, it is vital to keep up your fluid intake.and yes, what better than good old water? Drinking several glasses of water every day will help to dilute the urine and flush uric acid out of the body.
If you are overweight, as many gout sufferers tend to be, losing the excess avoirdupois can only have a beneficial effect. This is especially true if you also suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure) as this is a double whammy, given that some blood pressure treatments can raise levels of uric acid (e.g. diuretics)
If gout affects your foot, take care not to wear tight fitting shoes, which pinch.
Avoid injury or knocks to your joints, as gout tends to strike at previously traumatised joints.
It is also thought that stress and fatigue can trigger an attack in those prone to gout, so try to look after your health in general.
Charcoal tablets have been shown to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood, and some sufferers swear by a handful of fresh cherries every day (which taste a lot nicer, too.)

SUPPORT

If you, or someone close to you, suffer from gout, you may find the following groups helpful:

Arthritis Care Helpline 0808 800 4050 <
br> www.arthritiscare.org.uk

Arthritis Research Campaign 01246 558033
www.arc.org.uk

Finally, if you are suffering from gout and someone laughs at you, just quote the following from an eighteenth century doctor describing the typical gout sufferer.

…”more rich than poor…more wise than fools….”

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