Gout
Matt M
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 490
Gout
Has anyone suffered from this?
I've read up on it and although alcohol may not be a direct cause, it seems to be mentioned a fair bit.
Although they say it's mainly from beer and for the last several years my problem has generally been cider and spirits.
But I haven't drank in 4 days now and on Monday my right toe/foot started aching. Now it's swollen up and the pain is pretty awful
Especially at night. I got up at 4am this morning and had to wrap it in a wet flannel.
To be honest i'm not even sure if it's gout (i'm seeing my GP tomorrow morning) but i'm 90% sure it is.
I've read journalists on line saying it's a horrific pain, with one GP who had given birth four times, saying it's a worse pain than child birth.
I wouldn't go that far. But then again I haven't given birth. And maybe I just have a high pain threshold!
Anyone else suffered?
I've read up on it and although alcohol may not be a direct cause, it seems to be mentioned a fair bit.
Although they say it's mainly from beer and for the last several years my problem has generally been cider and spirits.
But I haven't drank in 4 days now and on Monday my right toe/foot started aching. Now it's swollen up and the pain is pretty awful
Especially at night. I got up at 4am this morning and had to wrap it in a wet flannel.
To be honest i'm not even sure if it's gout (i'm seeing my GP tomorrow morning) but i'm 90% sure it is.
I've read journalists on line saying it's a horrific pain, with one GP who had given birth four times, saying it's a worse pain than child birth.
I wouldn't go that far. But then again I haven't given birth. And maybe I just have a high pain threshold!
Anyone else suffered?
Enjoying Recovery
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Scotland
Posts: 110
Not personally but I've met plenty of people who have (all alcoholics).
Your doctor will be able to tell whether it's gout or not by the way you walk in the room, so you'll know soon enough.
Your doctor will be able to tell whether it's gout or not by the way you walk in the room, so you'll know soon enough.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 318
Yea its good to get some blood work done when the gout is acting up. It was about 1 week after I had quit drinking (and I was a spirit drinker) that my foot just started hurting, and swelling. I couldn't even walk on it. It eventually went away and then I had blood work done and there was no signs of gout. GP told me to come again when it is acting up.
I know I have it as my dad has it and my grandfather had it. I noticed that it only acts up when I eat heavy protein and not enough fresh fruit.
I know I have it as my dad has it and my grandfather had it. I noticed that it only acts up when I eat heavy protein and not enough fresh fruit.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
Yes Gout is terrible pain. Mine used to flare up when I quit drinking. Then I'd start drinking again and it would be better. When I quit drinking for good, it flared up again but got a lot better with medication and staying sober. I rarely have issues with it these days.
Matt M
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 490
I had a doctors appointment booked for tomorrow morning anyway, so I can hobble in tomorrow and say "before we start, guess what's wrong with me now!".
I'm interested to see how bad the pain gets before the morning. The worst pain i've ever had is still a toothache tho.
I'm interested to see how bad the pain gets before the morning. The worst pain i've ever had is still a toothache tho.
Mini Novel Post Writer
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
My husband has it and it's bad. Oddly enough he isn't an alcoholic, in fact, he rarely drinks.
I have never seen someone in so much agony in all of my life. What makes it worse is that there aren't any painkillers for it. He takes Celebrex and has to wait for it to break up the crystals that have formed in the joint. Lately he's been getting flare ups every single week. The next thing is for him to try Alfurinol (sp?) which I take it controls the uric acid in the kidney's so that the crystals can't form.
Good luck and I hope that you find out that it isn't gout!
I have never seen someone in so much agony in all of my life. What makes it worse is that there aren't any painkillers for it. He takes Celebrex and has to wait for it to break up the crystals that have formed in the joint. Lately he's been getting flare ups every single week. The next thing is for him to try Alfurinol (sp?) which I take it controls the uric acid in the kidney's so that the crystals can't form.
Good luck and I hope that you find out that it isn't gout!
Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by LadyBlue0527 
My husband has it and it's bad. Oddly enough he isn't an alcoholic, in fact, he rarely drinks.
I have never seen someone in so much agony in all of my life. What makes it worse is that there aren't any painkillers for it. He takes Celebrex and has to wait for it to break up the crystals that have formed in the joint. Lately he's been getting flare ups every single week. The next thing is for him to try Alfurinol (sp?) which I take it controls the uric acid in the kidney's so that the crystals can't form.
Good luck and I hope that you find out that it isn't gout!
I have never seen someone in so much agony in all of my life. What makes it worse is that there aren't any painkillers for it. He takes Celebrex and has to wait for it to break up the crystals that have formed in the joint. Lately he's been getting flare ups every single week. The next thing is for him to try Alfurinol (sp?) which I take it controls the uric acid in the kidney's so that the crystals can't form.
Good luck and I hope that you find out that it isn't gout!
Its not 100% caused by being an alcoholic, but being an alcoholic sux in its own rite. My grandfather never drank, EVER and he had gout.
My dad takes 1 simple pill every morning and it hasn't acted up in 10 years.
So its a simple cure.
as a sober contributor
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: California
Posts: 1,312
I know that pain well....
Hi Matt,
I had a MAJOR Gout attack happening when I finally decided to quit drinking. It had been 3 months since I had been able to put a shoe on that foot. I was in COMPLETE denial that it was related to my beer consumption. Then I did some research online and found that beer is high in purines and purines cause Uric Acid to be produced at higher levels than normal. High Uric Acid levels cause Gout Attacks. Other things high in purines include, Prawns and Shellfish, Red Meat and even certain vegetables. Ice and Ibuprofen gave me some relief but it took time to reduce my Uric Acid levels.
That pain was enough to convince me to stop drinking and while it took a couple weeks for the attack to stop and my foot to return to normal, I have not had a single attack since then.
WebMD has a good page on Gout, check it out.
Good Luck to you!
I had a MAJOR Gout attack happening when I finally decided to quit drinking. It had been 3 months since I had been able to put a shoe on that foot. I was in COMPLETE denial that it was related to my beer consumption. Then I did some research online and found that beer is high in purines and purines cause Uric Acid to be produced at higher levels than normal. High Uric Acid levels cause Gout Attacks. Other things high in purines include, Prawns and Shellfish, Red Meat and even certain vegetables. Ice and Ibuprofen gave me some relief but it took time to reduce my Uric Acid levels.
That pain was enough to convince me to stop drinking and while it took a couple weeks for the attack to stop and my foot to return to normal, I have not had a single attack since then.
WebMD has a good page on Gout, check it out.
Good Luck to you!
Guest
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Somewhere in Wisconsin
Posts: 661
I have had gout for 8 years. Huge beer drinker all my life. The attacks were happening more frequently and in severity. Found out that beer is the worst alcoholic drink you can drink regarding gout. I quit drinking beer 3 years ago and switched to wine. The attacks went way down, but I still get attacks. I was just in the hospital last week and my gout has attacked both feet and both elbows. My uric acid count was at 9. Now that I'm trying to quit drinking (have tapered greatly the last few days) the gout is getting worse. Woke up today with gout in my knee after drinking the fewest number of drinks I have ever had in 13 years. My dad had gout and was not a drinker. Both my brothers have gout and they don't drink either. It's a hereditary thing that only can be controlled through meds and diet. I do believe alcohol makes it worse though.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Somewhere USA
Posts: 238
I used to have bad gout. It would flare up regardless of what food, or what alcohol I did or didn't drink. About 15 years ago I was prescribed 300mg tabs of Allopurinol daily. Haven't had one gout attach since. It's a miracle drug.
Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: U.S.
Posts: 130
I know 1 person who has it and this person is an alcoholic who drinks beer and vodka. It sounds horrible and he can barely walk. (But then his life is horrible in so many other ways, too, because of drinking.) It's worse when he's drinking more. It cleared up when he went to detox, but it's back now that he's drinking again. He takes medication for it. I can't imagine that would be good on the stomach in addition to the havoc the alcohol does to it, too. That might be why he ended up getting rushed to the hospital from almost bleeding to death from his stomach.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 33
Cherry juice for gout
I don't suffer from gout, but I've started juicing (Day 3) and I was looking at juicing recipes and came across this Cherry Juice Cures Gout and Kidney Stones? | Fit Juice
(excerpt from URL)
"Our study included 633 individuals with gout. Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. Cherry extract intake showed a similar inverse association. The effect of cherry intake persisted across subgroups stratified by sex, obesity status, purine intake, alcohol use, diuretic use, and use of antigout medications. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than during periods without either exposure."
Maybe worth a try for those suffering from this painful condition.
(excerpt from URL)
"Our study included 633 individuals with gout. Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. Cherry extract intake showed a similar inverse association. The effect of cherry intake persisted across subgroups stratified by sex, obesity status, purine intake, alcohol use, diuretic use, and use of antigout medications. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than during periods without either exposure."
Maybe worth a try for those suffering from this painful condition.
Mini Novel Post Writer
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
Originally Posted by BikerAcct
I used to have bad gout. It would flare up regardless of what food, or what alcohol I did or didn't drink. About 15 years ago I was prescribed 300mg tabs of Allopurinol daily. Haven't had one gout attach since. It's a miracle drug.
Mini Novel Post Writer
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,649
Originally Posted by LucilleBluth
I don't suffer from gout, but I've started juicing (Day 3) and I was looking at juicing recipes and came across this Cherry Juice Cures Gout and Kidney Stones? | Fit Juice
(excerpt from URL)
"Our study included 633 individuals with gout. Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. Cherry extract intake showed a similar inverse association. The effect of cherry intake persisted across subgroups stratified by sex, obesity status, purine intake, alcohol use, diuretic use, and use of antigout medications. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than during periods without either exposure."
Maybe worth a try for those suffering from this painful condition.
(excerpt from URL)
"Our study included 633 individuals with gout. Cherry intake over a 2-day period was associated with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared with no intake. Cherry extract intake showed a similar inverse association. The effect of cherry intake persisted across subgroups stratified by sex, obesity status, purine intake, alcohol use, diuretic use, and use of antigout medications. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol use, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than during periods without either exposure."
Maybe worth a try for those suffering from this painful condition.
as a sober contributor
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: California
Posts: 1,312
Knudsen Black Cherry Juice
Most grocery stores carry this juice. Whole Foods and other natural food stores will have it. When I was still having Gout attacks, this would help.
I had completely forgotten about this, since I have not had another attack since I quit drinking beer.
For some reason the Black Cherry Juice supposedly works the best for Gout.
I had completely forgotten about this, since I have not had another attack since I quit drinking beer.
For some reason the Black Cherry Juice supposedly works the best for Gout.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 199
My dad had terrible gout attacks and he rarely drank. He was a tough Marine vet who rarely acted like anything hurt. But when he had a gout attack he moaned in pain. My daughter is a podiatric surgeon and sees it in her practice all the time. Says it's extremely painful. Diet and alcohol can trigger an attack. Uric acid is the culprit. Did your Dr. give you a list of foods and drinks to avoid? If not google it and make sure to avoid those things in your diet in addition to taking the meds you've been prescribed. Beer is a big culprit in gout attacks. Also avoid eating beans. Green beans, kidney, pintos, etc.
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