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alcohol and gout

Old 03-03-2014, 01:10 PM
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alcohol and gout

Hello all,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster here, wondering if anyone has experience with gout? I had bunion surgery last Nov, surgeon saw the crystals as he was shaving away bone. So I got my blood tested and sure enough the results showed my uric acid level is high - not alarmingly so but still high. I've changed my diet around, started taking a multi-vitamin and black cherry concentrate - all that has helped some but I'm still having bad flareups. I've decided today to finally give up the alcohol - I know beer is particularly bad for gout. Hoping to hear from people that cutting out alcohol entirely helped keep attacks at bay.

I know there are plenty of other good reasons to quit drinking; getting this chronic pain in my feet under control is my big motivation to quit now. No more ambivalence about it. thanks

J
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Old 03-03-2014, 01:45 PM
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Welcome. Good decision. That sounds painful xxxxxx
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Old 03-03-2014, 02:01 PM
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Hi jbass - welcome

I suffer gout very rarely now - like maybe 3, 4 times in the last seven years? it's never as bad or as long lasting as it used to be.

I think not drinking, or smoking and having a healthier diet and more physical activity in my life have all helped

D
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Old 03-03-2014, 02:05 PM
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Quitting is essential for gout. The key for gout is to not let it get worse. Booze makes it worse big time, especially red wine.
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Old 03-03-2014, 02:10 PM
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Good Call

I had a massive gout attack that prompted me to stop drinking. I know the pain you speak of well and endured it for about 4 months. I was in COMPLETE denial that my beer consumption was causing the problem but since I stopped drinking, and that attack ended, I have been 100% pain free.

Beer is loaded with Purines and Purines cause Uric Acid buildup. There are also several foods that are high in Purines... Prawns, Shrimp and Red Meat can also cause gout attacks.

Just so you don't get discouraged.... when you stop drinking (and after modifying your diet) the uric acid does not magically disappear. It can actually cause a flare up initially, but it will pass and soon you will also be pain free. Try Black Cherry juice to help with uric acid as well.

Check out Web MD for more info on gout and it's causes.

Good Luck!
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Old 03-03-2014, 03:56 PM
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I used to have massive gout attacks. They happened regardless of if i was drinking or not. My family on my father's side has a history of bad gout, and neither my father nor grandfather were drinkers. During my previous sober period , I still had attacks.

Didn't matter how I changed my diet, what I ate or didn't, like clockwork I'd have 3 or 4 attacks during a year. I know that beer and alcohol certainly didn't help matters, and that quitting drinking was the best thing I've ever done regardless of the gout, still. for me, it wasn't until I got on a daily dose of Allupurinol that the gout attacks stopped.

I haven't had one in over 13 years now. I am literally afraid to stop taking the pill because I don't want that horrible gout pain ever again. Thankfully the pills are safe and very inexpensive.
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Old 03-03-2014, 04:02 PM
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Hi, JBass -
I don't have direct experience with gout. I hope you find relief from it by not drinking. Also - I hope you find all the other pleasures of a sober life over and above the gout issue. Life can be really great without alcohol.

Glad you're here!
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Old 03-03-2014, 04:20 PM
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Hi my husband suffered with gout and found red meat or/and alcohol flared it up. We found that pineapple juice or fresh pineapple kept it at bay. Also, now he has cut red meat and alcohol from his diet which, for him, seemed to help.

The pills the doc gave him were excellent but unfortunately he suffered with bad side effects which were as painful as the gout, which fortunately forced the need for the better diet.
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Old 03-03-2014, 04:27 PM
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Welcome to the family.
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Old 03-03-2014, 05:50 PM
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Originally Posted by KateL View Post
Welcome. Good decision. That sounds painful xxxxxx
thank you Kate

oh yeah, it feels like a hundred burning needles pricking the bones in all the joints of both feet. I get flareups in the middle of the night a lot, wakes me right out of a dead sleep.
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Old 03-03-2014, 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Dee74 View Post
Hi jbass - welcome

I suffer gout very rarely now - like maybe 3, 4 times in the last seven years? it's never as bad or as long lasting as it used to be.

I think not drinking, or smoking and having a healthier diet and more physical activity in my life have all helped

D
appreciate the welcome D, looking forward to getting to know folks around here

my current attack has been burning for about 2 weeks now. this last weekend whiskey bender sure hasn't helped. no more.
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Mek2 View Post
Quitting is essential for gout. The key for gout is to not let it get worse. Booze makes it worse big time, especially red wine.
copy that. I was honest about my consumption, avg a 6 pack and pint of whiskey daily, the podiatrist only recommended I cut back. I walked away with the assumption it was more important to avoid certain meats and seafood than alcohol. only took me 5 minutes on google to learn that was backward.
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:13 PM
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causing the problem but since I stopped drinking, and that attack ended, I have been 100% pain free.[/QUOTE]

jackpot, that was what I was hoping to hear. thank you my friend. knowing I can get rid of this pain by cutting out alcohol is a weapon against the AV - when I crave a drink, I remember the gout.



Originally Posted by Hope4Life View Post
Just so you don't get discouraged.... when you stop drinking (and after modifying your diet) the uric acid does not magically disappear. It can actually cause a flare up initially, but it will pass and soon you will also be pain free. Try Black Cherry juice to help with uric acid as well.
got it. I'm taking the black cherry concentrate a few times a day now - it's actually the most effective remedy for me in the moment when the pain flares ... works much faster than ibuprofen. I've heard pantothenic acid (B5) is good for removing the crystals, need to ask my doc about that
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by BikerAcct View Post
I used to have massive gout attacks. They happened regardless of if i was drinking or not. My family on my father's side has a history of bad gout, and neither my father nor grandfather were drinkers. During my previous sober period , I still had attacks.

Didn't matter how I changed my diet, what I ate or didn't, like clockwork I'd have 3 or 4 attacks during a year. I know that beer and alcohol certainly didn't help matters, and that quitting drinking was the best thing I've ever done regardless of the gout, still. for me, it wasn't until I got on a daily dose of Allupurinol that the gout attacks stopped.

I haven't had one in over 13 years now. I am literally afraid to stop taking the pill because I don't want that horrible gout pain ever again. Thankfully the pills are safe and very inexpensive.
I got it from my father's side too.

I sure hope to avoid medication. will get my blood tested again before long and cross my fingers that the uric acid level has come down from better diet and no booze.
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:20 PM
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Hi there, i had my first attack of it after a 5 day bender and it was horrible. This was about 7 months ago. I stopped drinking for a few days, drunk loads of water as i had only beer in me for the five days ,so was dehydrated alot. I also ate some grapes that i read would help and the swelling went down after about 5 days. Luckily i didnt get it again. Mainly as im 63 days without alcohol at the moment. A Good diet and no alcohol is the best way to keep it away/improve it. GOOD LUCK
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Old 03-03-2014, 07:46 PM
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Originally Posted by jbass View Post
I got it from my father's side too.

I sure hope to avoid medication. will get my blood tested again before long and cross my fingers that the uric acid level has come down from better diet and no booze.
My Uric Acid level remains on the high side no matter what I did with my diet, kinda like people who eat all the right foods and still need Statins to keep the cholesterol in check. Genetic I guess.

The allopurinal runs me about 26 bucks for a 90 day supply without insurance. 10 bucks for 90 days with. So, for me, it's a no brainer. I know if I stop, I'll get an attack again. The plus side is, I can eat what I want when I'm on this medication. Never had an attack since I've started taking it. Though, I generally eat pretty good anyway.

Good luck
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Old 03-05-2014, 09:15 AM
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I found the only way to deal with this disease is to have balance diet, especially lowering the intake of protein from meats, not eating shellfish and keeping in check beer and alcohol all together. Drinking water and concentrated cherry juice at least 3x a day.
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Old 03-11-2014, 02:50 PM
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Gout is one of my old friends!!! I'm hoping Ill be able to get off the allopurinol after a few months of sober life. It is most of your troubles, im not a doctor I'm living proof
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Old 03-11-2014, 03:13 PM
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thanks everyone for the feedback. my feet definitely feel a lot better than they did a week ago. had a slip last weekend, but otherwise 7 of last 9 days have been alcohol free which I'm sure is going a long way toward relief. I added 500mg of B5 supplement to the multivitamin I started taking too, hope that makes a difference going forward.
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Old 03-11-2014, 03:49 PM
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I will never quit trying if I fail and fail again. Glad your
gout is better I know that pain all too well.
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