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Too good to last!!!!
after almost 9 weeks without an attack I got one early this morning – centre of left knee. I did decide to not take colchicine in the hopes it didn’t develop but after 4 hours it has steadily got worse so am on the colchicine…..
Been on allopurinol for 33 weeks and was optimistic that now my acid levels are below 300 (281 micrmols 10 days ago) that my woes were behind me. I wonder what caused this – old crystals or something new as I have been having 2 cans of cider every night recently. I will never know of course – just can hope this doesn’t develop and I can partake of my ciders again soon!As promised – had blood test on Tuesday and results of serum urate are 281 micromols/L – a small drop from August but good news? Should I expect it to go even lower or is that value is what it should really be? Are old crystals going to dissolve at this marginal value (ie just below “safe”)?
I have stopped drinking my beloved Stella and drink cider – 2 cans a night.Hi Ron and Keith
yes – been on the allopurinol now for 30 weeks (firstly at 100mg a day and latterly at 200mg). I do sincerely hope and want to believe it is the fact that my acid levels have gone down (287 micromols at last test in August) that is to be attributed and not just how it has worked in the past – ie I could go months without an attack before I started on allopurinol – very random. I am due for another blood test on 13th Oct and will let you know the results.
Thank you for your interest and comments and I wish you well!Thought I’d give an update. I can’t say whether it is down to the allopurinol or not but I haven’t had an attack for 5 weeks (touch wood!) despite having 2 cans (sometimes pints if I am at the pub) of cider a night. Before I started taking allopurinol I could go for months without an attack even with drinnking much more so I cannot rule out anything really. But – just thought I’d let you all know that perhaps cider is the way to go? I miss my Stella but did get convinced that strong lagers were blamed for high purines. My rationalisation that cider could be OK was down to the old wives tale that cider vinegar was good – and surely cider can’t be too different from cider vinegar! Well, I believe it anyway!
Thanks gents for comments – I have been away for a few days and ignored e-mails etc! I will read your input carefully a bit later and comment – thanks
Thanks Ron and Keith for input.
I keep getting told about “old” crystals causing flare-ups and once these have dissolved (once uric acid levels are in safe zone for a while) then these flare-ups should stop. What I cannot get to grips with is where do this old crystals lurk before they decide to cause a problem? Logc tells me that a flare up is caused by a crystal being formed (due to indulgence,temperature etc) and that these crystals form in joints – hence the problems.
IF there are “old” crystals in my blood stream or wherever anyway, why aren’t they causing me problems – can crystals exist without causing problems? Is it these combining factors that cause the old crystals to decide they are going to go for a joint? – whereas before the factors kick in they lurk elsewhere and don’t cause problems?
I know it is a combination of things but surely bottom line is: crystals at joints cause the gout problem.
I took a chance last night – went for a curry with a mate I hadn’t seen for ages and had 2 ciders and 2 glasses of wine and touch wood – so far OK.
Thanks again.I spoke too soon! still not over-indulging but also not taking as many nights off the booze as I have been recently – and BANG – my knee in beeeg gout pain on Wednesday night – still sore and feeling very woozy after starting the colchicine! Just thought I’d let others know that the idea of sticking exclusively to cider is not going as it looked like it was – pity – as I was stating to miss my Stella less and less – now I am going to miss my cider!
Yes Keith – my acid levels come down quite nicely – Doc started me off on 100mg a day and then increased to 200mg (allopurinol) when not enough progress made – still on 200mg and it seems to be doing the trick. I too don’t plan to go overboard with the booze and go back to my previous consumption, which was possibly too much from all points of view – health and gout – I still am a bit wary of wine and lager but seems cider (max 2 pints when I do indulge) is ok – so far anyway – been brave the last 2 weeks and have had about 10 pints a week and probably won’t go higher – but I certainly do savour every drop whereas before I tended to guzzle!
Hello Ron – tha’s good news – the type I want to hear! I too am hoping this is what my situation will eventually become. I was really getting fed up with the idea that even though I take allopurinol I ALSO have to stop drinking altogether. My view is if people keep telling me it is the booze that causes the gout and that I must stop boozing altogether to avoid gout then why I am bothering to take allopurinol too??!! I am hoping the allopurinol regime will eventually let me have a Stella or two a night without fearing a gout attack. Thanks.
Hello Phil (and others of course) – when you say you take readings what exactly do you mean? I was under the impression that home kits were pretty much useless – maybe I have misunderstood what I have gleaned. Are you confident you have confidence in those readings and have you tested compared with ones taken at the same time by say the hospital?
I had 2 stellas last night (first 2 since 2 weeks ago) and so far am fine today. I also went for a blood test today – will get results on Friday. I have started drinking cider as for some twisted (or not) reason I feel that if cider vinegar is supposed to be good then cider itself isn’t too far different! Anyway cider (max 2 if I do indulge) has only been associated with one attack recently but after 2 pints that time I did also have a glass of red wine – 10 hours later the gout came! I am blaming the wine for tipping me over the edge. Otherwise I cannot put an attack down to cider alone when I have had my 2 pints. Unfortunately I cannot say that for stella which I am really really missing!I am on 200mg a day of allopurinol (acid levels about 320 now). I really didn’t get on with colchicine so therefore took/take it as little as possible – only when I was sure an attack was on it’s way – sometimes it seemed to help and other times it seemed to have no impact at all (or possibly the attack may have been even worse witout having taken it – but I’ll never know!).
So I have never taken it as a matter of course/preventative – it seems taking it (I assume) regularly has helped you. Maybe your doc is worried about the fact that it is a poison and doesn’t want you take it unnessecarily?
Good luck and let us know how it works out.Thanks Dorian for the comprehensive reply. As already said I don’t plan to stop alcohol altogether as I really enjoy a stella (just like I am not going to stop other “inflammatory, as are simple carbs, wheat, sugar, and many processed foods” altogether – I plan to learn how much I can tolerate – in fact I have been gout free for 2 weeks so decided to see what happened if I had 2 cans last night – absolute bliss – nectar – one good thing has come from all this – I really do savour the taste now and appreciate every drop!
No ill effects from last night’s stellas – so will give stella break for a week and “indulge” myself once a week with 2 cans and see what happens!
Thanks again – and good luck to you and all fellow afflicted.Just read what I wrote…..not very clear…….
what I am trying to say is surely a few lagers cannot undo all the good work done by swallowing allopurinol for months…..so Dorian – thanks for depressing me!
I am certainly averse to quitting alcohol altogether – don’t get me wrong – when I get a bad gout attack it is BAD – and when I do get it bad I do abstain totally…..
but I really am hoping that when my acid levels have gone down that I can have more than ONE Stella a week.
If alcohol plays SUCH a big role in causing gout why do we bother getting acid levels down (I am talking about people who have linked alcohol to attacks rather than food/hereditary as main cause) – why not just stop drinking alcohol?
What I am trying to ask is this: if acid levels are down then surely moderate alcohol intake should be safe? Surely a few beers against hundreds of pills can’t be equal opposites? I am worried at how unfair it all is if it is a case of taking allopurinal everyday for months and months and then still get an attack when I occasionally have a few Stellas a week?I have been keeping a really comprehensive diary of all that passes my lips in the hope of understanding this very mystery!
My experiences – Lager (love Stella) has I think affected me within hours – of course it could be an accumulation and co-incidence….
The only food where there has been a pattern is when I have been to the local Indian restaurant – twice recently I have had a gout attack the next day. Again it could be a co-incidence of accumulation…
Otherwise my diary has not given me cause to specifically be aware of anything other than those that can be possibly blamed for immediate effects.I used to drink 2 pints of stella every day but now I am brave if I have 2 in a week! I just love stella! I have tried everything and cannot with conviction really say which is the best option for me……
BUT – having kept a diary of all my consumption there is sometimes a link between attacks after I have had a stella (sometimes no effects after 2 and other times BANG after just one).
However – I find cider has not produced the same – so I tend now to drink cider rather than stella – not more than say 10 pints a week but my diary doesn’t show any relation to when I drink cider only and subsequent gout attacks (moderate intake).
Hope that helps?I’m more than fed up – just ending yet another attack.
Colchicine didn’t seem to help much or if it did then thank goodness cos I’d hate to have been in even more pain!
What I am struggling to comprehend is this: my uric acid levels are coming down – almost at 300 level – so I have had the odd drink – not a lot – about same as govt guidelines (21 units a week).
SO – what causes my attacks now – NEW crystals brought on by the (limited) booze or OLD crystals who suddenly decide to congregate at my knee and give me hell.
People go on about old crystals still floating around and these need to dissolve and supposedly will do over time when uric acid levels get below 300.
What I am really asking is this: are my continued attacks caused by old crystals or am I creating new crystals through poor diet (booze) – albeit I am very careful.
thanks for any enlightenment!
BarryAs I am allergic to iboboprofen and similar anti-inflammatories my doc tried me on tramadol for pain ease – took once – NEVER again – had such a bad reaction – was on a tube train on way to London to catch eurostar to France and nearly got off as I went hot and faint and anxious – awful feeling – did pass after a looooong 20 minutes but as said NEVER again.
Hi Keith – haven’t scheduled the next blood test but am seeing my doc in about 10 days time – see what he says. Haven’t had an attack since 04th June! so have been slowly testing my alcohol intake – gin and tonic one night, cider the next, no booze the next and then a Stella or two once a week. I have so far avoided any wine recently – I have been keeping a diary of everything I eat or drink and so far it has been when I have had wine over the previous week that I have had twinges.
Good luck all
BarryHello DEnnis
I started on 100mg allopurinol eventually after also being scared and also waiting to being attack free – so far no problems from allopurinal (now on 200mg).
Colchicine was also prescribed but I really don’t like it and only take it when I get an attack – am learning to spot the signs so take it for 2 days max at a time (total of about 7 or 8 pills) and stop just before the diarrhea sets in. That seems to work.
Good luck!Hi Keith
it was certainly a “mind-opener” as it were!! Soon after the op I retired early and bought a boat! We just love sitting on deck in the warmer months sipping wine with snacks etc, not even taking said boat out of the marina much.
Anyway – point I am making is this: now that I am not working I want to enjoy all aspects but this ***n gout has certainly spoiled things big time recently! I suppose looking on the positive: I don’t swill back the booze like before and now plan my intake very carefully and every Stella I do have is like I would expect nectar to taste – appreciate every single drop!
If I think of anything else that might be helpful I will certainly post here.
Thanks again
regards
BarryMy fears about allopurinol were the possible side-effects. I was resigned to the pain anyway and was prepared to go through this for the ultimate aim of not getting the pain eventually!
I have a history of reacting badly to medication – in fact I am allergic to anti-inflammatories! So when I get a gout attack it is only colchicine (and painkillers) for me – and like most people colchicine makes me very woozy and diarrhea starts on the second day. A few years ago I had minor brain surgery which involved a 50p size hole being cut in my skull – try to imagine NOT being able to take anti-inflammatories after that operation – it was HELL.
So far I have not reacted badly to allopurinol – been on 200mg a day for a week now (after starting on 100mg for 4 months). I am confident the allopurinol is the right way to go. In fact I even have the odd lager (about 3 a week) now and so far so good. Hopefully once the drugs have reduced my acid levels more I can indulge a bit more!I was also apprehensive about starting on allopurinol but took the plunge 4 months ago – Doc started me on 100mg which is the correct way to go about it to see if my body took it OK – turns out I had zero problems – acid levels down a fair amount after but still not in “safe” zone so I am now on 200mg (a week so far) and still no side-effects – so all good so far!
A mate was started on 300mg and has been for ages – his Doc I think is a bit clueless and hasn’t made a point of checking his blood acid levels at all – he reckons the allopurinol has done the trick as he rarely gets gout these days – also zero side-effects for him.
So – I am hopefull all will be fine for you too Dennis.Thanks again for your time Keith.
And sorry if I have muddied the waters for you – or maybe NOT sorry as you confess you like solving problems!
I think I will try to avaoid colchicine but will take it if I get a severe attack – just not willy nilly start a course if I suspect an attack is imminent.
It’s all about finding out what works best.
Thanks again
regards
BarryTrying to understand …..
Now – colchicine supposedly inhibits swelling – is it therefore stopping the white blood cells doing their designed job? and if so then this is bad? does colchicine prevent the white blood cells attacking the crystals? or just the resulting imflammation? I am a bit nervous that I am interfering with my white blood cells by taking colchicine?
thanks again!Thanks Keith!
You obviously have suffered plenty to be taking all this so seriously! Great and keep it up – glad I found this site!
Regards
BarryJust for info
I was put on 100mg allopurinol 15 weeks ago. Have had a fair few flare-ups but managed with colchicine. Blood test results: 381 mumol/l in Jan, 307 in March and recently 327 in June. Doc has now put me on 200mg allopurinol as he says hopefully that will get it to the safe level (<300). Let’s hope it does the trick! From what I gather on here this seems to be the best course of action? comments appreciated.
