This discussion is quite old, and has lost it’s focus.

I will close it now, but please feel free to continue discussing big toe pain, or any other aspects of gout, in the gout forum.

I am 20 years old and believe I have gout. It doesn’t run in my family from what I know.
My story:

I was on a night out and drank quite alot, 15 pints of beer. I was sitting down outside having a chat and then stood up to go home, it felt like I had massive cramp in my big toe, I tred to wriggle it out, it wouldn’t work. I hobbled home in pain and disillusion as to where this came from.
I went to bed but found it hard to sleep, I had to keep my foot outside the cover.
When I woke up in the morning it felt like someone had crushed my toe and pulled it out of it’s socket. I got downstairs and told my mom I thought I’d broke my toe – she looked at it and she said it looked ok. It was slightly red and maybe slightly swollen, but both were very marginal if at all, I told her I didn’t kick anything, fall over or get stamped on – I didn’t, I never forget what happens even if I’m drunk. Throughout the day the pain has subsided slightly with Ibuprofen but it is still here, I cannot walk because it hurts too much, I can kind of hobble on the outside of my foot. I evidently drank alot and think this is what may have brought it on? I tend to drink that same amount every Friday, I do not drink any other time and I don’t do drugs. I do not eat seafood but I do eat alot of meat. I haven’t been able to go to the doctors as it’s closed for the weekend. I alot of exercise and am well within my BMI for my age and height. I had a cold this week if that may have brought it on? I also was dancing all night and seemed to sweat alot – a reason why I drank so much was because I got so hot.

I don’t know whether I’ve got gout and was wondering if you could tell me from what you’ve read? Also, I’ve read that gout comes back but am a little disillusioned, with what I’ve read on the net – it seems that gout is a disease you have for the rest of your life and even by eating “perfectly” and following all these rules you will still have it but the frequency of attacks will be less. This makes little sense to me as surely if you kept the Uric acid down to a minimum then you can’t get gout (unless you have a kidney problem). Am I wrong in this assumption? Can anyone get gout if they overindulge or is it only the unlucky few who get it – seemingly if they overindulge or not!

Help!

It’s a shame that you are suffering this way. The test for gout is really quite simple, but most GP’s (family / general practice doctors) are not aware of it.

The best thing to do is to consult a rheumatologist, or failing that you might have luck at the emergency unit of your local hospital.

The test is called arthrocentesis, and involves drawing a small amount of fluid from the affected joint. The fluid is examined under microscope, and will show if you have gout or not. In minutes.

The test will also show if you have pseudogout or septic arthritis instead of gout.

I would try to get this test done as soon as possible – i.e. don’t wait for MRI scan results, as those tests are unlikely to be conclusive for gout.

Nice too read what you know.I am only 33 and from thailand but do not know if my dad this had because i am adopted.

I do drink a lot but average 6 cans 33ml beers but drink also a lot of water and eat no chicken anymore but pork and beef.

i try not to eat bread and all the others but these are things that i eat sometimes anyway.
today i had another attack in my right foot just below my big toeand took 2 tablest of colchine .

now after 30 min the pain is a little bit less but not a lot.it started yesterday and during the nite it was the same and then when i got out of bed it was strong.

i tried to leave it but the pain was to intense so my friend bought some colchine.1 every hour is says on the packing.

Last time i had this was 3 months age but far worse coulndt move my right foot in total and had to go the hospital for some injection.

This was the time i got diagnosed aswell but after some reading on the net now i know i quite serious.

I have to back to my room now the pain is very intense and better put my foot down and watch some tv.

thank you ,

Ploi Thailand