GoutPal Interactive

Post edited 10:33 am – July 10, 2009 by trev

I've finally got round to adding a pic of that last attack on Flikr for reference and some notes if they show up.

I know feet aren't pretty but the info is hopefully useful !

Yes, It's quite strange when you look at what your own body has done with itself!

I suppose it was about 5 years ago [my early 60's] whenthe first twinges started, and it was a while before I got an attack proper. Always brought on by beer drinking- naturally enough.

I love real ale- a prerequisite for suffering in the Gout game :)

Yeah, I knew you meant water- but on holiday you need a few naughties so I was giving tacit permission- especially now you corrected me and you're nothing like as Baaad as presumed ;)

I sincerely hope you have a better run this time anyway- enough frights already!

When life gets tedious – it's good to look at an old Gout pic- very nice not to have one going on!

The nail is an old injury which walking boots tends to kick in and maker the nail come off.

Thanks for your concern. I don't think there is any infection.

My foot is almost back to normal now- going on a 6 miler today- so if the boots play up ( can't get away with sandals with recent rain)- I'll chop the distance.

Onwards and sideways :)

The nail got stamped on years ago in a scrap.

It sometimes gets stressed on a walk (right where the boots bend) when the nail discolours at the quick a bit and then it comes off!.The new nail will look & be OK for a while then it will probably happen again. Not sure what the weakness is, I just think wherever the nail grows from is vulnerable in some way.The nail still carries striations on the outer side from being crushed- as it has trouble forming well, but otherwise is no real problem.

Makes a change from Gout!

Post edited 7:25 pm – July 28, 2009 by trev

Docs? I doubt you will have a penpusher- they have to be a bit more engaged that that in a hospital setting.

If he's really young he will have an 'old fox' lurking behind and will disapear that way if the going gets tough- At least he will be fresh on training but as Gout is  still recovering from Henry VIIIs' bad image- that isn't saying much

My last visit to a hospital consultant drew the comment that treatment (for High BP) was a bit hit and miss- & I appreciated his honesty. I would say Gout is a better bet for a result on that score.

I was only there because another [and younger, non GP]  Dr. liistened to me and booked me in for serious tests- it didn't go down well with the lead man!

Taking an interest in your condition is a good thing, there is occasional arrogance in the medical profession and not quite enough compassion or humility – though I don't envy their position between the Gov't and Pharma.  The pay must help a bit!

If you blow a few beers, that should do the trick- then you'll be sorry just like the rest of us VG!

follow with a prawn curry, of course!

-but great you got the walks exercise in successfully…

A long wait for a painful condition- any chance you can do a private Rhuematologist, as GP recommends?

In the meantime, stick to sandals with soft foamy velcro straps that can be let out a lot, with thick socks -and never mind the odd stares. [OK- if it rains you need some backup]

I go on group walks where substandard footwear is ignored totally

At least it's summer, sort of.

+Black Bean Broth !

Post edited 9:49 pm – July 28, 2009 by vegetarianGuy

I edited my post zip2play, sorry I meant blood uric acid reading is always between 7to9mg/dL.  Yes I am a vegetarian but my dad has Gout so that could easily cancel my good veg diet benefits no?

Yes I agree that with acute Gout I would be in severe pain and definitely not able to hike like I did. My non professional theory is that my excellent diet might be helping me not to cross into acute Gout land….YET. I feel the dam will eventually burst though.

Ok here are the facts once again, might as well recap as I have to explain it to the specialist next month-

F1- Last 4 months I have constant unexplained pain in my left toe with occasional 5-10% swelling. Swelling not always there though but low to mid level pain has been there for the entire 4 month period. No pause.

F2- Blood uric acid readings always between 7-9mg/dL. These include readings taken at my GP's place and using my home test kit.

F3- I feel strange sensation in my right toe too but no direct pain like the in the left toe yet. The general sensation is similar though.

F4- GP's initial diagnosis was that I have just over stretched my joint without me knowing how. X-ray of left toe shows no bone break or any bone erosion. My knee X-rays for somethimg unrelated also shows perfect bones with no wear or tear.

Three months on GP does not know  why the pain does not go away and has refered me to hospital Rheumatologist.

GP now thinks that it's possible that maybe I have crystal forming which is causing the pain.

F5-  I visited a Rheumatologist  privately before and he said that in his opinion I don't have acute Gout. He does not exactly know why I have pain and that I should continue exercising etc as normal but just not bend the toe The best he said he could do is give me second appointment to  come back in September and test my blood uric acid levels. I cancelled that appointment as I have appointment next month with specialist at the hospital.

F6- Yes I am vegetarian, extremelly fit and have had  a very good diet for almost 10 years now. I have not touched meat, sea food, oily stuff, soft drinks, sweets etc for many many years. My dad has Gout though.

F7- I have full range of motion in my toes. The pain feels deep inside the toe joint and not on the surface. I can rub the toe surface without  any oohh! arghh! type of pain.

F8- I am lost!

Post edited 10:49 pm – July 28, 2009 by Tavery

I am just gonna throw this out there….

My wife had foot surgery recently to remove a cyst inside her big toe (and do a bunionectomy at the same time). It was growing between joints causing a lot of pressure (and pain!) that helped form the bunion. The cyst never showed up on x-rays but was found using a combination of MRI and pulling crap out with a needle and testing it for that specifically.

I am no expert…but for the vast majority of people, gout comes and goes. You sound like it never goes away. Just because someone's uric readings are always elevated doesnt automatically mean that they have gout. Your father having gout makes you more likely to be susceptible if you let your diet go to hell and you got fat – but that doesnt mean you have gout now.

Feel free to call me wrong – but if it was me, I wouldnt stop looking for answers outside the gout arena. Cysts, pinched blood vessels, pinched minor nerve, toe dislocation improperly reset, scar tissue from an old injury, torn ligament and other things all could cause constant pain in a toe and not show up on an x-ray.

Do you have flat feet? Do you have circulation problems in your feet (numbness, hot/cold issues, etc)? In other words, do you have any other issues with your foot/feet we don't know about?

Just trying to provide food for thought. Sometimes a discarded dianosis will turn out to be right all along.

One last thing…personally, when I have a gout attack it hurts when I touch it. I pretty much do my best to make sure I dont bump it in any way. Even putting on a sock is dreadful. The slightest movement causes pain.

Post edited 2:28 pm – July 29, 2009 by zip2play

veggie,

Since the beginning of time people have suffered BUNIONS. They are painful and progressive and are often thought to be a curse of shoe wearing becasue most shoeless people avoid them. It is a diversion from the big toes natural forward nfacing angle to an inward facing one.  Do a web search, you'll find a million bunion pictures…the cure is surgery if the pain gets brutal. You can imagine that women squeezed into a pointy pair of pointy Manholos suffer them more than men…little known but these shoes were invented by the SPanish Inquisition.

Now think about a long run or hike…with every footfall, the big toe is pushed inwards.

Does your painful toe bend inwards more than the unpainful one.

Does it feel better if you spend a great deal of time barefooted?

Has any doctor said the word BUNION? Try going several days barefooted or with flops.

Does COLCHICINE make the pain stop quickly?

 (To show that I really believe what I am saying, I am the only person in my gym to work the elliptical trainer barefooted…I get funny looks but eventually I will see ANOTHER who thinks tthe same.)

Alas, NOBODY except characters from James Fenmore Cooper can hike barefoooted.

Urea and uric acid…not much relationship. Urea is extremely soluble and represents the final animal breakdown product of nitrogen compounds (I guess mostly proteins.) It becomes of interest as a marker for kidney function…failing kidneys remove less and less and hence, uremic poisoning and death or dialysis.

It has nothing to do with gout or joint pain.

Post edited 8:39 am – August 19, 2009 by vegetarianGuy

Sorry for the delay in writting back.  Just 5 more days to my hospital appointment

Yes Travery I will  post some new photos later today.

Zip2Play-

Does your painful toe bend inwards more than the unpainful one.

Nope. Both look exactly same.

Does it feel better if you spend a great deal of time barefooted?

Not hugely different. My pain is kind of constant with +- 10% fluctuation.

Does COLCHICINE make the pain stop quickly?

Haven't taken any medication so far (apart from creams/balms etc which do nada)

Also my feet are smooth and soft. No peeling of skin….no hardened skin anywhere. Apart from the 5-10% swelling in the toe region. Not very obvious swelling though.

Another interesting thing, for last few weeks my blood uric acid reading is in the 10-11mg/dl level constantly (using home test kit). All readings taken first thing in the morning on empty stomach.

Normally they used to fluctuae between 7 and 9. Now last 5 readings have been between 10 and 11.  Unless it is because of exercise the previous day.

It's baffling that for last 4 months I have constant mid level pain 24/7 .  No super painful attacks like typical Gout sufferers. I can touch the toe easily and rub it without wincing in pain or anything like that. X-ray shows no problems with the bones. Damaged tendon maybe??? I would know if I had hurtthem though!

I am still thinking that Gout is the most likely cause.  Once in a while I feel slight twinge in the right toe as well.