Gout

[martint235]

I've heard about the possible link to yeast extract (which corresponds to drinking lots of lager too I suppose) but apart from beer I've never been a particular fan of yeast.

I'll be seeing how things go with the sugar reduction, then as I say brown bread is next on the list.

 

[PK99]

I have been on daily Allopurinol for the last 3 years, prior to that I was suffering a serious gout attack every 2-3 months. I figured that daily medication was better than joint damage following each attack. I don't fit the profile of what gout sufferers used to be pidgeon holed as - I am 6ft and 75kg.

I never got to the bottom of the cause of my gout though I did try a lot of elimination stuff,.

Genetic predisposition is the root cause.

Yep, marimte/yeast extract is a trigger for some - but not foe me, fortunately as cheese, cucumber and marmite sandwiches are to die for

 

[Dommo]

I've suffered from gout over the past five years and the main trigger I've found is dehydration. I can't stress enough how much of a difference it makes to knock back a few litres of water each day... Another important point, fizzy drinks have loads of CO2 which is acidic but I also found that diet versions of these drinks are far worse... After I suspected it, I swapped from Coke Zero to full fat Coke (and dropped the amount) and found it lessened the attacks considerably. Nowadays I try to avoid fizzy drinks in general - except beer and cider - another point there - Cider is much more gout-friendly than beer.

I'm of the same mind that I'm trying to avoid allupurinol since I do seem to be *mostly* able to control it by ensuring I stay well hydrated. If I detect the tinglings of a flare up I hit it with NSAIDs.

 

[martint235]

Cider is much more gout-friendly than beer.

.

While I was still drinking I did look into these things. Guinness is apparently the worst thing you could drink if you suffer gout. Cider is very good though, very little purines and yet enough fluid to keep all the plumbing ticking over at a healthy rate.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Gout is a really distressing condition that Is often assumed to be caused by indulgent living. As has already been indicated dehydration will trigger gout which is caused by build up of uric acid. So as alcohol causes dehydration it is best avoided.....or at least mitigated. By this I mean work on the basis that if you drink 2 pints of beer you will pee out 3 - so aim to drink at least a pint of water for each 2 of beer. This is not very exacting and different beers have different alcohol contents - so just a rule of thumb. Apply the same for other alcoholic drinks. The biggest cause of gout that I add are diuretic tablets such as Furosemide....same effect of causing dehydration. So bearing this in mind think about your hydration regime when out on your bike.....and don't make the mistake of thinking you don't need to hydrate in the winter months....all that steam coming from your breath is moisture lost! Allopurinol is quite effective at preventing attacks of gout....but paradoxically can worsen an attack if initiated during a flare up. The rule is, if already on it stay on it...but if not already on it, don't start it until the attack has resolved. Non steroidal medicines such as Diclofenac or Ibuprofen are very good at damping down an attack of gout but these Medicines are very acidic and can lead to gastric ulceration so should not be taken long term unless prescribed for a chronic condition. Hope this is helpful....

 

[Enigma2008]

I had an attack in my second toe just over a year ago. Not nice at all. After the customary research into the triggers it would seem I hit most of them just before the attack.
A hilly time trial on Sunday morning, fructose in the event and post event drink, beer in the evening followed by red wine with dinner which was a lovely Lamb Shank (red meat) all of which contributed to dehydration of some degree. Early hours of Monday morning, ignored niggly pain in toe and got up for a pee!!!
That was it folks, no more sleep that night, trip to A&E next day thought I'd broken my toe somehow. Sent to Docs for blood test and pain killers, two weeks later the diagnosis was 'probably gout', without drawing fluid from the inflamed joint a firm diagnosis isn't possible. Bugger that!!

 

[PK99]

That was it folks, no more sleep that night, trip to A&E next day thought I'd broken my toe somehow. Sent to Docs for blood test and pain killers, two weeks later the diagnosis was 'probably gout', without drawing fluid from the inflamed joint a firm diagnosis isn't possible. Bugger that!!

my GP said that a good diagnostic tool for gout is to lie the patient on the bed and the doctor moves his hands toward the sore bit - if it is gout the patient flinches long before the hands are anywhere near the sore bit!

 

[martint235]

my GP said that a good diagnostic tool for gout is to lie the patient on the bed and the doctor moves his hands toward the sore bit - if it is gout the patient flinches long before the hands are anywhere near the sore bit!

You've not met my doctor. I tend to flinch even when I've just got a cold!

Seriously, gout is very, very, very, very, very, very painful!!

 

[ASC1951]

I've had three crippling attacks in the last five years. i'd never had it before, nor had any relatives. In my case dehydration and excessive protein tipped me over the edge, but a change in diet plus losing a few pounds has seen me gout-free for nearly two years and possibly forever.
As KP99 says, it's fundamentally a genetic predisposition. So if you are marginal, as I was, a normal weight and diet should see it off, without resort to any magic/Satan food mumbo jumbo. If your genes are against you, though, you can alleviate the symptoms but it is an incurable condition. Useful summary here, of course http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gout/Pages/Introduction.aspx

 

[PK99]

Seriously, gout is very, very, very, very, very, very painful!!

You are understating it!

 

[SteveBM]

Fellow gout sufferer here, although I haven't had an attack for 3+ years now

My "cure" is Cherry Active tablets, taken in a high dose shortly before and during an attack and 2-3 tablets per week at other times. In common with others, dehydration is my trigger. I try to drink 6 pints of water per day as well as alcohol only in moderation

I've also found that shoes/trainers with poor instep/insole support are a cause too, so get seine moulded insoles, which are readily available on the web

I can really sympathise with you. I know how painful this is for you. I hope what works for me might work for you too