There is however a very real and important danger however with thehomeopethetic remedies which is that the quality control that themakers exercises is, well, you said it, likely to be put together bythat same guy who sold it to you. To meke matters worse, with aboutas much care and caution as he exerrcised the last time he washed,which certainly was not today or yesterday, or try last week.

Steroid treatment for gout does work. It works very well and for mecompletely within 24 hours, but you have to be very careful aboutthinking that because your joint does not hurt anymore that you aretherefore free to walk, jump or run on that joint. It is not true andyou can still damage yourself. Your pain is being masked and, assuch, you need to still be very careful with yourself when on steroidtreatment.

I still say, put yourself on 50 mg of allopurinol a day and watch itcarefully.Even 50 mg a day, over a long period of time, might tilt the uratebalance in your favor.

Everyone one makes thier own decisions. Like you I been down that roadand have tried a bunch of “herbal” solutions, not as many as some butenough for me. Anyway, I am for once in my life grateful that I fallinto the “normal” category of people that don’t suffer adversereactions to the conventional allopurinol and colchicinetreatments(okay, does any NOT get the STS on this stuff?).

I basically do everything that would damn me to eternal hell if goutwere a religion. I do want to say that I’m very sympathetic for peoplewho can’t take allopurinol and I’m waiting with much anticipation forsome alternative drugs…who knows…some day soon I may have a badreaction to allopurinol. I want to make sure I have a paddle for mytrip up Shiite creek.

One practice that has more credibility than other alternative practices inmy mind is herbal medicine. Many of the well accepted medicinal ingredientsof today and yesterday, have come directly from herbal remedies. Includedin this list are aspirin, colchicine, ephedrine, morphine . . . and hundredsmore. This doesn’t imply anything about any particular herbal remedy.

So great . . . perhaps there are good herbal medicines. How does thisaffect the typical gout sufferer? Not in any substantial way, I’m afraid.Gout has been a well known disease for many centuries. If there were anherbal treatment for it that was efficacious 100% of the time, wouldn’t itbe likely to be well known? After all, this is often a disease of peoplethat are fairly well off - people who have lots of money to spend onmedicines.

In the end, I have to agree with you that the herbal remedies for gout arenot particularly credible. However, a homeopath is probably just as, ormore likely, to suggest simple life changes (more water, less weight, etc.)as potential treatments for gout. Would either of them suggest thesechanges are the cure for gout? I doubt it. But should either of them becalled snake oil vendors for something like this simple advice? No.

We should give medical professionals the credit they deserve, but only ifthey deserve it. Homeopaths do not deserve to be painted as “pale hairfarmers in hemp shirts.” There are many who have MDs and subsequentspecializations in homeopathic treatments. On the other hand, why not makesure that the homeopath you see actually has credentials, just like youshould do with you medical doctor?

HOWEVER..in ALMOST all of the above that I have come across..readabout/talked to..researched..they use the word “CURE”..and they useit BLATANTLLY!..AND in reference to gout.

NOWHERE! in ANY medical literature..ANY/ANYWHERE is theword “cure” even mentioned..OTHER than the fact that there is NO curefor gout.

I find it GLARING! to say the VERY least..that what does in effectwork..allopurinol.IS/HAS never,EVER been mentioned as a cure.ALL theproponents of allopurinol offer it up as “helps”..NOT cures.

I personally have been cut short/interrupted..sometimesRUDELY..when I have used the word “cure” in discussions withexperts.PERSONALLY I feel that allopurinol is so close to a cure thatit may as well be called one.YES I have locked horns with experts andsaid tell me this statement is NOT TRUE! “Patient x has a gout attack(s)..they take allopurinol..and have NO more problems for the rest oftheir life..are they NOT cured?”..They ALWAYS say..NO they are notcured..becaause they have to continue the treatment.Oh bigdeal..lawyeresque semantics.

If allopurinol..knowing IT’S track record for pretty much fixinggout(in 40 years) can get this rough a ride..THEN knowing snake oilsand their ABYSMAL track record(for 2,500 years)

Surely in all fairness snake oils and it’s proponents should HAVEto say..that there is “ALMOST NO CHANCE that this stuff willwork..but try it anyway.

Even on a level playing field..C’MON..we have something that works(allopurinol) and something that DOESN’T(snake oil).What works CANNOTbe called a “cure”..and VEHEMENTLLY!! especially by THOSE thatadvocate it..the medical community of ALL people.And we have whatDOESN’T work..and THEY get to use and advocate..and advertise..andCLAIM(without proof) and SPOUT OFF that theirs is a “CURE”..

Myself AND others HAVE indeed taken “cures”..did they work?OFCOURSE NOT!..Then we took what was NOT a cure..did it work?..OFCOURSE!

For 15 years 1 day a week I have attended what is basically aBiblical scholar group..there are those there that are into..ALL ofthe above..homeopath(ic),herbal,alternative medicine,snakeoil,diet,religion..YOU NAME it EVERY single type of these people aNDtheir prodcuts that exists has been at this group..some to promotetheir products..indeed there are still those there! I’m SURE they’dlike a plug for their product,websites..

I went down their STUPID!! roads..AND I use the word STUPID!!! foranything..ABSOLUTELY anything related to gout..

YES..I attended meetings with my size 8 1/2feet..hobbling,crippled,barely able to move..my feet SO swollen thatthe ONLY thing that I could wear on my feet were those HUGE felt pacboots with NO liners..NO WAY would a size 14 or 15 fit..OFTEN whatwould happen is that 1 foot would swell..SOOoo the shoe I wore..I’ldend up with the OTHER/WRONG boot on it..and the other foot barefot.. YES I have PLENTY of people that can verify this.I PAID MY GOUTDUES..hobbling in public like a leper..sometimes carrying aboot/shoe..the other foot barefoot.. ASK a friend if she wasn’t MORTIFIED..me..on an elevator with herin the morning..decent people off to work..me..1 footbarefoot..holding a boot..the other foot..maybe winter..wearing theWRONG other shoe/boot..

I DID!!!!!!!! this snake oil crap..and I DID go along with allthat EVIL allopurinol..BAD medicine routine..

THAT IS until I was literally CRIPPLED and in AGONY..AND left withno choice..

I think now pretty much ANYTHING other than allopurinol when itcomes to dealing with gout is under the heading..

From: The Rubayat Of Omar Kyam….”Their words are scattered..ANDall their mouths are stopped with DUST”..

AND..NO I don’t particularlly like snakes(I have a friend thatdoes)..BUT they gotta be given their due.Not many snake bites areaccidental..MOST are caused by improper handling/teasing/hostilitytoward them.Leave snakes alone..they won’t hurt you..leave snake oilalone..it WON’T help you..

 

I was lucky enough some years ago to stumble upon a naturopath who began as a Family MD and then took another 4 years of specialization in naturopathy, from what appeared to be a reputable school.  He was extraordinarily helpful in diagnosing a couple of food allergies that were indeed causing me problems that neither my GP nor I had much understandin of, and I should really go back and see him again.

 

Anyway, as we’ve both learned, everyone should note any medical practitioner’s credentials and check to confirm that the bestowing institution is credible.