Allopurinol and me
I was golfing yesterday and ended up playing with a man who also hasgout. We kind of compared stories (though he’s been suffering for20 years) and when I told him I had just recently had my secondattack; he asked me if I was on allopurinol. I told him that mydoctor told me that if I had more than one outbreak a year, she toldme I should get on it. His advice, though, was that I should be onit as “…I was just waiting on another attack to occur…”.
Granted he’s not a doctor, but he has more of a knowledge of thewhole thing. Any ideas as to what I should do?
He also told me that seafood (oysters, etc.) really set it off andwhen I thought about it, I had raw oysters a few days before my last
Sabina Shamel on September 15th, 2007
After your second attack the chances are 99% that your gout attackswill get more frequent and more intense. Don’t screw around with it.Just insist to your physician that you be put on allopurinol.
Deidra Swarthout on September 17th, 2007
I’m just about to start on allopurinol having been to the pharmacists toget the tablets as my GP has now agreed with me that I should take this.
Any advice from list members as to what I can expect over the next fewdays?
Sabina Shamel on September 17th, 2007
If you are gout free right now and just starting allopurinol, youwill, in all likelyhood, not have to put up with the nusiance of goutagain. You may get another flare up, or two, over the next two tothree months but you should treat a gout attack as you normallywould, with non steroidial anti-inflammatory medication and perhapsculccicine but soon, allopurinol wll stop the gout. Do not, under anycircumstances, stop allopurinol just because you get an attack. Getthrough it and keep the allopurinol going.
Keep in mind that since you are a gout person, you have in your bodya larger amount of uric acid than your system can handle and you needto get rid of it. Even though you are on allopurinol, the allopurinolwill do nothing about the uric acid that is already there in yourbody. You have to remove that uric acid with lots and lots of fluid,preferably water. Years later, when the allopurinol has stopped themanufacture of uric acid and your kidneys have flushed your body ofexcess uric acid you will be able to drink less water but meantime,it’s your only defense.
Terrance Molock on September 17th, 2007
It is a good/EXCELLENT! decision that you made..I would try tostress that you should see this as as NOT something that youjust “try”..but a permanent cure..an end to gout sufferring.And withthis more or less permanent cure..comes a/the price..you can’t go offthis stuff/on/off/quit..you gotta take it every single day.I reallythink it is important for gout sufferers to accept that there isreally very little they could/can do about this disease AND thatallopurinol is the end of the road..the last ditch effort/choice. BUT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT! Is the fact that YOU havetaken control of this monster..YOU have made a choice..to end thisgout garbage..for good!
I’m not being negative/pessimistic..of course not..but my friendmake no mistake..you are gonna be tempted..tempted when you have beengout free for long enough..tempted when someone else says that theyused a snake oil or something..tempted when you feel drugdependant.The temptation will be to quit/give upallopurinol.Allopurinol pretty much ends gout.And if you go offit..it comes back worse.
It is a very wise choice that you have made..there is a wealth ofinformation on “that next attack”.I and a lot of others have beenthere.Unfortunately a lot of people have suffered SEVERE/IRREPAIRABLEconsequences from that next attack.I personally can VIVIDLY rememberbeing fit,healthy..and 1 1/2 years since my last attack..read myposts and you will see from someone out here(me) just what canactually happen.I’m not a far away research subject..I can post/email.
Allopurinol I don’t feel is the ultimate answer..but is prettymuch all we have right now.You may very well have flare ups/minorattacks..but a gout attack while on allopurinol is like a nice walkon the beach compared to an attack without allopurinol.
Personally I wouldn’t see this as the right time to makesudden/drastic changes in diet/exercise..very gradualones..maybe.Drink pretty much as much water as you can..I make apoint of filling 2 fairly large BEER bottles(about 1 1/2 L) withwater EVERY night and putting them in the fridge..that way it is easyfor me to remember..or to force myself to drink them.Yes sometimes Ido buy more bottles..full of beer and drink them too..HEHEHAHA
Right now you can pretty much eat/drink as you want..withinreason of course.Very few Dr.s,medical advice,research tell goutpatients ON allopurinol about a restricted diet.More and more theopposite.Common sense of course.If.. let’s say chili set off attacksbefore..then it may be a while before you can eat itagain.Obviouslly..drink LOTS of water/avoid dehydration
I’dno..I did take a quick look back and couldn’t find any postsof yours?maybe I’ll look further..post a bit about yourself/attacks.
I am assuming it is in your feet?If so..I’ld make a point offinding a real comffy,high arch..lots of support runners to spend alot of time in.Beware of the uncomfortable,poor support shoes.Thiscan only too quickly lead you to unneccesary foot specialists.Nextthing..they want you in special shoes/EXPENSIVE inserts..and thosethings are addictive.You may have developed a bit of pronitis..thisis not uncommon for people with foot pain/problems.I developed itafter gout.It’ll go way fast.They start to walk on the ouside oftheir feet..to avoid the pain..when the pain is gone..they get a bitmore pain..from the other side of their leg..higher up…as they tendto walk straighter.Check the wear on your shoes(side to side)ANY goodfoot specialist will INSIST that you bring old shoes..the ones thatyou have/do spend the most time in. If your feet get sore..I’ld try and stay off them/rest them.