Tophi
the amount of damage to joint interfacings is from scars thateach attack brings with it. The process is progressive, and dependent onseverity of and number of attacks. Each painful attack leaves us with adegree of scarring. When very much of this has occurred, the joint getsbuilt up and mis-shapen. In severe cases, it can be quite pronounced.
On the joint at the base of my right big toe, the distortion and enlargementis very visible in x-ray photos, and to the naked eye.
Adrianne Densieski on June 25th, 2007
Does anyone here have tophi and what can they tell me aboutthem?
Marg
Terrance Molock on June 26th, 2007
Marg..gout tophi is to be gotten rid of.I know a little abouttophi..and I would really prefer(seeing that you may have it)thatyou “discover”this information..do a few internetsearches/..etc.,then we can talk about it..It can be nasty.I don’treally want to be the bearer of bad news/shoot the messenger.Ofcourse if you really want/insist..I’ll post what I know.It is moreand more common now to remove it.Remove it.
Chantel Brustkern on June 27th, 2007
I have done some of the research you suggest to Marg, and haveconcluded I probably have this affliction. I have had episodic goutyarthritic episodes over the past 10 years, getting increasingly morepainful, and lengthier (I am now coming out of an episode that begana week ago — ouch).
I guess it’s not possible to self-diagnose tophi? Can they berevealed via x-ray?
Jadwiga Kunau on June 29th, 2007
I had it with gout!!! I’m only 30 years old an I have to worry everyday about what to eat. I go out with women and try to have a goodtime but I can’t eat a good meal or drink alcohol. No, I don’t haveto drink alcohol to have a good time but it does help. I have beenhearing about allopurinol is the way to go, I might give it a try. Ido worry about Allopurinol and my liver but like somebody elsemention, I’ll worry about it when I get there. I’ve had gout for twoyears and I believe I have tophi already. People describe it likelooking like a crab eye. I think I have it, it’s a small hard bump,that does look like a crab eye. I thought it took three years todevelope tophi? My mother told me that I lived life too fast. I usedto drink hard, do marijuana and have multiple sex partners. Ibelieve she was right and now i’m paying for It. Sorry for thepathetic story but I had to vent out.
Karan Tepezano on July 1st, 2007
I wanted to ask if anyone else has noticabletophi deposits? I have two unusual marks on my hands,one on my right hand ring finger between the first andsecond joints (but not ON the joint) and anotherlarger one on my left hand (about the size of a UK 50ppiece) near the beginning of my thumb. both started ascircular lumps, but having “worried” them (thinkingthey were spots and I was trying to pop them) theyhave both gone down, and I am left with a ring aroundthe perimeter of the lumps (the lumps themselves havegone) where the skin is shiny. looks like the “ring aroses” of plague infamy.
Now, I am only 26, and thought it took at least 15-20years of untreated gout for tophi to develop? I had myfirst attack at 17 (thought i’d broke my toe) so I amat 9 years since “attack zero” and have always useddiclofenac to control attacks. Am starting allo at themoment (100-150mg/day) after several false starts anda 3 month attack that just wouldnt go away while I waseating four choc bars a day (stopped now!!!) so amabout 50lbs (and lowering) overweight.
secondly, I read something about vitamin C making goutworse. I take vitamin tablets and Cod Liver Oiltablets, both of which have 100%RDA vitamin C in them,so I am getting double the C i need. Should I cut oneout, or are the benefits I am gaining from each tabletoutperforming the potential risk of making thingsworse.
Jonas Laramore on July 3rd, 2007
I really don’t think people are getting trashed because they recommenddiets but when they recommend diet as an alternative to allopurinol.Too many people have endured the pain when they didn’t have to, not tomention they adopted some crappy diet that wasn’t really helping themenough to make a significant difference. The point that is being madeis that so many people have already been down this road and have hadpermanent damage because they either didn’t know what to do or decidedto be stubborn about the idea of taking a drug daily (an idea almostall people dislike). Those people who come to the board suggesting analternative to allopurinol have not done enough homework and in turnend up hurting rather then helping those new members that are easilyinfluenced by this. There is no doubt that their intentions are good,however most of the information they are presenting is dated and fairlyinaccurate. I know because I was also part of this group.
I don’t have any medical knowledge or even a good background inbiology. The only thing I to share is my experience as being a chronicgout sufferer AND the fact that discovering this group and opening myeyes enough to try and accept another concept that was against all thecommon information out there has changed my life. I suffered arelatively short amount of time (2 years) but I hope that by stickingaround, someone may read some of my posts and realize that I’m justanother person just like them and they don’t need to suffer any more.I do agree with you in that there should be more discussion as to whatwe can do in addition to allopurinol as far as diets and supplements.Walter has touched on these issues a few times that I know of but itseems that those members out there that have put so much time inacquiring knowledge about diet, food, body chemistry etc, view drugs asthe anti-Christ so there isn’t a lot of practical knowledge to bepassed on when utilizing both drugs and diet/supplements. Hopefullythat time will come as more people get the knowledge they need to useboth to control our affliction.