Thank you for visiting The Beating Gout Blog. In this blog I will discuss the latest news on gout research, treatments and news around gout. I hope you find this information useful and feel free to leave comments or ask questions.
Below is the first episode of The Beating Gout Podcast:
If you liked this post, you will love the book, Beating Gout: A Sufferer’s Guide to Living Pain Free. Get the whole story in one easy-to-understand book, get your copy of Beating Gout: A Sufferer’s Guide to Living Pain Free now. Over 500 research articles and texts where studied and dozens of world class experts on gout were interviews for this book yet it is written for the non-expert. No other book on gout is more up-to-date, comprehensive or easy-to-understand – guaranteed!
#1 by Gavin - April 1st, 2009 at 08:36
Hi from Warsaw, Poland.
I’ve just purchased your book via Amazon UK and it mentions a web-site and forum. Found the web-site easily enough but can’t see a forum anywhere. Could you point me in the right direction please – probably right under my nose, but – well, you know
Gavin
#2 by Victor Konshin - April 1st, 2009 at 09:10
Gavin, Thanks for the note and for reading my book. I did have a forum on this site at one time but there was very little interest so I replaced it with this blog. There are several active forums on the internet for gout sufferers. The one that I subscribe to is the Yahoo Gout Group. They have a large following and are very active. I hope you will keep an eye on this blog and feel free to ask any questions.
-Victor Konshin
Author of, Beating Gout: A Sufferer’s Guide to Living Pain Free
#3 by Gavin - April 1st, 2009 at 15:41
Thanks Victor!
#4 by Nicholas - April 13th, 2009 at 23:04
Hi Victor,
Fifteen years ago I had a serious staff infection that settled in my right ankle. Now in the last two years I have had two bad gout attacks in both ankles which totally immobilized me. I’m wondering if there is any connection between these incidents. I’m 58.
Thanks, Nicholas
#5 by Victor Konshin - April 14th, 2009 at 10:32
Nicholas,
Infection can be a trigger for gout or traumatize the joint to make it more susceptible to gout attack. The infection is likely the reason why gout favors that joint. However, the underlying cause of gout is high uric acid levels. To stop the attacks, you need to get your uric acid levels under control. If you can control your uric acid levels then there is no need to suffer gout attacks.
-Victor Konshin
#6 by Nicholas - April 16th, 2009 at 09:22
Thanks Victor. I am under a doctors care and take allopurinol 300mg and indomethacin 25mg daily. I have switched to taking the indomethacin after my evening meal and it seems to have a much better effect on my stiffness.
#7 by Victor Konshin - April 16th, 2009 at 10:02
Nicholas, It’s rather unusual for a doctor to put you on a daily dose of indomethacin. Colchichine is usually considered safer for that use, but I do not know your medical history. Make sure your doctor checks your uric acid level regularly to get the right dose of allopurinol and to be sure your uric acid level has lowered to below 6mg/dL (333umols/L).
#8 by Nicholas - April 20th, 2009 at 20:05
Thanks Victor for the input. I’m seeing my doctor next week and will bring up the point about daily indomethacin. It only makes sense to have a higher dose of allopurinol and nothing of indomethacin. My uric acid levels are checked evry 4 months and are well below the 6mg level. Nicholas
#9 by David Stratton - August 18th, 2009 at 16:59
I have had very painful attacks of gout. The treatment I received was Colchicine. The prescription said to take one pill every hour until I get relief. Well after doing this for 8 hours and getting no change in my condition I called the pharmacist. I asked him how long I should continue to take the drug because there wasn’t a limit on the prescription. He said I should be vomiting after taking that much of the drug (I didnt feel sick at all). Throwing up is apparently supposed to be the limitation. The next time I got gout Indomethacin was prescribed. I took one pill and threw it up. Didn’t take any more. I just suffered.
I don’t know of any history of gout in my family or kidney stones either. There is one thing however which may contribute to my getting gout. I drink very little free water. Some times I may go days or weeks without drinking any free water. I just don’t like it. I haven’t read anything about any connection between gout incidences and the amount of free water a person drinks. I drink mostly softdrinks, rarely any alcohol and of course whatever water I get through food. I haven’t consumed much purine rich foods in the past. I have now increased my intake of vegetables, avoid rich foods particularly not eating rich foods one after the other. I avoid meat, except chicken and some hamburger. I may have a steak once in a while but if I di I make sure it’s no richer than a sirloin. I eat to reduce my intake of purines and since I have done that I have been gout free – so far.
I am currently reading the “Beating Gout” book. What I have not found out yet is what triggers an attack of gout. I think two people can have the same body fluid conditions and one gets gout and the other doesn’t. Why? Much work needs to be done, however, I do appreciate the book which was given to me by one of my daughters.
David Stratton
#10 by Marcia Horn - December 2nd, 2009 at 23:14
I’ll have to look for this book. My husband suffers with gout quite often. It’s important to be prepared when we are on the road, because we never know when he’ll have an attack….seems to be worse when we travel.
We’ve used the iTriage application for the iPhone to find emergency care while we are out. Here’s their page about gout, but you can also quickly find doctors with this app.