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I've been scouring these forums over the past week and I wanted to say thanks to all of those individuals who have taken the time to create a sensible gout site. There's so much nonsense and misinformation out there that it was refreshing to find a clearly organised source of gout causes, cures and treatments.
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I'm only 47 and I was only diagnosed in June after suffering an acute flare up while on holiday.? My uric acid level was 6.3 at the time of the test and so far my doctor has not prescribed anything except dicloflex to reduce the swelling.? The pain has subsided and the swelling has gone down, but according to all that I've read the beast still lurks below the skin.
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I dread taking any meds for the condition.? I'm presently attempting to manage this through diet and liefstyle changes, with beer being the biggest sacrifice offered to the Gout God.? I'm going to keep checking in with Gout Pal, mainly for the supportive and sympathetic atmosphere here.? No one can fully appreciate the pain gout can bring except another gout sufferer.
Go away, yer Red Rose Rotter – yer barred
(apologies to the rest of the world – it's a long running thing across the Pennines – we love each other really)?
6.3 is borderline, but during a gout attack, your “natural” uric acid level can drop. I recommend regular testing, though the frequency is something you need to discuss with your doctor. Certainly an annual check, but more frequently if you are making lifestyle changes, as this will give a clear indication of your progress.
The good news is that, with a 6 to 8 range, you should be able to get this below 6 with some dietary improvements (unless you are already perfect). Excess iron is a common problem for gout, as is excess calories. These two are as important as purines, if not more so. Moving some of your protein from meat and fish to dairy will help the purines. Eating less and doing more will help the calories (bet you didn't know that!). Iron is a tricky one as it's a very slow build. Personally, I do not have a very good plan for dealing with iron, but blood donation is good, as is reading food labels.
Some of us have found cider a little more gout friendly, but it still has alcohol and calories, so drink in Moderation (wherever that is – turn right at Clitheroe and ask).
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