pregnant and so painful possible gout?

[nikki109229]

I am about 8 weeks pregnant. Yesterday when I came home my second toe on the left was really bothering me almost felt like it needed to be cracked- the joint felt sore and uncomfortable. I haven’t hurt my toe or hit it. Today I woke up to a swollen PAINFUL toe that is red around the joint area. I can hardly walk on my foot. I can’t bend my toe because it causes pain. Just wondering if this sound like possible gout? My grandfather had gout so I do have a family history of it. I’ve also suffered from kidney stones and at the moment my kidney has been bothering me off and on like a stone is forming. I’ll try to attach some photos. Thanks for your time.

[Cujo]

First of all go to rheumatologist and get you blood checked for uric acid level.
Of course it’s possible you have gout but none of us here will tell you for sure based on two photos.
I think it’s a rare thing – young woman with gout in second toe but don’t take my word for it, go and see specialist.
Good luck.

[Keith Taylor (GoutPal Admin)]

Once again, @cujo nails it. 😎

Even an experienced doctor cannot tell gout just by looking. The same doctor couldn’t tell you are 8 weeks pregnant just by looking. Thorough testing by a rheumatologist is essential. Please do this as soon as possible.

Gout, in pre-menopausal women, is less common than after menopause, when chances are equal to those of men. I would describe it as uncommon rather than rare. There have certainly been enough cases of gout during pregnancy to warrant over 100 research studies.

I have not checked them all yet, but I’ve found 2 things:

1. Gout attacks are normally less common towards the end of pregnancy
2. Allopurinol is probably harmful to the unborn child

I’m grateful to you, @nikki109229, for prompting me to learn more about gout. However, I think you should be seeing a rheumatologist, because we can’t help you diagnose gout. Given your family history, you are certainly in a group where risk of gout is high, but that does not prove you have gout. There is a condition called sceptic arthritis that has many similarities to gout. Only a rheumatologist can differentiate these, and it is important that you get this checked as soon as you can.

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