- This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I have no idea what is going on with my testing. I have normal readings for uric acid in my serum, but it has been sooo high in my 24 hour urine. I think the last test result was something like 1100. I have not been diagnosed with gout as a result. I see an Internist and a Rheumatologist and still do not know what is wrong with me.
?
I was told to take 300mg of Allopurinol daily to get the level down. The result was joints that burned like fire all over, so was told to quit taking it. The next 24 hour urine test was normal. I also had a terrible reaction to the dye in a nuclear medicine scan of my kidneys. The pain in my joints from this test landed me in the ER, where I was told there is nothing wrong and I was offered two Tylenol. I told the nurse I had better pain medication at home, if this was the best they could do…
?
Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem? I am on 5 mg of Prednisone daily for a condition similar to Lupus. Because of the connective tissue disease, I have a lot of health problems that cause much confusion in with my doctors…
?
My husband was diagnosed with gout. The first attack was treated and he is now maintained on Allopurinol and has no problems like this. With his initial onset, it was in his big toe. He never has any problems like this…
?
Cathie
Cathie said:
I have no idea what is going on with my testing. I have normal readings for uric acid in my serum, but it has been sooo high in my 24 hour urine. I think the last test result was something like 1100. I have not been diagnosed with gout as a result. I see an Internist and a Rheumatologist and still do not know what is wrong with me.
?
You are not alone in being confused about your testing. In? my experience, most doctors do not understand it either.
There is a well known mathematical model called a 'normal distribution.' I'm not up to giving good explanations of this, but the point is that it just describes how averages usually work, and has got absolutely nothing to do with the state of your health. I'm completely mystified why doctors persist with this nonsense, and I have started a campaign to try to improve uric acid testing, though lack of interest has caused me to lower the priority. Due to the sampling process, it is almost inevitable that the average (i.e. normal) will include people with gout. In any event, every lab has a different normal range because they base the numbers on a different sample – which proves just how ridiculously pointless these ranges are.
The only thing that matters with a uric acid test is the actual number. That is not the full story, as the number will usually fall during a gout attack, but at least it gives you a firm basis to work from. Without that number, everything else is speculation.
Everything you have said makes me believe you have serious gout, but without that number, I cannot advise you what to do next, or how you should approach your doctors. It is very unfortunate, but something that many of us have learned here is that, when it comes to gout, we often have to train the medics before we can get proper treatment.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.