Gout: That Picture!

“The Gout” by James Gilray, 1799

Even before I had gout, I was familiar with this picture.  I probably first saw it in a history book.  It didn't make sense to me-probably because most of my pain has been in the lateral side (outside) or on the top of my foot in my arch.  Here we can see some sort of spawn of hell attached to the area near the big toe.

If you've never had gout, you don't don't really understand this picture.  If you do, you can imagine that little imp grabbing onto whichever place your affliction manifests.  The redness, the swelling, the feeling of your own personal hell-that's gout.  This picture captures the feeling perfect.

My experience...

When I was suffering from my regular gout attacks but wasn't diagnosed, It was absolutely awful.   I had gone to a few doctors and none had thought to check my uric acid levels, and to be honest I didn't go to the doctor for every attack.  I was afraid!  My major worry was that my body was weak and I was walking incorrectly.

My answer was to get online and figure out the problem for myself.  This was a major mistake!  My personal diagnosis cheated me out of countless weekends with friends and fun because I went years without getting my problem properly diagnosed.  I let this imp ride along for far too long.

If you're experiencing horrible foot or knee pain that can't really be explained: say you do your daily walking and don't majorly twist your ankle or get your big toe injured by some mishap, get it checked out.  Letting the gout imp into your life and not doing anything about can be hazardous to your health (I'll try writing about a few examples and linking them here in the future).

What to Do if You Have Gout... 

If you do have gout and you haven't been given options by your doctor, you should start by drinking lots of water everyday (at least 2 liters!).  If you're a big guy (read: overweight) like I have been a decent bit of my life, you're probably going to have to clean up your diet a bit especially right now while you figure out what foods are going to trigger the pain.

When you talk to your doctor, try to get on allopurinol and an NSAID.  The allopurinol is not going to solve your pain that same day (in fact it will probably trigger an attack or two) but in the long run you'll thank yourself for doing.

Keep your chin up!  If you take these steps and keep in contact with your doctor you'll be okay.  I walk 5 miles a day these days and enjoy a quality of life that I didn't think possible during the dark days.

If you have a question or comment please leave one!  I'll do my best to answer and assist as best I can.

**This website is for informative purposes and should not be substituted as advice of a medical professional.  If you believe you have gout, I STRONGLY recommend scheduling an appointment with a medical professional and getting the problem checked out.