First Gout attack, now moved to Knee… I think…

[JasonM]

I just had my first Gout attack in my big toe area last week.  I didn’t know what happened, or whom I had hurt in life to deserve such pain.  I was literally in the fetal position crying in my bed for 3 nights or more.

Finally, I got my foot under control although it took about a week.  As soon as I do my knee starts hurting like someone took a bat too it.  There is swelling, but not really any of the redness I had on my toe, although I must say it never really got that red, I had more swelling than anything.

Do you think this is Gout also or just a coincidence?

Thanks in advance?

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Gouty Knee Image [Click for more info]

[KeithTaylor]

It's gout!

I should be more circumspect and say “Get the gout diagnosis confirmed by proper analysis of fluid from the affected joint – usually by a rheumatologist“

But it sounds exactly like gout to me.

Please save yourself years of trouble by getting treatment to lower uric acid. In my experience, you will have to take charge, unless you are lucky enough to have a doctor with good gout experience.

Most miss the point that you must maintain uric acid levels below 6mg/dL for at least 3 months without gout flare, then below 7mg/dL for life.

This takes some serious management because uric acid must be tested frequently and treatment adjusted accordiingly.

As I've said before – anything less is a complete waste of time and money.

[zip2play]

Jason,

I'm in the same boat with about 6 weeeks of severe knee pain which keeps me off the elliptical trainer and the stationary bike. But I don;t know if it's gout or not. I've controlled my uric acid to <6.0 for at least 10 years with daily allopurinol and manage the occasional toe twinge with low dose colchicine for the rare attacks.

But I cannot decide whether this knee pain is a gout attack or is it bursitis or tendon inflammation and what part uric acid is playing in it. I don't trust my GP to have the slightest ability to help me and even a rheumy will have to make a guess and I'll STILL walk out with only analgesics. (I tend to be my OWN doctor except when I need a blood draw or a prescription written.)

If you and your doctor agree the first attack was gout, check your blood uric acid levels to amke an educated guess about the knee and whether or not you should be on allopurinol. (They usually want TWO likely attacks in a year before drug therapy.)

Try Aleve (naproxyn) for your knee…it's a good temporary drug.

[Keith Taylor]

It’s interesting for me to look back at old forum topics. Especially when I see something that resonates with one of the plans I was working on yesterday.

Here we see a young gout sufferer surprised to find that gout is progressive. So it spreads from joint to joint with increasing intensity and destruction. Then comes the stage that Jason hadn’t (yet?) experienced – when gout spreads into soft tissues and starts to damage your organs.

In my revamped Gout Victims Plan, I cover progressive gout in step 3 as I explain many myths about uric acid. In case that doesn’t persuade gout victims to seek uric acid treatment, I re-emphasize the dangers in step 6.

So it’s nice to look back and wonder if old forum visitors found gout recovery. Or if they are still gout victims. But it’s also nice to look forward to renewing my efforts with Gout Sufferer Plans. I hope 2020 is the year I finally finish that 4-year-old project.

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