[Lyndak]

Trev….yes I could always do better watching what I eat and drinking more water.  Been looking for a new place to live over the past month and finally found something that I can feel good about, but the stress of looking, together with packing up to move has taken a toll on me and I know that I haven't been drinking enough water.  I just stopped for the night.  Movers are coming in the morning, so it will be over soon.  Once I am settled, I will be more able to watch what I eat and drink.  Have been living with my 86 yr old Mother and her boyfriend for 3 years and I just recently decided that I must either move or kill them both…..so moving seemed like the sensible thing to do.  I'm too old for prison.  Mom does all the cooking and she's a meat & potatoes cook.  It's hard to eat the right foods with her cooking and she just doesn't understand.  So….time will tell what 200mg of Allop does for me, but will get a blood test soon.

Zip…what an interesting article.  My Nephrologist told me that damage can happen to the kidney if UA gets above 10 and stays there.  I would think that it would be important to inform those with really high UA and in denial that this is the case.  Maybe that alone would make them get their UA down and keep it there.  Kidney dialysis is no fun!  Have you moved yet?  I'm in hell right now, but it won't last much longer.  Just DO IT.  Lynda

[Lyndak]

My Nephrologist has told me that 200mg of allopurinol was my upper limit, due to the kidney transplant.  Was put on 150mg about 1 month ago, this has lowered UA to 7.4.  Had my annual appt with my GP recently.  He increased my allo to 200mg.  Will re-test in 2 weeks to see where that has gotten me.  My GP has taken over my Gout treatment and he is pretty knowledgeable.  Said that he wanted to get my UA down to 4-5.  It may be interesting to see his approach.  Will let you all know.  I'm still feeling good and my knee pain when laying down has completely stopped! Lynda

[Lyndak]

Zip…I'm sure that you will make the best decision for you.  Maybe a phono preamp will work!  I've never heard of it, but remember, I'm the one who tossed the LP's!   Lynda

[Lyndak]

Glad to hear that you are on the mend.  Stress is a killer in sooo many ways!  I'm assuming that your move is complete?  What did you end up doing with all your records…dump or move?  I'm dying to find out!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Zip..thanks for your reply.  I think what you were saying is “drink enough to stay hydrated” or until your urine is VERY light yellow.  Different amounts for different folks.

And….dump the LP's.  The way that technology is going, soon there will be a new format to replace CD's and then just look at all the time you would have wasted.  Living in the present has taught me to forget and toss the past, make good choices in the present, and the future will take care of itself.  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Well Richard, you are human after all!  I sincerely hope that you will have a long, pain free life post gout.  Keep up the good work.

And Zip….7-8 liters is quite a lot….even with beer included.  I mostly drink filtered water with various flavors of crystal light or the Wal-Mart equivalent, which is about half the cost.  Is coffee really a good drink for gout?  I know that uric acid is excreeted in urine.  What would happen if I only drank 3-4 liters per day?  Would my A-frame fall out (ha-ha).  How much fluid should we be drinking??  There must be more than one person wondering about this. 

Also, I would almost rather give things away than move them!

[Lyndak]

Richard, how do you manage to drink 8-10 liters of fluid a day?  That's amazing…and I'm really looking for tips on how you do it.  Thanks, Lynda

[Lyndak]

Yes, I will be kind…..but also want to know WHY 10.4 UA wasn't high enough to do something about.  High UA is very bad for kidneys!!

[Lyndak]

I agree, after researching sulfinpyrazone, that allopurinol would probably be best for me.  I have already learned that febuxostat would be way to expensive for an option…although my Nephrologist said it would be fine to use.

I agree trev that high UA is a sneaky devil.  I recently got my hands on a UA blood test from back in 2005.  At that time it was 10.9 and My GP, Nephrologist and transplant Hospital all got a copy, and not one of them told me it was high or suggested that it was a problem!  I have been getting a copy of all blood tests for the past 3 years, so that will never happen again.  What a bunch of bunk!!  If we don't watch out for ourselves, no one else will.  All the more reason that GoutPal is so important to us. 

[Lyndak]

Thanks everyone for all your expertise.  Trev, I will check out Sulfinpyrazone, and consider that.  I had some gouty twinges today and tonight and I'm hoping nothing comes of it.  I will report back after my Nephrology appt on 10/20.  BTW, I had another SUA blood test 2 weeks after my last, and it was still 8.  I may call instead of waiting another month.  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Thanks Zip, but I'm still curious about how much your UA increases during an attack.  I have read in here somewhere that it does go up.  If that's true, my UA may have started out nearer to 8 and the 100mg of allo hasn't helped at all….get my meaning?

I truely appreciate all the great advice I have read and received on this forum.  Keep up the great work!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Thanks Trev….I get the message.  I'm glad that I have the time to read thru the forum.  Lots and lots of good advise here!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Thanks for your post GP, I'm hoping that you are right!  I'm 63 with a history of ostoarthritis in my family, so some pain could be from that too.  I'm hoping for a SMALL amount!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Thanks Zip (nice photo by the way), Odo & GP for your replys.  Since my post on 9/1, the pain in my knee when laying down has lessened.  Could be a coincendence I guess.  I will have one more UA test prior to my Nephrology appt in Oct.  Will speak my mind about upping allop to 300 if UA isn't down more.  All in all, I am feeling much improved since my diagnosis 2 months ago.  Maybe I'm the lucky one!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Thanks Art!  All we can do is try to be informed, and then do the best we can!  Lynda

[Lyndak]

My first attack was probably my left elbow that my Dr decided was tennis elbow (I don't play tennis or engage in any repetitive sports).  He put a shot of cortizone in it and the pain went away.  Then I was prescribed high doses of prednisone to kick start my kidneys that were failing.  Was on this steroid for about 3 months.  That didn't work and I finally had to go on dialysis.  Coming off prednisone, I developed joint pain that seemed to “move from joint to joint”.  I went to a Rhumatologist and he said that I didn't have arthritis.  None of my doctors ever checked my UA level.  I had a transplant a couple of years later and the joint pain seemed to die down.  A few years later I began having acute joint pain every couple of months.  Wrist & knee mostly.  Then, my first big toe attack left me unable to walk.  I was given colchicine and the pain and swelling resolved in a few days.  No UA level was taken then either!  Then I had another attack in the other big toe…not as severe as the first one, but I started to do some research myself on line and I also found this website (just recently got a home computer after retirement).  I told my Nephrologist that I thought I had gout and I wanted to begin treatment which would include a UA level.  My UA came back at 10.4!!  Since then I have taken colchicine to reduce the pain and swelling and have begun taking 100mg allopurinol.  6 weeks later my UA is now 8.0, which is still high, but coming down and I haven't had any more attacks.  After reading posts on this website, I understand that I need to convince my Dr to increase the allopurinol to 300mg.  I'm grateful to all of you for the great information you have provided on this nasty stuff.  Other websites don't give you the insight that fellow sufferers can. Lynda

[Lyndak]

z2p….thanks for your response.  Just had my 6 week UA blood test and I'm down to 8.0 from 10.4….not bad considering I'm only taking 100mg of allopurinol.  I will talk to my Nephrologist about increasing to 300mg, but I suspect that, since I have had improvement, he won't make the change.  I'm feeling good at this point, except the pain in my knee when laying down.  I'm glad to hear that Allopurinol is good for the kidneys.  That will make a better case for me.  Lynda

[Lyndak]

Trev…I'm new to goutpals, and have similar kidney concerns since my transplant 10 years ago.  I have recently been diagnosed with gout after several years of joint issues and 2 big toe attacks that prompted my first requested uric acid test about 30 days ago.  Came back 10.4, no big surprise to me…only to my Doctor.  Gave me colchicine, which helped.  I suggested allopurinol, and was put on 100mg to start. 

In answer to your question about tests, I am assuming that you have already had a blood test to check creatinine?  Unfortunately, kidney failure has no symptoms and by the time your creatinine increases to a high range, it can be a complete surprise.  The GFR is a fairly routine test for kidney funtion, as is a 24-hr urine test for protein.  Too much protein in your urine is a sign of loss of kidney function. As you mentioned, there are lots of expensive tests such as biopsy and scans.  I would push your Nephologist for the best route for your condition.  And stay on him.  Kidney failure is no fun at all!

By the way, are you aware of any interaction issues with allopurinol to the kidneys?

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