Need some solutions for gout flare up...

[Wayne Hunt 59]

I had surgery on 4/2 and about 8 days later, got hit with a gout flare up. The doctor put me on a staged build up of Allopurinol to lower the uric acid levels (100mg week 1, 200mg week 2, 300mg after) but concurs with the surgeon's office that there's nothing they can give me to directly address the flare up...

Normally they'd prescribe indocine or colchecine or something, but just like NSAIDs, they're not safe post surgery... The surgeon's office DID prescribe a topical cream containing colchecin but so far, it's been completely useless. As such, their hopes are that the flare up will "simply go away as the Allopurinol".

(Until then, they've recommended that I cut back on the Protein supplements as the all-protein diet is what's causing it)

Now here we are, it's the 28th, and it's not going away. If nothing else, it's getting worse. I'm existing on liquid Tylenol all day and a Codeine/Tylenol Syrup to sleep through the night... Still nothing helps more than temporarily.

Considering my intolerance to sugar now, I need to ask others here who've suffered through it, is there anything I can do to resolve this?

Thanks,

Wayne

Edited April 28, 2014 by Wayne Hunt

[James Marusek 5,244]

I am not sure I can help but I did have gout like symptoms that would flare up once or twice per year. I found that if I put a plug-in heat pad on my feet for an hour or so, that helped to ease the pain and the symptoms would go away in a day or two.

I am not sure that cutting back on your Protein supplements is a good thing. If you eat too much meat and fish that are high in chemicals called purines they can increase your chances of getting gout. Most Protein shakes are based on whey powders (the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production).

Taking Ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory medicine can also help you feel better. Do not take aspirin or products that contain aspirin. Drink plenty of Water.

Here is an interesting link that addresses this question (Do Protein Shakes increase the risk of gout?). http://www.ask.com/explore/protein-shakes-increase-risk-gout-5667

[Wayne Hunt 59]

Thanks for the reply. This may be a disaster of my own making however.

For the two weeks prior to surgery, I was using Bariatric Advantage as provided by the doctor. They're primarily whey shakes. The two weeks after though, I swapped to "Premier Protein" (pre-made) shakes because I had gotten really tired of chocolate, and didn't feel like mixing/cleaning up, etcetera post-surgery...

What I didn't realize until I had almost run out is that the Premier brand was NOT primarily Whey Protein. As I recall (label not handy, it was mostly Soy isolate, which -- when going from a regular diet to all Protein -- may have actually complicated things a bit.

As for cutting back, I'm only doing so at my doctor's suggestion, as well as the fact that I now officially HATE chocolate shakes and can't find another flavor which isn't sickeningly sweet..

Wayne

[James Marusek 5,244]

The brand I used for Protein shakes was called Muscle Milk Light (vanilla Creme). I would mix it with Water and add half a banana and then blend it. I hate Protein Shakes but this was the best of the worst. After I reached my bottom weight, I felt I could be a little more creative, so at 7 months I transitioned off the Protein shakes onto other forms of protein supplements.

[iamsoworthit 430]

I had surgery on 4/2 and about 8 days later, got hit with a gout flare up. The doctor put me on a staged build up of Allopurinol to lower the uric acid levels (100mg week 1, 200mg week 2, 300mg after) but concurs with the surgeon's office that there's nothing they can give me to directly address the flare up...

Normally they'd prescribe indocine or colchecine or something, but just like NSAIDs, they're not safe post surgery... The surgeon's office DID prescribe a topical cream containing colchecin but so far, it's been completely useless. As such, their hopes are that the flare up will "simply go away as the Allopurinol".

(Until then, they've recommended that I cut back on the Protein supplements as the all-protein diet is what's causing it)

Now here we are, it's the 28th, and it's not going away. If nothing else, it's getting worse. I'm existing on Liquid Tylenol all day and a Codeine/Tylenol Syrup to sleep through the night... Still nothing helps more than temporarily.

Considering my intolerance to sugar now, I need to ask others here who've suffered through it, is there anything I can do to resolve this?

Thanks,

Wayne

Wayne, I suffer from gout too. I am almost a year out and have had several bad episodes. I take Allopurinol twice a day but still get flairs. I am not allowed to take Indocin but I am able to take colchicine (even tho it gives me diarrhea- tmi). Ask your dr about colchicine because it isn't an NSAID and shouldn't be on your restriction list. I would suggest not taking it on an empty stomach tho. My dr is a mayo Clinic physician and they are extremely conservative. Also, make sure you are drinking your water! I have been able to figure out ny pattern on gout. It is almost always a direct result of too many days of just barely getting 64 ounces or stress. Try and get 80 or 90 ounces of Water because it does help.

Finally, I did have one really bad attack right before my mom passed away (I was under a ton of stress). It was in both feet even up in my ankles. The colchicine didn't touch it and I had no relief for 5 days. My dr prescribed steroids and it went away a day later. That is an option in extreme cases. I was taking leftover pain medication and it didn't even touch the pain.

Sorry you are dealing with gout. It is by far the worst pain I have ever experienced. PM me if you need any more ideas.