Gout

[stoneaxe]

On top of everything else now I have gout.....

I took my birthday off work on Tuesday....was planning on some victory at sea paddling in the nor'easter...woke up and went to get out of bed and couldn't stand...the pain that shot through my foot was mind numbing. Thought maybe I had sprained/strained my big toe somehow dancing like a fool on the weekend. It got worse as the day went on...red, swollen very sore to the touch, tough to walk. My daughter (nurse) immediately said gout...got it checked and she's right (as usual, kid is good). So I've been sidelined from doing much since. Seems to be calming down and ibuprofen is finally working some. One good thing...it underlines my need to change my diet and take better care of myself. Can't go paleo...makes gout worse potentially. I am cutting out sugar and will limit purine rich foods....I'm thinking a meditteranean diet basically with some mods to limit purine. Hoping it also helps with other issues I have with inflammation. What a pain in the ....foot.....

[Bean]

Happy Belated Birthday Bob!

On a personal note, I'm off to a very slow start on my "couch to 5k" running program, but I'm sticking with it in large part to the inspirational posts that you and others provide here on the Zone.  I'm looking forward to seeing your progress in kicking Gout's ass! 

[CLTSUP]

I know your pain well, holy crap.   My latest bought was given to me by a bowl of Pho with tendon, beef brisket, marrow broth etc. didn't think of it until the next day when I stepped down like your experience. Had been over a year and a half since I had my introduction to that fine disorder.

Couple of things that keep me on the right side of that pain and decreased uric acid.
1. As you mentioned cleaning up diet and limiting beers 
2. Fairly religious juicing regimen of  turmeric, ginger and lemon equal parts taken in a shot (side benefit is it lowered my BP) Mix in a bit of celery when needing a change up.

Just wanted to mention , cause you're not alone my friend. Good luck!

[PDLSFR]

Oh Man Buddy, you cannot catch a freekin break. Hope you heal up and feel better soon, we miss having you in the line up !!

[stoneaxe]

thanks guys...I think this was brought on by some very rich eating the last couple of weeks...and maybe the 58 years before that too.... . I felt a little pain there last week...didn't think much of it but we went out for my birthday on Monday...steak tips, loaded mashed potato, beer, and then an extra large piece of carrot cake (Mom's recipe...best in the world) so that may have been the last straw.
Strangely enough I 've just started juicing turmeric, ginger and lemon to help reduce inflammation. Hope it works...more important is simply losing weight though which I need. I'm not grossly fat but this really made me think I need to do something quick if I want to follow my brother and be doing this in my 70's.

[addapost]

Bob I can't help but feel some responsibility. Seems like lots of crap has been happening since we did that insane DW run on CC bay October a year ago. Hope you feel better soon.

[Night Wing]

My brother-in-law is prone for coming down with gout. His doctor told him to change his diet. He did and he hasn't had a bout with gout since.

[stoneaxe]

LOL...no it's all on me. I just need to get real about my diet and what it's doing to me. BTW...my brothers suggestion of the compression socks for the leg cramps worked wonders. Haven't had any bad cramps since so one of these days we need to try that again....maybe we can get creek to join us......

[Wetstuff]

Stoney.. If your leg cramps are 'night cramps', the old rule was start adding Magnesium tabs.  I gather it's pretty rare for 1st world types to be deficient in base minerals. Besides, there may be a more common reason for cramps: 'dehydration'. 

My kidneys process a lot of Tea during the day ..and I drank precious little getting home from work about 6:30, resulting in some real lockups at 2-4am.  'Cut back on tea and added about a quart of water a night ..so far so good.  Cardio says the Magnesium helps with IR beats also... 

Press on - it's ain't over 'till you give up.

Jim

[PonoBill]

There are plenty of reasons for cramps, but one is simply compromised veins (reflux, venous insufficiency) which also generally results in swelling of the legs (edema) which is common in chronically overweight or even just very large adults. Bob and I both fit that description. Mechanically compressing the legs to reduce vein size permits the valves that aid circulation to close, which keeps circulation going and keeps the muscles from accumulating lactic acid all day, and releasing it at night.

Bob, I've found some Italian knee-high compression socks that are great. Better price than 2XU, reasonably good looking, and they include silver in the weave to reduce microbial levels--translation, my feet don't smell like bad Roquefort anymore. they work better than most of the ones I've tried.   https://www.vitalsox.com/vt1211-patented-performance-graduated-compression-otc.html  About 30 bucks a pair if you search around.

You're on your own with the Gout, but yeah, it's just diet.

[stoneaxe]

Thanks wet but it wasn't the magnesium or dehydration. I already drink lots of water. The compression socks acted like I flicked a switch. I don't even have to wear them all the time. A couple days/week is enough and I just wear them to work or occasionally to bed (sexy... ) and I'm fine. I'll sometimes have them on under my wetsuit but rarely.

I'll have to get some of those Bill....and it's Limburger bro....same bacterium that causes foot odor...Roquefort smells like roses compared to your feet.....

[stoneaxe]

So both the docs and my daughters 1st read were wrong...not gout. No increased uric acid levels. Slightly increased ANA, evidence of inflammation and potential precursor for a bunch of things. Think I'll head to a rheumatologist to talk. No idea now what it is. Not an injury. Getting better slowly but still sore. I think I'll be able to get back on the water next week, fingers crossed anyway.

I better get back out there soon. I'm going to train for this CCBC like I did the 1st....no bonking this time.

[PonoBill]

Here's my diagnosis. when you get older, weird shit happens. The docs may never be able to say what made your toe go bonkers.

Today I was surfing at Sunset Cliffs. I was late getting in the water and the tide was going low to high--not ideal. Lots of current, overhead to double, with sneaker sets, and I was on my new board. I paddled for a good size wave that was kind of marginal for not falling on top of me, and suddenly I got pins and needles across my chest and shoulders. Weird feeling. Kind of painful and not. Caught the wave, big bottom turn, up the face, pins and needles again, missed my footing for the top turn and fell into the pit.

Surfed another hour. Didn't happen again. WTF was that? No idea. Nervous? Not really, it wasn't that big. I thought it was a man o' war at first, but no marks. Just wanky old body giving me shit.

[yugi]

...
I better get back out there soon. I'm going to train for this CCBC like I did the 1st....no bonking this time.

Oh, I dunno about that. All the british coaches and Dr's I know assure me that lots of bonking is excellent for your fitness. And grin factor.

 

[stoneaxe]

Yeah i hear that bro...seems like the aches and pains are just migrating around sometimes.

  ....there's my grin factor Yugi.