Gout Support Group

It does not sound like gout to me but I'm no expert. I have always had an affected joint.

You can test for gout in three ways. A urine sample may indicate high uric acid levels but a blood test is better imho. The third method would be to use a syringe to suck some fluid out of the infected joint and screen for uric acid crystals. I have never been involved in this last method - sounds too painful.

A lot might depend if this is you first ever gout episode or not. I started at 35 with what the Chinese doctor said at the time "white man 35-55 year old man wakeup in middle of night with elephant on big toe- Him got gout". Same routine from other doctors because a big red toe and a pretty easy guess.
Then one day after moving for two days in the summer "Dehydrated" and beer/burgers the big one hit. My ankle swelled up and even had bruises. The Dr said I sprained it moving and I didn’t know it. My big toes looked fine as they could. He said it was not gout, what did I know.
My foot felt kind of tingle/numb off and on for three months or so after that (but looked fine). When I was barefoot it always felt like I was walking on newspaper or cardboard. Not in pain, but I could in no way run or jog at the time.
Finally I was sent to a neurologist in which it went nowhere for a year. From there to a podiatrist and back in forth to a few more. I started a year ago with a Dr 2 years out of med school in hopes of the latest and greatest treatments. So far it has been allopurnal the last 6 months (a routine tried 2 times before). Guess where I was all weekend, I was in bed and finally got some prendosne shots Tuesday. Last time before that was November.
Long story short, couple of big toe attacks at first every couple of years then the big one. Been to about 7 different doctors in a town of (pop) several million. Have episode once or twice a year. None of the doctors I say would ever say the chances of gout were more than 75 percent. Too many other reasons for it not to be gout….big toes look good.
I know I had it in the wrists one time when I a huge attack 5 or so years ago. The pains were sharp, wrestling alligators would not sounded so bad at the time. I’ve sprained my wrist before and it was a long throbbing pain, not the kind that shoots up like gout.
Chances of finding a doctor (that’s not scratching his head) that can give an answer your confident in might be hard.
Cholchicine, Indomiacen, Prendisone have been my only relief in 15 years. I would try those first (if they are working) with a keen eye on what the doctor says about your diet based on your lab tests. Unfortunately your body will tell you exactly what foods you need to avoid, you just need to be reminded once or twice.

Beachbumwannabe,

Sorry to hear about your pain. The root cause may be sleep apnea. Make sure you don't have it.

I've never heard of that from any of my doctors of the years(15). But they dont know much except what they deal with on a daily basis.
I sleep great each night, snore a litte and wake up the same time everyday w/o alarm clock.
I can eat the heck out of shimp and drink beer w/o problems sometimes. Then I can eat right for months and then bam out of nowhere.
What pointed you in the direction of sleep problems? I had been taking ambian at night prior to the recent attacks so your theory might hold some water in my case.
Dehydration is the most common demomonator in all of my attacks.
There is definatly another trigger associated that I can't put a finger on.