Gout Support Group

Hi my names is Catherine and I am 22 years old and I have been suffering from gout since I was just 14 I have had about 2 attacks a year for the past 7 years and I struggle to keep my uric acid levels at a "normal" level I have to take pro gout I'm pritty sure it it once a day I have it's pritty hard for me somedays to explain to friends why I won't drink but other then that most of them think it's a bit funny and call it the old mans drinking decease, I have also just recently been diagnosed with Gittlemans syndrome witch courses my body to not absorb magnesium or potassium and this could in some way be effecting my uric acid levels but the Drs are still unsure

Well best get to bed I hope you all feel better :) god bless

Catherine,

As you know, Gitelman Syndrome (GS) can cause low levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood. But its symptoms DO NOT include hyperuricemia (high level of uric acid in the blood) and gout.

Another symptom of GS is the significant low urinary calcium excretion (hypocalciuria) which causes chondrocalcinosis whose symptoms are the gout-attack-like swelling, local heat, and tenderness over the affected joints. Actually, chondrocalcinosis has been misdiagnosed to be gout.

There are 4 types of chondrocalcinosis. The most common type is calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), a.k.a. pseudogout. The deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate crystals in the joints can be reduced by taking magnesium supplement. The CPPD attacks can be treated with NSAID or steroids. I believe you have already been doing these treatments.

I doubt you have gout because: young women rarely get gout, Progout has not prevented you from having attacks, and, I guess, your blood uric acid level is in normal range (

(contined)

I doubt you have gout because: young women rarely get gout, Progout has not prevented you from having attacks, and, I guess, your blood uric acid level is in normal range (

(contined)

I doubt you have gout because: young women rarely get gout, Progout has not prevented you from having attacks, and, I guess, your blood uric acid level is in normal range (

Catherine,

As you know, Gitelman Syndrome (GS) can cause low levels of potassium and magnesium in the blood. But its symptoms DO NOT include hyperuricemia (high level of uric acid in the blood) and gout.

Another symptom of GS is the significant low urinary calcium excretion (hypocalciuria) which causes chondrocalcinosis whose symptoms are the gout-attack-like swelling, local heat, and tenderness over the affected joints. Actually, chondrocalcinosis has been misdiagnosed to be gout.

There are 4 types of chondrocalcinosis. The most common type is calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), a.k.a. pseudogout. The deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate crystals in the joints can be reduced by taking magnesium supplement. The CPPD attacks can be treated with NSAID or steroids. I believe you have already been doing these treatments.

I doubt you have gout because: young women rarely get gout, Progout has not prevented you from having attacks, and, I guess, your blood uric acid level is in normal range (less than 6 mg/dL, or .360 mmol/L) but your doctor wants it to be lower. If you do not have gout, why you need to take Progout and suffer its side effects?

On the other hand, your symptoms seem to be the same as that of chondrocalcinosis: having GS, having Hypomagnesemia, having gout-attack-like joint pain since the young age, having the joint attacks twice a year, and taking Progout has not made the attacks go away.

My guess is: you do not have gout. What you have is chondrocalcinosis as the results of GS.

You may want to learn more about your condition by Goggling using keywords: "Gitelman Syndrome" "chondrocalcinosis". You may also want to discuss the problem with your doctor and stop taking Progout to see what happens if that is appropriate.

Wish you the best. Take care.

noapnea

That sounds like I really do need to do some more research om gs thanx I'll have a talk with tue dr next time I'm there
In the past my uric acid levils have been elevated and in my last blood test they where again but who knows Drs just keep sending me for test after test and keep saying things and I should start listening more lol

May I ask what are your blood uric acid levels? What other tests do you take? Thx.

I'm not sure what my uricacid levil was last time I had it tested the dr just said it was hi and put me on allouprinol I was mistaken I have been on progout befor though

I also have to have u & es magnesium Ca, po4, vitamin d, PTH, Renin activity, Aldosterione levils, TFTs, LFTs, F glucose at lest there the things on my next blood work sheet

-

Thanks for the reply.

Please do not stop taking allopurinol since your uric acid level is high. Please also ignore my Reply #35, posted on 08/23/11, because what I posted does not apply to your condition.

According to my references, Gitelman Syndrome causes low blood levels of magnesium and potassium, but does not mention the high level of calcium excretion. However, if the symptoms also include hyperuricemia and the high level of calcium excretion, my reference call it "familial hypomagnesemia-hypercalciuria syndrome." That's why I was confused.

Your doctors seems to be diligently monitoring and treating your condition.

Wish you the best. Take care.

I am a female who has had gout flares since 2006. I have not tried any actual meds for this condition because they have too many side effects and I am on other meds for other things. My last flare was around Dec 15th 2011. It lasted for 2wks and was very painful. I usually have gout that tends to move around. Can be in the toe one day, and then another part of the foot another day. I went down to Arizona for a family visit with this bout and lived through it. This disease is so very painful. I have just started using Cherry Juice and cherries mixed with other things. Mainly, tried yogurt with Cherries. I get a lot of my protein from eggs, turkey, and chicken, though turkey can cause a flare. My experience has found that if you have meat mixed with other items of food, the meat doesn't cause the flare anymore. Also, keeping hydrated is a must. Recently I found out that I could not eat foods sweetened with Aspartame. Each person is different in what foods you can eat and which ones you cannot. The best way to find out what your body can tolerate and what it cannot is trial and error. Exercise is the best medicine for everything and very good to improve your joint mobility. I try to exercise as much as I can. My last bout was literally fixed with Cherries. It didn't make the pain go away right away, but it helped tremendously. Good Luck my fellow Gout sufferers. You can win the battle, it takes time.