Gout Support Group

I don't have gout, but my Dad does. He has had it forever it seems like. Lately it has really been acting up on him (his feet) he can hardly walk so I joined to see if I can get some insite on it.

Make sure that your Dad doesn't have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can cause gout attacks. The many diseases that result from untreated sleep apnea can very significantly shorten life span and degrade quality of life.

Will be talking to him this morning...Thanks

painfree123, please describe sleep apnea for me. He has had gout in the past, and MAY be in the midst of one now, or it may be an infection in the toe. Results not back from uric acid test. Anyhow, after reading your remarks, I was just now watching him as he is sleeping. He will take several big breaths, then several shallow breaths then STOP FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, then start up with shallow breaths, deep breaths, cycle again. He is sleepy so much of the time, even after getting a good nights sleep. Thanks for your help.

The breathing cycle which you describe could very well be an indication of sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway becomes obstructed due to muscle relaxation during sleep, is usually accompanied by snoring while breathing. But central sleep apnea, in which the brain forgets to maintain breathing, could be indicated by the breathing cycle that you describe. In either case, it is the repeated lack of breathing for many seconds at a time which can lead to a gout flare within hours and much more serious serious conditions over the long term. Your Dad should see a sleep medicine specialist who can properly diagnose him and prescribe an effective treatment.

The repeated periods of no breathing for many seconds at a time are tell-tale signs of sleep apnea. It is vey risky to ignore that sleep behavior. One long term study found that people with moderate or severe sleep apnea had a life expectancy that was eighteen years shorter than their chronological age would suggest.

Gouts not the most trendy, posh ailment to talk about but there is so much scope to help because there are so many (individually applicable) natural remidies. I found that cherries help me tremendously. It doesnt eliminate the attack but it does stop it from getting worse and thats a huge relief. Two prescribed meds did absolutly nothing except give me IBS-d and a whole $$$ in my pocket
Cheers
Al

yes the meds. can give you a upset tummy (LOL) to put it litely.i take the meds. for about a week then stop for a day or 2 then start back up so it doesnt happen.the cost its much for me thank god i have good insurance but not i know not everyone does.

I used to get gout attacks 2-3x/week. then my Dr prescribed "allopurinol" I take 100mg daily. that has brought my uric acid back no withing reach and gout attacks have been non-existant for the last 5yrs.

Ask your dad's Dr about this med.

Without trying to belittle a serious problem but regarding sleep apnea I found the following at Wiki:

"A 2005 study in the British Medical Journal found that learning and practicing the didgeridoo helped reduce snoring and sleep apnea, as well as daytime sleepiness. This appears to work by strengthening muscles in the upper airway, thus reducing their tendency to collapse during sleep."

So you replace snoring at night by a kind of snoring during the day.

That study does have interesting implications. One is that playing any type of wind instrument might have the same benefit. That hypothesis was refuted in a 2008 study reported in the journal Sleep Medicine for western orchestral wind instruments. But the breathing technique for playing the didgeridoo is different from that used to play western orchestral wind instruments. Exhaling while playing one of those wind instruments is interrupted by brief periods of quick inhaling. Exhaling while playing the didge is continuous through the mouth while inhaling occurs through the nose, so there is no interruption in the sound.

I have overheard sleep physicians talking about that didge study, but not considering it seriously, just snickering at it. I think that it may deserve more serious consideration.