Skirmishes
For the past few years before I knew that I was "of the gout" I would occassionaly get lingering pain in my hamstrings and knees. My shins, hamstrings and feet would ache and swell up some nothing to bad but, it lingered for a few days and I always thought i had more to do with wearing my faire boots or walking to much at work then anything else.
After I was diagnosed with the gout, I noticed that these same symptoms have occured and especially both times before I had a full gout attack. Last week I started to get the aches in my knees and my feet were hurting so, I looked on line to see what I could do to prevent an attack of gout. Everyone said lose weight, well duh! but until I reach that level what else is there? I came across one site that said you have to break the cycle.
The cycle for gout goes like this:
1.the body builds up excess uric acid at this point you don't really feel anything.
2. Acute flares, joint inflammation. The uric acid crystalizes in your body settling in the joint areas and of course in your lower extremities this is why a goutie foot is common.
3. Your body sends white blood cells to figure out why things are getting inflammed. They discover the uric acid crystals and attack. These crystals are like dagger or needle shards they end up bursting the white blood cells which release proteins which summon more white blood cells which end up lowering the Ph levels in the area allowing yet more uric acid to form more crystals!
4. Acute Gout which is frequent and constant joint pain with possible accompanying lumps and bumps. The latter are when you really have it bad! I thankfully (I suppose) have only had the constant and frequent joint pain. Oh yeah! and your foot swells up like a ballon! Forget shoes get yourself some big ol slippers or flipflops!!
So the secret here from what I read is to stop the cycle between step 2 and 3. And how is that done you ask? Simply put, in any frakking way possible!! If you are aware of your symptoms, as I am now, the guys site recommended you take your prescribed medication whatever that may be, for me that meant ibuprofen or aleve everyday, drink ALOT of water and minimize the amount of purines taken into your body. The latter is kinda hard as everything has purines in it which the body breaks down into uric acid and this passes in urine. But, there are foods that have less of it then others and it's usually the green leafy type.
So, I had the symptoms and I decided to follow the advice, took myself completely off diet soda and drank water continously all day, every day! Stayed away from spinach which is high in purines and had other fruits and vegetables and chewed ibuprofen like candy. And I'll be damned!!! It WORKED!!!
After a few days, my knees and feet started to feel normal again and even during the first couple of days I noticed though my foot and especially toe was a little sore with occassional twinges of pain it never swelled!
So, one little skirmish engaged and won!! Now to continue the battle to be rid of it forever! :)
After I was diagnosed with the gout, I noticed that these same symptoms have occured and especially both times before I had a full gout attack. Last week I started to get the aches in my knees and my feet were hurting so, I looked on line to see what I could do to prevent an attack of gout. Everyone said lose weight, well duh! but until I reach that level what else is there? I came across one site that said you have to break the cycle.
The cycle for gout goes like this:
1.the body builds up excess uric acid at this point you don't really feel anything.
2. Acute flares, joint inflammation. The uric acid crystalizes in your body settling in the joint areas and of course in your lower extremities this is why a goutie foot is common.
3. Your body sends white blood cells to figure out why things are getting inflammed. They discover the uric acid crystals and attack. These crystals are like dagger or needle shards they end up bursting the white blood cells which release proteins which summon more white blood cells which end up lowering the Ph levels in the area allowing yet more uric acid to form more crystals!
4. Acute Gout which is frequent and constant joint pain with possible accompanying lumps and bumps. The latter are when you really have it bad! I thankfully (I suppose) have only had the constant and frequent joint pain. Oh yeah! and your foot swells up like a ballon! Forget shoes get yourself some big ol slippers or flipflops!!
So the secret here from what I read is to stop the cycle between step 2 and 3. And how is that done you ask? Simply put, in any frakking way possible!! If you are aware of your symptoms, as I am now, the guys site recommended you take your prescribed medication whatever that may be, for me that meant ibuprofen or aleve everyday, drink ALOT of water and minimize the amount of purines taken into your body. The latter is kinda hard as everything has purines in it which the body breaks down into uric acid and this passes in urine. But, there are foods that have less of it then others and it's usually the green leafy type.
So, I had the symptoms and I decided to follow the advice, took myself completely off diet soda and drank water continously all day, every day! Stayed away from spinach which is high in purines and had other fruits and vegetables and chewed ibuprofen like candy. And I'll be damned!!! It WORKED!!!
After a few days, my knees and feet started to feel normal again and even during the first couple of days I noticed though my foot and especially toe was a little sore with occassional twinges of pain it never swelled!
So, one little skirmish engaged and won!! Now to continue the battle to be rid of it forever! :)