Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
1–10 of 210 posts
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#2I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effectively symptom free since immediately course-correcting my diet following my diagnosis. My new diet is mostly plant based, though some fish and occasionally chicken seems to be safe from causing any symptoms. I’ve even been able to pick up running again.
My long term outlook however remains uncertain, and I will likely be doing semi-annual hematology profiles for the foreseeable future (my rheumatologist wants to have long term data on uric acid levels.)
I hope this serves as some relief for anyone who has been recently diagnosed and is looking for positive reassurance about the changes they’re considering for themselves. YMMV.
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#3I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effe…
I do not want to squash your hopes but with dietary changes alone it is not possible to stop progression of gout. In a few years you will probably start having more frequent attacks. Lossing weight is little more effective. Keeping your uric acid well below 6.0 mg/dL is when the process starts very very slowly reversing.
Fortunately there is a better understanding of the dissease and more new therapies in the pipeline.
> Dedicated gout research, going on quietly in the background of other breathtaking advances in rheumatology, is now paying off. This comes at a time when the number of patients affected by gout continues to rise, mainly due to an epidemic of obesity. An effort to improve lifestyle choices as a society and better management of the disease by clinicians should have a positive impact on gout incidence and outcome in our lifetimes.
> Importantly, prophylaxis may prevent the acute inflammatory response to crystals, but will not alter crystal deposition and ongoing joint damage, so the patient may well be unaware of progressive tophi formation and destruction of cartilage and bone. Therefore, prophylaxis should only be employed with effective ULT.
> Treatment is lifelong with a dose sufficient to maintain the serum urate below 6.8 mg/dl (404 μmol/l), preferably below 6.0 mg/dl (357 μmol/l). Anything short of this does not reverse the process, but merely slows the rate at which crystal deposition continues. The lower the serum urate achieved, the faster tophaceous deposits will resolve [1]
Latest evidence on gout management: what the clinician needs to know - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3539261/
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#4I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effe…
In my eyes it is even too extreme, many times gout is caused by some specific behaviour like your night of red meat, if you just go back to normal moderation it doesn't happen again.
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#5I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effe…
I don't believe the current scientific consensus has meat consumption as a risk factor for gout. I read a paper recently that specifically mentioned that simple sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and purine. Purine is present in quantity in certain organ meats, but not meats that most people eat frequently, and you're more likely to get it from legumes.
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#6I watch/read a lot of history and I am always curious, if you traveled back in time how would you treat gout? Without medications to manage uric acid what would you do for Ben Franklin, DaVinci, Michelangelo or Charlemagne? Have them lose weight? Stay away from foods X, Y, and Z but eat more of A/B/C? Does exercise help/hurt? Are there any herbs etc that we know today would lower uric acid which you could find with your vast Future Knowledge?
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#7Gout is a metabolic disorder period. Excessive sugar in barley syrups from alcohol, and soda pop, and even excessive amount of starch in diet lead to metabolic purine synthesis. The metabolites produce purines in the process of storing away all this sugar, additionally causing inflation in the body the more your BMI is excessive. loose weight and the flair ups reduce, the numbers might not change. Been dealing with gout since I was 28, but had symptoms since around 23. Also have super flat feet making things worse. I take 300mg of allopurinol every day.
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#8I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effe…
I don't believe the current scientific consensus has meat consumption as a risk factor for gout. I read a paper recently that specifically mentioned that simple sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and purine. Purine is present in quantity in certain organ meats, but not meats that most people eat frequently, and you're more likely to get it from legumes.
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Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#9I had my first gout attack on August 14th 2018 at just 24, following a night filled with liquor and red meat. Though I’ve gone through periods of continuous activity, it’s safe to say I lead a somewhat sedentary life. Today, at 26, I have been free of major gout symptoms since my first attack 2 years ago. Though I occasionally get mild inflammation in my gout-prone foot if I stray too far from my diet, I’ve been effe…
I do not want to squash your hopes but with dietary changes alone it is not possible to stop progression of gout. In a few years you will probably start having more frequent attacks. Lossing weight is little more effective. Keeping your uric acid well below 6.0 mg/dL is when the process starts very very slowly reversing. Fortunately there is a better understanding of the dissease and more new therapies in the pipelin…
Thank you for sharing this. I'll definitely be more aggressive managing my gout.
Re: Once the disease of gluttonous aristocrats, gout is now tormenting the masses
#10I watch/read a lot of history and I am always curious, if you traveled back in time how would you treat gout? Without medications to manage uric acid what would you do for Ben Franklin, DaVinci, Michelangelo or Charlemagne? Have them lose weight? Stay away from foods X, Y, and Z but eat more of A/B/C? Does exercise help/hurt? Are there any herbs etc that we know today would lower uric acid which you could find with y…
leeches followed by bleeeding.