PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

I charge $900 a minute to stick around, 24-7. I accept credit cards, goats and blood.

@BOSS61

Not lead, but willing to help with welcoming newcomers and making sure the team doesn't go away.

Co-lead, never could on my own I don't think

Crzytech, did I see you wanted to lead or co-lead this team?

Well, this team is currently listed as dead, but figure I should join anyway, as there may be knowledge that I can pick up in here, and maybe I will have something to share to anyone else that stumbles across the team.

My Gout diagnosis is what lead me to my Cholesterol scare. Which in turn, is what lead me to SP. The real kicker is the Docs seemed to be all about the Cholesterol, but both my GP and Registered Dietitian I saw for the Cholesterol shrugged about the Gout.

Will fill out the profile tomorrow.

As you've discovered this board isn't too active...but some of us check in once in awhile. I hope that this New Year is finding you "Flair-free" and that your gout doesn't affect your lifestyle too much!!

There is a lot of good information in the threads below....which by now you've probably read.
Welcome along for the journey...!
patti

hello,

I've been on and off SP Since it started. Different name tho. I'm 38 or so, not really sure what else to say.

Yes...we visit here once in awhile.... I have been travelling, so haven't looked for any research articles to post lately... and I guess everyone else has been gone also!!

Hope you are doing well...!! Holiday season can sometimes be a challenge to control eating and not get flares---especially if you are someone who mostly tries to control gout with diet.

I gav e up on that...and have taken Allopurinol for several years now. I have enough OTHER foot issues that I don't need gout flares---and I remain concerned for the other micro-cellular damage that goes on in the body.
patti

hi! Hope this forum is leaderless and not well visited because everyone is healthier and has moved on...becuse the gout has resolved. I have probably had this issue for the last few years, yet my numbers were not textbook til July with a full blown gout attack in ye olde big toe. have baby stepped to now, finally feeling somewhat normal after increased dose of allopurinol. Major diet changes, and not much scale response, yet the most motivation I have had to change my ways than ever before...
I am a retired nurse, Mom of 2 adults kids, over 100 lbs to go and am 56yo. My body is the ultimate in years of starvation diets and retaliation, so it doesn't play that game anymore. Have made the usual adjustments, going to nutritionist who steered me right with carb counting, I essentially eat no meat. Rice, milk products and veggies are my staples now, with a marked lack of sugar that was ever so present before, I have a number of "co-conspirators" HTN, hypothyroid,Bi-Polar , and a family history of gout to boot.
As you all may feel, caught somewhere between a rock and a hard place...yeah, I went there.
Just recently coming to a place to hopefully get more active without making toes and knee squeak.
anybody out there?

We're kind of leaderless right now....because our Fearless Leader was doing it out of the kindness of her busy heart...and she doesn't even have Gout!! (And the rest of us aren't exactly the Leader Role Models Spark needs--LOL--as in, we haven't volunteered.)

But I shall step in for a moment and let you know that you definitely will get a lot of empathy from anyone here who reads your post. There's lots of good info in these threads, and if there are questions you have which aren't answered, we can probably get a new thread and some info going!!

I hope by now your flare up is resolved.... Have you been in to see a doctor, or are you taking other steps on your own?
All the best,
patti

Hi, been around spark for a while.
Having my second but with gout snice November. This time been about 3 weeks.
Hope to to share experiences and tips.

MBLOWERS, hope you are feeling better. Gout certainly can be VERY painful, and it doesn't always have a reason (imho) of why it flairs up. Because it can, I guess.

Hi Folks...
I've been around Spark for awhile, and have actually read most of the threads on this Team already.

My gout diagnosis came during bunion /hammer toe surgery last March. Good podiatrist/surgeon!! He spotted the accumulation of crystals, and had the pathology lab confirm. It took awhile to sort out with my regular Doctor (who hadn't received a copy of the pathology report);
but we are on the same page now! I chose to hold off on meds while we monitored the effects of discontinuing my diuretic, decreasing kidney effects of ibuprofen post surgery, and trying to change my diet enough to lower my Uric Acid levels. Haha---a whopping 0.3 decrease! LOL My diet was already pretty good though, so not much to change there...even with the help of a dietician. So I conceded defeat; and have started Allopurinol & Meloxicam this week.

The thoughts of subtle, subclinical gout arthritis developing in my joints just isn't something I want every day!!

My sister also has gout...but her's was majorly exacerbated by diuretics treating Congestive Heart Failure. And my younger brother WAS the "classic" beer drinking male gout diagnosis! Hasn't had a drink in 1.5 yrs...NOR any Gout flares!! Good for him!!

BOSS---Just LOVE your Sound Of Silence parody!!! May I pass it on to my sister?

All the best to each of you as you work to keep your Gout controlled!
patti


Edited by: LADYSTARWIND at: 8/6/2014 (16:13)

Hello I am new to Spark and new here, my name is Anne I am 72 almost 73 [in July], I am a Great Grand Mother , and I live in South Louisiana . I just had my first gout attack 3 weeks ago , I didn't know it could be so painful . My grandfather and several of my cousins have had it I am so glad I found y'all .

Hello!
I am new here. More for information than anything. I believe my brother has Gout but his doctor says his Uric Acid levels don't indicate that he does. I have been doing some research (unknown to him) and believe the photos and descriptions of Gout match his problem to a T! His diet also indicates that he is eating all the wrong things (But try to tell him that). I don't know what to do to help.

Hi, my name's Ginger and I'm 63 years young. Have had gout attacks since I was in my early 40's so it is not something new to me. I seemed to have had a bad flare up with it this winter, not sure why, but right now it has slacked off and I'm getting over my stress fracture (2 bones) in my L foot which seems to be going well. See the podiatrist tomorrow (5/27) and feel like I will not have to be put into the plaster cast or the big boot. Have been wearing the smaller one that looks like a cheap velcro shoe, but costs $25 and insurance won't cover!

I have two children, son who will be 26 in October and a daughter who will be 24 in July, who still live at home. Neither are married so I don't have any grandchildren at this time. Have been divorced since they were little (6 & 8) and have no intentions of getting married again......once was enough for me......unless God has other plans for me. Have known Woubbie on and off over the years on Spark people so have hopped on board with her here and a couple of her other teams....one about Carbs and the other Grain Brain. Hope to get to know all of you as time goes on.

Ginger (robbgin)

I just started SparkPeople yesterday. I'm 44. I was diagnosed with gout a little over a year ago. At first the flare ups and pain were so intense that I had to use a cane and sometimes even a walker to be mobile. Initially we used medication to manage the gout (and my doctor gave the "purine" lecture) and I have been able to greatly reduce the flare ups and pain through changing what foods I eat. I have noticed some minor evening flare ups since I started dieting which tends to be normal for me and should go down over time.

My triggers involve sugar, carbs (especially yeasty bread), and red meat (especially beef so I've moved to mostly chicken, turkey, grilled white fish on occasion, and limited vegetarian proteins). I am not a big alcohol drinker so that is not as prevalent.

I am new to this, I see it's been awhile since anyone has talked about their gout problems but it is a never ending battle to keep it at bay, so please all suggestions are very appreciated.

Hiya everyone . My hubby has gout . He has been eating bread that has no yeast . for the last few weeks and the inflammation is going down a lot. Also we are trying to take out dairy in our diet, we shall see how it goes , I wll keep you informed. cheers

Thanks Woubbie,

I hope I can find anything to help me out here.

Hi, Bobbi! I just read your blog and UGH! about says it. Sorry your gout is acting up so badly.

Take a look around at the team postings. Hopefully there's some helpful info for you here.

(((hugs)))

Hi Everyone, My name is "Bobbi" and I too have "GOUT" and is very painful when I get,
those flare-ups is awful...painful and I have to leave certain foods alone...haven't dranked my,
orange juice in a long while now ugh...and I also have to leave fish and shrimp anything,
that has to do with fish and all...anything that swims in the ocean lol...No Mustard or Relish,
either Ugh...No Cabbage or Liver or beans or peanut butter ugh...enuff said for now.

Wanna know more about just ask me...Read Today's BLOG I Wrote for 6-5-13..

Thanks for letting me in on this team...I need all the support for my painful GOUT!!!

Hi, Paula! Take some time and look around the team site. This is (thankfully, if you ask me!) a small group with just a handful of us popping in from time to time, but there's a bunch of good info floating around. In fact, I just posted about some info I stumbled onto about guaifenesin (the ingredient in Mucinex) as a uricosuric - meaning it flushes uric acid out of the system.

The first thing I usually advise new members of (that their doctors probably didn't mention) is that uric acid is what our bodies make in place of Vitamin C (which we can't produce internally like nearly every other mammal does). So, the presence of a lot of uric acid is a big warning sign that you probably have a good deal of inflammation going on. Usually it's a good idea to examine your entire diet and other health problems to see where you can potentially lower the inflammation level. This is pretty important, because it's becoming more and more clear that heart disease and a lot of other serious ailments are also driven by the inflammation.

Foodwise, fructose (both naturallly-derived from fruit as well as from sugar and corn syrup) seems to be one of the major drivers of increased uric acid levels. Most of the foods that doctors advise against contain purines, though purines in food do not seem to have much to do with causing gout itself. A lot of people report that they are TRIGGERS for flares, though.

Alcohol is another special case because, again, it causes inflammation and a host of other metabolic problems.

Again, take a look around, and hopefully some of the other regulars will pop in as well. (As info, I'm the group researcher, I don't actually suffer from gout myself.)

Edited by: WOUBBIE at: 6/4/2013 (12:33)

Hello all, I'm new to the group. I was officially diagnosed with gout about two and a half years ago, but had my first attack a few years before that. I have also had kidney stones, and I have never had them tested but figure they are probably uric acid stones once I was diagnosed with gout.

I gave up my one loved green veggie - spinach - with the gout diagnosis. However, I love a good steak and a few beers. This, unfortunately, can cause me to have a flare up and hobble around for days. Also, a lot of walking can cause it to flare up for me as well - which is literally a pain when I am trying to exercise. :)

I was never put on any meds - the doctor I was seeing just wanted me to try limiting purines. I am kind of glad I was not put on meds, because the main one you see advertised on TV says it can CAUSE a gout flare up.

One of the things I find helps, but is difficult to keep doing, is to eat foods that make my system more alkaline. Additionally, I read milk can help, and then read that acidophilus helps, which kind of went hand in hand. So, when I was having a flare up, I would pop pro-biotic supplements which would eventually help it ease down.

The last few weeks I have been on a couple of supplements that have really helped the chronic, nagging aches, and helped prevent a flare up after a night when I decided to have more than one beer. They have kept me more "alkaline" and I my understanding is that they help inflammation as well.

Hi WOUBBIE. Although I am a type 2 diabetic since late 1999 or early 2000, I have never been on meds for it. I am managing it with diet and exercise alone. My gout problems are inherited from my father, so the podiatrist tells me, and my body for some unknown reason is a uric acid manufacturing machine. Uric acid levels should be below 6.0 and mine came in at 9.4. So, in my case, high insulin production is not the cause....I don't make enough.

I joined this team because I am confused about how to eat. Many of the foods I am told to avoid to control gout flare-ups are the foods I eat to control the diabetes. I need to find a balance which will allow me to control both at the same time.

By the way, I am from northeastern PA about 1/2 hours from NJ border.

Hi, Sharon! This is a small team but we have a few regular posters. I'm the team "researcher", lol! I don't have gout myself, but have been reading a good bit of the literature over the past couple of years, and post anything new that shows some promise of helping folks out.

One thing that seems to connect type 2 and gout is the inflammation factor. Uric acid is an anti-inflammatory substance that the body manufactures. Gout attacks stem from high levels of uric acid (and sometimes low levels of hydration) that, for reasons that are not very clear, crystalize. If you lower your inflammation levels you will generally lower your flare ups.

There seem to be differences from one person to another between what "causes" their gout (diet, heredity, etc.) and what "triggers" their gout (meat, seafood, fructose).

In your case, I would bet that it is almost certainly being driven by what drives your diabetes - high insulin levels. If I may, I'd like to point you to a diet protocol that is almost no-fail in controlling type 2 diabetes and lowering insulin levels:

www.amazon.com/Dr-Bernsteins-Diabete
s-
Solution-Achieving/dp/0316182699/refR>=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I encourage you to read the reviews. It is a rare book (or ANY product, for that matter) that gets a 4.8 out 5 stars on Amazon! I know personally of a number of people who have been able to go off their diabetes meds after just a few months by leveling out their insulin levels. (One lady actually said she bought a boat with the money she no longer spends on meds! Her name's AGGIETERR, if you're interested in reading her SparkPage.)

By the way, I'm a Pittsburgher - did I guess right that you're from around Jefferson Hills? Go Black and Gold!

Edited by: WOUBBIE at: 3/21/2013 (18:54)

Hi all. My name is Sharon and I am experiencing recurring flare ups of gout. It was first diagnosed in my left big toe about 2 years ago and like some others here I have kept some flare ups at bay by taking naproxen. More recently I had a flare up in my right big toe and when I went to a podiatrist for my diabetic foot exam she diagnosed gout in both my ankles. It appears that my gout problems are genetic, inherited from my father. She gave me a gout diet that tells me to avoid all meats during a flare up including poultry and fish. She said that turkey has an even higher purine level than red meat! When I read the list to my hubby he asked me what there was left that I could eat.

It has been a real challenge trying to learn how to eat to control this issue because what I would eat to control the diabetes is off limit for the gout. My sugars have gone up because of trying to follow this new gout diet. So I joined this team to try to learn how to control the gout without losing control of my blood sugars.

Hi and welcome! What you eat is the root cause of about 80% of gout, and 20% is from other causes, and is frequently never diagnosed.

If you already have the markers of metabolic syndrome* then it is almost certainly diet-related. Drugs can help give you some relief, but ultimately you'll need to control your triggers at the source - what you eat. The traditional wisdom says that red meat is a trigger food (because it has a lot of purines in it) but the latest research is pointing a big ugly finger at fructose as the culprit that's responsible for the huge upsurge in gout diagnoses. If you drink a lot of soda and/or eat a lot of processed food those would be the first things you should cut and see if you get any relief. After that, it's a very individual path. As you lose weight and exercise more your flares should lessen considerably.

The active agent in gout is uric acid, which is actually an antioxidant like vitamin C is. Our bodies can't make C (ascorbic acid), but they make uric acid instead. If you have high uric acid levels it probably means you have a lot of inflammation internally, and that, again, is linked to metabolic syndrome - high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. The big driver of all these thing is the current low-fat Standard American Diet. By taking all the fat out of our food supply they upped the carbs to a ridiculous point, and all the insulin that sugar and starch cause our bodies to make leads to most of the problems.

Did I mention that I just love to make a short story long?



*According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, metabolic syndrome is present if you have three or more of the following signs:

•Blood pressure equal to or higher than 130/85 mmHg

•Fasting blood sugar (glucose) equal to or higher than 100 mg/dL

•Large waist circumference (length around the waist):

~ •Men - 40 inches or more

~ •Women - 35 inches or more

•Low HDL cholesterol:

~ •Men - under 40 mg/dL

~ •Women - under 50 mg/dL

•Triglycerides equal to or higher than 150 mg/dL

Edited by: WOUBBIE at: 6/5/2012 (13:48)

Hey Amy, welcome. Sorry you are in constant pain.My name is Laurie. My flare ups are usually linked to what I eat or what I DON'T "eat" (ie WATER! lol. I'm really bad at that!) I haven't been officially diagnosed but I have all the symptoms as well as heredity. My grandfather and both his sons had it. Not sure about my brother but he probably does. Hope you find relief for your pain.

hey all im amy im 33 years old and got dx with gout about a month ago ive been in pain id say 6 months does anyone else have constant flare ups

Hello everyone , I just got out of the hospital today and only after about 4 years and 3 hospital stays later ,I have been sick alot more times than that those were just the ones i thought might actully kill me was told i had gout. I have had ever test dont like 5 times and nothing so i just kept getting sick.Anyway my name is addie and I dont really have a clue about what to do.So if anyone has any ideas would love to hear them.

My doctor doesn't believe ANYTHING on the internet can be true-- including stuff from other hospitals or doctors! So research is OUR best friend!

Thank you for that info. All I can tell you is what my doctor told me. In my experience with internet you can always find information to contradict what some else said. But I do thank you for looking.

Charlotte I just got this off LIVESTRONG.com I'll get you the link to the whole article in a second.
High Iron, Low Purine Foods
Foods less likely to trigger gout attacks -- but still provide abundant iron -- include dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, iron-fortified cereals and whole grains. Plant foods generally contain low purine levels and offer multiple vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Farina cereal, for example, boasts 12.79 mg of iron per cup, as well as fiber; broccoli provides 1mg per medium stalk, plus calcium and vitamin C. Eating a high iron, low purine diet will help you avoid iron deficiency, or anemia, as well as gout episodes.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/504011-i
ron-rich-foods-gout/#ixzz1uoAWpSzW

Not drinking enough water (Okay I can see where this is going) But give up SPINACH BROCCOLI and foods I LOVE (such as KALE) cuz they're high in iron? I can see I'm in trouble Big time! lol Well, I'm glad you are here, so you can help me find answers like this! Welcome Laurie

Hi! My name is Charlotte and I had my first gout attack in February. I went to a Podiatrist because I thought I had an infection in my big toe. He took one look at it and said I had gout. He gave me a cortisone shot in my toe. Let me tell that was not fun but it did the job. My uric acid levels were just a little over normal so he didn't put me on any medication. He said that because I take a water pill I wasn't drinking enough water and that is what caused the gout flareup. He also said that unfortunately since I had a flare up I would have more. They may be few and far between but they would happen. He told me to cut out the caffeine and not to eat spinach, broccoli and other vegetables high in iron. So far I have increased my water intake and stayed away from the foods high in iron and have not had anymore problems. I asked if there was any foods I could eat that would help and he said no. So I guess he doesn't believe that cherries make a difference. But I do eat a few dried cherries a day. Thanks for listening.

Glad to know you Laurie. My name is Pauline.
I feel blessed because my gout is very recent and not as bad as it could be. Only two attacks, and since then, if my toe starts throbbing I immediately take a Naproxin and the pain never develops. Another Naproxen eight hours later, and problem solved.
You may need to find a new doctor, there are so many different reasons for gout and such a wide variety of cures. You need individual attention, not some "one cure covers all" thing.
Good luck with arresting the gout and walking again. I said a little prayer for you.

HI everyone. My name is Laurie. I've already talked to WOUBBIE. I found this team because I needed the encouragement. I have a history of gout and (apparently) POOR EATING CHOICES!! lol. These past two weeks have been the worst. I am also doing a four week "Taming your Sugar Cravings Challenge" I have been with SP for 4 years (in September). I have made goal and am maintaining 2 years.I have been in a wheelchair for over 13 years and this year (actually this APRIL) I am determined to get rid of it. The question is how can I do this when my feet are sore and swollen?? Yep I'm also retaining SALT! Well that's me. If you can help I would really appreciate it. HUGS Laurie

Hi, Sandy. I'm pretty new, also, as you saw.
Chicken doesn't seem to be a problem, I substituted chicken or turkey for beef and I seem to be all right.
I would be most pleased if the main cause is really fructose I would have no problem cutting that out of my diet.
You are the second person to mention cherry. You said juice, another place said just eat cherries. I haven't done that yet, but I will.
Isn't it odd that someone as young as you are should have gout? Until I got it, I thought it was the result of rich foods, like lots of cake and ice cream.
I guess we'll all learn together.

Edited by: ALPHASENIOR at: 3/20/2012 (14:57)

Hi group!

My name is Lindsay, I am 23 years old, recent college graduate. I was diagnosed with gout about two years ago. As Smokey said, there was no warning. I was fine one day, and the next day it was painful to walk on my right foot. I thought I had dropped something on my foot, or stepped on it the wrong way, or something. So, I ignored it. I let it continue for a few days, then I was sent to the student health center on campus one day while working at the dining hall.

They did not put me on any medications, but suggested I changed my diet. So, I did. I was told to drink organic cherry or apple juice. That didn't work, because I'm not a fan of juice, unless its orange juice when I'm sick. I hadn't touched pork since I was 12 years old, so that was easy. All I really did was cut back on my meat. I allow myself two 4 oz servings of red meat and two 4oz servings of poultry a month. It was easy because all of the food at the dining hall was portioned controlled by the cooks. I supplemented my protein with grilled tofu in my salads. I also cut back on sweets and exercised more. About a year ago, we hired a freshman student who also had gout. We were able to bounce off each other and give each other advice.

I still kept all of the papers regarding nutrition and exercise, but I figured out what was right for me. After that, I only have a flair when I my calorie intake crashes (I don't like to eat when I'm sick).

If you promise not to laugh at me for being an idiot, I will confide my story:
Months ago, wanting to lose weight quickly, I bought into that HGH program. It requires meat for lunch and dinner, and lots of fruit, mostly citrus. The citrus gave me canker sores in my mouth and the meat resulted in an attack of gout.
There was no warning, no leading up to it. One evening, it hurt to touch or walk or have the sheet touch my right big toe. I thought it was broken, but I couldn't imagine when or how. My PA diagnosed, tested, and gave me a shot (I don't know what it was) and I had almost immediate relief.
A couple of weeks later, boom! again! By then, I ate mostly chicken or turkey, and beef was a once in a while treat. Same routine, the shot brought quick relief.
Since then, I have eaten beef sparingly, very little sweets, and a couple of times I took my Naproxen and tamped down the rising discomfort.
Still, did someone say walking barefoot is bad? I should eat cherries? black or red? The internet seems to have different opinions, too, so I would like to hear some tried and true suggestions, not a diagnosis and advice from a doctor who conducted a study.
I think I am lucky that the gout is just showing up now, I'm as old as Methuselah and have always been pretty healthy.

I was diagnosed with gout about 2 months ago. I have been on the meds about a month I am not sure if they are helping but I can tell a difference in how I feel when i eat cherries. I ate about 2 lbs this week and wow I can tell and it seems for me if I eat a few through out the day it helps the most. The coffee I haven't done enough of to tell if that helps.

Hello to all! I am new to the group, and just wanted to introduce myself. I was just recently diagnosed with gout and am trying to learn all I can about it. I have been having flare ups for years, but the doc didn't know what I had. I read that the best diet for gout is to follow the diet for metabolic syndrome, in other words, eating low glycemic index foods, and that for some reason, this diet helps even more than the low purine diet. As I am pre-diabetic also, I guess that this is the diet for me. I was following the diabetic exchange diet, and will make the change to incorporate low glycemic foods when I can.

Hope everyone is having a splendid day!

hello,

I have noticed "healthy lifestyle" is the answer for everyting, and i agree it must help. I just wouldn't let the pain get to bad, because the ua levels are already high more then likely, and it is easier to get them down when it just starts to hurt. Or thats what i've nticed anyway.

Hope everything works out great

Hello,

My Dad and brother both have gout and lately my big toe on the left foot has been giving me trouble so I figure I have it to. Not planning to see a Dr about it yet since it is still live-able, just thought I would join this team and see what is going on. Mostly I plan to lose weight and exercise as this seems to be the real answer to most anything. Healthy weight, active lifestyle. That is what I am going for.

I see the team isn't very active but I'm hoping to get some information anyway. I've had gout for years but in small doses. After my gastric bypass, the big toe joints on both feet were hit so severely that I could not even put a sheet over them. It was only a couple of weeks after surgery but I had to go into the doctor's office barefooted. Getting to the car was so painful! I rode in a wheelchair to the doctor's office and back again but then had to get into the car and out of it again. So painful! Just standing up and sitting back down again after using the bathroom at home was excruitating! I was given pain pills which barely worked and given a prescription for allipurinol to take after the attacks subsided.

It took a couple of weeks for the horrible pain to stop but I've had swollen joints and some pain ever since (16 months). I've tried to take the allipurinol but it upsets my new tummy and doesn't really seem to work anyway. If I walk too much, the joints swell even more and become very painful.

My new home has vinyl flooring and walking barefoot on it causes the joints to hurt. My feet are now misshappened a little with the joints consistently swollen. Finally able to wear 'normal' shoes after my weight loss of 132lbs (so far) only causes me more pain from the joints. I was really hoping to stop wearing old lady sandals and get into some cute shoes.

I do not eat any of the foods on the list of purins so this gout in hereditary ... Dad had it, too. Does anyone have any other ideas on what to do to help rid me of this pain?

Thanks ... Pattie

Respected friends:
I am experiencing all the interesting facets of gout for the first time this month. As I have done seven times before, I diagnosed myself and had to browbeat my doctors to get the tests and medications I needed.
I have a very complex mix of conditions. (I'm also gluten-casein intolerant, on the Feingold diet for control of ADD, have childhood-onset PTSD, am bipolar type II, have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and I need to learn how to cope better with Asperger's syndrome.) Because of the dietary restrictions above, adding the low-purine diet for gout will be fiendish. For example: low-fat dairy is highly recommended as a source of low-purine protein. The only dairy I can tolerate are Sheep's milk and Water Buffalo milk. So my yogurt is 8.99 a pint, my mozzarella is 5.00 per five ounces, my cheese is 10.95 a pound... I'm feeling very put-upon just now.

Hi everyone, just joined this spark team. I am a newby when it comes to gout, just found out I had it.
Went to ungent care because my knees would not let me walk, and found out that I have gout in my knees. Was really freaked out to realize at 37 years old that I have gout, did not really even know what it was, and the doctor was surely not that helpfull. But have done alot of research since, and many more doctors appointments, and am pleased that I can live with it, as long as I do my part. So this is why I am here I am a single mother of 2 adult teenaged children, and a 7 year old. I would like to walk to see my grandchildren. Actually, I have decided to work my way towards being a vegan. I just read the great book, and would love to recommend to anyone, but the books name is a little out of character so here it goes, and hope u can interupt the rest skinnyb_t_hes, if not shoot me any email and I will give u the missing letters, just don't want to offend anyone. thanks

Edited by: GODSCHILD123 at: 1/7/2010 (15:45)

Round 2 at Sparkpeople, round 4 for gout. I'm Heath, I did hit a goal weight 2 years ago with Sparkppl, then life got in the way, wedding, house etc. So I'm back at it. I just spent the holidays laid up with my worst gout attack yet. Tried colchicine once and was very, very ill so this time I kind of toughed it out and tried not to ruin Christmas for the family.
I have found a supplement called Goutrin which is available in Canada at GNC. It is mostly cherry extract with some other natural ingredients. If I catch a flare up early enough and start taking Goutrin the pain will usually subside in about 3 days without getting too severe. I did not have it with my as I went away for Christmas, and was also suffering from a sprained foot which I believe assisted in the attack.

Thanks for sharing your story. Do you take any kind of traditional meds now?

Hi,
I am Dotty and I had gout so bad about 20 years ago that big toe and my knees and legs were so swollen too from it that I could not walk or get out of bed. They said I had poor man's gout. I lived in Tennessee. and at the time we were very poor and lived on beans and rice. I got too much protein from all the beans we ate and it caused severe gout. They did treat me with meds at first and then just cherries... It cured it and when ever I get another bout of it, before it gets real bad, I hit the cherries and it goes away as quickly as it comes... However I do not eat nearly the protein that we ate then. I still eat beans but only once in a while. God bless all of you, Dotty

Hi Mary Ann,

I hope by now you are feeling better! Have you found some relief?

Welcome ot the forum.

Hey Mary Ann. We know how you feel. Take a look around the boards and get some good ideas on dealing with this condition.

Hi, I am MaryAnn from Colorado. I have been here occassionally. I am enduring my second bout with gout in 1.5 yrs. I really hate this pain.

A "Sticky Topic" is one that the group leader flags so that it always stays at the top of the Forum list. I encourage folks to reply to what is already there, rather than start a new topic for each post. But please feel free to start a new topic if you feel that the subject deserves one. Most of our posts are in the "Let's Chat" in the General Discussion Forum.

Questions

What is a "Sticky Topic"? Interesting that I got no results in the FAQ search.

To continue to post after the initial Intro do we want to post here or move to another forum?

Rebbie54

Good advice I just wanted to say hello to everyone

I have heard many times that a B5 deficiency is rare since it is found in many foods. However, the reason why gout sufferers are told to get enough B5 is because it comes mainly from meat (in the American diet) and you already know that you must limit animal protein, sometimes severely, for extended periods, with this condition. Not to mention fish and nuts, which also contain a relatively high amount of protein and a fair amount of B5. Not the best choice for gout. The RDA in the US is 5-10 mg. You can get that in one "too much protein meal" so common in the American diet. If you are eating a good variety of foods even while eating very little protein, you probably won't have a B5 deficiency. I guess I should have been more specific in that previous post.

While there is no good information that suggests taking huge doses of B5 is harmful, why do it? same thing for vitamin C. I think that those with gout need to make sure that they get enough of it, but after so much, it isn't helpful and can cause further problems, depending on what source you reference. And I mean this for C and bromelain, specifically. Bromelain is another huge post entirely. There are conflicting views on nutrition and gout. Check the heading "Nutrition and Gout" in the group's message boards for some things that Janet posted.

At every turn when dieting, we are told to take a multivitamin. But it's not always the best thing to do if you have health problems, as we are finding out. It's not necessary for me personally to take one every day. To me it's overkill and i don't see how that's helpful. If you're having gout bad enough to be taking allopurinol, why not get a blood screening now and then for nutrition? Couldn't hurt.

IMHO (again) what most of us need from multivitamins are the trace elements like selenium, zinc, and copper. And what we don't need from them are the E, C, calcium and magnesium, which are not provided in a multivitamin in enough strength to be therapeutic if you want to super-dose on them. Supplement these, if you must only with that particular vitamin or mineral.

Gout can be made worse with too high a dietary intake of molybdenum, which is in some multivitamins as well. It is a micro-nutrient found in legumes and meat and, not necessary to supplement.

Hope this helps.

My father was blessed with gout and of course he passed it on to me. One thing that he swore by and definitely helped him was cherries and cherry juice. No specific amount. He didn't take any medication. I keep forgetting about it since I don't have flare ups that often. Of course I would have a bout this past week. I avoid red meat and am finding out that isn't the only thing that can cause a flare up. Allopurinol did not prevent this last instance.

Helena

Thanks for the response Joe - and the encouragement on my Sparkpage to post here. I will add vitamin C and vitamin B5 to my nutrition tracker. My plan is to try a little bit of everything and then start an elimination process.

This dang stuff can hit me so unexpectedly I don't want to mess with trying one protocol at a time. One great thing is that the Allopurinol and indomethacin are generic so $9.99 for a 3 month supply at Wal-Mart. That is allot less than the supplements!

Vitamin C I know about but what is a good source of B5? What dosage?

Do you take a multivitamin? I have read some cautions on this if you have gout.

ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE WITH ANSWERS OR QUESTIONS?

Rebbie

Some answers:

1. What parts of your body are involved with gout? Various parts at the same time or does it move around.

Mostly my tarsals and metatarsals in both feet. It moves around.

2. Do you have any triggers that seem to cause a flare?

Extreme mental stress. Too much protein.

3. If you are taking RX how long did it take to really feel like you were in remission.

Allopurinol made me ill. Can't take it. Can't take indomethacin either.

4. Do you see any problems with the supplements I am taking.

The Go-out Plex seems like a catch-all mix of things that can help gout. IMHO, the bromelain is probably the most useful. It is an extremely strong anti-inflammatory. I use that instead of prescription drugs. I had no success with celery seed, cherry extract or tumeric. Some people have, by all accounts. The additional potassium in the Go-out Plex is a rather small portion of the RDA for it. It is also a good idea to make sure that you are getting adequate vitamin C and especially vitamin B5.

5. I had a bad 3 day flare 2 weeks ago after a pretty strenuous workout. Doc said that the allipurinol could cause that - said it sometimes gets worse before it gets better! If you take this drug was that your experience? Have you ever quit taking it and if so why?

I did not take it long enough to see! It takes a few weeks for alopurinol to reach its highest effectiveness. It's common to have attacks in that time. Overexertion on previously gout-stressed joints can make things worse in the short run as the double-terminated crystals (microscopically) dig into the articular cartilage of joints and tendons. Give yourself a rest if you can.

Hi all!

I was FINALLY diagnosed two months ago. For 3 years I was told by Ortho and Pod docs that my pain was from Plantar Fasciitis. No amount of those stretching exercises took away the pain when it hit. After being bedridden 5 times since Thanksgiving for pain in my right foot and ankle the Podiatrist ran a blood test for uric acid ( 9.9) and confirmed Gouty Arthritis.

Doc prescribed treatment so far - predisone for 7 days which got me back on my feet, 300 mg allopurinol , indomethacin as needed ( I try and avoid this - it makes me very dizzy sometimes) .

Daily supplements I have added on my own - Go-out Plex (black cherry and celery see extract), fish oil caps, 2 tsp Bragg vinegar in water, dried cherries (until fresh ones become available), ground flax seed. I even tried the black bean juice thing in desperation and it was disgusting!!! Actually I was glad I did not get the promised immediate relief.

Life style changes - gave up red meat and alcohol as well as the other high purine foods. The first was not too hard but the second really cramps my style.
I lived for the cocktail hour -and it was generally the cocktail hour somewhere in the world at any given time. Set a goal of losing 76 lbs. So far I have lost 13.5lbs since March 4. Yoga and walking 2 miles each day when my foot feels ok, or recumbent stationary bike when it doesn't.

Sparkpeople has been a wonderful find. The nutrition tracker is great, Sparkrecipes is fun and the fitness tips and videos are so accessible and all this for FREE!!!

The most severe occurrences of pain are still very much in my memory so that the incentive to stick with these life changes is great. I can only hope that I can continue - with your help.

I am not pain free - more now discomfort than pain. Also a couple of fingers are starting to get little stabbing pains as well as my hip - all on my right side. I wonder if this is gout or osteo A . I am in my mid 50s so that is a possibility.

Fortunately I don't have any other health issues that I know of. My hubby has RA and I have a new found empathy for his 10 years of suffering and limitations.

My questions to you, my friends

1. What parts of your body are involved with gout? Various parts at the same time or does it move around.

2. Do you have any triggers that seem to cause a flare?

3. If you are taking RX how long did it take to really feel like you were in remission.

4. Do you see any problems with the supplements I am taking.

5. I had a bad 3 day flare 2 weeks ago after a pretty strenuous workout. Doc said that the allipurinol could cause that - said it sometimes gets worse before it gets better! If you take this drug was that your experience? Have you ever quit taking it and if so why?

I am sure I will have lots more questions. Please jump right in and let me hear from you. I so much want to find others with some experience facing all this.


Hope to hear from you!!!

Rebbie54

Thanks for sharing your stories and welcome. Our message boards have been sparse as you can see. Take a minute and look through the posts, where you can read about the others'struggle with gout.

Hi, I'm Helena and have had gout for almost a year now. The Dr put me on Allopurinol 2x daily and i avoid red meats, etc, but have had another flare up. It's so hard when my husband can eat anything and not gain any weight. I have to avoid everything he loves, so it's hard to cook in our household.

Hello I am Sandie and I have a story. Over seven months ago I was put on a medacation,I became slowly ill. I had great pain in my hips and tendons, I suffered for seven months. One of the Dr. I had bent sent to did even more blood work, my Uric acids levels were through the roof. I chose to quit the medications and took matters in my own hands and now after two weeks I am able to walk, get out of bed, groom my horses. I am still having some pain as mu joints keep popping and hurt, but wow I am so much better. I have medacation induced gout and am disturbed it took the medical profession to find the problem. So hello and I hope everyone is feeling well today, this is very painful stuff.

Welcome! Sorry to hear that you're having trouble with gout. Feel free to post anything to the threads that are already started rather than starting a new thread for each post. The June/July '08 posts in "Let's Chat" have a lot of things about our gout issues.

Yes - a short course of steroids can cause increased appetite and sleep disturbance. A dose of 20 mg or more a day is considered high. Your doc will probably taper off the dose as a sudden stoppage can make things worse.

Hi, i'm a healthy 33 y/o never had any real medical probs. Then tuesday evening shortly before getting off work my foot (more specifically my BIG TOE) starting hurting just a little. I didn't really think too much of it, my boots were a little loose all day so i just figured it was a muscle strain. Then within a few hours I was limping pretty good. Kept waking me up too. I'm a paramedic so i pretty much knew what was going on (as much as i didn't want to admit it), also knew i had to nip it in the bud before it got worse and had to take time off.

so yesterday first thing after sending the kids off to school i went to the er, they gave me prednisone and indomethacin. I slept all night and today i only feel the slightest bit in my toe yet.

So i found yesterday i was pretty much stir crazy and couldn't satisfy my appetite no matter how much i ate, also felt absolutely drained all day. Is that pretty much common for the steroid use?

Welcome, GRZOLLAR and LADYVALERIA2002!!!! So good to have you both on the team!!

Joe, sorry for the long delay in responding to your question about prognosis... My wrist and hand are a lot stronger since I last posted, but I do have occasional pain that is taken care of with ibuprofen. Tylenol does not really help, and I was taking too much according to my doctor who feared for the condition of my kidneys from Tylenol overdose. Ugh Anyway, I have to wear the wrist support and finger splint for another 3 weeks, get an x-ray once the three weeks is up, and take it from there. I am pretty sure that I may have reinjured something in my wrist because the pain was supposed to have gone away by now. It was so funny to see that my daughter's roommate's mom also wore a wrist support!! Twins!!! lol

I am in wonderful Manhattan, and have an extended stay in my daughter's new dorm. I helped her move into a brand new dorm that NYU recently purchased--it is like living in a 5-star hotel!!! Super-great applicances--dishwasher, stove/oven, microwave, refrigerator. The kitchen counters are beautiful marble, and the floors are very pretty hardwood (in the sleeping area), and some kind of pretty tile (not linoleum) on the kitchen and bathroom floors. The bathroom has a huge mirrored cabinet and pretty pinkish marble on the walls.

Well, there I go, yakking and blabbing away!

Everyone have a great day!!!

We definitely understand! I think everyone here has had their time(s) where they were down with gout pain. Not to mention the fevers and nausea!
I'm the only person in my family that has gout, but several have arthritis.

Check through the posts where you may find some useful information, especially in the "All about gout" and "Let's chat" threads. If you would like to share your gout story or post something that would be beneficial for the team, please post it where you think it appropriate, in a thread that's already started.

Welcome to the team!

I spent three weeks in bed in Feb. all because I let my carnivore habits get out of hand.
Since maintaining low uric acid levels are important to not having gout I have to keep the carnivore on a tight leash and eat plenty of green vegies but limit spinach.
My Gout is a family shared condition is yours?

Welcome! As you can see, we're a small outfit so please don't be shy! Check through the posts to find some info that might be helpful to you, or post your own questions/suggestions as well. Gee I wonder if you're a cat person??

Glad to find other overweight people that are effected by gout.

That plain sux. What's the prognosis?

Joe, truthfully, I was going crazy doing "nothing" at home--I still cannot grasp anything in my left hand, cannot handwash dishes (don't have a dishwasher, and my daughter has been washing them--don't know what I will do when she goes back to NYU next week...), and still cannot use any of my fingers or thumb on my left hand to turn on the light switches... I cannot believe how much I took the use of my left hand (and digits) for granted before!!! At least I can drive and type with both hands now, especially since I do not have to take vicodin during the day anymore.

Sorry, enough about me! lol

As usual, your humble attitude is astounding, Janexa. Why are you even trying to type anything?? But she's right, Kris - read through other folk's posts and get some extra ideas. Welcome and keep in touch. Good luck!

Edited by: JOEMAXWELL at: 8/11/2008 (16:13)

welcome, kris!!!!!!! sorry for not acknowledging you sooner, but i got bit by a family dog
(not our dog), got 10 stitches, and taking vicodin for pain. this happenedc the day beforemy birthday which was on july 24, and still have to type with one hand.

i suggest you read the different discussion boards that sandy, the team leader has set up, especially the one called "all about gout." she is away for a little while, and i am temporarily filling in for her. i do not have gout, but we have some very knowledgeable people on this team who can help. i will do my best to do more research about gout, but may be slow in getting to it because of the vicodin stupor for the next day or so.

hang in there, kris. do as much reading and researching on your own, and make sure you make your doctor explain where to start.

Hi. My name's Kristina but I go by Kris. I was just diagnosed with gout this morning. My doctor told me I need to modify my diet and I have no idea where to begin.

Thanks janet & sandy, I am so glad to have friends like you all, my toes hurts awful same goes with my (CHF) CHRONIC HEART FAILURE that is what (CHF) stands for and I am glad to be here I am tryin my best but something always pops up anyway I hope I will have your prayers Im sorry that I am rambling on but I am scared for my hubby due to he went to the hospital due to his heart please pray for him.

"Big HuGS"
~B0bbi~

Welcome, Bobbi!!!!

Thank you for joining this team! I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble you are having with gout and your other medical issues. I don't know what chf is, but I am going to look it up now so I can understand what it is. No need to post anything about it if you are uncomfortable talking about it.

Sandy is a great leader of this team, and I hope you continue to post more messages so that you can get some answers to your questions and get the support you need from this group. It is slowly growing, and it really is nice to see that you are committed to doing what you can to overcome your gout and weight issues.

SparkPeople is a great site, and you will find a lot of helpful information and great people support from this team. Take your time in searching through SparkPeople. There is so much to learn here, and it helps if you start slowly to get used to all the tools available here.

Again, Welcome, Bobbie! I look forward to hearing from you again soon!

BOBBI~
I'm glad you joined! Seems whatever your health issues are,they almost always have the same advice...lost weight! I totally agree,but I need to stay motivated. And that's where SparkPeople enters in...the missing link to all of those years of yo-yoing.

I don't think they're as strict as before about losing weight before knee replacement,but I think you will be glad you did,because your recovery will be easier,and it's also good incentive that your weight depends on when you get your surgery.

Looking forward to getting acquainted and hearing about your gout. See you on the threads!

Sandy

Hello Everyone, My Name is Bobbi AKA Sweetness53
I have just restarted here right now its 10;30pm
and I am trying to do what is best for me I was
diangosised with Gout they are no fun and it seems like I get them in my big toe's I wish they would just go away if it would I would be so happy I have been here on sparks for awhile but not here on this sight so I will just have to introduce myself to you all well you know my name its up above and I am 52yrs
old and I am in love with my hubby the most best thing that has ever happened to be is we have been married for 11yrs that is the most welcome news lol
he helps me do things which I am disabled I have Chf,
Edema, Gout, Bad back bad knees they are bone to bone so I am trying to do this right so I will need all the help that I can get I went to the E.R. on
friday 6-20-08 @ 3:15pm it was so packed I had some chf problems and so I saw a doctor and she admitted upstairs to be put into a room and they done blood work and done what they could but some things they couldn't do because of my weight so I am gonna have to work a little harder now wish me luck friends it
was so terrible how do everyone else back east do this when they weigh so much more I am so concern over this please help me someone from california.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Haven't forgotten about ya! Just gotta a lot going on Tues and Wed!

Joe and BooBoosMama!!!

I know Sandy is thrilled that you two have joined this team so she can speak to people who have gout. I am here as a friend for Sandy, and I do not have gout. I have been doing some research on gout, its medications, etc. to help out, but I'm glad that now she has a couple people who have suffered personally through this terrible thing to chat with.

As you can see, Sandy is a tough cookie and has struggled with gout pain for too long. I hope that you both will provide her with some insight about what other things she can do do relieve her pain and number of bouts.

Thank you for joining this team! Both of you are important to Sandy and the rest of the team, and I hope that you will take Sandy up on her request to write on your blog or post messages here for everyone to stay motivated and encouraged!

I'm on a diabetic exchange diet. I get 5-6oz.of protein per day,which is NOT much. Having an attack every other week??? Sounds like me. So did they do any labs or scans to check your kidneys since they're not filtering the uric acid? Seems that their might be a reason.

I have been told by my Dr.that if you're having an episode that you take the Cholchicine (I HATE that stuff!)and stop the Allopurinol,because that can trigger an episode and/or make it worse.

Maybe the other people on the team have some suggestions for us "recently diagnosed victims!" I haven't worn shoes for over 2 months,and my Berkies are let out as far as they'll go. And to top it off...I have had chronic fluid retention in my feet and ankles for 2-1/2 yrs.non-stop due to my kidney failure and I can't wear my compression socks because they're too tight. They just tell me to keep my feet higher than my heart. How the heck do ya do that? OK...I'm done venting!

Sandy

Hello there I have gout too. I wanted know how much protein do you eat a day? I've only have had gout for about 5 months now and seem to be having gout attack every other week now. I have been drinking cherries juice daily and now taking charcoal tabs to help filter my kidneys. I take allpurinol 100ml daily and I don't think it really helps me.when in pain I take nabumetone 500ml twice a day and 1-2 vicodin if needed along with the colchicine tabs.Well thanks for listening to me and you can visted me page anytime.

JOE-
Our gender or religious orientation have nothing to do with the principles of the team. The only prerequisite is that we have gout,and are willing to share our experiences and give/get support in our times of need. I knew nothing of "the monster" until 9 weeks ago when I awoke thinking that my foot was broken. It's only gone down-hill from there. I could not tolerate the colchicine,although I toughed it out for 2 of my episodes in the beginning- 3 and 4 days respectively. I cannot take the standard protocol,NSAIDS,due to liver and kidney disease. Even without any treatments,the gout was supposed to subside after 10-14 days. As usual,I'm out of the norm,and I am still having episodes after over 2 mo. It's underneath my big toe now,and across the pad below my toes. They prescribed a low dose of Prednisone (10mg.)2 weeks ago in an attempt to reduce the swelling so they could put me on Allopurinol to reduce my uric acid count. Sounds good,but didn't work. I called the Doc on call last Sat.and he increased Prednisone to 30 mg. So tell me why you won't take either of the drugs...no,wait- on 2nd thought,don't. OK...tell me!

Blog your story,please. This is all new to me,and I want to manage mine like you do. Diet does not seem to have an impact on me. Since you joined...now you have to post every day,ya know! I know MISSAGREEMENT,and I'll tell on you!!!

We have a new member!!!
Sandy,Team Leader

Edited by: IT*SNEVER2LATE at: 6/9/2008 (19:20)

Hello all. I'm new to SP. My Sp and real-life friend MY_AGREEMENT sent me this group address. I hope that no one minds that I'm a man and I'm a Pagan!

I have had problems with gout for 15 years. Didn't know what it was at first. It took a long time to figure it out. I'm 40 now and I manage my gout quite well. I will not take prednisone or allopurinol so I do have to watch what I eat and drink, but not every day all the time! The rest is rather a long story, so if you're interested, I can post it to my blog in a couple of days.

- Joseph

MAMASUDS- Please forgive me for spelling your username wrong on the huddle. I "borrowed" my post here from when I welcomed you on your page.
___________________
HI! Thanks for joining the All About Gout team. We need some new input! I hope you've had a chance to read through some of the threads. Please introduce yourself and tell us about your experience with gout.

I have a dear friend from Germany. She's been in the states since she got married 30 years ago, but she still goes back to see her Mother twice a year.

I had no knowledge or experience with gout until 7 weeks ago. Since then, I have had 3 bouts. I just got back from the Dr. He put me on Prednisone for 4 weeks to get the swelling down so I can get started on the Allpurinal. He said my Uric Acid level was high. It was 12, and it should be under 7. I have Stage 3 kidney disease secondary to diabetes. Why don't I just tell you my whole life story!!! LOL You'll just have to come visit the team to hear....the rest of the story!

I'm learning that this disease has many variables. It creates pain like nothing I've ever experienced,but then I think about the pain and anguish that Christ endured for us,and the throbbing doesn't seem so terrible!

Please keep posting regularly...you've lived it...I'm just a rookie!

Sandy

, MamaSuds! I am the only one on the team who does not suffer from gout. I am helping the team leader, Sandy (It'sNever2Late), do some research on gout. She has been having the longest gout episode lately, but feel free to browse in the different topics here. She has posted a ton of information about gout, and I am in the midst of posting more information as I write this.

It is a terrible condition that I know little about, but I am here to support you and do what I can to find more info on gout.

Hope to see you again soon!

Hi! I've been with SP for a week now. I first joined the arthritis team, but everyone was talking about knees and backs, which doesn't help me much. I find it interesting that the 3 people here are all women, when everything I read says that the majority of people with gout are men. Of course, at 36, I don't fit in the age bracket appropriate for gout either. My father has gout and I was lucky enough to have my first gout attack that I recognized at Christmas last year. I now know I have had it in my foot for quite a while, but when it hit my hands, I started looking for answers. My foot started acting up when I went on a high protein, low carb diet last year. I would love to hear about any natural remedies you have tried that have helped ease the pain in your feet and hands. By the way, I love the graphic!

That's great, Sandy! I hope you get a whole ton of new members!

I failed to mention that I posted a note on the Mesage Board announcing ALL ABOUT GOUT. I don't know how else to get the word out,short of going to one of the Arthritis Teams and asking if anyone has Gouty Arthritis. It is also referred to as Metabolic Gout. Any ideas welcome!

Sandy

Would be happy to do some research--I really want to be a perpetual student when I grow up! LOL

Will post what I find in the other thread you have.

Lots of love to you two!!!

JANET-

I am thrilled to have you on-board. Maybe you can help out with research...there seems to be a lot on gout on the net. Probably since it's such an old disease. Let me tell you it's not fun,though!!!

XOSandy

Hi, Lovely Ladies! I don't have gout, and I love to learn new things. I DO want to hang out with you two, so thanks for letting me join!

Janet! Do you have gout, or did you just wanna hang out with 2 other awesome people,much like yourself?

SANDY

Janet, it is so nice to have you with the team. Welcome !!

Hi, Sandy, I am here to support you and your new team. I always love learning new things, even when I am not personally affected by gout. I wish I knew how to get a hold of more people with gout, but will love learning about it along with you and MaryAnn!

Please start your own thread. Tell us of your experiences with gout...I'm just learning!

Sandy