Gout, gouty arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?
By peavey
@peavey (16936)
United States
April 22, 2016 7:13pm CST
I have had gout before due to my kidneys not clearing uric acid as quickly as they should. It can be very painful and my bouts usually last weeks. I have also had aches and pains that I thought were "old age" arthritis or something.
However, this time I had a month long problem that started suddenly one morning when I started to get out of bed. My fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders and ankles were hurting badly. My hands were swollen and I could barely move them. I also had a fever and felt exhausted with no appetite.
This went on for over a week. All the doctor would do is prescribe pain medication and tell me to take it easy. As if. I live alone and what I don't do doesn't get done.
Anyway, on top of all this, I could feel a gout attack beginning in my foot, so out of desperation, I used my stand by prescription for prednisone and within 24 hours, the whatever-it-was was disappearing.
The doctor said... "Gout, gouty arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Or maybe a slow moving virus." Or, what??
I paid him to tell me I was hurting? I suppose the pain medication was worth something.
This isn't the first time I have treated myself instead of listening to the doctor, but this is the first time I did such a great job. The prednisone really did the trick.
10 people like this
10 responses
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
23 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I swear by specialists these days, since they're the ones that helped me get a fibromyalgia diagnosis after five years and get my life back on track. 
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
23 Apr 16
I guess it is good you had some. It does take down inflammation really well. I see on the side bar that one of our former members recommended papaya for Uric Acid. I was going to suggest fresh pineapple--both have enzymes that help break down inflammation, papain or bromelain. Also I have heard that sour cherries are helpful for gout. Eleven of them a day for a precise number.
2 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Apr 16
There are several things recommended for gout, but the problem is that gout occurs when uric acid levels rise and also when they fall. So the key is keeping the level stable, then getting it to fall very slowly. Since I have CKD, it's hard to keep it under control.
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
23 Apr 16
I've heard that sour cherries are good for inflammation in general, although I don't remember reading about a specific number. When I was cashiering at Walmart, I had a customer recommend gin-soaked golden raisins for relieving arthritis pain. I know I wrote the exact number she told me down somewhere because it struck me as interesting, but I have no idea if I still have it or where it would be. Eleven seems right, though. Maybe that's just an all-around magic number. 
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
27 Apr 16
I got diagnosed gout some years ago, but it disappeared when I took good quality food supplements. I used TahitianNoni and food supplements from gnld.com.
I hope you can get help too. 
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
28 Apr 16
@buenavida I have studied that and it's true. The key is "most" health problems. My kidneys are pretty much shot (Stage 4 CKD) so it would be a miracle for them to heal themselves at this point. Not that I don't believe in miracles!
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
28 Apr 16
@peavey The diet is important.. Dr. Robert O. Young is talking about alkaline food, that helps our body to get rid of acidity. Cancer cells can't live in an alkaline environment and most health problems seem to disappear. Wish you good health..
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
23 Apr 16
When my daughter has a flare up of her RA she will call her doctor to get a prescription of prednisone. She knows when she needs it and the doctor knows it too.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
23 Apr 16
@ElusiveButterfly Since I have gout about once a year, I have a standing prescription so I don't have to go to the doctor every time. I don't use it unless it's absolutely necessary, though.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
23 Apr 16
@peavey It does indeed and my daughter does not request a prescription unless all else fails.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
25 Apr 16
Interesting! I'm glad you are doing much better. What causes gout?
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
25 Apr 16
Thank you! Gout is caused by uric acid crystals settling in the joints and/or muscles. Uric acid is a byproduct of the body using protein and is used by the body, but too much causes problems. The reason I have problems with it is that I have CKD and my kidneys won't clear it as quickly as they should.
1 person likes this
@HebrewGreekStudies (1646)
• Canada
29 Apr 16
"I paid him to tell me I was hurting?"-that sounds like me going to the dr. for my migraines as a kid:/..."You got migraines...they're going to hurt..."...um yeh I know, that's why I'm here...:/. It's kind of along the sage advice I got for my insomnia when I was in Seminary "You need to sleep more...have you tried relaxing?"...hmmmm, why didn't I think of that:)?
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
24 Apr 16
hey I have some of that left over. do you suppose it cleared the kidneys of infection?
1 person likes this
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
23 Apr 16
I'm sorry to hear what you've been through. It's not easy to have that illnesses and pain especially you're living alone. I just hope the pain will be relieve and you will be fine too.
1 person likes this
