View Full Version : Gout problem post trip?
I just finished a 40 mile trip and came down with gout in one of my big toes afterwards. I take it the problem was caused by poor hydration, although I drank as much, it seemed, as I always do during a hike and never had this problem before. Any thoughts/prior experiences to share.
Dances with Mice
08-19-2008, 08:47
Yes, I've suffered gout. I have two canes and a set of crutches in the closet to prove it.
First, see your doctor. It can be medically treated to prevent future attacks. After much testing mine was found to be low thyroid whatchamacallits, so I now take thyroid meds and haven't had an attack since (knock on wood). It's more usually caused by overproduction or underexcretion of uric acid by your kidneys and there are tests to determine which tendency you have and treatments for both. Those treatments didn't work for me, nothing did until a bright young doctor ordered a check for my thyroid whatchamacallit levels.
That all being said, triggers can be dehydration or rapid weight loss. Remember alcohol causes dehydration. Diet was my main trigger, foods rich in purines or lots of foods with medium amounts of purines would set me off. Liver, for example, but also shrimp. Beans are medium high in purines so a serving would be ok but some of my worst attacks occured at the same time every year when the English peas would be ready to pick in our garden and we'd go on pea eating binges, with bowls of fresh English peas and cornbread for supper.
Cold weather can also cause an attack if your feet get cold.
It's a real pain. Sometimes my foot felt like it'd been run over by a freight train. A couple of times I demanded x-rays because I was sure there had to be a broken bone somewhere in my foot. See your doctor.
do some research, but see a doctor. Alchohol is very bad for the condition. Foods high in iron, also bad (liver, organ foods are all included). Doctor should review your diet, go over the common "triggers", do blood work, prescribe a starting (low) dose of meds. Review every 30, 60 or 90 days until it is under control.
(No, I don't have it....I had joint issues and chloresteral issues....but wound up researching it over with my doctor...until the blood work pointed in another direction).
simplysql
08-19-2008, 10:56
I've had it on and off. Currently taking medication for it - but still get attacks every now and then. I agree diet is the biggest factor. I read that mussels are the worst thing you can eat when you have gout - also nuts are supposed to be bad as well.
Mother's Finest
08-19-2008, 11:01
how do you know it was gout?
peace
mf
This is in addition to all the above advice of course.
Diet seems to be a trigger, it is also a form of cure. I take / eat cherries on a regular basis & havn't had a real flair up in over a year. As an example: I was feeling a flair up comming about a year ago, ate a cherry pie (ONE) from Mc Ds the pain went away. I eat about a can a week at home, & I now carry dried cherries when I hike, it seems to help.
Welcome to the "Old guy club" :D:p:D:p
Chenango
08-19-2008, 12:01
I had gout kick-in once after some weight loss. It is very painful. Stay hydrated. The meds really work well. For immediate relief my podiatirst gave me a cortisone injection. It felft better almosy instantaneously.
I have only had it once before and that was with a broken leg in a cast, and I ate some barbque the weekend before. I went to my doc thinking my leg was swelling in the cast and he said I had a low grade gout attack which is usually brought on by eating shimp, barbque etc. I have since changed my diet and gave up all the main things that could cause gout as part of an overall lifestyle change. It has been years since eating barbque, red meat, sausage etc. I think it was dehydration as it went away after I drank tons of fluids. I drank alot on the trail, or so it seems, but did not have to urinate often and I think I just need to drink more while hiking. I would hate to think I came down with an attack of gout and had to put that heavy boot of mine on.