I hope you never have to endure an attack of the gout...because it hurts like hell. I just got over one. That's why I'm writing this now. This was a long one too, almost seven weeks. Basically gout is a form of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the blood which comes out of the blood as crystals, then these crystals migrate to the body's joints and cause a lot of pain. The common gout condition I have happens in the area of my big toe on each foot, so it's painful to walk. So, also, the most interesting part of my day is in the morning when I have to put on my shoes. There's only one pair of tie shoes I can wear somewhat comfortably, but I dread those few seconds pushing my foot into the shoe. I actually take medication two hours before I put my shoes on just to handle it.
I've had this condition for a while now, eight or nine years. This is my seventh or eighth attack. They usually last about four or five weeks. This last one takes the cake though at seven weeks. There are no magic bullets for the condition either. There are some different treatments with this or that side effect but basically you just take it. There's nothing to do that just makes it go away. Thank God, though, and many thanks to the person who invented the drug indomethacaine. It's a capsule and it REALLY works and makes the extremely distracting pain, at least, manageable. It's an anti-inflammatory and turns the sharp, acute, firey gout pain into a dull soreness I can handle.
I came to understand I had gout after my first two attacks. Stupidly, I thought I had sprained a muscle in my big toe and hobbled around for over a month taking motrin and cursing my condition. But the third attack was so excruciatingly painful that I finally went to a doctor who told me I had gout and prescribed the indomethacaine that made my life endurable. This last attack was beaut though. I usually get a sensation in my toe a couple of days before the full attack so I know it's coming. But this one started in my left foot, then after five weeks it went away and I had a second attack in my right foot. The attacks are over now but both my feet are still a little sore. It does get better every day though. Usually the attacks end when I wake up in the morning and the pain is gone. So every morning I wake up with the hope that the pain is gone, the swelling is down, and the redness has left so I can see my feet their normal pink color.
I take a ton of vitamins and minerals that are supposed to lessen the uric acid in my blood, but I still was eating too much protein. Protein is my nemesis. It increases the uric acid in the blood, especially organ meats and shellfish. So for the first time in my life I became a vegetarian, not psycho about it, but I stopped eating all animal products. It's not bad and I think I'll continue eating like this. I've found a lot of great foods, especially greek which I now enjoy. A little cheese doesn't bother me, and I don't miss meat at all. Anyway, I apologize for venting so much but I'm so relieved this attack is over. And it makes an interesting blog too.
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