I was reading on a running website that there are a few runners out there that suffer gout. And I admit to having the odd early morning run with a dull ache in my big toe or ankle. The funny thing is that even when I am training for Ironman and abstein from booze and the like I find I can still be struck down with that familiar pain in the extremeties. I was wondering if anybody else has has simililar problems and if they did how they approached the matter.
Ever had a gout attack? I mean, joint frozen and swollen with intense pain. If it’s your ankle, you end up on crutches. If you have gout, you’ll know it.
Like Sir Velo said if you have it you will know it. It is riveting pain.
BTW booze is really not the problem but rather Uric Acid crystals that form from an inability to process protein properly. (Know there is a better explanation but it is what I recall).
I would guess some folks are perhaps following a more high protein diet than necessary or the Zone/ Atkins diet which I would think would exacerbate the condition.
I had an attack about 15 years ago. Took up exercise, lost 25 lbs and cut back on the red meat. Will get a twinge maybe once a year usually after Thansgiving!!!
Hope this helps,
fal7
“the odd early morning run with a dull ache in my big toe or ankle.”
Very unlikely this is gout.
“the odd early morning run with a dull ache in my big toe or ankle.”
Very unlikely this is gout.
Good point. He probably just needs to avoid odd runs. In IM training consistency is important. Avoid anything queer or eccentric.
I have gout. I’m no expert, but alcohol doesn’t exactly cause the gout; however, it inhibits your ability to get rid of the inflamation causing uric acid. I don’t think athletes have inflammations because they’re unhealthy, it’s but it might be because of dehydration. If you don’t drink enough water, you’re prone to attacks.
I see Gout almost everyday in patients: you are NOT descirbing gout, but general degenerative joint disease/osteoarthritis. You really can’t run if you are having an acute Gout episode - pretty damn painful, seriously: up there with kidney stones, childbirth. I can always tell a patient that comes in with gout - they have on their house slipper or their shoe cut apart. They limp worse than people with acute fractures. Very red, hot and swollen joint for about 7-10 days.
Dehydration can initiate a Gout attack if your serum Uric Acid is high (say over 8.5 mg/dL). Alcohol is famous for inducing an attack, as is organ meats and shellfish. I see a lot of attacks New years day and thereafter (alcohol and shrimp cocktails). Get a serum uric acid level if you want (not that reliable and not diagnostic unless high) or a 24 hour urine collection.
Most people with Gout are underexcreters rather than overproducers of uric acid. The enzyme deficiency is Xanthine Oxidase (breaks down purines, a specific protein, into uric acid). There are meds to interrupt this cycle (allopurinol) or help the kidney excrete this.
Believe me bro. Red, burning dull pain. Its the old friend, gouty arthritis.
do you know if there are any studies to see if there is any correlation between gout and any particular diet(s)? i.e., does it appear that long-term dietary preferences or habits affect the incidence of the condition? more specifically, does protein intake (or very high protein intake) have any affect on this?
San Diego Union Tribune had a article on that. About a woman that has gout and the treatment she takes. Look it up! Was in todays paper, north county section!
Greggy, nice words bro. Gouty Arthritis and a staple diet of shellfish and Cabernet Sauvignon have a definite correlation. Bit like cart and the horse, cant have one without the other man.
Right on
Oh sure - it is well known and documented that Gout can be related to diet. It used to called “Rich Man’s Disease” (funny that Pres Bush Senior has Gout) because of the foods associated with it.
It is most a genetic thing though. Lots of us probably have a propencity for it, but a certain diet (like the lovely Lobster and wine analogy) can then trigger it by pushing the serum uric acid “over the edge” so to speak.
It’s like this. Fill a glass of water (your bodily fluid). Start pouring in sugar (uric acid). It will dissolve. Keep pouring in sugar - eventually the water will become super saturated and settle on the bottom of the glass. OR - keep the same amount of sugar and start pulling out the water: same effect. This is also the simple reason that Gout usually affects the foot - gravity. You can get this in any joint, but it is most common in the big toe joint, then midfoot, then ankle. Unusual in any other joint. The only definitive diagnosis is a joint aspirate and to look for negatively refringent yellow crystals under a polarized microscope. This is rarely done though as it is painful and a clinical diagnosis is easily made.
great, interesting info. but any other foods associated with gout other than just lobster and wine?
I have gout attacks every now and then. I keep a bottle of Indicen, I am sure I spelled it wrong, But the best way to describe the pain, it starts as a dull pain then after a day or two if I do not take the neds it will fell like someone pulled back the skin either around a joint like the knee or ankle then spread shards of slived glass and pulled the skin bak over it. It is caused by an elevated uric acid or is it folic acid level.Either way it is the worst pain I have ever felt.
I get flair ups once or twice a year. For me fresh scalops set it off. But as long as I have my meds with me just in case I eat it anyway. It does not always flair up when I eat them. I was known as the rich mans desease back in the day. Red meat, seafood and alcholol.
One way to find out if you have it is to get some blood ork done by your doctor when you have the pain. If you do not have the pain then it will not work as the acid level is not up.
I would not wish gout on anyone unless you are in front of me. LOL
Recall shell fish will set off an attack. As others have said red meat and I recall that “organ meats” like liver will fire it up as well.
It is no fun.
fal7
Colchicine is a gout sufferers best friend. Throw your indocin in the toilet and get the right stuff. I had a very wicked attack in March. Indocin and then prednisone helped but not that well, I finally got it diagnosed correctly and after spending almost a full month being unable to run I got a script for colchicine. 18 hours after getting the right stuff the pain was almost gone.
A dull pain? How about a pain so bad you can’t put your shoe on and can’t walk?
I’ve wondered if getting dehydrated can bring on an attack. Every time I have had a nasty attack it has been during higher training loads when I am getting dehydrated.
But since it is “the rich man’s disease” perhaps it is from all that extra cash I have, maybe I need another bike.
Colchicine is great during an attack, but you can’t use it as preventative. I had gout so bad in my ankles that at it’s worst attacks would last 3 weeks (sometimes longer) and only be gone a couple of weeks before returning again. My uric acid levels were only on the high side of normal, so the doc just wasn’t convinced. I also didn’t have redness and swelling in the joint, so corroborating evidence was lacking. It finally took an aspiration of the ankle joint (very painful I might add) and examination of the fluid. The doc came back and said, oh yeah, it’s gout. The crystals were very prevalent. He finally got me on the correct dose of allopurinol (300mg) and I’ve been gout free for three years now. But I do take a pill everyday which can get pricey… However worth every penny. No more “crutches out of nowhere” days at work.
Ok, first I can’t believe I’m replying to a post started by Gunther. He’s probably down under posting on that transitions board about what a gout riden bunch of Seppos we slowtwitchers are.
But anyway, here I go, in the spirit of Slowtwitch. I was on allopurinol for 3 years but still had attacks once or twice a year. Instead of increasing dosage, I decided to stop taking it this year and watch my diet and make sure I’m always well hydrated. I’ve had two attacks start this year in my ankle during the night and was able to end the attack by the end of the day. Latest was last Saturday night (I rode 90 miles in morning). Sunday I did two things: ate a pound of fresh strawberries and took alot of tums (6-8) (read some internet stuff about reducing blood acidity and thought calcium carbonate might do it). By late afternoon my ankle was fine and I ran 12 miles Monday. I think the strawberries are the ticket and there are lots of articles that suggest strawberries and other berries (cherries).
HH
Let me correct myself, It starts as a dull pain, and if I do not take the meds it turns into the all out pian that even if the wind bolws on it will cause such pain that I have never had. As far as walking, no, I wanted to cut if off it hurt so bad.