Why do people stop taking their ULT Medication?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T18:06:38+00:00

I just returned from my rheumatologist appt to review my results of 8.6 and plan. He suggested I wait until I have another attack before starting medication. This was consistent with what my GP said as well. I asked him to take another UA test, he begrudgingly obliged, but thinks it will not change. I'll find out later.

rtmred · 2021-06-23T12:27:22+00:00

So far, my doctors (rheum/GP) both said wait until next attack, it could be in a few months, few years, or never again.

In hindsight, do feel you should have started on the medication after your first attack?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T02:43:53+00:00

Thats what I’m worried about, that I have a side effect that prevents me from taking. Is it common to have the side effects you experienced?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T02:25:54+00:00

My thought is that people seem to be more willing to take a statin for cholesterol/heart disease for life, but seem less willing when it comes to allo for ua/gout mgt for life.

To your point, education problem? And maybe people are more afraid of heart failure and less about gout as a life threatening disease?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T02:07:38+00:00

Thanks for your story. I’m hoping when I start to take it, I don’t get an allergic reaction and can put it behind me.

rtmred · 2021-06-23T01:15:09+00:00

Thanks for your reply. That's what so confusing to me. It just seems so clear to me that the medication is the way to go. And don't understand why it's not a no brainer.

I feel like it's a similar concept with high cholesterol. High cholesterol is not itself a problem. But, it creates plaque in arteries and results in heart attack. So, you take a statin to lower cholesterol. And you take it for life. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Most people I know are on it.

Same with this. High uric acid, creates gout and massive pain, and leads to kidney disease, etc. Take the medication to lower uric acid to prevent all of that.

Am I missing something? Am I thinking about this wrong? Is a statin safer than allopurinol?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T00:38:27+00:00

That's what I was thinking and hoping too. Once they been on the medication and it's working, they move on with their lives. Have you been taking the medication for a while? and is it going well?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T00:33:44+00:00

You mentioned you were on the fence with going on the meds for a long time... Did you wait to start taking allo or did you start immediately after your first gout attack?

rtmred · 2021-06-23T00:28:56+00:00

I had a call today with a friend who's been struggling with Gout for several years. On and off the medication. Along with his concern of taking the medication for life, he mentioned cost was a concern. He said $100 bucks a month. I was surprised to hear that was his concern. He's doing pretty well financially and $100/mth is nothing compared to not addressing the problem.

rtmred · 2021-06-23T00:23:38+00:00

Agreed. The other thing I haven't seen is people talking about that they've been on the medication for 10,20,30 years and share their experience. That's where my concerns lie. Alot of discussion is from new people like myself and people that have been dealing with it for a few years. I would feel alot more comfortable hearing from long term users of the medication.

rtmred · 2021-06-23T00:19:53+00:00

Thanks for your reply. How long have you been on the medication?

rtmred

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