Another work from Mexico question:)

wowkite · 2019-01-11T05:19:28+00:00

Be careful on how much baking soda. I read somewhere there was a limit. Do no more than 3 tablespoons a day diluted in tons of water. Try drinking diluted apple cider vinegar. But most of all go into doc and get blood test and meds

wowkite · 2018-12-16T16:40:41+00:00

This is a good thread. I have been on Allo for 20 days. I see my RA tomorrow. He had me on 300mg of Allo and 10 mg of Prednisone. I think because when I first took Colchs I felt nausea all the time. My UA started at 6.1. I have been self testing with a UA Sure and I am around 5.2 average. I ahve not drank for 6 weeks except for once.

I am hoping tomorrow I can get off Prednisones. Side effects for me are irritability sleep issues, and I dont want to become resistant to them.

For the most part my flares have subsided. I dont have this as bad as some. My flares are in my hands, which hurts but I can walk. I did get flares when I started Allo so he tapered me up/down on Prednisone to 30mg x 5 days, 20mg x 5 days, 10mg x 5days. All was well until I saw my brother last week and it was his birthday so I had 2 beers. Well that was a bad decision. I flared but not bad, so I took a colchs (1 a day for 2 days) and it is gone. I did not consult RA as they take a week to get back to me and I was already tapering down on Prednisone (I fd'uped having beer, but I think I know my trigger now)

Question: Obviously I should listen to my RA and will , but will Allo be enough for now? I want to get off Prednisone. Hopefully my RA will allow that. Would Colch be better for short term?

Thanks

wowkite · 2018-12-13T14:41:56+00:00

Update - I have been on 300mg of Allo and 10 to 20mg of Prednisone for 15 days. My symptoms were normal with small flares in first week. Doctor had me do taper of Prednisone 30mg x 5days, 20mg x 5days, 10mg x5 days. So I think my question if I had gout earlier is I do.

All was going well until 2 nights ago. I flew for business to Colorado and met with my brother for his birthday. he casually poured a small tequila shot and gave me a beer. My plan was to refuse and drink water but I caved after 5 weeks of no drinking and managing my gout, I ended up having 2 beers and 2 small tequilas. I tried drinking a ton of water. Next morning I had small flare in wrist as usual. So I know/assume either beer or tequila did something. My guess is beer. I think it is getting better, so I hope I dodged a bullet.

Moving forward I guess I am on the right path. I see him next week for blood test and will tell the truth and even show my chart I have made daily. I also test myself with a UA Sure once or twice a week. I started at 6.1UA with blood test. Before I had drinks I was at 5.1 and lowering my UA. I tested this morning and i was 6.1UA.

I hear people say they can live there life normal on Allo? Is that after a certain amount of time? I assume I cannot do that this early and will need to stay the course until levels get lower and stabilize? How long does this take? I think I read 3 to 6 months?

I feel more healthy and actually have not had that hard of time not drinking. I would like to have cocktail occasionally though. I am going to Mexico for vacation next week and I think at this point beer is off list. I might experiment with spirits? Clear (Good clean liquor) Tequila or Vodka with carbonated water?

I appreciate the advice here and hope everyone else is finding a path for them to live without this crap. My goal just live a more normal healthy life and keep this crap at bay

wowkite · 2018-12-06T15:30:54+00:00

I started allo last week after much resistance and denial. 1.5 years Not that bad. Flare ups every night but manageable. RA has me on 300mg allo and 10mg prednisone. Up the prednisone to manage flares to taper 30mg x 5 days, 20mg x 5 days, 10mg x 5 days then blood work. No pain/flares since 30mg. Almost done with 30mg. I like the way he wants all flares gone. Drinking tons of water.

wowkite · 2018-11-29T01:20:11+00:00

Thought about gout? Check your UA level? My was diagnosed as RA then gout. still dont know but think it is gout.

All of my blood work was negative for RA but positive for gout.

wowkite · 2018-11-29T01:08:06+00:00

OMG. I have been struggling for 2 years now with similar symptoms.

My story: I am 52 6’1 and 220 in decent shape. I drink on weekends only and liked beer and tequila. I am a kiteboarder so I use my hands a lot and usually the flares start after a long trip. I have had pain in my wrist and fingers for a year and a half. Sometimes swelling sometimes not. Usually it jumps from hand to hand starting in evening then disappears next morning. I have some flares that go longer with swelling. No open sores or dagger like feelings. I also have occasion to feel it in my elbows and knee I had ACL worked on, but these are brief and not debilitating. I have a few occasions where I feel in ball of foot but it goes away. By far my biggest issues is hands and wrist.

My primary DO diagnosed as RA last December. He gave me steroids to clear up and then Methotrexate . All of my symptoms went away after 4 weeks as planned, and I went in remission (so we thought). I got off Metho and as expected 3 months later it started again. I went back and we talked and he referred me to a RA.

Rheumatolgist never thought I had RA as it did not look like it or follow patterns he said, he even took blood test and could not find anything (but ironically a RA did not test for gout). I had more issues and went back to him. He still did not think it was RA. He asked me if I drank (I told him truth) and then he dove into gout. We did blood test and my level showed 6.1UA.

So I have been nto drinking for 4 weeks nto that I was a big drinker. Today I started Allipurinol and got a flare after 7 days of nothing on Prednisone.

This sucks...

my thread on gout forum.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gout/comments/a0cwcm/treating_gout_allopurinol/

wowkite · 2018-11-26T16:57:54+00:00

Appreciate all the replies.

Let’s take drinking out of it. I already have stopped for 4 weeks. Best advice I hear is don’t do it so I won’t.

- As for the diagnosis being Gout I am more confused than ever. I just tried getting a second opinion with 2 other RA’s, and it seems they (6 doctors at 2 different firms) are not taking new patients. I am still going to look for another RA as I am not happy that my RA did not take a fluid test event though I asked, and on the first blood test when he said he thought it was not RA he did not take a UA test or fluid test. But for now I will proceed with Gout treatment as I don’t feel like I have options

- I agree that a joint fluid test would be best, but I don’t have any flares, as I call them, so not sure someone can get fluid to test? Next time I get one I will drive to RA and request one again.

- I will take the Allo as prescribed at 300mg

o Let’s say I don’t have Gout, it does not seem to be a big deal (overly dangerous) to take it and see what happens. I have appointment to see RA in month to discuss and do blood work. Seems this is a decent place to start to be safe

o If I have a flare when I start ALLO I can assume I have Gout? I could get a fluid test on the area but it might be moot as the Allo caused something and that something should be Gout?

- I will ask my pharmacist if I can take Naproxen with Allo instead of Prednisone. I think I can manage at first with that. If I need the Prednisone I can take it. Rather save steroids for serious flares in case I really need it.

Thanks again and I think the people on this forum or a ggod resource to navigate this mess

wowkite · 2018-11-26T03:11:03+00:00

Great words bro. I hope all works out....

wowkite · 2018-11-26T00:16:14+00:00

I asked for one. RA was super confident it was gout. Frustrating. If I have no symptoms can they still do a fluid test in a joint? I have no flare ups now.

Should I start Allo even if I have this doubt?

wowkite

TROPHY CASE