Gary Cork

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 16 posts - 1 through 16 (of 16 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #6880
    Gary Cork
    Participant


    Thanks for this nobody. It is great to get an acknowledgement for what I have been experiencing. I am impressed how my Buddhist meditation practice affects with all my spiritual, mental and physical life.
    Cheers.

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #6851
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Thanks for this nobody. I am getting into an Ayurvedic way of eating for my body type which seems to process food slowly, hopefully that will help.
    When I get an attack I can experience pain in other parts of my body where I have old injuries, seems nerve related. I also get flashes of anxiety attack for lack of a better word. I can control it by meditative breathing. Once an attack is over I am spaced out for a few days and then come back to normal.
    My doctors seem to be confused by these and can’t equate them but I do.
    Cheers, Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #6834
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi, I just got my new lab work results done and my latest readings for uric acid are 270 umol/L. My hemoglobin was slightly higher than the norm at 6.2, and my creatinine readings were high at 113, the normal range is 60-100.
    I find it odd that I had a gout attack on my left small finger about a week after being tested. It is much better than having it in my foot which would incapacitate me from getting around. I found taking 2 300 mg. allopurinol pills helped with this latest attack.
    I am realising that I dont drink enough water and am going to start doing this plus am implementing some dietary changes.
    I do have a history of borderline normal kidney function and am hoping to improve my results by the time of my next lab work.
    I really dont want to take any more drugs if I can help it.
    Thanks for this, any feedback would be appreciated.

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #5799
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Nobody, Thanks for the above I really appreciate your feedback. I will continue with the 200 mg of allopurinol for now and then be tested in a few months to see how my uric acid levels have changed.
    Too bad Goutpal did not exist back when I had my first attack. I could never understand at that time why my uric acid levels were in the normal range and i continued to get attacks. My doctors could not explain in to me and my attacks happened about once or twice a year.
    I will let Goutpal know what is happening with my next lab results.

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #5796
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Thanks for this Nobody. I have a question about the rate of lowering uric acid levels. What is a normal rate of dropping the uric acid levels taking 300mg. of allopuriol daily? You seem to be intimating that normally my levels should have dropped more. If you could respond to this that would be great!!
    Looking over my lab results going from 1998-2015 are as follows:
    1998 – creatinine 115 normal
    2001 ” 105 ”
    2003 ” 116 high
    2006 ” 91 normal
    2007 111 high
    2009 97 normal
    2013 109 normal
    2015 104 high
    I hope this is not too much but I do seem to fluctuate with my creatinine.

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #5794
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi, I just got my lab results back after being on 300 mg allopurinol since September 22, 2017, so that is 21 days on the new dosage, my uric acid reading is 387 umol/L. I also had my liver and kidney functions checked and all are ok except my Creatinine is 102 umol/L and the high range of normal is 100. I imagine I can cut back on meat protein although I do not eat that much possibly 2x per week.
    Hopefully my uric acid level will continue slowly to drop. It has gone from a high of 519 to 397 up to 406 and then down to 387. This is over a 6 month period increasing my allopuriol for 100mg to 200mg to 300 mg.
    Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #5746
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi, Thanks for the above information it follows my thoughts on the situation.
    My clinic doctor agreed with the above and gave me a prescription for 300mg of allopurinol to be taken for 3 weeks and then to come in for a uric acid check and also to check liver and kidney function. She also stated that the diahrrea I experienced with taking colchicine is a good thing since when I experience this the loose bowels are also clearing out uric acid. In her opinion colchecine is better than ibuprofen since ibuprofen is harder on the liver over the long term.
    I will report in with the results of my new tests in 3 weeks.
    Cheers,Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #5744
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    I have been taking 200 mg. of alopurinol since July 15 2017. I have been getting varying gout attacks ranging from 2 days to 1 week. They tend to happen at night and the pain is different more like an electrical burn or being bitten by fire ants.
    The pain responds well to colchicine and will usually disappear with one to two pills. I do experience digestive upset and loose bowels if I take 2 pills.
    I have found that taking 400mg of ibuprofen helps and I am glad that I am not incapacitated by my gout pain.
    I have also found that DSMO seems to help with the pain.
    I had my uric acid checked on September 13, 2017 and found that my uric acid levels were 406 up slightly from 397 in June.
    I imagine that the higher levels occur because of the increase of alupurinol releasing the uric acid crystals from my joints and soft tissue.
    I would like to get some feedback on this.
    Thanks for your help, I find this web site very helpful.
    Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #4632
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Thanks for this Keith. I went to my clinic and said that I wanted to up my allopurinol intake and they agreed, so I am taking 100mg. 2 times per day.
    Since I am in the normal range for uric acid under the British Columbia health plan I need to wait 6 months before I can get another uric acid level checked. I am almost considering getting my own Uric acid meter.
    I have recently had a flare up in my knee and took 2 colchicine over the next 2 hours with no effect. I then took 400 mg. of ibuprofen and that had appositive effect, lowering the discomfort. the next day my knee felt better and since I was visiting someone on my motorcycle I took another 400mg. and my knee felt much better.
    Today I took one 200 mg. ibuprofen this morning which has helped but now my left foot has a burning sensation which previously was helped my colchicine and am wondering about taking that over 400mg. ibuprofen. Any thoughts.
    Gary.

    in reply to: Who thinks gout is contagious? #4631
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Keith, I want to respond to the idea that other diseases may cause gout. I asked a well respected Chinese doctor who is also a western doctor about why I have gout.
    I had jaundice at the ago of 10, and was an RH negative baby ( I was the second child, my brother who is older was healthy, 2 children after me were still born because of the RH negative factor).
    This 3rd generation Chinese doctor said that the RH negative factor had compromised my liver (hence the yellow jaundice at the age of 10).
    No one else in my family has gout, which is why I was curious about getting it.
    I am curious if other sufferers also have had gout and a=were RH negative babies.

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #4427
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Keith,
    I just got my Uric Acid lab work back and the result is 397, so I have dropped from 519 to 397 and had been taking allopurinol for 44 days at the time of my uric acid test. I am quite pleased with the results and will keep on taking allopurinol at 100mg. Any ideas on how long the uric acid in my joints and organs will continue to clear themselves? I believe I remember reading in this web site that it can take up to a year and more to clear stored uric acid out of the body.
    Cheers, Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #4320
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    I have been taking allopurinol 1 tablet per day since May 11th. I have experienced a different type of pain in my foot and began taking colchicine and I am surprised how well it works!! I take a pill .6 mg and the pain goes away after about 2 pills during the day. I have loosely been watching my diet and do drink a couple glasses of wine about once per week ( although there have been parties and I take along some tonic and possibly one glass of wine)
    I am about due to get another uric acid reading from our clinic to see what my levels at at and will notify you about my new readings. Cheers, Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #3752
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Keith, Yes I could use some help in organising my personal gout diary, any thoughts would be welcome. If you could also move my other 2 topics to the personal forum that would be great!!
    A further question, my doctor gave me the information about my uric acid readings over the phone and ordered my Allopurinol and Colchicine which I picked up at our small pharmacy at the clinic, if I get a flare up do I still take the Allopurinol when I am taking the Colchicine?
    Thanks, Gary

    in reply to: Gout Diary – Gary Cork #3630
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Oh, to add, my liver and kidney function tests are OK. I will get a copy of lab work when I get my prescriptions on Friday.

    in reply to: How to take control of my gout after 30 years. #3425
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Keith,
    Thanks for your information. I am getting my uric acid levels tested next week plus liver and kidney function. I am thinking of contacting my brother-in-law in England to see about getting my own uric acid monitor kit since our medical system in Canada will not do monthly checks if my levels are in the normal range.
    I will keep you all informed.

    in reply to: How to take control of my gout after 30 years. #3383
    Gary Cork
    Participant

    Hi Keith, I realised I should have proof read what I sent to “GoutPal”. My reading in October 2013 was 504. The acceptable norm on my lab sheet was 234-529.
    In September 2009 my Uric Acid reading was 433 with the Ref Interval 180-470.
    In February 2009 my Uric Acid reading was 433 with the Ref Interval 180-470.
    I have just arranged to have liver and kidney tests done and also the uric acid level.
    I had them aspirate my knee with a 2 inch needle to see if there were uric acid crystals and they could not get through to the bursa, and did not have longer needles and since I live on a small island and any serum would have to wait for 2 days in order to go to a lab which would allow the serum to break down and give a faulty test!!
    I do live on a small island and lab work is only done 2 days a week but they should have had longer needles!!
    The doctor said that if the uric acid levels are within the normal levels they would monitor for one month and then 6 months but economically they could not warrant continued monitoring.
    I told the doctor that I am considering purchasing my own uric acid measurement kit in that case.
    Thanks for contacting me.

Viewing 16 posts - 1 through 16 (of 16 total)