da gimp
Member
a friend has developed gout, and is taking allopurinol... what else works better?
need to know the meds to take for gout...
- Thread starter da gimp
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
straightshooter1
US Veteran
Allopurinol takes a relatively short time to start working, but it doesn't work overnight (maybe a week or so).
A few people, like me, need another drug in combination with the Allopurinol to stop the gout-Probenecid.
I have taken the two for thirty five years-never an attack except for that one time I tried to stop the pills thinking I was "cured."
What a maroon!
Bob
A few people, like me, need another drug in combination with the Allopurinol to stop the gout-Probenecid.
I have taken the two for thirty five years-never an attack except for that one time I tried to stop the pills thinking I was "cured."
What a maroon!
Bob
spydermanDan
Member
I was told that cranberry juice is effective.
A shot twice a day of organic Apple Cider Vinegar and concentrated Cherry Juice.
Eliminating beer,cutting back on coffee,drinking a lot more water and cranberry juice all seem to help
I also take that one, it works well and I do not note any side effects. I have also been known to take tart cherry extract before I was put on Uloric.(not a prescription item)
gman51
Member
I have suffered, and I mean suffered, from gout and it was not uncommon for me to just get over it and then get it right back again. I used to have some shoes that I had to cut out the side of the shoe so it couldn't rub my big toe. My doctor didn't want to put me on gout prescriptions for some reason but he would prescribe anti inflammatory meds that worked really quick. Ibuprofen helps a lot to relive the pain and swelling. But Ibuprofen is really not good taken in large quantities as it can destroy your liver.
Cranberry juice never did squat for me either. What does help get rid of an attack is drink apple cider vinegar that has not been filtered and has the mothers in it. Brock's ACV with mothers is number one I think and is found in any grocery store.
I used to get it back to back and always wondered what I ate to cause it. I would get it and hadn't eaten any meat or certain types of fish. I loved to eat noodle casseroles and I ate a lot of them. Come to find out pasta is really bad for raising uric acid levels in the blood. Any food that raises uric acid levels is a recipe for a gout attack.
I have not had a gout attack in years but if I feel one might be coming on I drink some Brock's ACV. I hate the smell and taste of the stuff so bad I have to pinch my nose so not to smell or taste it.
I eventually wised up to what for me was my main cause of gout attacks. I wasn't drinking enough water to flush my system of uric acid.
I seldom ever drank water and most often what I drank was soda pop. Oh BTW soda pop can also cause a gout attack big time. I seldom if ever drink sodas any more but I drink at least 12 cups of water or green tea every day. I usually drink it straight but sometimes I might add a little Stevia or one tea bag of blueberry tea in with the 12 bags of green tea in the pot of a coffee maker. When the pot is full I pour out the tea and put the pitcher back under for another 2nd round using the same tea bags.
Many people don't know the side effects of gout drugs. The side effects can kill you. That might be why my doctor wouldn't prescribe them for me.
Bottom line for me was start drinking a lot of water every day. Green tea actually is also a very good antioxidant. Drink up if you have had it with gout pain. It sure works for me.
Cranberry juice never did squat for me either. What does help get rid of an attack is drink apple cider vinegar that has not been filtered and has the mothers in it. Brock's ACV with mothers is number one I think and is found in any grocery store.
I used to get it back to back and always wondered what I ate to cause it. I would get it and hadn't eaten any meat or certain types of fish. I loved to eat noodle casseroles and I ate a lot of them. Come to find out pasta is really bad for raising uric acid levels in the blood. Any food that raises uric acid levels is a recipe for a gout attack.
I have not had a gout attack in years but if I feel one might be coming on I drink some Brock's ACV. I hate the smell and taste of the stuff so bad I have to pinch my nose so not to smell or taste it.
I eventually wised up to what for me was my main cause of gout attacks. I wasn't drinking enough water to flush my system of uric acid.
I seldom ever drank water and most often what I drank was soda pop. Oh BTW soda pop can also cause a gout attack big time. I seldom if ever drink sodas any more but I drink at least 12 cups of water or green tea every day. I usually drink it straight but sometimes I might add a little Stevia or one tea bag of blueberry tea in with the 12 bags of green tea in the pot of a coffee maker. When the pot is full I pour out the tea and put the pitcher back under for another 2nd round using the same tea bags.
Many people don't know the side effects of gout drugs. The side effects can kill you. That might be why my doctor wouldn't prescribe them for me.
Bottom line for me was start drinking a lot of water every day. Green tea actually is also a very good antioxidant. Drink up if you have had it with gout pain. It sure works for me.
straightshooter1
US Veteran
I've experienced no side effects with the two meds I mentioned above with one BIG exception.
My primary doc credited my taking those meds for so many years with the fact I have never had (and probably won't ever have) a kidney stone episode.
I had no idea. Just thanked Him for the gout and the meds to control it.
My friend has had sooooo many kidney stone attacks and has suffered so awfully badly, that I was extremely grateful to get the news that I probably won't have one.
BTW, cherry juice, vinegar, etc. never did squat for me. If it works for you, great but, if not, get to the doctor and get whatever is needed to stop the pain and control reoccurrences.
Bob
My primary doc credited my taking those meds for so many years with the fact I have never had (and probably won't ever have) a kidney stone episode.
I had no idea. Just thanked Him for the gout and the meds to control it.
My friend has had sooooo many kidney stone attacks and has suffered so awfully badly, that I was extremely grateful to get the news that I probably won't have one.
BTW, cherry juice, vinegar, etc. never did squat for me. If it works for you, great but, if not, get to the doctor and get whatever is needed to stop the pain and control reoccurrences.
Bob
Last edited:
ky wonder
US Veteran
I have been fighting gout for several years
colchicine is my go to pharm when I start feeling the onset of an attack
colchicine was a cheap pharm until a couple year back when the drug companies jacked the price threw the roof
allopurinol is a preventative drug but your system needs to be completely clear of gout when starting allopurinol, or it will inflame the gout attack making it even worse
back in the early 90's when I had my first attack my primary doctor put me on colchicine and I cleared up fairly quickly, and at the next visit he put me on the allopurinol. with in a week I was ready to shoot my toe off.
so he referred me to a specialist, who told me to stop the allopurinol and go back on the colchicine and when I complied it got better
apple cider vinegar is also good for it, but I do not like drinking vinegar so I found some apple cider vinegrete salad dressing and use it at least twice per week on a salad
that has really helped
colchicine is my go to pharm when I start feeling the onset of an attack
colchicine was a cheap pharm until a couple year back when the drug companies jacked the price threw the roof
allopurinol is a preventative drug but your system needs to be completely clear of gout when starting allopurinol, or it will inflame the gout attack making it even worse
back in the early 90's when I had my first attack my primary doctor put me on colchicine and I cleared up fairly quickly, and at the next visit he put me on the allopurinol. with in a week I was ready to shoot my toe off.
so he referred me to a specialist, who told me to stop the allopurinol and go back on the colchicine and when I complied it got better
apple cider vinegar is also good for it, but I do not like drinking vinegar so I found some apple cider vinegrete salad dressing and use it at least twice per week on a salad
that has really helped
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Allopurinol to control the uric acid and Naproxen for the pain when gout sets in.
I had gout for about six years before I had my heart surgery. After my heart surgery the gout really subsided. Prob because I change my diet but stress does cause gout to flair up. I still have an episode every now and then but not like the "good ole days". That pain is sooooooo bad.
I had gout for about six years before I had my heart surgery. After my heart surgery the gout really subsided. Prob because I change my diet but stress does cause gout to flair up. I still have an episode every now and then but not like the "good ole days". That pain is sooooooo bad.
Rpg
Member
cowart
US Veteran
Changing your diet works better. In my case, avoiding eating more than 3oz of red meat in a single meal. Drinking more water helps some too.
This is sort of an extreme case of "YMMV". What sets off an attack in one person won't in some other people. You just have to experiment on yourself.
LVSteve
Member
Living in the desert makes you drink water all the time. I wonder if that is why I've never succumbed to gout. Many folk don't realise that living at significant altitude also makes you prone to dehydration.
Mind you, getting other people to drink sufficient water can be an uphill battle. They always want to drink alcohol, straight orange juice, coffee or non-diet soda, all of which dehydrate you. When you tell them this the look of sullen resentment can be quite chilling. I get the most resistance from British visitors, for some reason.
Mind you, getting other people to drink sufficient water can be an uphill battle. They always want to drink alcohol, straight orange juice, coffee or non-diet soda, all of which dehydrate you. When you tell them this the look of sullen resentment can be quite chilling. I get the most resistance from British visitors, for some reason.
I react badly to colchicine and alipurinol, fortunately I've not had a flare up for years. I had to resort to an anti-inflammatory of some sort and an opioid pain reliever to survive attacks. Other than quitting alcohol, I've not made any other diet changes that I'm aware of.
gman51
Member
For some reason people living in areas close to lakes or oceans are more prevalent to gout. Great Lakes and coastal areas are prime example. Usually the springtime also is prone to gout problems. One time during springtime I had a bad gout attack. Every store darn near was sold out of cranberry juices. I evidently wasn't alone suffering from gout.
susieqz
Absent Comrade
colchichine works great for me.
tried other stuff but the pain is too bad to mess with.
in my case i get twinges some days in advance so i gulp down the colchicine quick n avoid the problem.
you gotta love something that stops pain instead of treating it, narcotics help but it's just nicer to not have pain to treat.
tried other stuff but the pain is too bad to mess with.
in my case i get twinges some days in advance so i gulp down the colchicine quick n avoid the problem.
you gotta love something that stops pain instead of treating it, narcotics help but it's just nicer to not have pain to treat.
Cardboard_killer
Member
I was perscribed allopurinol when I first developed gout, but it made me dizzy so I quit. I just dealt with the occasional attack. Then in my early 40s the attacks started coming back often. The colchricine stops it, but the side affects are vicious, so I finally went back to allopurinol. Haven't had an attack in the last five years because of it. One thing is that the 100mg tablets weren't working, so they put me on 300mg. I asked my doctor to drop it to 200mg, but they don't make a 200mg pill, so I pay twice as much for two 100mg pills than I would for one 300mg pill.
I've been thinking of trying to go back down to 150 or even 100mg a day, but the memory of the agony has stopped me.
I've been thinking of trying to go back down to 150 or even 100mg a day, but the memory of the agony has stopped me.
vigil617
US Veteran
For me, allopurinol is a wonder drug in controlling the occasional gout I had in the base of my big toe. Once my doc and I got the dosage right, it has worked like a charm. No attacks in the past several years, and no side effects except it has made me even more good-looking. 
Good advice above, though, about not using it during a gout attack. My doc prescribed me another med for pain during those times, and I've got almost a full bottle of it left. Probably no good anymore.
Good advice above, though, about not using it during a gout attack. My doc prescribed me another med for pain during those times, and I've got almost a full bottle of it left. Probably no good anymore.
LVSteve
Member
I wonder if the humidity means that they don't drink enough water.
