Imagine what it is like when you apply a screw on your big toe. Turn it until you cannot turn anymore, then give it one final twist… thats what it is … the dreaded Gout attack which often comes suddenly in the night whilst you are asleep.
Share with us your personal experiences and what you do to keep it at bay.
Charles Wee.
Isn’t gout nicknamed ‘a rich man’s disease’? Ate too much ‘hor liau’, red meat, protein rich food, alcohol….
A change in diet with more green, leafy veg and lots of water perhaps? Coupled with exercise?
Hi Charles,
Think about it, I have pain in my big toe, but rarely, like once in 6 mths. My doctor never says I have gouts. Is there any indication in the blood tests? And does gout affect only the big toe. I am worried because my mum has gouts, and she always points to her big toe.
If pain comes to my toe, I use counterpain to relieve it. Sounds silly remedy, but it helps.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence
U are right to say Gout always attack the Big toe..
Read This out …
http://health.yahoo.com/arthritis-overview/gout-topic-overview/healthwise–hw69013.html
Think u better quit your drinking (haha) …… and stop eating too much red meat .. be an vegetarian.
Karen
Hi Charles/Terence/others,
If you have gout,pls.refrain from eating food rich in proteins such as red meat,esp.
soya beans,groundnuts,crabs,lobsters,prawns, beans ,etc… otherwise it would aggravates the pain further.
Gout sufferers, Charles,
Not sure if Steven is a gout sufferer, so I have to ask the gout sufferers.
What is your experience with beans, soya bean and nuts? I love going nuts over anything thing beans and nuts. Is it really true that they aggravate gouts?
Karen,
I can give up drinking. It’s a good advice.
So far, no one has commented if gouts can be identified during blood tests. Gout sufferers, please share your experiences.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence/others,
I may not be a gout sufferer but some of my non-SHC friends and my deceased dad are and I heard a lot from them.
……I love going nuts over anything thing beans and nuts. Is it really true that they aggravate gouts?
OK. To substantiate the truth, the para below is extracted from Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc and Journal of Medicine.
You experience the pain of gout when the excess uric acid forms needle-like crystals that deposit in your joints, causing your body to respond with inflammation (and pain) in these areas. If you have gout, you might have attacks as long as there are uric acid crystals remaining in your body.
Purines (specific chemical compounds found in some foods) are broken down into URIC ACID. Excessive uric acid in the blood is one of the main causes of gouts.
Beans and nuts has high protein contents.
Uric acid: waste product from the breakdown of proteins (such as during digestion)and purines,which is eliminated from the body in urine.
Foods to Avoid (very high in purines):
* Organ meats, such as liver, kidneys,brains
* Meats, including bacon, beef, pork, and lamb
* Anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, and scallops
* Dried beans ,peas ,oatmeal, lentils, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, and mushrooms
* Beer
Hopes the above info helps ALL our SHC gout sufferers.
Lastly, maintain a healthy and well balanced diet and exercise regularly.
Some mths ago, Sengh and I had some drinks at the CBC. The sexy waitress just could not stop feeding us with her nuts.
The next day I had an acute gout attack in my ankle. The doc gave me an injectionn. The pain subsided within minutes and it was gone as suddenly as it came.
So I believe nuts, esp if they come from buxom babes, washed down with liquor may be one fuse to a gout attack.
Mary’s and Steven’s suggestions to avoid high protein food must be correct judging from my personal experiences. The list of food to avoid is easily available from most Gout websites.Karen, thanks for your linkage.
A simple and inexpensive blood test is the easy way to comfirm if the pain results from a gout problem. Firstly note that the pain is located at the joints of fingers, toes, heels, etc. And if your measurement is above the upper limit (male >7mg/dL and female >5.7mg/dL) it is probably a gout attack.
For Tim , i think his attack was triggered off not by the nuts but by the babe.
All ‘Goutees’
Hee, sorry for using that but that’s the best term I could think of.
I didn’t know peanuts could bring about gout. I do know that eating doufu and other soy products cause me some pain and stiffness in my fingers. Is that gout I wonder? I used to blame it on msg.
I think I have to steer clear of peanuts now.
Charles-W @ #8, so you think the attraction was the babe, not her nuts? But ple tell me, what is so different a babe is from you? So go find 2 nuts, I too will be attracted to you.
Huh, you’re fast to act and have found 2 nuts but you put them at the wrong place…………..they’re not to accompany yr rambutans lah, haha.
Peanuts, bananas, babe, rambutans, tim, waitress, doufu, beer, protein, crystals, red meat… ..the Gout topic coverage is getting more confusing. Can someone piece them all together.
“Peanuts, banana, babe, rambutans, tim, waitress, doufu, beer, protein, crystals, red meat….is getting more confusing. Can someone piece them all together.”
I shall do you the favour but it wont be complete without you, Charles Wee. So it goes like this:
“Charles Wee was showing off his rambutans and banana, peeling the skin to show the red meat inside. But still, the goutees werent looking cos their eyes were all glued on the babe openly growing her peanuts.
tim came along, offered poor Charles a beer but had to be honest to tell him that his banana was soft like doufu and so wont sell, unlike the babe’s peanuts which had the kisses of love and the nutrition of protein.
Then, a waitress came by. Out of the blue, Charles asked to see her peanuts. Unamused, she removed her crystal necklace and started throwing the crystals at Charles.
Good Charles, he’s not one who runs away from a fight. So, he stayed put, took out his banana and swung it like the drunken monk’s sword but a sword it was not, a doiufu it was. Soon, the doufu bananna was embedded with crystals.
Dont believe me? Ring up Charles and ask to look at his crystal embroidered banana.”
ha ha ha, a great composition,very creative.
Tim you deserve an award and a title to go along with it. Can someone suggest.
Hi Charles,
My brother-in-law has same problem and suffers level 9 type of pain (1-little, 10-screaming pain).
He has tried many types of pain relief, and strongly recommend one that is unique in that nothings get into the body and uses accupuncture points to bring instant relief without the needles.
I shall check with him and talk to you during this sat meeting if you are coming.
Cheers, Ben
Hi Tim,
Never thought you could be so “imaginative and creative” with your story of Prince Charles.
I think you can earn much more for being a script writer than your current job.
Hi Tim,
…..Tim came along, offered poor Charles a beer but had to be honest to tell him that his banana was soft like doufu and so wont sell, unlike the babe’s peanuts.
….banana was soft like doufu???
No problem,try out the traditional remedy, chew 1 chilli padi per day. In 1 yr. time, the banana will not be soft like chow tau fu but will be overhauled back to its pristine “ang kok kok ” condition.
Not banana but a cool cucumber!
So much for the Gout Group discussion. As with many other posts, it has been hijacked. Nobody would want to say anything about gout. Why can’t the “imaginative and creative” people start their own posts, instead of usurping others initiative and transforming it to a sham with debased innuendoes?? I would be amused if such “clever intejections” are from a teenager. Live your age, man !
Thanks Daniel, a little fun is ok but not too excessive as to distract readers from the main Gout discussion. Tim is providing laughter and in his own way. So Tim , i am sure you are equally capable of writing something more serious now.
Thanks Ben, i look forward to hearing from you on the acupuncture remedy for gout. Is the cure only a temporary relief. Gout is essentially about nerves, some people have high readings on their blood test but no pain. In this instance, doctors nowadays do not prescribe medication.
I have no quarrel that some people like to look their age and best like to talk like a sage and be perceived as one.
Thanks Charles-W, for calling me creative and imaginative altho it must have hurt him when you didnt accord him this recognition and worst when, looking his age, he is convinced he deserves this accoladee and usurrp this post to beat hiss drum. Shall we sing for him then…………?
This topic as cetainly caught my interest as I could be an ‘akan datang’ gout sufferer. The members’ postings are certainly informative as I did not know the severity of it and the attack on the big toe.
Thanks Karen for the link, I will certainly look up.
Even though I do not have pain in the joints except dull ache which I put down to age, the months long swelling on my right ankle make me scramble for a check up. The doctor has taken blood test for uric acid as he suspected that I could have gout and am now on medication. I will only know the truth on my next visit.
Yep, I too now have to pantang most of the food especially doufo which I have been eating a lot for health reason, so I thought.
Well, will monitor if the medication and pantang help
Cheers
Agnes
Agnes Seow
At one time, I too believed that soy products like doufu and soy bean drink were good for me, but I soon discovered that eating them on a regular basis actually caused me a lot of joint pains. I have since given them up, well almost, and my joint pains have disappeared.
I still take them, but in very small portions. I think anything taken in moderation is ok. To totally avoid them makes life boring, don’t you think?
Just remember to drink lots of water. It helps to flush away the toxins.
Have you ever tried taking a glass of warm water with a spoonful of apple cider vinegar in it, in the morning brfore breakfast? It is believed to help reduce joint pains.
Daniel Chan #17
Don’t worry about that. There will always be some clown around waiting to poke fun at others or write distasteful stuff.
I’m not deterred.
Charles Wee #18
You are spot on. We are what we eat.
Dofu, beancurd, soya milk, all seemed to be healthy stuff to consume. I can have them everyday. Didnt realise they are lead to gouts. I suspect I have gouts coming.
Charles, interesting to hear from you that most doctors now do not prescribe medicine for gouts. Do you stand by pain killers?
Terence Seah
Dear all,
I am a believer of natural cures, gout etc.
Go eat everything in moderation.
Enjoying rich foods now and again should not cause gout. It is all the time enjoying rich foods that matter.
The excesses which are not needed by our body have to be discharged well otherwise these have to be deposited somewhere in the body and will eventually cause physical harm.Our body also has limitations. I often hear the young say, we need space to do our own things,Certainly the body too needs space to function efficiently. It cannot be overloaded at all times of the day else it malfunctions.
Exercise surely helps. Many people over eat anything and everything, anytime and every time but don’t exercise enough.
This is a healthy challenge.
From now on, try and reduce intake of rich foods by 75% then 50% and exercise often.
3-6 months later come back to this thread and share with us your results.
Regards,
Geok Suan.
I heard about gout…but dont really know how some people got it?As they say…its rich man’s susah-ness!
eat too much protein?
I always thot..its wear & tear of the joints lah…bcos we jog or run alot when younger..but this seem not the case..
Terence@5
Its good that u wanna stop drinking..u better promise,cos when u drink too much…your face turns red (like gangster!,not handsome anymore!) & then u donno what ‘funny’ thing u do!…apa macam…haha..oooppss! sori :)
I also love dofu,beancurd & soya milk…but always forgot to eat them…only occasionally..but i tak boleh tahan must eat kropok everyday!…hhhmmm
AgnesSeow@20
Dont worry too much that u wud be a gout victim..from now just eat lots of fish & vegetables..& exercise…join YewKwong cycling group or Charles/Christina walking gang!
or even pick up some golf swings with PingHock!..
Actually..all of us must keep healthy at our tender age..so eat sensibly & be happy..rite? :)
Here is a HongKong medical receipe from our Ivy in HK.
Hi Terence,
I read about the gout problem that you and the others are facing. Understand the attached prescription was drawn up by one of the professors from The HK Chinese University and according to the Chinese medicine shop at my place, it has been proven to be effective particularly so for those who are at the early stage of gout attachk. This prescription was given to me by my brother-in-law who has serious gout problem on his knees. Although he is on medication from hospital, he still takes the Chinese medicine from time to time. At the inital stage i.e. the first week, you need to take it more frequently, say, three times a week, and less frequent afterwards. Need to take about 10 times in total to see the effect, typical of Chinese medicine treatment.
As I do not have the emails of the other SHCians (Charles Wee), you may want to forward this email to them. It took me a long time to write those words from the computer.
My advice: quit drinking and be a good boy with your diet :))
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Thanks Ivy, I shall go to the medicine shop, and give it a go. I think I am at an early stage; but still worth the effort, as I know the pain from gout can be unbelievable.
CharlesW, you want to give this a go too?
Terence Seah
Hi Ivy/Terence,
So sweet of you to share above info with us.
Thanks for the remedy for uric acid. Though my gout is under control, I won’t mind to give it a try….one of these days.
Thanks Ivy for sharing with us your TCM remedy. I will give it a try.
Terence, the most commonly prescribed medication for relieving the gout pain is ‘Colchicine’ , an anti inflammatory prescribed medication. You cannot buy it over the counter. Maybe since your concern is mainly anticipatory in nature, Mary’s apple cider vineger remedy might just do the trick.
For Norlinda’s daily fix of Kropok, Agnes’s suggestion of doing more golf swings with PingHock is a good idea to burn out the excess calories.
Lim Geok Suan
What you say is very true. Eat everything in moderation.
If one loves crab, eat 2 pieces. Don’t eat 2 kilos.
The more affluent a person is, the more proteins he consumes.
Got money will eat ‘hor liau’ mah.
It is protein that is the cause of gout. Eat less protein, more vegetables. Drink lots of water, not alcohol. Exercise.
This is very interesting to read; except for the sufferers! Let me add my 2-cents worth.
If gout is left untreated, it will always recur and can lead to serious conditions eg kidney stones, other kidney problems; plus destruction of the affected joint. All very scary eh?
Risk factors which raise uric acid levels are hypertension, being overweight, high cholesterol, low doses of aspirin, alcohol consumption and fasting.
So gout sufferers should avoid purine-rich foods such as fish roe, organ meats, sardines, anchovies, herrings, shellfish, poultry, game, pulses, nuts, peas and beans. Cut down on consumption of fats.
Drink plenty of water (3L daily) to help remove uric acid and the crystals.
Foods that are good for this condition include celery / celery seeds, black cherries, pineapple (the bromelain may help to decrease inflammation), yellow/orange-coloured fruits and veges (for the beta-carotene), foods which are rich in potassium – bananas, oranges, green leafy veges – they help to excrete uric acid.
A short poem from a friend….
GOUT!
GOUT!
It makes me shout!
This is the pain I can live without.
Come on.
I’m limping in shoes.
Come on.
My feets swelled up, my toe’s sticking out.
Come on! I’m crying boo-hoo! Come on!
It’s changed, my life.
And in return, turned it to hell.
As hot, as flame.
Everytime I walk/I yell:
GOUT!
GOUT!
It’s making me shout!
This is a pain I could do without! Come on!
Hi CharlesW,
My goodness, the poem is full of pain, helplessness and despair. Kesian, gout sufferers. Maybe if I tag on a couplet, it’ll bring you all some cheer…i hope:
“But thy days of torture are numbered, nasty gout;
A strict diet is all it takes to get thee out!”
cheers,
Jsssmine, you are an Angel who brings hope to all of us Gout sufferers.
Charles, borrow yr thread to look for a quick fix.
A butty has pain on the feet, think it’s the sole. Wonder what may cure or at least relieve the pain?
Tim
Try rubbing some Fastum gel on the sole and use one of those gel paddings to relieve the pain. The stick-on ones are good as they are washable and restickable.
Also, perhaps your ‘butty’ could also stop ‘putting his foot into his mouth’? Hahaha.
Thanks Mary, reckon I can ask for and buy the suggested medication/products at any reputable pharmacy? Any particular brand you have to recommend? (Alttho she’s my ex, still cant bear to see her suffer in pain silently).
Tim
U can get it in any pharmacy without any prescription.
The gel soles can be obtained from there too. Look for SCHOLL but there are other brands too.
Thanks Mary-C for filling me in further. Will do.
Sorry for the delay in writing as my home computer went kaput and was on leave from work. Can curi curi only.
Thanks Mary @21 and Norlina @25. Am cutting down on my favourites like natural nuts, baked beans, soya product, tuna sandwiches but sometimes can’t tahan, whack also lah. Eating more greens which is also my must have food, fish only with plenty of chilli.
Hi Charles @ 28, I was on Colchicine for 1 week with no improvement and switch to Indomethacin which I believe is a anti inflammatory pill. The swelling has gone down but will continue to monitor.
Cheers
Agnes.
Agnes, i have taken anti inflammatory drugs , Colchicine and Indomethacin before. Both equally effective for me. Doctors recommend we drink more than our usual intake of water as well to speed up the recovery process.
Agnes Seow
Haha, no need to thank me. I also learnt that from other people.
I guess a little of everything is ok. Just don’t “whack” like you said.
Cheers
Hi Charles and Mary
Will take your advice. Drink more water and eat everything in moderation. Think I can lose a little of my fat at the same time. he he he .
Thanks and have a great day.
Cheers
Agnes