Jseis 

Over the last few months I'd been stricken with odd appearing left knee and left ankle "sprains"(or so I thought) that put me off the bike for weeks. Well, a week before Xmas I was diagnosed with gout (left big toe joint). Put a hypodermic needle in that joint and wiggle it around. And try stuffing that oversized foot in a shoe..ouch! The knee and ankle were the warning shots....

But I've learned...my trigger is driven by heredity (father and grandfather)..., a heavy protein diet (chicken and fish about 90% of my protein diet) and...dehydration. So up goes the water intake, had my blood uric acid level checked and I'm normal there and welcome to a brand new diet. After two weeks...I've just about got it under control which means I can sorta walk nearly normal.

Would not wish it on any of you. Just one of those things to learn to manage.

Bikey Mikey

Here's hoping for a quick recovery to "normal" and feeling better.

eja_ bottecchia

OP, that sounds painful. Does diet help at all?

donheff

I have had gout for 25 years or so. It hurts like hell and can pop up in places you wouldn't expect. I had big toe episodes for years that I treated with NSAIDs and then started getting crippling inflammation in my right knee that I didn't attribute to gout. An orthopedic doctor did MRIs and diagnosed a tear in the patella tendon and recommended surgery if it flared up again. Then the identical problem appeared in the other knee. My suspicious mind told me that whatever caused the right side problem probably caused the left and was not likely to be a matched pair of patella tendon tears. I went to a new doc who diagnosed gout. Glad I found that out before I had surgery in the other knee. I never could figure out the diet aspects and what I have read hasn't helped. The episodes seemed to self resolve after a week or two and dietary changes didn't seem to have an immediate response so it was impossible to figure out what dietary changes are worth while. I started allopurinol about 15 years ago and haven't had a bout since. I switched to a moderately low carb diet last year and am now lean. This has tempted me to back off the allopurinol and see what happens since weight is associated with gout. But some things I have read suggest protein can be a culprit (as you note) and I am probably on the high side with protein. Maybe the prudent thing is to just stick with the meds -- gout is not fun.

Jseis 

I hope so...more water, more complimentary proteins, less known food triggers, watch dehydration, consistent exercise levels, no beer, no wine, moderate coffee use, no red meat, no crab, clams, shrimp, oysters (yikes..I live in seafood heaven too!). Don't stress joints when inflamed to avoid joint damage.*I'm 58...ride 2K+ plus miles a year, mostly Feb-Oct...say 100-200 miles a month to peaks of 400 in June-July-Aug.*

jdon

So no booze, beef or sea insects? That doesn't sound too bad.

Hope it leaves you alone quickly. Good luck.

donheff

If I followed every recommendation I have read I would live in an isolation chamber with nutrition by IV. No read meat, no shellfish, no wine, no good. I try to eat a reasonable diet but I will take the allopurinol to keep at the wine, shellfish, and meat.