Oh good grief!!!!!

I think I have gout! No kidding. Woke up last night and it hurt for the sheet to be on my big toe. Told my neighbor about it and she said it sounded like gout to her. I can't wear a shoe on my left foot. Why can't I get some designer ailment?

Doesn't it just sound like something from the 20's? My father-in-law had gout, but he's fine now. There's new medicines that really help. Please see a doctor soon, because it can get worse quickly.

K

It can quickly get worse???? Oh man.

Dianne, my son developed gout two years ago from eating too many rich, salty foods before the holiday. He completely changed his diet to more bland and began eating fresh cherries and drinking the juice. Cherry juice/cherries are one of the best remedies for gout. My mother suffered terribly for years with gout, had to even buy special shoes, until she tried the cherries and says it totally cured her. Now whenever either of them feels it coming on, they get the cherries and it never starts....Not a bad way to cure something either, and tasty too. Google GOUT and see all that comes up.

Read all about it here - I didn't mean to make you panic!

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/78/95591.htm

See, it says this "Some people will have only a single attack. However, most people who have one gout attack will have at least a second attack, although it may not occur for several years after the initial onset. Others may have attacks every few weeks."

Maybe my father in law let it go too long so he had it worse?

Dianne I had a gout attack about 15 years ago! It happened after we were invited to a huge pork roast. Fat pure. It was so bad, I thought I had broken my toe. It didn't go away by itself either. I had to go to a doctor to puncture it. Yuck. Anyway it never ever happened again. Weird, heh? So I agree with Chatty. I think high cholesterol food is the reason it happened. You'll be okey, but go to the doc before it gets worse…it can get awfully painful!

Can you dip those cherries in chocolate?

Dianne, have you seen the doctor?

I was waiting to see if it got worse before going to the doctor. I hate to take pills/drugs. I'm going to the store and buy a ton of cherries today, wearing a slipper on my foot.

I eat pretty healthy. Did have a big, juicy steak in NY. Maybe that set it off. I rarely eat red meat or fattening food.

Hannelore, puncture it? How loud did you scream?

The doc's broken nose healed pretty quickly, but he still can't hear.

In the UK, gout was seen as an ailment of royalty. Of kings and queens. So, you're in good company, Dianne, albeit an uncomfortable one. Hope the bother goes away soon. You'll need to get into those shoes!

Gout - the rich man's disease.....why? Back in those days, they were the only ones who could afford fattening foods.

I'm not a man and I'm not rich so...

Well you apparently ate someting that triggered it. EAT the cherries and lay off ANY rich foods for awhile and it should go away, no drugs needed either. My son is one who can withstand a LOT of pain, really, I kid you not and his encounter with the Gout made him cry at one point. Lasted about 4 days but he's never had it since...knock on wood!

Toe is beginning to feel better. I rarely eat rich foods but that one meal in NY was very rich! Learned a lesson. My body is beginning to be a daily patch and repair.

Glad your toe is feeling better, Dianne. I agree....it is patch and repair anymore. The parts are starting to get rusty! Like the Tin Man, I think I need to carry an oil can with me just to keep the parts lubed. Hope you don't mind if I add my own foot whine here too. It seems my foot has been hurting for a couple of weeks. I think it could be Plantar fasciitis. Hurts like the devil at times! I walk everyday so I am not too happy with this new foot pain I am developing. Anybody have/had this, or have a solution? I try to avoid doctors like the plaque if I can.

Oh yes Cookie, I have had plantar fascilitis a few times. Been to my podiatrist and a orthopaedic guy. I had a shot of cortisone in one foot once, but had an allergic reaction that was worse than the pain itself. My foot swelled like a balloon. The one thing that did help alot was the exercises the doc told me to do. In fact they have a sheet of paper with the diagram for patients to follow. It really helps. You MUST stretch and flex the foot a certain way against the wall (can't explain it here). Do it a few times a day, especially in the morning when you wake up. That is when the pain is terrible for me. You need to stretch out the tendons. Look online, or ask your doctor about the exercises. It really helps.

Anything in the Remedy book Cookie???

I had that problem a few years ago and the stretches were the only thing that helped. No more problem now, thank goodness.

No Chatty, that was the first place I looked! It has a host of other remedies for foot problems....athlete's foot, blisters,calluses, etc., but no Plantar fasciitis. Pam & Dianne, I looked up some foot exercises on the internet and printed them out that I am going to try. I also iced my foot, like the information suggested and it has felt somewhat better! I also went and bought some different inserts for my shoes. Hopefully, the combination of everything will work.

BTW - if you have gout, alcohol wil really aggravate it.