Get Informed: Gout
Gout: Overview
Gout is a condition involving flare-ups of joint pain due to the deposition of urate crystals in the joint space. Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. It is commonly controlled by restricting high purine foods (such as stone fruit) from the diet and/or the use of medications that reduce uric acid levels in the blood. Acute flare-ups are usually managed with pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Mar-20 10:01 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Dec-14 8:24 PM
1 in 251 people have Gout
iGuard is currently monitoring more than 8,049 patients with Gout from around the United States as shown on the heat map below. These figures suggest that roughly 1.20 million Americans have Gout with men and women both being affected in similar numbers.
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
iGuard is currently monitoring more than 8,049 patients with Gout.
Medications used for Gout
Drugs commonly taken by iGuard users for Gout are listed below, together with the percentage of patients that take each drug.
|
Commonly Used Medication Name* (Hover mouse over name to see medication class) |
% of Patients | Average Risk Rating | Has Generic Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allopurinol | 62% |
|
Yes |
| Colchicine | 13% |
|
No |
| Aleve | 10% |
|
Yes |
| Indocin | 10% |
|
Yes |
Less than 5%: Feldene, Probenecid, Mobic
*This list is NOT EXHAUSTIVE - Only drugs used by a sufficiently large number of iGuard users are listed.
**Medications are sometimes known by different brand/generic names, depending upon how they are packaged or used.
Global Patient Feedback for Gout ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I first experienced gout at about age 65. It originally started in the great toe, but over the years, from time to time, it presents in almost every other joint below the waist. To be sure, there are certain foods that must be avoided. However, these may differ from person to person and listing them would serve little purpose. For instance, I cannot eat shrimp, scallops or lobster, but any of the other shell fishes present no problem. I tried allapurinal but I began to experience hair loss, or at least, I thought I was, and looked for another strategy. From a Hong Kong public health professional's site, there was a suggestion that large doses of vitamin C would do the trick. I have since been taking about 4,000 mg. every morning and it largely works. Once or twice a year, I will forget to take the C and I will get an onset. The trick is to recognize it quickly, like with the first twinge, and then a colchicine or two will just as quickly dispatch it. If you put off the colchicine, then expect a long assault that may take a week or so of colchicine every six hours to resolve.
72 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-09-10 13:34:18
Question/Comment:
I am a 64 year old male that is a type 2 Diabetic. I am just curious if any of the supplements the people speak of would work if you have neuropathy in the feet, due to the diabetes? I already take allopurinal, 300mg once a day.
65 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-08-29 20:49:02
Question/Comment:
I HAVE HAD GOUT IN MY RIGHT FOOT AND LEG SINCE 1998 AND USED TO HAVE EXCRUCRATING GOUT ATTACKS FOR 3 DAYS GIVE OR TAKE WHERE I HAD TO LITERALLY CRAWL AROUND THE HOUSE AND SLEEP IN A DIFFERENT ROOM THAN WITH MY WIFE BECAUSE I WAS UP ALL NIGHT, EVERY SECOND "MOANING" IN PAIN AND SUFFERING TERRIBLY AND LIKE THEY SAY , I COULD NOT TAKE THE WEIGHT OF A SHEET ON MY FOOT. THE DR. FOUND VER HIGH LEVELS OF URIC ACID AND PUT ME ON A DIFFERENT DIET AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT I JUST DONT EAT ANYMORE AND THE DR. MY FAMILY PHYSICIAN M.D. WHO MADE THE DIAGNOSIS WITH BLOOD AND URINE TESTS ETC, HAD PRESCRIBED "COLCHINE" FOR ME AND THAT WORKS CONSIDERABLY IF YOU USE IT "RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF A GOUT ATTACK, WHEN ONE IS COMING ON". I LIVE WITH THIS AND KEEP A BOTTLE OF COLCHINE IN MY CAR AND MY HOUSE AT ALL TIMES JUST IN CASE.
49 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-07-17 15:29:14
Answer/Reply:
I have suffered w/ gout for over 30 years. Allophurinol helps me tremendously. I have not had an attack for over 9 years. I take 300 mg once a day in the AM and drink copious amounts of water. Ask your doctor about it.
57 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-08-15 17:46:48
Answer/Reply:
I too have gout but my wife found some things out that I'd like to share with you as they have worked wonders for me and several other people and they taste good too. Each morning I use a teaspoon of cinnamon on my cereal or I take cinnamon pills. It works to combat the uric acid and helps to keep it flushed out of your system. I have been taking this for about 2 years now and I have no problems from my gout. I tried not using it for awhile and the gout came back more severe than ever. Something else that works is eating berries, the ones that work the best for me are cherries and strawberries. The really nice thing is I no longer have to take medication for the gout, and even my doctor approves of this as a treatment. Hope this helps!
49 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-08-18 20:47:59
Question/Comment:
Hi! I am a 70 year old female. Has any one used baking soda to neturalize the uric acid crystals? Or have tried drinking black cherry juice ,which I find in Health stores in a concentrate form?
I am alergic to most of the drugs to treat Gout. Even the brand new drug one that has only been on market for about two months from the FDA.: ULORIC.
I have high Uric Acid levels in my blood system.
I sure would be interested to know what they have tried, other than drugs.
71 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-24 03:49:52
Answer/Reply:
Hello, I am a 52yr. old female who has gout and I heard last year that eating cherries or drinking cherry juice would help, so I tried eating the cherries and to my surprise.....it worked! It did keep my feet from swelling up but I'm not suppose to have sugar (diabetic)so I had to stop. But you should try it at least.
Good luck! Let me know how you did with it.
53 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-27 19:06:09
Answer/Reply:
You might try staying away from name brand juices. In our wal-mart, the juice I get does
not have as much sugar as name brands. I have Type 2 diabetes.
75 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-28 07:37:26
Answer/Reply:
You can get Black Cherry concentrate at the Health Food Stores like GNC. I used to mix it with diet cola .... Cherry Coke!
51 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-29 16:07:07
Answer/Reply:
I get Black Cherry Capsules at the health food store. They work great for me. My husband who is diabetic takes the cherry for his arthritis and says it helps a great deal for him.
54 gout sufferer
56 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-07-01 15:04:34
Answer/Reply:
Hello, I am a 58yr. old female with history of GOUT.Natural Cherry juice ,unsweetened from Trader Joe's , is the best thing since sliced whole grain bread. The web site is www.traderjoes.com if you don't have one near you. It's a great alternative to taking another pill and if your like me, who attempts to make dietary changes an elevate painful episodes of Gout, You will enjoy the goodness and versatility for natural unsweetened cherry juice. good taste all
59 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-06-01 22:38:02
Answer/Reply:
My gout was caused by taking hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic, for high blood pressure. Recently a holistic health doctor prescribed parsley concentrate, one dropperful two times/day as a natural diuretic. I'm awaiting my online order to try. Meanwhile, Google gout; there is a website with a plethora of folk and other natural remedies for gout, including a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice in lukewarm water after each meal to prevent the formation of uric acid crystals. Baking soda 1/2 tsp will also prevent attacks. And, for men, having sex prevents gout. My husband, a diabetic, loves this one! My gout is currently in remission.
71 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-06-04 14:58:01
Answer/Reply:
I was diagnosed with gout about 22 years ago and had trouble with the meds. I don't like cherries but I do like strawberries. They work just as well as cherries. You do have to eat a lot to make it work. Start eating them as soon as you feel the beginning of the gout pain. Also I found out that by staying away from peas, I didn't have as many problems with the gout.
51 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-06-09 21:50:54
Answer/Reply:
I have not even heard of baking soda for gout but it is good for lots of other things so why not?
Also, cherries, cherry juice and stay away from fried foods and salt has been a great help
for me. I'm 73years old.
75 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-28 07:34:38
Answer/Reply:
My husband has grout occasionally, and he eats dried cherries. Seems to help him. Just a thought. I like to read www.mercola.com for natural medical stuff. Maybe try there.
57 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-30 20:47:32
Answer/Reply:
My husband (51 yrs old) has dealt with gout. The black cherry concentrate (100% pure fruit) is what he took and I also put him on a cleansing/healing diet (receipes found on www.goutcure.com) He has not had a reaccurance for 2 years now. He has used other medications but we found the juice and the cleansing diet to work the best and it is all natural!!
Good Luck
53 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-06-06 14:19:50
Answer/Reply:
I have suffered with Gout. The drugs to treat gout didi not seem to work. I found a dietary supplement on line. It has worked for me. Found it at www.goutcure.com. Also helps for
relief is placing ice packs on the site. Seems to help circulation.
54 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-06-06 17:37:17
Answer/Reply:
I have tried taking baking soda and it did help, also the black cherry juice works great too, but I have had the best results using cinnamon, about a teaspoon a day or 3 cinnamon pills.
49 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-08-18 20:54:23
Answer/Reply:
Hi!, I have been taking ULORIC for about 6mos. and it has lowered my
uric acid from 10.5 to 4. it works gfor me . But, there is always a but, I still get the GOUT...........
61 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-11-30 04:09:50
Question/Comment:
my husban has gout in both big toes what dose he need to keep away from
50 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2008-08-01 05:37:16
iGuard Answer/Reply:
allopurinol is more of a maintenance medicine, colchicine is more for acute attacks + a painkiller. Husband has it constantly. Usually Vicodin for the pain. You can also check out goutcure.com,was recommended by an acquaintance with gout. Diet also helps when they stick to it
Posted: 2008-09-04 23:42:55
Answer/Reply:
remove all forms of Pork and Pork products and most dairy products
such as aged cheeses. Yogurts and soft cheeses are ok.
75 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2008-11-23 12:11:50
iGuard Answer/Reply:
I was told to avoid mushrooms, lentiles eat very little red meat but I dont remember the dairy products or pork. Any other food suggestions to avoid?
Male 66 yrs old
Posted: 2008-12-29 22:50:40
iGuard Answer/Reply:
My husband has found this remedy for gout. one tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon honey mix with eight ounces warm water ( mixes better with warm) and drink. he takes this as soon as he feels the onset. It works very well for him and takes it on a regular basis.
Posted: 2009-01-01 10:48:36
Answer/Reply:
Everyone's body reacts differently to foods. But for myself, fried foods and anything fatty
will activate my gout. If he doesn't eat cherries or drink the juice, you might give it a try.
75 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-05-28 07:40:08
Answer/Reply:
red meats, alcohol, pork products, fried foods and sodium usually cause gout to become inflammed.
29 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-09-01 10:10:33
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Patient Comments about
Gout