I have replaced this June 2011 walking with gout discussion with Should I Walk with Gout. But you can still read the old details below. But you will get better gout walking information if you follow the links in this announcement:

Walking, Swimming and Gout Update

1. Keith has updated Gout and Exercise to reduce Uric Acid to include new evidence to show that aerobic exercise for 45 days can reduce uric acid. Also, he has written new advice to answer Should I Walk with Gout.

2. I have grouped new exercise discussions for gout sufferers into the Gout and Exercise Forum. Similarly, I have created a Should I Walk with Gout Forum. So please join those discussions and add your own questions, experiences, and opinions about walking and swimming with gout.

Please remember if you want personal help with any aspect of gout, the new place to ask is GoutPal’s Gout Forum. So we look forward to chatting with you about your walking, swimming, and gout.


I am 40 years old, overweight and have a history of beer drinking, more or less a poster boy for Gout. I am now dealing with my second gout attack that has now lasted 2 weeks or more and has gone up and down as far as the pain goes but I have been “active” as far as trying to go about my normal business. I have been “walking” and somewhat mobile and basically this attack is not going away? I thought I read that I should keep moving but now I wonder if I haven’t made it worse?? So my first basic question is? Should I try and limp about or stay seated??

Sorry if this is too basic a query but after reading countless blogs and sites about what I can eat and can’t eat or drink or smell etc? My brain may as well have Gout, it’s so confusing and depressing? well everyone here knows what I’m saying.

So, should I keep pressure off my foot as much as possible or try and work through it?

As far a bit more in depth I will add some more detail : WARNING : Standard “I’m a new kid” stuff below so please don’t read on if you don’t want to hear about it.

History: I work in bars and have been drinking beer and alcohol in general for a long time. I am not Alcoholic but am no stranger to heavy drinking or moderate drinking a few times a week. I enjoy beer.

A few months ago I woke up from a night of drinking, nothing crazy but a decent amount of beer with that fateful pain. I had eaten red meat that night and afternoon and maybe before I went to bed? anyway, I woke up in near agony and after some research and talking with my Father who is a retired DR. I more or less narrowed it down to Gout. Now, I must say I have no health insurance as I can’t afford it and while I do not have a Medical verdict on my Gout I am 90% certain that’s what it is. Right foot at the classic gout big toe joint. That coupled with my lack of water and bad diet, it just added up.

For my first attack, I had some fellow bar employees who also suffer from Gout (surprise!) and they loaned me a few gout meds including Indomethacin. I know this is “wrong” but hey you know the pain! So, that attack subsided after a few days and from then on I started to change my diet and water intake.

I began and have continued to drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water a day since that attack. I have been vigilant! I drastically reduced my red meat intake and began eating much much better overall. Taking baby steps. I also began bike riding and even lost some weight in this time period and was feeling really really good.

My standard meals where wheat bagel for breakfast, wheat bean burrito for lunch, grilled chicken and salad for dinner. These had become my staples and again I was feeling very good. I reduced my beer drinking in the last few months but still had beers and make sure to have more water.

So two weeks ago I had a busy week that included quite a bit of beer drinking, some shots of alcohol as well in there. So I drank nearly every night but kept up with water. Anyhow, I made a silly goof of eating two beef hot dogs before bed after the last night of drinking and sure enough the gout came back and is still here?

During this last battle against gout I have tried to go natural and have tried, cherry juice, cherries, ACV, bananas, now trying baking soda, tons of water. I broke down and took some of the indomethacin and it only barely relieved any pain and the pain is still here as write this. I have chicken nearly every other night, as I love chicken and thought it was OK for gout but now I’m so confused I don’t know?? In my case I think the beer is a suspect. Though I have had one glass of wine and two shots of rum in the last 2 weeks?

I realize you are not doctors and that tons more details would be needed to know exactly whats going on but I don’t really have anywhere else to turn right now and figure others are in the same boat as me and could maybe offer some advice?

I am becoming very depressed as I can’t even ride my bike right now and I was feeling really good until the gout came back?

Dr Know

And NO I am not a DR. Obviously! Just a nick name.

Back to my original question after going on waaaaayyyy to long.

Have I made my gout pain worse by walking, driving and trying to live?

Which Gout Walking Shoes are Best?
Which Gout Walking Shoes are Best?

[Walking With Gout comments received:]

Keith (Gout Admin)
No, DrKnow, you have not made it worse by walking, though driving long distances without a break is not a good idea, as circulation restriction will create a target for gout crystal formation.

You’ve made it worse by reading all the crap on other sites, which is why I started GoutPal.com.

Your first step is to break the belief that gout is a dietary illness. It is not.

Bad diet can make gout worse, but it is rarely the cause. All you need is a plan to fix your gout. Just use the search box near the top or bottom right, and search for gout fix plan (you could just click The GOUT Fix Plan, but that would miss some more interesting links 🙂 )

You are also wrong about not wanting to hear about another new guy. That’s what I live for (well, that and pub-crawling ? which is why I never have enough time to reply to everyone 😉 ).

drknow
thank you Keith for your response. I appreciate it what you’ve done here and I must say it seems by far the best site for Gout related issues. I had a very rough night of pain and would say it was the worst yet, this leads me to my next 2 questions.

During an attack, how vital is what food I ingest as to intensity of the pain.

For example, This attack started 2 weeks ago and had it’s most intense pain last night, morning, you might say.

Yesterday, I had a bean burrito for lunch, salad for dinner (Italian dressing) a few unsalted almonds throughout the day and I did try and relax by seeing a movie, where I did have some of a small popcorn with “butter” and a small bit of chocolate. Oh and almost a pound of cherries throughout the day.

I realize there is a direct diet relation to getting Gout attacks but am unclear as to the guidelines as to what to avoid while the attack is still burning? I realize every body is different but I also assume some foods may aggravate an ongoing attack as well. Did I miss a section of what not to eat during an attack?

Next question, is there anyway to accurately test my Uric Acid levels at home without going to see a Dr? Would I have to purchase a testing kit or are there primitive ways to get a rough idea as to where I may stand on the scales?

Thanks again for the great site and I’m glad to know walking about didn’t aggravate the foot pain.

hansinnm

? I realize every body is different but I also assume some foods may aggrivate an ongoing attack as well. Did I miss a section of what not to eat during an attack?

You ask 100 people from 100 different places on this planet, eating 100 different diets and you’ll get 100 different stories. And if that won’t do the trick, read the thousands of stories on this forum and you’ll really be the wisest of all wise men/women. Keith has tried his damnedest to provide a “GUIDE” to sensible food and life styles, but/and they are only guides, however, Mother Nature, your brains, and your body are the only one who’ll honestly will tell if you are on the right track or not.

Next question, is there anyway to accurately test my Uric Acid levels at home without going to see a Dr? Would I have to purchase a testing kit or are there primitive ways to get a rough idea as to where I may stand on the scales? ?

There basically only two ways to get fairly decent, reliable test results of your uric acid levels and that are regular blood tests from a reliable lab (preferably one and he same) and one of two test kits to do it at home. My personal preference is the UA Sure kit. And: You have to do both to be on the safe side.

drknow
Thanks for the replies. I guess my question is even more basic.

During an attack can food or beverage aggravate the ongoing Gout attack?

I realize every body is different and I am new to this thing and every where I read there is conflicting info and this seems to be the best place to ask, so I’m simply asking. Sorry, if it seems dumb but I have not dealt with this before this year and am trying to understand the situation better.

Keith (Gout Admin)
You must understand how gout pain works. Your immune system is attacking uric acid crystals, and most of the pain is a call for reinforcements as white blood cells enlarge to surround the crystals. There is almost certainly some effect from food and drink, but you’ll never know if it is good or bad. It’s like trying to find an alternate route in heavy traffic ? you might get there quicker but you’ll never know how or why, and it won’t be the same next time. Good diet is good diet, and it does not change during a gout attack (unless you count increased alcohol consumption as a way of numbing the pain).

To put it another way ? you are asking the wrong question. Just stop the gout attacks then you won’t have all this anxiety fueled by idiots telling you what to read.

drknow
“Good diet is good diet, and it does not change during a gout attack” Thank you for this statement. I’m taking it to heart. My toe has finally stopped throbbing and the swelling has gone down but I can still not put full weight on my foot but it seems this attack may be starting to fade finally. I have a long way to go, and I thank you for having such an informative site!! Now, I need to understand the food charts better as for how to find a proper balance for meals. Thanks.
zip2play
In a nutshell, you MUST determine your uric acid level. A doctor’s blood test is the best way. If it is high enough to make gout unmistakable, you need to take a drug to lower it and that usually means a lifetime of 300 mg allopurinol. Usually the telltale podagra, aka murder pain and swelling of the bunion joint is enough to diagnose but you still need an idea of the quantitative measure of urate.

It really is that simple.

Don’t invest in home testing until you get settled into some routine. Unfortunately you MUST see a doctor to get the blood test and the Rx. I know, $$$$$!

(Don’t let them fart around with 100 mg. Allopurinol.)

Walk if you are able?and count your blessings. Sometimes an attack is so furious you cannot bear the immense weight of a SOCK!

Leave Walking with Gout to read Should I Walk with Gout.