Gout Forum - Reading gout test results

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Gout is a common type of arthritis and accounts for about 5% of all cases of arthritic condition. But what is gout and what are the stages of this condition?...

Q: Reading gout test results

asked by: Dandy_Don on April 16th, 2008

New User

I recently woke up to a considerable pain in my left foot, specifically around the arch of my foot. I hadn't done any exercise, any strenuous walking or had any accidents. I booked an appointment for the doctors a few days in after the pain got unbearable. The night before the appointment the pain subsided considerably - whether this was the soaking in hot water, or the anti inflammatory gel I am not sure. Anyway the pain was still slight and the doctor prescribed anti-inflammatories - Celebrex I believe. He advised me that if the pain was gone in a few days then fine, otherwise to come back and get a blood test.

He said that it sounded and looked like Gout but he thought I was too young for this - I am 23. I had a similar episode almost 5 months ago, but I didnt go to the doctor at this point.

I returned a few days later for blood tests. These showed that my URIC ACID levels were 8.6 mg/dL. He examined me again and advised that I did indeed have Gout. I was prescribed Zyloric, 100mg tablets once a day.

What I really would like to know is this: is an 8.6mg/dL reading particularly bad (Ive seen some readings on here of 9.7 stretching to 14).

I am also a little unsure about Gout itself. Is it a genetic deficiency that would always have been present, but has merely reared its head due to over consumption of food or alcohol (Ive spent 3 years working in the Med as a barman)? Or is it a condition caused purely by food and alcohol? Is it possible that it will disappear if my diet and weight are controlled.

I have been instructed by the doctor to stay away from Alcohol, specifically beer, and red meat. Ive been eating brown rice, some chicken - I believe this doesnt have a massive amount of purines - drinking lots of water, coffee now and then, green tea, vegetables, occasionally fish, pasta, and walking more.

Today the pain in my left foot returned. Is this normal, and should I start my anti inflammatories again, and continue with the Zyloric, or should I stop the Zyloric for the time being?

Thanks in advance,

Don.

Replies(3)

gallego1968

replied on April 16th, 2008

New User

It does sound like gout, i first had a gout attack when i was 24 years old so it`s nothing to do with age.

stanl

replied on April 16th, 2008

New User

Gout can be hereditary and/or from the diet. The 8.6 reading is not particularly high, but it's all relative. If there has been a sudden upward or downward change (for whatever reason), that probably contributed for gout showing up more than the absolute number itself. (Many people have high UA levels and never get gout.)

Your gout returning could have been caused by Zyloric: the allopurinol in Zyloric inhibits production of uric acid so the level of UA in your body could have suddenly dropped causing gout all over again. This happens to some people who start using allopurinol. You can just wait it out (I don't know how many days that would take) for your body to adjust to the new UA level, or start taking a strong anti-inflammatory together with the Zyloric. Call the doctor and he'll give you better advise. He may prescribe indomethacin, which is usually the anti-inflammatory of choice for gout.

halfcow

replied on April 18th, 2008

New User

The replies above are correct. In my experience, most doctors (and other people) are under the impression that gout is caused by the foods/drinks we consume. That is true in most cases, but there are also other people (like myself) whose bodies simply do not process uric acid efficiently. Therefore, we in the latter group have to restrict our diets even more, because even a small rise in our acid level can result in a gout attack.

I wish it were as simple as some people think. I started out like you, by eliminating red meat and beer, but then I discovered that too much protein (of any kind) could cause an attack. So, I no longer feel guilty about cheating with a steak every once-in-a-while, as long as I balance it out with good veggies and fruit.

Of course, everyone's body is different and it may take you a while to figure out exactly which foods can trigger your gout attacks. My advice would be to keep a diary of everything you consume for a few weeks/months. This will make it easier to find a pattern for what foods triggered your attacks.

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