Much new medical research is showing that elevated levels of serum uric acid are associated with many serious conditions, including kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis. Many of these researchers express surprise when I inform them that the chronic intermittent hypoxia (lack of oxygen) from sleep apnea has been shown to cause excess celular generation of uric acid, and they are grateful to receive the list of medical journal references that they request from me.

Thanks painfree,
That's very interesting! I began using an APAP machine last summer. I will do a search for some of those articles. It will be interesting to see if my uric acid levels go down after using the APAP for awhile.

CatherineA - You can find a list of those references at www.freewebs.com/goutcure

THanks painfree. Lots of good references!
Was that your own personal story?
Next time I see my Internist, I'm going to show him this list. I doubt he's ever known about a connection. Thanks again.

Yes, that is my personal story.
But to focus on your concern about fibromyalgia - a medical study conducted several years ago found that 80% of the people with fibromyalgia and had sleep apnea. That's an enormous percentage! I'm glad that you are being treated for sleep apnea, and it will be interesting to see if your serum uric acid level goes down to the normal range. Some of the references on my website did find that benefit after treatment for sleep apnea by the use of a pressurized CPAP mask while sleeping and by surgical reduction of the uvula, the punching bag at the back of our mouths.

Thanks painfree,
So you're not interested in using a CPAP machine? I really fought it. I had a sleep study a couple years ago and it was not fun, since I'm a anxious person. They didn't tell me that I had to go back again for a titration test. I said no. I just couldn't do it. My Internist knew about fibro and sleep disorders and was hoping a machine would help. I told him I just couldn't go through with the titration test. He encouraged me to see this one sleep doc. When I went to him, he was willing to let me try it without another study. I was very grateful.
He set my pressures low and we went from there. I've had several problems since I started it in May, and I didn't want to mess with the machine during those times, but I'm back on it and have been for about 2 months. It does give me energy and motivation. However my aches and pains are still there.
It will be interesting to see if my uric acid levels go down.
I don't have gout.....but I wonder if I was headed in that direction?? Time will tell......if my levels go down. (Although I know that some people with high uric acid levels still don't have gout).
With fibromyalgia, I have another sleep problem too (as many of us do). I have alpha wave intrusion.....which means as soon as I start to go into a deeper sleep, the bad fairy slaps me, and I wake up. hahaha So even though my machine is stopping my apnea, I still have that other problem.
Do you think your whiffle ball is helping you enough? Would you consider a machine?

As I mentioned in my website, after 18 months of sleeping with the balls strapped to my back, I found that I had trained myself well enough to avoid sleeping on my back without them. I rely on five indicators to reassure me that this method is working: absence of gout attacks, absence of atrial fibrillation, my annual hemoglobin A1c blood test to reassure me that my diabetes has not returned, my occassional overnight testing of my blood oxygen saturation level using a rented pulse oximeter with a tape printout, and my wife telling me that my snoring is very infrequent. But this method is not effective for many people. At least one medical study finds it most effective for people who are not overweight. As long as it wokrs for me, I don't intend to use a pressurized mask while sleeping.

Hi Painfree,
I don't blame you one bit for not wanting to wear the mask/machine. Sounds like you have a good system for keeping your eye on your apnea.
I've noticed that if I eat too many carbs, my sleeping is deeper, and I tend to have more apnea. I think as long as our GI tracks are asked to work, our brains are awake, and our sleep isn't as good, so I also try not to eat after dinner and before bed.
I wish more doctors thought like you. I'm always thinking of cause-and-effect connections, but when I bring them up to the docs, they dismiss them. Its just too easy for them to prescribe meds, instead of really thinking through.
I think alot of my apnea started with menopause. I'm not sure the whiffle ball would work for me. But I'm glad it worked for you.
I just find it strange that so many people are having this problem. Is it our lifestyles? Our eating habits? Our constant sleep deprivation (and by that I mean we don't take sleep seriously and don't get enough of it)?

Hi Catherine,
I too wish that more doctors thought like me. If they did, they would be routinely screening all of their patients for sleep apnea, just as they routinely screen all of their patients for high blood pressure. A very authoritative epidemiological study from a few years ago concludes that about 20% of the adult population of the US has sleep apnea in at least the mild form, and that even mild sleep apnea can lead to very serious, even life-threatening consequences. Those with gout have an unignorable alarm from gout pain that sounds almost immediately, well before the more serious consequences develop. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage of people with sleep apnea have been diagnosed with it, which I consider to be a major failure of modern medical practice. It's not completely clear why this disease is so prevalent in the US. I'm sure the obesity epidemic has a lot to do with it, because as the body mass index increases above the acceptable level, the likelihood of developing sleep apnea has been found to increase exponentially. But skinny people are not immune from it. It's just less likely to occur. As other countries adopt the modern American lifestyle, the prevalence of sleep apnea in those countries rises quickly as well. At least this much seems clear to me - the modern American diet is not compatible with the modern American lifestyle.

Catherine,

I have not been as lucky as painfree with the getting my sleep apnea under control to help alleviate gout. I wish I was and am glad it works for him. I've been a gout sufferer since 1990 and have had a CPAP machine since 2000. I also have fibromyalgia. Sleep deprivation will definitly play havoc with fibromyalgia. What are you taking for the fibromyalgia??

Concerning other things that uric acid can cause problems with. On 13 Nov I had my first of 4 bouts with kidney stones last one the docs in the ER got tired of seeing me and admitted me. I have past 11 stones during the 4 bouts and all stones analyzed were of the uric acid variety.

One of the things I learned was that Probenicid (gout med) and Losarten (heart med) that I was taken helped in formulating the stones so the docs have taken me off these two meds and added two different ones to the mix.

Wish you well.

Very Respectfully,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I am very glad you are well and back home now. Take care.

JYY2,

Thanks my friend. I still owe you some lab answers. Will dig them out in the am and post them. Last month has been awful.

V/R
Jeff

Hi Jeff,
I'm sorry I didn't see your reply earlier.
I'm curious if you feel that your CPAP is helping you at all?
I don't take any meds, except calcium and magnesium for IBS. I seem to be so sensitive to most meds, that taking them is usually worse than just tolerating the symptoms of the fibro.
I'm sorry you're having such a rough time. Good luck to you.

CatherineA,

CPAP is helping with the sleep apnea for sure. It has had no positive or negative effect on Fibromyalgia. Here recently you see meds advertised on tv for fibromyalgia. I volunteered to test that med and it did not interact well with the meds I was taking at the time for gout. Wrists and Anles had a falir so I dropped out of the study. The thing that works the best forme in that realm is Tramadol/Ultram (non narcotic however it can be addicting). Doc wrote the script so I could take up to 4 a day. Most I ever have taken was two and don't know what was worse the pain or dizziness I experienced the rest of the day. However one Tramadol will make my day a bit more pleasant.

Catherine hope all goes well for you and that you are having a great Holiday Season.

Very Respectfully,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

It seems to me when a male gets fibromyalgia, it can be some other condition.......like ALS, Lyme disease, etc. Have you been tested for others? I think alot of women's fibro is somehow related to their hormones. It seems like lots of women I've talked to develop it during perimenopause (the months/years before actual menopause). that seems to be what happened to me.
I've also become extremely aware that what I eat definitely affects my muscle/joint/tendon pains. For me, I'm wondering if I have a mild case of celiac disease?? Also, alot of salt and sugar/carbs seems to have a slow, but intense affect on my body. I've been eating poorly through the holidays, and now my body is acting up again, with various aches and pains.
Do you have any GI problems with your fibro?
Its really hard for me to tell if my CPAP helps with my fibro. I definitely have more energy in the day, but then it seems the more active I am, the more pains I get. Sometimes I wonder if we had sleep apnea for so long, that there is just some permanent damage?
I'm glad the holidays are almost over and I can get back to a better eating habit. It will probably take me a month to un-do the harm that's been done with my bad eating. Darn it. It tastes so good!!
Good luck to you Jeff. I know we're all constantly searching for all the things that might help us have a better life. Are you bothered by winter weather at all?

CatherineA,

Yes I have been tested for both ALS and Lyme. Once diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and doing some reading I was surprised more women than men have this affliction. Just as in gout more more men than women have it.
The pain in your joints from eating etc could be more gout than Fibromyalgia. As a diabetic I carb count so am of no help there. However after my 4 bouts with kidney stones here the last month the dietician (sp) at Portsmouth Naval gave me a handout and it recommended eliminating salt to the max extent possible.
You bet I experience GI problems with Fibromyalgia and one of the gout meds colchine will contribute to this. I have been taken two .6mg tablets of this a day for the past 8 months due to recurring gout attacks.
I'm with you on the CPAP works great for sleep apnea. Nada for gout and fibromyalgia. It seems by your comments that the CPAP machine is doing exaty as advertised for you waking up with more energy and feeling refreshed. I to experience more pain the more I'm active and that is a real downer if you have been prevously a very active person. I used to road bike then switched to mountain bikes and now I have memories. If I get on a bike a pedal for 10 minutes I will pay for days for that 10 minutes dearly.
Speaking of weather I just recently retired from the Navy 1 August after 32 years. I spent 2 years in Bahrain 02/03 warm, hot and dry. Never felt better in my life. Only 1 gout attack the two years I was there, Fibromyalgia was bearable rode the stationary bike like a banchi. Back to CONUS and Va Beach and all h*ll broke loose. So yes weather I feel does affect my condition.

Please take care and enjoy the rest of the Holidays.

Very Respectfully,
Jeff