Gout of the Thumb Joint and Knee.

by Barbara Elliott
(St. Robert Mo.)

I am an older female who over a year ago was treated for gout in my right thumb. Some people couldn't believe me when I stated that the pain was so unbearable that I was unable to work. I could not bear to have the thumb touched in any way and sought treatment for it. I even ran a fever.

More recently; my eldest son was traveling from Arizona to Arkansas to take his young daughter home and was struck once again with gout; this time, in his left knee. He stopped at a V.A. hospital in Dallas on his way back home from Arkansas and they were unable to get him in for help. The trip took longer than expected due to stops because the pressure of the pick-up seat next to the bend of the knee was so unbearable. (his knee down was swollen). He had moments when he was unable to walk. When he arrived back in Tucson; he went to the V.A. hospital there and they know my son's gout history and after x-rays and testing for the 'uric acid' in his system; they told him that his was one of the worst cases they had seen in awhile, including 'his' own previous hospital visits for gout in the toe and ankle. They placed him on a more recent gout med and his job, knowing how my son has tried to 'work' with the ankle gout, informed him that he could not return to work until the gout was gone because of liability issues.