Thanksgiving Dinner and GOUT

by Frances
(Georgia)

I had my first attack of gout at age 63..it happened late at night on Thanksgiving...I was in such pain by Mon. and was at the doctor's office when they opened. It was in my right big toe, but hurt so badly I had to get my husband to go get a wheelchair so I could get in the office. He gave me a Inocin and Tramadol for pain. I had six episodes in the next year. I started taking cherry extract pills from GNC early 2007..and was gout free Until I had surgery on my carotid artery in 2011, 2 days later I came down with gout in both ankes. both wrists, one elbow,one hand and one big toe. I was miserable by the time I could get to the dr. I was sick with upper respiratory infection. I was put back on the Indocin and Tramadol. I had several episodes thru summer and lately seem ok. BUT I have problem I don't' know if it is related. I will get a finger that is itchy, no rash, red and hot and swollen and hard, it will last a couple of days, also I now noticed my palm is red, itchy, no rash and feels hard,I have no fever, the palm also feels sore if you press on it. I am diabetic, take no pills for it, it is controlled. I have a small knot, (topi?) at the base of the thumb. I usually show elevated URIC levels at blood tests, even when no gout is obvious. The dr. said he has to put me on a medicine if I keep having gout episodes. I do not drink alcohol of any kind.