Okay, first off: it's *not* an olds-person's disease. It's basically a hereditary condition where your body makes too much of something called Uric Acid. It crystalizes in a joint (most commonly your big toe) and causes you a intense pain. The first time I had it, I couldn't stand the weight of my bed-sheets touching my big toe -- yes, it hurts that flipping bad. Well, it appears that I've got it in my small-toe -- and it hurts like a mother. Just got out of the doctor (they also found a lump in my wallet, badump-bump) & picked up my prescription. It's soooo lame to be tied up by something so small!

I once had it in my knee (and the doctor needed to take a fluid sample). Son of a #($( did *THAT* hurt!

Anybody else been aflicted with this miserable sob?

Do you get enough iodine? I read that's why they put iodine in salt.

I've never heard about iodine for the treatment and/or prevention. I have heard about cherry juice (which I've never tried). I do take something called Allopurinol which is supposed to prevent gout attacks. That was working well until about 2 years ago when my doctor decided to decrease the dosage from 300mg to 100mg 'cause Allopurinol is supposedly hard on your liver. Since the decrease, I've had two gout attacks. Gout is a form of arthritis -- except the pain is rather acute. I can't walk or put weight on that food. God forbid I actually touch it or try and put a sock on that foot. It's just a big pain in the ass.

Edited July 15, 200619 yr by cmattson

Drink lots of water. Do not eat any pork or red meats for several days. Avoid alcohol, and avoid eating beans of all kinds.

You could try taking some Aleve or Ibuprofen, this should cause the imflamation to go down. I've had it before, and its a PITA.

Edited July 15, 200619 yr by Brandon Lutz

tmp, iodine prevents goiters...not gout.

Which reminds me of a certain Seinfeld episode...