gout - aspirin?

[Peas23]

hi. I’m 4 months post CABG x 2 and 6 months since a stent and going on all the meds including aspirin Clopidogrel ramipril bisoprolol Statins etc etc. I thought I’d got away without side effects but I’ve now had two severe gout attacks in the past month. Joints in my feet swell up with extreme pain and I can’t walk. At no point has the risk of gout from aspirin been ever mentioned to me and the dr I saw at a and e when I thought I’d broken my toe a few weeks ago (was a stubbed toe that triggered a gout attack) had no idea of the association with aspirin. I’m on 75mg aspirin per day. I’m due a medication check up with my gp this week and will definitely be asking a lot of questions. Anyone else out there have experience with this?

[Ageingfast]

I take clopidogrel 75 and it thins my blood as expected. But I would not take regular aspirin because, for me, it just does the same task. The occasional aspirin is ok for me. But I lean towards ibuprofen or paracetamol. I got two gout flares a couple of months after heart surgery, but I just used the prescribed tablets and I haven’t had a further flare, two years on.

I am sure you know that the option is to take medication all the time, but I declined as I want to keep medication as low as poss.

Boy gout hurts doesn’t it.

Sooty

[Peas23 in reply to Ageingfast]

It sure does! And thanks for replying. I’m stopping aspirin for a few days until the gout subsides. Due a chat with the GP today but as always there is reluctance to advise stopping any meds… slight catch 22

[HumanZoomieMachine]

Yep absolutely get a uric acid test - I had gout on and off for 4-5 years before my dcm.. now it has to be medically controlled by allopurinol as I was always hovering on the 500 range and that without any red meat, wholemeal or booze... With the lowest dose of that drug I'm now around 380 still eating the same stuff as before

I would not wish gout on my meanest neighbor...

[PeterpPiper]

Snap !!I was a gout sufferer and same as you I had a gout attack soon after starting the meds cocktail inc asprin. I have severely cut down my carbs and since then not a squeak of gout. I’m still on all the meds and since cutting down carbs especially carb snacks I’ve been gout free.

I’m not talking complete keto, just moderate reduction of carbohydrates. Been gout free now for nearly 2 year..

Good Health to you

[Still_Breathing]

Gout! How do you know its gout? What is gout?What meds are you on for gout?

As others have said you need to be diagnosed with gout, i was diagnosed with gout about 25 years a go and put on medication for it, this prevents the build up of euric acid on your joints, not just your big toe!

[Peas23]

Thanks for the replies. I Saw the GP yesterday. I have to wait for the episode to go away until the uric acid test is meaningful. But I’m having another one soon. Last one was normal after the first episode. The Dr. Also said it could be pseudo-gout which is calcium deposits instead of uric acid causing joint inflammation. And that won’t show up in uric acid testing. In any case I’ve now had 3 separate foot joints effected over the past year and the symptoms are pretty definitive of gout. More painful than CABg! I Can’t have ibuprofen so I’ve been given a course of colchicine for a few days. Hopefully that helps. Dr is really reluctant to advise me stopping aspirin but if I keep getting these episodes something will have to be changed. My diet is 95% vegan and I gave up drinking after coronary artery disease appeared. Only additional risk factor I can see is aspirin… which I can’t stop apparently due to risk of HA, but if I can’t walk and am in a lot of pain then exercise is also not an option… it’s a dilemma.

[Bigkahuna]

I've had gout on & off for 20yrs, usually in my big toe. However once I began meds for high BP I started getting more frequent & severe attacks spreading to ankles/feet, knees & fingers. I refrained from more meds than I needed to take & made a few dietary changes to try & keep a lid on it with paracetamol & occasional codeine.But in Feb '18, I suffered with TIAs & a stroke caused by BP & AF, and the gout fun really started, with more frequent & severe episodes. It was so life limiting I am now on allopurinol & have been gout free for over 2.5yrs.

My advice, if you have more frequent episodes & is confirmed as the big G, get on the allopurinol.

Your joints will thank you.