Belle

[bellefrank]

My husband saw our G.P. yesterday as he had another flare-up of gout only 4 weeks since the last. Earlier this week he was prescribed the anti-biotic flucloxacillin 500mg 4 times a day and by yesterday his gout had settled down again. Our G.P. decided to give him allopurinol, a mild dose 100mg daily and hopes this will prevent too many attacks. Again it was mentioned the blood thinner Apixaban may be part of his kidney problem but Warfarin would not be suitable as the danger of internal bleeding was much higher. My husband did have an internal bleed many years ago and when first prescribed Apixaban needed to go to ENT to sort out a nose bleed. His next blood test is in 2 weeks time, will see our G.P. a week later. Has anyone else benefited from Allopurinol reducing gout attacks with such a low dose? Thanks.

[phillen]

Yes my husband was started many years ago on just 1 a day it did keep it did help for a while but it had to be increased to keep the gout away his brother who also ckd but stable has only ever taken 1 & has never had gout!

your gp sounds good he is being careful! can your hubby try any of the other drugs to thin his blood? i all drugs can cause damage i suppose some less than others!

[bellefrank in reply to phillen]

Thanks phillen good to hear the allopurinol helped your husband for a while with only 1 tablet. Our G,P, is also a friend so very fortunate, he is careful and thinks the apixaban the best choice at the moment for blood thinning. My husband has always been allergic to aspirin even as a child, warfarin risk of bleeding too high, don't know of any other drugs for thinning the blood but imagine our G.P. would. Its a real balancing act.... fingers crossed everything settles and becomes more stable.

[Jjlinden]

I am CKD stage 3 and have been having gout on and off for 6 months in my next to little toe, although a blood test was said to be normal. I have since read that blood tests are unreliable. Anyway, on reading some advice to eat cherries or drink cherry juice I have been doing so and have found that the pre gout pain sensation in my toe has gone. It was easy enough to find cherries during the season for them but now they are back up to silly prices so have been getting frozen black cherries from the supermarket with the same effect. I am not on any drugs for it and the pain I was getting was excruciating!

[bellefrank in reply to Jjlinden]

Sadly blood tests are unreliable for uric acid levels causing gout. My husband has had too many attacks and as you say the pain is excruciating. Colchicine is the best drug but has awful side effects my husband only tolerates it for 1 day i.e. 4 tablets. Recently given the anti-biotic flucloxacillin and his gout has settled for now. He is trying allopurinol just one 100mg tablet a day to try and prevent attacks....only just started, so its a wait and see. When we were in Spain a friend who lives there was suffering gout so he bought a huge bag of cherries and his gout subsided. However cherries not easy to get and those we did find were rock hard. Went onto Amazon and found Swanson Tart Cherry Capsules 120 and 500mg My husband takes one capsule morning and evening do they help.... its hard to tell although he says he has been worse. Cost is good think its around £6 for 120 i.e. 60 days supply at 2 a day.

[poppydolly]

Cherrygood cherry juice. £1.50 (or £1.o0 when on special offer) a carton . Available at Tesco.

[bellefrank in reply to poppydolly]

Thank-you Poppydolly, Tesco here I come !! Will see our G.P. next Monday for the results of husbands blood test. Belle.