For those of you following the gout story, I spent the weekend icing and living in the boot like it was a break and I'm down from a 9/10 to 1/10 on a pain indicator, though driving a manual (it's my clutch foot) sucks, even in the gimp boot.
It's not gout as gout doesn't just linger for 2 weeks, especially with my low uric acid numbers. So Monday I went in for an x-ray. And nothing's broken. I got back with the doc and they said "If it still hurts on Thursday, give us a call and we'll try to figure it out." WTF?
So quick review and if anyone has insight, I would really appreciate it:
2 weeks ago, during the course of the day on Tuesday, the joint of my big toe - where it meets the foot - went from sore to stiff to throbbing and stabby. It was red and swollen and tender to the touch. Changing foot elevation would send shooting pain through the joint for about 5 seconds. Every step was painful and the throbbing kept me up most of the night. Wednesday and Thursday the pain was at a 9 and I didn't do much moving about. Friday was better, and Saturday was down to about a 2, so I started moving again. Sunday through Tuesday returned me to a 9 on the pain meter. Research on gout was looking iffy as it usually flares and then declines and I'd been way over on water consumption.
I went to the doctor who said gout didn't really last that long and my inflammation wasn't as bad as expected. When I got home, I fished out the gimp boot (immobilization shoe from a previous foot break) and iced the joint and wore the boot whenever I moved. In 24 hours I was down to a 3 in pain and for the past 5 days it has evened out at a 1 or 2.
I still don't have full range of motion and there is still pain when I walk. Stuffing my foot into a regular shoe causes the pain to worsen. Gimp boot makes it better, but not go away. I limp, which is always attractive.
This is probably more than you - or anyone - would want to know, but since we're getting all personal here and it might give further insight, here's my labs:
What - Mine - (normal/good)
Uric - 8.3 - (2 - 8.2)
Cholesterol - 235 - (under 200)
LDL - 122 - (under 100)
HDL - 41 - (over 39)
Ratio - 3 - (0 - 3.6)
Triglycerides - 360 - (under 150)
Liver
SGOT - 91 - (0 - 40)
SGPT - 168 - (0 - 55)
Hep test negative
Kidney function normal
Thyroid TSH - 5.82 - (.45 - 4.5)
Sugar - 81 - (under 100)
I've got to lose a couple pounds, eat oatmeal and fish oil, and exercise. And knock down on the drinkin'. The pain in my foot prevents the exercise. Almost certain it's not gout and x-ray is clean.
Any thoughts?
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
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8 comments:
Alien implant. Even they got sick of anal probing.
And knock down on the drinkin'. .
Based on that medical advice, I'd say it's time for a second opinion!
I want you to know that with your medical honesty I have decided to get full testing done on myself especially after the great fall.
Randal, already had a mysterious implant in my leg. And just because they get sick of anal probing, I should too?
Lemmy, drinking beer right now. It was a suggestion, of course.
Cal, I fully suggest you get all your shit checked out. And huge props if you do so. But I understand that Canadian medicine will not allow me a response for about 18 months. ;)
It might be a cockroach growing inside the foot...
John,
I prefer alien implant to cockroach. Ewww. Ugh.
Ricky- Ok, as you know, I'm no doctor, I just play one on the internets in my blogging (And free telepathic surgery is the only service I offer. Well, that and telepathic blowjobs, but I digress... ;)
You've got several things going on, huh? Cholesterol issues, Thyroid issues, and those liver panels can't be too good.
You might be able to get a little more testing on your thyroid or start with a bit of added thyroid hormone. The thing is, with thyroid issues, therein might lie any weight problems and other efforts may just be frustrating to you.
Can you see a different doctor? I'm not liking yours too much, from this heresay.
If not...,
I think I would do the Master Cleanse(r), if I were you. (I'd actually buy that little affordable yellow book from amazon, the one written by Stanley Borroughs). Since you don't have the blood sugar stuff indicated, I think it would be safe. I've done it several times over the years and only once-- and I can later say in retrospect that I was pregnant and/ or hyperthyroid at the time and my body told me to stop. But, it was good I'd had a few good fasts prior to compare that one to.
Also, I'd think of it as a cleaning fast rather than a weight loss fast (as the media has hyped in recent years), thought that can occur, and I'd do 10 days this time. If all goes well, you could always do it again or longer later. I think doing it once a year a good idea.)
Also, if you have an acupuncture school in the area, you could get reduced cost sessions. I love acupuncture. Ironically, it is one of the soundest sciences, but it doesn't give back medical diagnoses per se, but it can really help bring everything into balance.
I guess I would do that first, see if there are chinese herbs they can prescribe, and ask them about the fasting, which I would then do if there weren't any contraindications.
Oh, I'd throw in a "For god sakes, quit drinking," if I thought it would do any good. (I'm 7 years sober on Monday- and no one can tell anyone to quit, but said anyone. Those liver numbers ain't good.)
I'm throwing out a lot, but email me if you wish.
Oh, and sorry you've got these things going one.
Freida,
Thanks for the advice. The drinking is way down, and immobilization was wonderfully helpful. I can actually get into regular shoes as of today and am going to start a daily exercise of some sort tomorrow. Probably blog again about it then too, along with a van mural.
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