So, I got home from work this morning and talked with my grandma for a minute, like I always do, before I went downstairs. She asked me how my night was and I told her that my foot was hurting, otherwise, it was fine. She looked at me a little worried and so I explained that I had gone out on my hour lunch and sat down with my shoes off because the left foot was a bit uncomfortable. I went to put it back on as I was heading inside and the pain was so bad that I could hardly place it on the ground. I was walking extremely slow to help the pain. It's right on the top of my foot and I could feel that my foot was swollen. So, she tells me that it sounds like gout. She remembers and recognizes the symptoms from my grandpa having it from when they were together. So, now I think I might have gout. From what I understand, having a very poor diet can cause that, which I do and always have. I also know that it happens mainly, if not only, in your legs. I haven't done any research yet but it seems like a pretty high possibility. It also only flairs up once in a while and I have no recollection of ever hurting my foot. Ugh, I really need to go to the doctor.
A high purine diet would cause gout. An inflammation over the big toe in the foot is a classic sign. What is your diet like? I know a lot of my patients can get flare ups from eating too much pork.
I eat a lot of meat, noodles, cheese, junk food (chips, gummy worms, soda occasionally, fast food). I don't really any any vegetables at all. What little bit I do consume is far between. I also eat more than I should. I'm a boredom snacker. And I drink fairly regularly.
I have gout and take Allopurinol for it and haven't had an attack in a few years. For me, even now if I drink more than a couple beers (which is rare), too much seafood, or too much fat in my diet (all gout triggers for me) I will notice a slight pain in my hand joints. I'm older, btw (57). A full blown attack in my big toe joint was what sent me to the docs where I was diagnosed with it, at age 30 or so. Inherited it from my mother, lol. Drinking a lot of water and staying hydrated helps, too.
