Jeff X

Jeff experienced his first attack of gout when he was on holiday abroad in 2012 and has had three further attacks since then. He wanted to avoid long-term medication if possible, and hopes that the changes he has made to his diet will stop him from getting attacks in the future.

Jeff’s first attack of gout occurred when he was on holiday abroad in the summer of 2012. He developed pain in both big toe joints and thought that he had done too much walking. After a few days, he wondered if the pain might be due to gout, so when he returned to the UK he went to see his GP. The GP did a blood test that showed that Jeff’s uric acid levels were within the normal range.

The pain in Jeff’s toes gradually reduced, although he could still feel that something was not right. In December, he then had another attack of gout in his toes. The pain was not as bad as the first attack had been, but he was left with an aching feeling in his feet for some time afterwards. He had another blood test done which showed that his uric acid levels were raised.

In March 2013 Jeff had an attack in his left big toe. This attack was more painful than the previous attacks. He took nurofen tablets and the pain improved a bit, but he then had pain in his left ankle for several days. He visited his GP at the beginning of April and she printed out some information about gout for him. She told Jeff that he could take allopurinol tablets every day for the rest of his life, but Jeff wanted to avoid long-term medication if possible so they agreed that he would try altering his diet to see if that resolved the problem.

Jeff read that vitamin C might help, so he began to take 1500mg of vitamin C every day. He also began to drink more water and cut down on the amount of wine he was drinking.

Jeff then had another attack of gout at the end of April. He took ibuprofen for three days, and was still experiencing severe pain several days later if he stood for a long time.

Jeff has not experienced any pain during the last two weeks. He hopes that the changes he has made to his diet will stop him from getting attacks in the future.

Attacks have slowed Jeff down but not stopped him from working or doing his usual daily activities.

Age at interview 68

Gender Male

Has it had an impact on your day-day life?

Well, it’s just, you know, damned annoying, and painful. I suppose I get about a bit more slowly. I tend to sit down more, with my feet up, you know. But, it hasn’t stopped me working, I mean it hasn’t stopped me going out and walking up the road and walking down the road, but it’s been painful, you know.

So, is there anything it has prevented you from doing?

I don’t think so, no.

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Jeff X found that people reacted in different ways. Some thought that gout was funny, but others knew how painful it could be.

Age at interview 68

Gender Male

People think it’s a bit of a joke, don’t they, really sometimes. And as I say, this is this old business about the old colonels on the wine and you know, on port and brandy and things. It’s always been a bit of a, a bit of a humorous sort of a thing to happen. A bit like piles, isn’t it? When people say they’ve got piles and everyone laughs you know [laughs], and they’re not very pleasant, either. So, yes, so no one, and then the – the odd person said, Ooh, yeah, I’ve had that. It’s pretty painful, isn’t it?’ So, it was, sort of, different reactions, really.

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Jeff X thought his shoes might be causing his symptoms. His big toe joints were tender, red and swollen.

Age at interview 68

Gender Male

I was walking down to the village, to get shopping and things, and it was, it was quite a steep incline coming back. Well and going down, but I was going down, going down. Coming back it was quite steep, so I thought it was probably the, sort of beachy type shoes I was wearing, that maybe I hadn’t, you know sort of – weren’t comfortable. Causing some sort of, you know, imbalance in my, in my gait, or whatever. But it was, you know, it was quite severe after a day or two.

And can you describe the pain at all?

Well it was, basically, it was just in my, my big toe joints. They were very sore, if they were touched – if one touched the other one. And yet, ibuprofen, it didn’t seem to affect my, I managed to sleep okay, most of the time. It was, how do I describe it? Well, what I imagine arthritis might feel like. That’s the best I can say, really. It was tender to touch, to touch the joints was very tender, and they were a bit red and swollen.

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