John X
John has been experiencing attacks of gout for about 10 years. He has had about 15 attacks in the last 12 months. Gout attacks, combined with a recent stroke, have had a big impact on his everyday life. His GP recently suggested that he starts taking allopurinol.
John’s gout attacks started in 2004. He noticed when he was walking to his local swimming pool that his toe was painful, and found the cold water at the swimming pool was soothing.
He then experienced no symptoms for a while, but in 2005 he began to get attacks again, this time in his knees, ankles and hands. By 2009 he was also having attacks in his elbows and shoulders and fingers, and on some occasions had attacks in both arms at once.
John found the attacks debilitating. He had been prescribed colchicine by his GP, but found that it took three or four days to work. Colchicine also upset his stomach. John decided to try managing his gout by changing his diet. He tried to find out whether certain foods were causing the attacks by cutting them out of his diet, but this did not stop him from having gout attacks. He also found that the dietary information he came across was often contradictory, but believes that cherries are beneficial.
In 2012, John was having attacks of gout about every ten days. He developed a blood clot on his leg and was taken into hospital, where he had another attack of gout. He was prescribed prednisolone for the gout, which reduced his symptoms within about four hours.
After John came out of hospital, he continued to get attacks of gout. He had a blood test that showed that his uric acid levels were high, and he then developed a severe attack of gout in his foot. He was admitted to hospital and prescribed colchicine, but it was not effective in reducing the pain. John was then prescribed prednisolone and was able to walk by the next morning.
John was in hospital for a week, and unfortunately had a stroke while he was there. Three days after John had the stroke, he had another bad attack of gout in his ankle which combined with the effects of the stroke meant that John could not get out of bed. He was admitted to hospital where he was given colchicine. John’s GP then prescribed prednisolone for him, which stopped the pain and reduced the swelling.
When John has gout in his feet or knees it prevents him from driving. If he has attacks in is arms he finds it best to sleep sitting up in a chair, and also struggles to eat and drink because he cannot bend his arms. During attacks he often finds it difficult to get to the toilet. John is not working at the moment since he had the stroke, but in the past he has had to have time off work because of gout.
About six months ago John’s GP suggested that he started taking allopurinol. John has been waiting for a clear period with no attacks of gout to begin taking the medication. He has had between 12 and 15 attacks in the last 12 months.