Sunday, January 27, 2013

Damned Gout Again!

Yes, my old friend Mr. Gout has visited me once again.  Last night, about 3am I awoke very uncomfortably with a severe throbbing pain in my right ankle.  I'm familiar enough with gout now that I knew immediately what the hell was going on with me.  Trying to avoid the pain is virtually impossible once it gains a foothold.  The duvet cover rubbed it gently but it was excruciating to say the least.  No fun at all, I couldn't find a location where it didn't pain me so much it was alarming!  I got up and hobbled to the bathroom and drank a quick to glasses of water to start the hydration process that I KNOW has to happen before it will subside.  Then I reached over and took a Colcochine tablet as I KNOW that works to quell the distress,  Then I went back to bed and after a long boring while trying to fight off the increasing pain and throbbing fell asleep.  I awoke at 7 and slowly made my way into the kitchen to greet the love of my Life Kelly and our ever faithful Fur-Rr-Ee Kat.  I told them of my new bout of gout and it's onset and then hobbled with coffee cup in hand to read the Sunday papers.  The rest of the day was spent chugging water, cherry juice and some wonderful canned cherries from Trader Joes. 

Here's the tale regarding the Cherry Juice treatment:

"You may be hearing a lot about cherry juice gout relief therapy if you're one of the millions of people who suffer from the chronic pain of arthritis or gout. New research has uncovered evidence that compounds in cherries may help to relieve pain caused by this affliction and other forms of arthritis in several important ways.
Although it has been long believed that adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle will help to combat the symptoms of gout, we are now beginning to realize the many health benefits of cherry juice in addition to these dietary changes. But what is it exactly that makes cherry juice gout's worst enemy?
 
 For one thing, cherries have been shown to lower levels of uric acid in the blood, which is one of the most common causes of gout pain. A study at the University of California Davis showed that consuming a serving of cherries daily significantly lowered the blood uric acid levels of women by as much as 15 percent, and while the participants in the study were given fresh cherries to eat, a serving of dried cherries or cherry juice can have just as significant an impact.
The secret to the benefits of cherry juice is a compound called anthocyanins, which are the pigments that give cherries their bright red color and are also believed to be the key to helping the body relieve inflammation. As an added bonus, these same anthocyanins may significantly reduce your risk for colon cancer, the third leading cancer in America.
Doctors and scientists believe that the anthocyanins in the cherries is what caused the decrease in blood urates and what causes cherry juice gout relief. They also feel that consuming anthocyanins on a regular basis may help lower heart attack and stroke risk, and are even studying the benefits of cherry juice and how it may have direct applications to the treatment and prevention of cancer.
And don't let all the publicity fool you! Black cherry juice health benefits are just as widespread and wonderful as that of tart cherries and sweet cherries, since all three varieties contain similar amounts of anthocyanins when consumed in similar amounts. No matter what variety of cherries you choose to fit your diet and tastes, all of them have the same great health benefits and are easy to find at your nearest health food store or better supermarkets.
Since the clinical research on the cherry juice gout relief therapy is still in the early stages, there is no set "prescription" for their use or consumption. However, it seems that the majority of people benefit from consuming about two tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate a day, or one to two servings of fresh or dried cherries. Just like with any other type of treatment, however, different people will naturally respond differently to cherries and the end results gained will most likely be varied.
While some people report that they feel results within a few days, others do not see the full benefit until they have used cherry juice daily for several weeks or even months as part of a low purine diet.

Cherry juice gout relief has been used around the world in the treatment of this painful disease for hundreds of years, but it is only recently that the mainstream media has brought this information to light. While some people may feel a little skeptical about the benefits of cherry juice in the treatment of gout and arthritis, many more are finding that it is a wonderful way to take control of their pain and get moving again with the help of a very easy and delicious cure.

Kelly found a bottle of old (2007 vintage) of Vicodin and we looked it up on the iNet to see what drugs interact with it and found that Colcochine interacts with many of the drugs I take daily...affects on the liver especially!  Severe warnings in some cases!  Shit! Shit! Shit!  Nonetheless I took one Vicodin at about 4pm and quickly fell into a stupor which is how that drug seems to affect me commonly.  I sat in my TV chair and watched a movie half-heartedly, didn't fall asleep as the pain was still severe but it certainly relaxed me and after an hour or so it seemed the pain had diminished a bit...the edge was off!   So downstairs I went after the movie finished and I made Pesto, the Basil one with walnuts, garlic, a squeeze of lemon and olive oil over regular spaghetti pasta for dinner.  I took the next Vicodin about 8pm and here I am writing away, my ankle feels somewhat numb and the pain has lessened considerably from what it was so maybe I can get some sleep tonight after all.