Gouty Arthritis flares and nutrition

FABRICWOMAN

I seem to be experiencing more frequent gout flares in my foot/toes. The last one was extremely painful, and it comes out all of a sudden. I went back over my food plans on MFP and realized that for two weeks I had eaten a lot of high-purine foods I should not have. This includes many foods the average person thinks is healthy for them (meats, seafood, asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, dark green leafy vegetables and some types of beans - this is per my dr's. handout). I am now afraid to eat a salad. Does anyone else have this problem, and do you separate a regular lettuce salad from a green leafy salad?

cwolfman13

I have gout...the diet stuff is difficult because everyone is going to be sensitive to different things. I'm not sensitive to high purine vegetables in the least..and from what I've studied, most people aren't. I'm not sensitive to fish or poultry either. I'm more sensitive to beef and pork...I can eat it, I just can't eat it multiple times per day and I try not to eat it on consecutive days. I'm most sensitive to higher amounts of fructose...also, if I let myself get dehydrated.

Regular exercise has helped immensely.

dmkoenig

Here's a short video on science studies around gout and diet that may be helpful. Good luck.

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-gout-attacks-with-diet/

happyauntie2015

Oh my yes...Knock on wood I haven't had gout in 7 months. I completely avoid fish now and 1 medicine that gives me gout I stear clear of as well. Oh and beer it seems to flare with that as well. I keep a list that's what I've learned so far since I started tracking. Have you talked to your Dr about a medication to prevent it? I know everyone is different by what causes them to flare.

Vune

I managed to have a gout flare up in both feet and one hand several years back. Getting to the hospital by bus was fun. Since I have a kidney transplant, the usual medications were out of the question, so I choked down cherry juice and snacked on walnuts for relief. The second time it flared up, I was lucky enough that I could pinpoint the triggers. I had indulged in red meat and nearly 1/4 of a beer a couple days beforehand. I haven't touched a beer since (and didn't really touch it before I developed gout), and keep my red meat intake to a minimum.

Curious, though, does anyone else get a rash before they get a flare up? I developed red bumps on my lower legs before the pain set in. The dermatologist said it was bed bugs, but my bed was bugless. Wondering if it's common or just another one of my quirks.

nvmomketo

My husband finds that restricting sugars (fructoslargely) helps him a lot. He does not restrict purines. Just sugar.

FABRICWOMAN

Thank you so much everyone. Your advise will be taken into consideration on watching my diet and talking to my Dr. on the next visit.

Traveler120

I'd be more worried about the meat than the salad.