I have had these miserable pains in my feet on several occasions in the last year, four times that I can remember, for no reason. Never thought much of them. Maybe a spider bit me. Or maybe I slept on it. Maybe I sprained it and didnt realize it. Who knows. And while each attack always went away in about a week, they were extremely painful. Oh well, maybe it was a really bad sprain or spider bite or what have you.
The latest one I am suffering through right now. It was after I tripped over a pipe while out doing a little urban exploration a couple of days ago. I thought it was just a simple sprain, but sprains dont keep getting worse as time progresses and the other foot dosent start hurting too.
I went to the hospital. They looked at it, took some X-rays, ran some blood work. I worried about the family history of diabetes. I had a 104 fever. They said "something is going on". Yeah, no shit?
The lab results came back. Blood sugar is fine, no Diabetes. But my uric acid levels were off the fucking charts. Also, something with my liver is fucked up, not removing the uric acid. Hell if I remember what they called it. And I have other stuff fucked up too. Dont remember what they called it. It was doctor speak.
The diagnosis: Gout (Stage 3)
Quote:
Originally Posted by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout
"Gout has four distinct stages:
1. asymptomatic,
2. acute,
3. intercritical,
4. chronic.
In the first (asymptomatic) stage, plasma uric acid level increases, but there are no symptoms. The first attack of gout marks the second or acute stage. Mild attacks usually go away quickly, whereas severe attacks can last days or even weeks. After the initial attack, the person enters the intercritical stage or symptom-free interval that may last months or even years. Most gout patients have their second attack within 6 months to 2 years from their initial episode.
In the last or chronic stage, gout attacks become frequent and become polyarticular (affecting multiple joints at one time). Large tophi can also be found in many joints. In advanced cases of chronic gout, kidney damage, hypertension and kidney stones can also develop."
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After doing a whole night of reading about this, I have determined that apparently the powers that be have called my number. I'm screwed. I can look forward to a lifetime of injections into the joints to provide temporary relief (cant wait for this to spread to all my joints, so I can be completely miserable) or I can take all kinds of drugs that do fun things like destory my liver, cause ulcers or what have you. Oh, and I can even look forward to occasional surgeries to go in and scrape off all the damn crystals that have formed. Then there is all of the dietary changes, I cant eat anything. No matter what I do, I'll never get rid of it. Just control it - for a while. Before it starts to control me. Like AIDS.
Now they have me sceduled for more tests, more blood work. They also want to go in and do a little minor exploratory stuff to see if they can find the crystals to make a definite diagnosis. I am not sure if its surgical or if they just want to stick a big needle in and suck some of the juice out of my joint. I didnt ask, I dont really wanna know right now. I guess its not definite until someone actually sees the little fucking crystals. But its a pretty fucking sure thing they said. :disgust
This whole thing really fucking sucks. I wish it would have killed me. It sure would have been cheaper. I am so pissed at life right now. Why do things like this always happen to me? Ah well, who cares. Cant change the past, only deal with it.
You may all proceed to take pleasure in my misery now. :(
