Gout
35 Members
This online group serves the members of our arthritis community who are living with Gout and related conditions from across the country. We invite those who are looking for support, education, robust programming, expert speakers, and connection to join us and meet others who understand.
Live Yes! Connect Groups offer connections, education, and empowerment. Adults living with arthritis from across the country come together online for professional- and volunteer-led sessions on topics, as well as fun group activities.
We offer a place of understanding and encouragement for both people living with arthritis and their loved ones. Group participants become self-advocates, develop self-management skills, and learn how to not just survive life with arthritis but to thrive.
Support for this Connect Group made possible by
Upcoming Events
- Event List
Facilitators [1]
Members [35]
You must log in to read and comment.
Arthritis.DTO.Models.ConnectGroups.Forum?.ForumDisplayName
Comment
Comments [13]
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 6 pm ET Hi Connect Group Members,
I am reaching out to share a unique invitation open only to Connect Group Members. The Arthritis Foundation is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 6 pm ET entitled, "Arthritis Foundation & American College of Rheumatology Research and Treatment Showcase." This exclusive webinar is only open to Connect Group Members and aims to provide patients with accessible and impactful insights from the 2024 American College of Rheumatology Convergence conference, focusing on key research and information that can enhance patient-provider relationships and improve patient care. Register today!
Register: https://joinus.arthritis.org/event/acrshowcase/summary
Hello all!
I hope to see many of you this Sunday night (Chicago time = 6:30pm). We'll just have our regular lively, supportive discussion about how we live with gout but try to not let it define us!
If you haven't yet, you can register for the Zoom call by clicking into the "Events" section of this page .
See you soon!
-JimK
You're invited to an upcoming national webinar, "Living Well with Gout", on Thursday, October 17th from 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM EST. This webinar is a joint effort between the Arthritis Foundation and the American Kidney Fund, designed to provide valuable resources and support to individuals living with gout.
Our esteemed speakers, rheumatologist Dr. Thomas Rennie and nephrologist Dr. Jamie Green, will discuss the connection between gout and kidney health, effective medications for managing pain and inflammation, and practical lifestyle adjustments that can help prevent flare-ups. You'll also hear inspiring success stories from others who have overcome the challenges of gout.
To register for this informative event, please visit [Webinar Registration Link].
Hi, I am new to this group and have developed gout in my ankle. I was diagnosed in January, 2024 after covid brought on an acute gout flareup that sent me to the urgent care unit. My ankle turned purple and red and was swollen and painful. Since January, I've had 4 swollen ankle flareups. Since then, I modified my diet drastically but have slipped a few times, thus the flareups. I had a steak the other night to test my gout triggers. Within 24 hours I could feel a flareup coming on. I took Cholchicine for the first time. It brought down the inflammation. Sadly, I learned that this drug doesn't get rid of uric acid. It only tames the inflammation. However, my blood test in January showed normal uric acid levels. I am curious to know if others have normal uric acid levels but still suffer flareups? For those whose uric acid is high, have you experienced any relief with other treatments and/or other drugs? Thanks in advance, Celeste S
Hi Celeste, welcome to the group!
I believe that while my uric acid levels remain in control by diet management, years of buildup in my joints has resulted in a sort of trigger effect when I slip diet-wise.
Indomethacin works better for me when a flare does occur, but it is hard on the gut. I'm on daily allopurinol to (I think) reduce the uric acid in my blood.
-JimK
Hello,
New to the group. I'm newly diagnosed and having a hard time adjusting with food restrictions. My first acute attack was unbearable that I drastically changed my diet. I was a foodie and loved eating meat and shellfish.I have now eliminated most of the meat (I eat chicken occasionally) and all shellfish and replaced with tofu, fish, nuts, dairy and most veggies. Beans, legumes, and mushrooms are my biggest culprit in the veggie arena so I only eat these in limited quantity.
Food tripping used to be one of my favorite activity when I visit my [adult] children but now eating is not enjoyable anymore - its just for sustenance.
My hope is to be able to adjust my mindset and live with this condition as "normal" as possible.
Hi Rosalyn, welcome!
"Food tripping"...great term. I've gone about 95% vegetarian in my 60s to manage my gout & pre-diabetes conditions. It's been almost 2 yrs, and most of my "meat envy" is gone while eating with my kids. There are a LOT of ethnic foods I enjoy that have robust veggie options, so that keeps me satisfied most of the time. I hope you are able to find some that make eating more enjoyable for you again.
New to the group. Learning how to live with gout. I have been finding a lot of conflicting information about safe foods. Does anyone have a web site with reliable information on purine levels of foods?
Welcome Kevin, nice to have you aboard! I honestly don't know which site is most reliable for this info, but I'll ask around the Foundation & get back to you here soon. I would definitely start with the Mayo Clinic's pages. I hope you will be able to attend our online group meeting in November!
Okay let's try this again!
Please vote on this Doodle calendar poll whether you'd like to meet on August 12th or 13th. We would like to accommodate as many folks as possible, and the sooner we decide on a date, the more time we'll have to spread the word & get even more gouty friends involved!
https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/el2g9xjb
Does anyone test their uric acid levels at home?
Yes, I do. Probably more frequently than I should do but I'm still learning. I like to reassure myself that my levels are below the saturation threshold.
I use an Accugence tester that I ordered from Amazon (in the UK). Simple prick test that seems reliable enough.
My levels seem to coincide with how I'm feeling at any given time, so actually, when I'm feeling good, I test a lot less.
I'm not sure actually what good it does. I'm starting to think rather than stressing myself out by testing all the time I should just focus on maintaining a healthy diet and staying hydrated, but being able to test at home definitely has its merits..
I've never heard of this before, great question! Is there an over the counter testing kit you'd recommend?
Southern California friends - You’re invited! To help raise awareness, we’ve partnered with Horizon Therapeutics to host #WeeditGout community event in the Orange County area.
Join us on June 10 to learn about out-of-control gout, connect with other gout patients and caregivers, and give back to the community through a park cleanup.
Light breakfast will be provided, as well as free handouts for attendees. See event flyer for additional event details and email [email protected] to RSVP.
(1) Facebook
Hello everyone,
Please fill out this Doodle thing so we can make our next Gout Group meeting as conveniently-timed as possible! Feel free to invite others who are interested in, or have gouty arthritis...
-JimK, [email protected]
The only way I found out that I have Gout was elevated uric acid and later a ultrasound confirmed that gout was in my wrist and causing active damage. I am now on Allopurinol 300mg daily and my last uric acid is down to 5.5 so both my Rheumatologist and Kidney Doctor are happy right now.
My Dr has asked me to track my food and flare ups. My question is: what is the lag time between when you eat a trigger food and the onset of a flare? An hour? 3 hours? 24 hours? Thanks for any insights!
For me, overnight is my usual timeframe for ingestion of trigger food ➡ pain in my foot. Thanks for posting, glad to have you here!
For me, overnight is my usual timeframe for ingestion of trigger food ➡ pain in my foot. Thanks for posting, glad to have you here!
WELCOME!!
We just got this Connect Group up & running, so now let's get some folks onboard! Feel free to introduce yourself, ask questions, etc with a post here on the Discussion Board while I try to figure out how to get our first meeting arranged.
-JimK