Shitty Diagnosis

[alwarner]

Been to the Dr. today to have my foot looked at. The area on the bottom of my foot close to my little toe is very tender. Too sore to walk on in fact; it's been like this for a week hasn't got any better so off we went to the clinic.

A little background information.

About 7 years ago I had a large number of stitches in my right foot and have a scar running from my ankle to the front of my foot. As a consequence i have lost some nerve sensation on the top of my foot and the area is always a little sensitive if not sore.

The surgery I had has messed my gait up a bit so I can't walk properly on the foot, no limp or anything but i can tell the weight isn't distributed properly. I'm pretty sure I've sprained or worst case scenario maybe broken a bone in my foot.

Get to the Dr this afternoon, have blood pressure taken by a Nurse, it's slightly high (i smoke and drink) I said I'd just had a ciggy and the pain in my foot was agitating me. The Nurse asked if I drank, said yes.

Go in to see the Dr. he has a look at my foot and asks me if there's been any trauma or anything that might set it off, I said no. He said in that case, you've got Gout.

So I asked the Dr. why don't I have any pain in my joints, he can't tell me. I told him I haven't had a drink for 6 weeks and I don't eat rich food. He said it was Gout or another form of Arthritis given my age and the fact that there was no trauma that caused the pain. I've got a 6 inch butchery scar on my ankle which he totally ignored, and when I had the temerity to suggest it might be linked to this he just repeated Gout.

I've now got to go the hospital for blood tests tomorrow.

Fucking pissed me right off especially given that I've now had a barney with the Mrs. for refusing to take some of the medication he sold me.

The fella had already decided i had gout from the information i'd given the nurse and wasn't interested in looking at other possibilities. What to do now? Take the painkillers i've been given and hope I don't injure my foot further while i'm waiting for tests to come back?

[Rural Surin]

A second, third, or fourth opinion might be in order.

They're far from being Gods, best not to condition oneself to see allopathic health practitioners as such. Cetainly in the contemprary manner in which they're trained.

[Ceburat1]

Go to another hospital/doctor and get a second opinion.

[can123]

Go to Boots, buy some colchicin and take them for 24 hours. If your pain goes away, and I think it will, you will have been diagnosed correctly as suffering with gout.

[alwarner]

A second, third, or fourth opinion might be in order.

They're far from being Gods, best not to condition oneself to see allopathic health practitioners as such. Cetainly in the contemprary manner in which they're trained.

indeed.

It's very frustrating as he wouldn't even acknowledge that it might be something to do with a prior surgery. Maybe they get a bonus for selling gout medecine this month? I shouldn't joke about things like that and i'm sure he made the diagnosis in good faith, it's just a pity he did it without seeing me or my foot and wouldn't enter into any dialogue.

There are other Dr's about but the pain i'm in is tempting me to follow the path of least resistance. Maybe the painkillers will at least give me a bit more fortitude tomorrow. In the meantime I'm going to do my best to get Gout. That'll learn 'em.

[somtamslap]

Try St. Mary's in Korat, mate. Not been there myself but know people that have. I had to diagnose myself the last time I went to the quacks. Had some rather nasty anxiety (Xanex abuse) and the stupid twats gave me some medication for agrophobia..in the end I pretty much wrote out the prescription. They want done and dusted with us asap..

[alwarner]

Go to Boots, buy some colchicin and take them for 24 hours. If your pain goes away, and I think it will, you will have been diagnosed correctly as suffering with gout.

Yeah, the point is I don't think I have Gout. I have underlying problems with my foot from ankle surgery.

[can123]

No need to feel frustrated just get rid of the pain as quickly as you can. My first attack of gout occurred when I was a young man, 40, and was certainly due to spicey food and copious red wine. No shame attached to it and if you have a good dose of it you will not be able to move at all or even allow a mosquito to breathe on it. The recovery can be very rapid and one can actually sense the "melting away" of the oxalic acid crystals which cause the pain.

I have gout about once every couple of years now. The last attack was last week but, knowing the sensation I feel before such an attack, I took three colchicin tablets over 8 hours and it went away. Probably will not have another gout for another couple of years.

[alwarner]

No need to feel frustrated just get rid of the pain as quickly as you can. My first attack of gout occurred when I was a young man, 40, and was certainly due to spicey food and copious red wine. No shame attached to it and if you have a good dose of it you will not be able to move at all or even allow a mosquito to breathe on it. The recovery can be very rapid and one can actually sense the "melting away" of the oxalic acid crystals which cause the pain.

I have gout about once every couple of years now. The last attack was last week but, knowing the sensation I feel before such an attack, I took three colchicin tablets over 8 hours and it went away. Probably will not have another gout for another couple of years.

I really appreciate the insight and advice, but I'm 99% sure that it isn't Gout. Got mates who suffer from it and this doesn't seem remotely similar. The pain is not in the joints I do have some inflammation on the foot but again not relating to my toes. 0 pain in any toes. It feels like i've jumped from a height and landed wrong on my foot - like an impact injury, which i guess it is as i'm not using my foot properly.

[alwarner]

STS is st mary's the one by the bus station?


It better clear up soon it's doing my head in - visa run on the 6th. My Father in Laws funeral was today and i could hardly do a tap - that has pissed me off more than anything.

[can123]

Well, for your sake, I hope it isn't gout. I have, unfortunately, through a variety of ailments, suffered a great deal of pain but, top of the list just has to be gout. You'll know it when you get it.

Incidentally, the precursor to me getting gout in my big toe is a feeling that the ball of my foot, immediately behind the toe, has been bruised by taking a bang. The next stage is a tingling, and the third stage is a feeling that the ball of the foot has swollen. These are the intermediate stages before the gout actually occurs.

This sounds a little like your symptoms.

[alwarner]

It does sound similar, but it's close to the small toe. No tingling etc... I'll go for the blood tests tomorrow, no reason not to. If anything it'll rule out Gout and I might be able to get to the bottom of my problem.

[somtamslap]

STS is st mary's the one by the bus station?

Yes, it is..

It better clear up soon it's doing my head in - visa run on the 6th. My Father in Laws funeral was today and i could hardly do a tap - that has pissed me off more than anything.

Blimey,mate. Hope things settle down soon.

[Marmite the Dog]

I get an ache in my foot on the top/side behind the little toe when I put pressure on my foot when I walk. Feels like a minor burning sensation. I thought gout, but I have my doubts because it's not particularly bad and it doesn't seem to go away.

[alwarner]

Have you had gout before Marmite? This is painful and it's difficult to walk but there's no real pain if i touch the area or when i'm resting, although last night it was a dull ache.

[alwarner]

Blimey,mate. Hope things settle down soon.

Ta mate - sure things'll be ok. Really proud of how the Mrs. has dealt with it, stronger than i thought. That said she's been mad busy so I think if it's going to hit her hard it'll be over the coming weeks.

[Marmite the Dog]

Have you had gout before Marmite? This is painful and it's difficult to walk but there's no real pain if i touch the area or when i'm resting, although last night it was a dull ache.

No. I had a blood test a couple of months ago and the quack said I'd likely get gout at some point in the future unless I stopped eating food and drinking liquids.

[toslti]

Whilst I feel that the Dr was somewhat pre-emptive Gout is not an affliction that discriminates between age and location of pain.

Gout is a high uric acid level which then forms crystals in joints and it hurts....bugger me it hurts!

Colchicine is an excellent medication for making it pass.... unfortunately the instruction is usually, take 2 now, take another 2 in 5 hours and then another two hours later. Unless, of course, you shit yourself, in which case the Colchicine is doing its job and you can stop.

Allupurinol daily from then on will normally stop re-occurrences but you also need to look at your diet. It's all very well saying 'I don't eat rich food' but that is a myth and you should look towards a 'Purine free diet' . It's boring I know but limiting these aggro causing foods can really help.

You should also get a kidney function test as failing to pass this uric acid can be an indicator of problems.

[Davis Knowlton]

I'd get tested for gout just to take it out of the equation, but I would bet on arthritis, possibly exacerbated by the previous injury, and a subsequent different weight distribution on the foot.

[alwarner]

Have you had gout before Marmite? This is painful and it's difficult to walk but there's no real pain if i touch the area or when i'm resting, although last night it was a dull ache.

No. I had a blood test a couple of months ago and the quack said I'd likely get gout at some point in the future unless I stopped eating food and drinking liquids.

ha ha.

A man of good tastes then.

[alwarner]

Whilst I feel that the Dr was somewhat pre-emptive Gout is not an affliction that discriminates between age and location of pain.

Gout is a high uric acid level which then forms crystals in joints and it hurts....bugger me it hurts!

Colchicine is an excellent medication for making it pass.... unfortunately the instruction is usually, take 2 now, take another 2 in 5 hours and then another two hours later. Unless, of course, you shit yourself, in which case the Colchicine is doing its job and you can stop.

Allupurinol daily from then on will normally stop re-occurrences but you also need to look at your diet. It's all very well saying 'I don't eat rich food' but that is a myth and you should look towards a 'Purine free diet' . It's boring I know but limiting these aggro causing foods can really help.

You should also get a kidney function test as failing to pass this uric acid can be an indicator of problems.

Thanks I'll have a look at your suggestions when i've been for the tests. I could have Gout I guess, it's the pre existing problem that's making me think otherwise.

I'd get tested for gout just to take it out of the equation, but I would bet on arthritis, possibly exacerbated by the previous injury, and a subsequent different weight distribution on the foot.

DK the possibility had passed my mind, if it's arthritic, I feel it'll be down to wear and tear on that area of the foot. I'm only 34.... be gutted if that were the case. I'll go for the tests as i'd be daft not to and lets hope it's sprained or a broken metatarsal or something trivial like that.

[Looper]

A LEOPARD has dragged away and killed a four-year-old boy in western Nepal, the third victim from the same remote village in just four months.

Local officers fear that one killer cat may be stalking Bela village in the mountains of central Nepal and could be responsible for all three deaths.

"A leopard took away a four-year-old boy from his house on Sunday," said Surendra Prasad Mainali, the deputy superintendent of police for the district of Kavre, about 40 kilometres east of Kathmandu.

"He was playing inside his house. The police and locals conducted a search until midnight and found his dead body inside a forest."

Mainali said leopards had attacked numerous villagers in recent months and were increasingly targeting children.

A group of 15 Nepalese villagers, including a 14-year-old child, were arrested last month for eating a leopard in the belief that the meat could guard against gout, a painful joint disease.

Most of Nepal's leopards are found on the sub-equatorial plains of the southern Terai and in forested hill regions.

Leopard kills toddler in Nepal | News.com.au

Good luck catching one

[alwarner]

ha ha bloody hell.

Tell you what though I'm going to feel a right twat if it does turn out to be "the big G"

[Bower]

I have suffered with gout for over 10 years. It can be managed. When you have had it confirmed, i would recommend a food diary.
I discovered my trigger foods this way, it helps.
I now avoid shellfish,smoked salmon and spinach. I also up my water intake after a few beers.

Good luck

[Thai Shtick]

It does sound similar, but it's close to the small toe. No tingling etc... I'll go for the blood tests tomorrow, no reason not to. If anything it'll rule out Gout and I might be able to get to the bottom of my problem.

As a gout sufferer, your symptoms sound a lot like gout. Like someone suggested in an earlier reply, I also suggest you take Cholchicine for a couple of days and if your symptoms still persist, then get your blood tested. I also had the extreme bad luck of contracting a very serious staff infection when my doctor decided to stick me with a needle to pull fluid out of my foot, to test for gout. So in my opinion whenever you can avoid being stuck with a needle, it is very wise to do so. Doctor's offices and hospitals are the places people most frequently get staff infections. I hope you feel better soon.