Gout relief?

[john_dozer]

I'm on a low carb diet thanks to pre-diabetic symptoms. And I'm struggling with joint pain.

This reminds me of Rooster (I believe) proposing that CPAP and aerophagia were connected to Type II diabetes. Basically the opposite thing happens from the surgery to restrict the stomach reportedly curing Type II.

Let's see:
Apnea - > CPAP - > Aerophagia -> Type II - > Low Carb Diet - > Gout.

What a wonderful life.

[timbalionguy]

I'm on a low carb diet thanks to pre-diabetic symptoms. And I'm struggling with joint pain.

This reminds me of Rooster (I believe) proposing that CPAP and aerophagia were connected to Type II diabetes. Basically the opposite thing happens from the surgery to restrict the stomach reportedly curing Type II.

Let's see:
Apnea - > CPAP - > Aerophagia -> Type II - > Low Carb Diet - > Gout.

What a wonderful life.

But if you are overweight and start to lose weight due to xPAP therapy, this will improve your type II diabeates symptoms. Lowering weight is also effective in reducing gout. Although weight loss usually doesn't cure sleep apnea, it usually helps.

Drinking lots of water, taking allopurinol, and avoiding diuretic type blood pressure medication will all help with your joint pain.

And if you are practicing a fairly strict low carb diet, calcium, at least 2,000 mg/day is very important. This calcium does not have to be one of the expensive calcium supplements, but should include magnesium, and perhaps zinc. This will dramatically reduce any tendency to develop muscle cramps, and might help your joint pain as well. And although you can get pretty mush every vitamin from meat, you cannot get vitamin C in any useful amount. Take about 1 gram of vitamin C a day. Beyond that, all you really need is a good multivitamin. Any additional supplementation is your call.

If you cannot stay regular on your low carb diet, try using psyllium husk capsules. This is a natural vegetable fiber you can take every day, with every meal. This adds some bulk to the digested meat remains (which digests to next-to-nothing in people) and will keep you 'regular'.

I have done all these things for years when I go low-carb. If my crazy life permitted it, I would be low carb all the time. As such, mainly due to holidays, travel, work-related events and activities with friends, I do it at best, 50 percent of the time.

[DreamStalker]

I would add to timbalionguy's great suggestions ... that you supplement with Omega 3 (DHA/EPA) fish oil.

I found that Carlson's is the best ... no fishy smell, no fishy taste, and no fishy burps. I can drink the stuff straight out of the bottle with ease but all you need is a swig (~ table spoon) daily.

[timbalionguy]

Good suggestion, Dreamstalker. Even an overall EFA (esential fatty acid) supplement is a good choice. All animal protein sopurces will give you good fat, but chicken and fish are higher in the essential fats. Fowl and fish are also lower in purines than red meat, and may help you with your joint pain/gout.

[Muse-Inc]

From Dr Michael Eades (Protein Power) blog archives:

...Consuming two or more glasses of fruit juice each day increased the risk of gout by 81% and eating an apple or an orange a day increased the risk by 64%…..free fructose has an adverse effect on urate metabolism...

Just a thought.

[Joe Crook]

I had a couple of gout attacks last year and started using the CPAP machine a few months ago for sleep apnoea.

I'm going to the doctor tonight to see if my altered diet has improved my gout/uric acid levels - I mention this because my doctor mentioned that the CPAP machine can help lower the blood pressure that can be raised by sleep apnoea - he then commented that high(er) blood pressure can affect kidney function and so might be a contributor to gout.

If my gout has improved it will not be clear whether it was my diet change or the CPAP to thank - but within a few months of starting using CPAP this doctor took the first 'normal' bp reading for over 20 years. It may all be connected...

[RandyJ]

I had a couple of gout attacks last year and started using the CPAP machine a few months ago for sleep apnoea.

I'm going to the doctor tonight to see if my altered diet has improved my gout/uric acid levels - I mention this because my doctor mentioned that the CPAP machine can help lower the blood pressure that can be raised by sleep apnoea - he then commented that high(er) blood pressure can affect kidney function and so might be a contributor to gout.

If my gout has improved it will not be clear whether it was my diet change or the CPAP to thank - but within a few months of starting using CPAP this doctor took the first 'normal' bp reading for over 20 years. It may all be connected...

Uric acid is just one of several indicators of inflammation in the body. Have you had your CRP level checked?

If you have general pain or weakness in the body, a feeling of "heaviness" in your limbs or whole body, you may want to consider seeing a naturopath doctor to be evaulated for food sensitivites (gluten, dairy, etc). A blood test for these can run around $50 out of pocket.

Sometimes removing offending foods from your diet can improve your overall inflammation levels dramatically and, in turn, affect things like pain, weakness, etc.

[GrantT]

I have had gout flareups in the past, and now that you mention it, since starting CPAP, I have not had a single one.

That said, I have also changed my diet and try to follow a paleo type diet, so certain things I used to eat/drink lots of are now gone....primarily all grains, almost all dairy (I still do some cream and butter), most fruit, and probably the MOST related to my gout attacks - beer. I am pretty low carb, not on purpose, but just trying to eat "healthy" meats, veggies etc.

Almost all my gout attacks were dehydration related (working out in the hot sun, sweating a lot, not drinking enough water/liquid to replenish electrolytes) and then having too much beer etc. as a "refresher". I could almost trigger an attack guaranteed that way.

I still eat/drink a LOT of anecdotal gout triggers though - lots of meat/fish/protein/fat, lots and lots of vegetables, and LOTS of red wine.

So....too much going to say for sure, but seeing as how the "strain" on most body organs reduces with CPAP, makes sense your overall body chemistry would also improve...or at least contributes.

G