Strawberries!!!!!! and My Gout:
Strawberries and My Gout:
I have found a miracle solution for my gout which has gotten worse, with more
frequent
and incredibly painful bouts. It even moved from my feet to my elbow recently.
I've had all the drugs from my doctor, and I've eaten cherries until I couldn't
stand another.
None of it worked.
My wife brought home a flat of strawberries from the school where she teaches,
and they
sat in the fridge for a couple of days. Everytime I'd open it, they'd be sitting
there, going to
waste. I had read somewhere that strawberries might actually exacerbate the
condition, so
I was reluctant. But I was in real pain, so I tried it. As God is my whitness, I
ate a half of a
box of fresh strawberries and two hours later I was a new man. After taking
Alipurnol,
colchicine, and vicadin when it got really bad, strawberries have proven to be
the gout
killer. It doesn't just give me relief, it I feel like I barely have gout now. I
eat a handfull
every other day, and have smoothies, and I haven't had a bout or even a threat
of one in
three months. This week I decided to really test it. We had a party and there
were friends
from Puerto Rico here. The last time they were here they brought a bottle of
fine rum. I
broke it out and we had a fun time. I also ate chocolate, ice cream, red meat,
and drank 3
beers, all within 2 hours. This cocktail combination would have proved deadly
before I
discoverd strawberries to be my saving grace. But the only thing I was feeling
was hung
over!
If you are suffering from gout, try strawberries. Eat a whole box, every day for
a week. You
can scale back as I did. The anti-oxidents in strawberries seem to have given me
a psudo
cure, not just immediate relief!. I am a new man. More invigorated. My head is
more clear.
I have much more energy.
The only thing I've done is I've gotten off the pills and am eating lots of
strawberries. I've
also not had coffee for two months. But I'd been wanting to give that up for a
long time
Try it and send me an email. I want to know if it's just working for me, or for
others too.
Hi shotnic,
Glad to hear you've found something that helps your gout! :) And
thanks for passing on the potential solution!!
Could you tell us a bit more about what your situation was before you
tried the strawberries and dropped the meds?:
How long had you been on Allopurinol and how much?
Were you on Colchicine at the same time and how much?
Was the Colchicine a long term prescription?
How often were you getting attacks before trying the strawberries?
Were the attacks debilitating?
Were there any other significant changes in your life shortly before
or after starting to eat strawberries? (stress, weight, other
medical diagnoses, stopped smoking, . . . )
Also, how was the diagnosis of gout made? Visual inspection or
aspiration of joint fluids during an attack?
I just thought it would be good to find out whether the rest of the
list members are in similar or dissimilar situations. Thanks very
much,
Rick.
p.s. The reason I ask all of this is that sometimes medical solutions
are as individual as the sufferer. For example, I recently (about a
year ago) began taking a med for Type II Diabetes, as well as
Allopurinol for gout. Interestingly, a few months later I found that
the problems that I'd previously had with digesting gluten (wheat
products like breads, pastas and cereals) almost completely cleared
up. Now I don't know whether it was the Allopurinol, the Metformin,
a decrease in my cholesterol, a decrease in my weight and general
health, or something spontaneous that has helped with my digestion.
It was a very serious problem, and I consider it almost miraculous to
be free of it. :) (just don't know how it happened)
Rick... congrats on getting rid of that condition. I
feel similar with this gout scenario. I've put my
responses in all caps below after your topic. Thanks
for writing. By the way, I have no financial interest
in the Strawberry industry! :) I just feel so good
about it, that I wanted to scream it to other
sufferers. Only people who have had this know how bad
it can get. It's also a way for me to get back at my
doctor who is only into the meds which didn't help me
very much at all. The strawberry solution was so
strong and dramatic, with incredible same day results,
shame on him for not knowing about it nor even hinting
it to me. I was so in the dark at first and was in so
much pain I was literally crying. I don't cry much,
normally.
Shot
ONE DAY AT WORK ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO I STARTED FEELING AN
UNPLEASANT TINGLING IN MY RIGHT BIG TOE. I DIDN'T
THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. LATER THAT DAY IT MORPHED INTO
EXCRUTIATING PAIN AND SWELLING. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT
WAS, AND NO ONE IN MY COMPANY COULD GUESS. I LIVED
WITH IT FOR 24 HOURS THINKING I COULD GUT IT OUT. THE
NEXT MORNING I HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE NIGHT I COULDN'T
STAND IT, SO I CALLED MY DOCTOR. HE SUMMIZED IT WAS
GOUT BY HOW I DESCRIBED IT. HE PRESCRIBED
INFLAMATORIES, INDOMICIN (or something like that). IT
DIDN'T WORK. I GOT ON LINE AND SO MANY SITES
RECOMMENDED CHERRIES. I BEGGED MY WIFE TO BUY
EVERYTHING SHE COULD FIND WITH CHERRIES, AND IT DID
RELIEVE THE PAIN. IT WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE.
I GOT ON ALLOPURINOL AFTER LAST THANKSGIVING WHEN I
HAD A BAD BOUT. (Too much turkey and good eating, I
guess.) I DON'T LIKE TAKING DRUGS, SO I WAS RELUCTANT.
BUT FRIENDS TOLD ME THEIR 80 YR OLD FATHER HAS BEEN
TAKING IT FOR MANY YEARS AND NEVER HAS A BOUT. I WAS
WORRIED ABOUT RAMIFICATIONS AND KIDNEY ISSUES I HAD
READ ABOUT. I WAS TAKING 300 MGs A DAY, ON DOC'S
ORDERS. WHEN I NEEDED A RE-FILL, HE ORDERED 150 MGs A
DAY. SO I QUESTIONED HIM ON WHY THE STARK CHANGE. HE
SAID, OH, WELL TAKE 2 OF THE 150s. I KNEW THEN THE GUY
IS A QUACK.
HE HAD PREVIOUSLY PRESCRIBE COCHICINE ONLY FOR REALLY
PAINFUL BOUTS AND ONLY FOR SHORT PERIODS. I ONLY TOOK
IT UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.
I WAS GETTING ATTACKS INFREQUENTLY FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS.
BUT THIS YEAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN I COULDN'T DETECT THEM
EARLY TO CHANGE MY EATING HABITS, WHEREAS BEFORE IF I
GOT A TWINGE WARNING, I COULD STOP DRINKING BEER OR
EATING RED MEAT, AND I WOULD WARD IT OFF. BUT LAST
YEAR IT BECAME CLEAR THAT I COULDN'T DO THAT ANY MORE.
I HAD ABOUT 4 BOUTS LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS VERY
DBILITATING. I WAS FAIRLY DEPRESSED AND TIRED ALL THE
TIME. I WAS UNPRODUCTIVE AT WORK, AND STARTED CARING
LESS FOR IMPORTANT THINGS ALSO AS A RESULT.
EXPLAINED THIS ABOVE. I ALSO WENT IN FOR A CHECKUP
AND BLOOD WORK. DOCTOR CONFIRMED IT, BUT I'D DONE SO
MUCH READING ABOUT IT I FELT I WAS MORE QUALIFIED THAN
HE WAS.
YESTERDAY I HAD A LOT OF RED MEAT AND BEER. THEN WENT
TO THE STORE AND GOT A FULL BOX OF STRAWBERRIES, SAT
AND AT THEM IN ONE SITTING. THEY'RE NOW IN SEASON, AND
ARE DELICIOUS.
HOPE THIS HELPS.
SHOT
I appreciate the frankness, and history.
I have been eating strawberries on a near daily basis
for about 6 weeks now. Best I've felt in 6 years.
Eating what I want.
Hopefully it's not masking problems.
What would you say is the best way to treat it for the
long haul? Simple terms please.
Thx.
Hi Arnold,
I always so enjoy your posts, they are so informative..... but what about the poor folks (me included) who don't show high uric acid levels? I'm so baffled and dr still refuses to give me allopurinal...... I have a great nephew who has been on it for years and swears by it. He is 55 and I'm 58..
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
Thanks for the details Shot! Your background story sounds pretty
much like mine, and probably like a lot of others out there regarding
gout.
I think Arnold presents a very important warning to every one. There
is the possiblity that the Allopurinol actually corrected the
situation for you and the strawberries were begun in a coincidental
timeframe. So people shouldn't just abandon caution and Allopurinol,
and begin eating flats of strawberries. :D
However, I, like you, prefer efficatious natural remedies to
pharmacological remedies, and prefer to understand the ramifications
and side effects of whichever remedy I take. I am not concerned
about side effects from strawberries, so I will start slow and see
what effect they have for me. Neither cherries nor cranberries nor
celery seed did anything for me, so already there is the possiblity
that the causes and treatment of our individual gout cases are
different. I will not be stopping Allo unless there is some very
striking evidence, however subjective, that I am benefitting
enormously from the strawberries.
I am still suspicious though . . . are your family strawberry
farmers? :D Thanks for the suggested remedy!
Rick.
I mislead you sorry Arnold, the great nephew even though I feel like he's 'mine' is actually on my husband's side of the family...no one on my side has gout that I know of.....but then both of my parents died rather young so I really don't know... but I do agree about another dr and will wait and see if or should I say when I have another attack and then demand allo or go to another dr.
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
Thanks for long simple terms comments! :)
All good stuff.
I participate in sports boards where people are
downright mean. Not sure how you can get mean on here
where everyone's trying to help each other. Well, I'm
a newbie to this board. I think it's all in our best
interests to try to help each other in friendly ways.
What I've learned here is to not take my new psudo
cure of stawberries for granted and keep an eye on
what else I eat. So that makes sense. I don't want to
be on drugs on an ongoing basis, so if the
strawberries keep doing what they're doing I'll be
happy. My wife bought a new flat today, and now she's
eating them too. I wonder what else they're ridding my
body of!
You ought to write for a living.
Shot
That's exactly why I like the strawberry idea! They aren't
particularly expensive, they actually taste good, and unless you are
allergic to them, they have few side effects and other bonus documented
benefits.
I look at food extracts as just being less-tested-pharmaceuticals. I
would only use them on the advice of a physician, and in fact did so
for a short time. I found that they didn't have a clear enough
positive impact to continue spending money on them. I only resorted to
another pharmaceutical with minimal - but more - side effects than
celery seed and cherry extract (Allopurinol) once it became clear that
I wouldn't be able to continue exercising and dancing without a
treatment.
Don't we all need to take responsibility for our own health? Part of
that is understanding that whatever you put in your body and whatever
you do affects your health. Believing that prescription drugs are
harmless is potentially just as bad as believing that food extracts
will heal you.
Allopurinol is as close to a miracle medicine as you can get for gout,
and I'd recommend it to anyone who has gout. But I still hope to find
the least impactful treatment for my gout and appreciate people sharing
their positive experiences.
Rick.
Greetings from Sao Paulo/Brazil.
Just to mention that Strawberries and black berries worked wonderfully to me. Never had a gout attack again. (I AM NOT SUGGESTING ANYTHING - JUST TELLING YOU MY OWN EXPERIENCE).
Regards, Stefan
And how old are you and how long ago did you get your attack and we
will welcome you on the A train when you do get your attacks back.
Strawberries, cherries, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, HCl if you want to,
kind hard on the teeth though, etc, all do nothing about your system
uric acid level. They only modulate the balance between urate, which
percipitates out and give4s you gout and uric acid. You will face a day
when that uric acid starts to crystallize out as sodium urate and when
that happens it will cause you pain, and agony.
The data about this are absolutely overwhelming.
So, what is your prescription?
I am 52.
I sense sarcasm. Not sure why.
--- Walter Sidney Matthews <companion13@...
Well, thanks for taking the time.
What I'm seeing is that there are many opinions.
Your's sounds credible. It will get me to studying the
disease more than I might have. There's no doubt the
strawberries act to relieve seriouis bouts, at least,
and ward it off, at least in the short run. On another
board a poster had been suffering severely since
February and after 3 days on strawberries tells me his
suffering is gone. Not just relieved, but gone.
I will post your comments back to him as a warning,
and advise that he consider it, as will I.
--- Walter Sidney Matthews <companion13@...
I would have appreciated your comments if you had presented them with
some decorum, and without calling people foolish. We've had this
discussion before, so I won't go on.
Suffice it to say that Walter is a knowledgable person, whose opinion
IS worthwhile. We all just have to ignore his off-putting rhetoric
and vitriol and digest the worthwhile info.
Rick.
That seems to be the major problem here. Some ppl have worthwhile knowledge
on the subject but they can't help but present it in an inflammatory
fashion.
Lets just try to be patient with these mental and emotional midgets as they
lash out against their imaginary demons here on this discussion group.
YOU'RE PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME WITH YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FAMILY'S
WELL BEING AND THE FRAGILE STATE OF THE WORLD ECONOMY!!!
You know, Walter doesn't need to be here. He has his gout problems
solved. He's here because he has a lot to share with those who are wise
enough to take advantage of his help. You probably have no idea how many
new miracle "cures" he hears about over a year's time.
I can't for the life of me understand why people have such an aversion
to taking a little pill with no side effects every day to prevent a
miserable condition. Don't they realize that the entire world is
composed of chemicals? We are chemicals, food is chemicals, and so is
medication. Just because it's a man-made chemical doesn't make it
automatically sinister. Many meds are reproductions of natural chemicals
discovered in plants, etc. There aren't enough of these plants to make a
useful supply so they have been painstakingly copied in labs so they can
be produced in the amounts needed.
Allopurinol has been around for a very long time; that's why it's so
cheap. Have any significant lawsuits or recalls been found in the
literature? None that I've found. I think from watching the news, that
some vitamins are more likely harmful than allo.
I only wish I'd been diagnosed and put on allo several years ago, before
I sustained all the permanent damage to my body that I cope with every day.
Gran
Thank you Walter for such a thourough letter.
My adversion to Allo on a permanent basis was that I
had seen somewhere that there were long term side
effects, or as I recall, a potential for kidney
problems. I have never taken drugs for anything other
than short term problems, and didn't want to start
anything now if I could avoid it.
I can see that Allo is the way to go, according to
you, and will research further to confirm. If you know
of any source material I'd appreciate having it.
Thanks, again.
--- Walter Sidney Matthews <companion13@...
Gran,
thanks so much for you input on this.... I so enjoy hearing from all of you.
I still struggle with my dr not giving me allo. I know I should go to a rheumatologist but at this time I have no problems, I know it will come back though... we are going camping later in May and will be gone for a good bit of the summer so am wondering if I should try to get in to a rheumatologist before that... so much to think on... the dr really scared me when he told me he knows someone who died from taking allo and he would NOT prescribe it to anyone...... so I'm very mixed up right now. But from listening to all of you I think I best get off my bottom and call a rheum...
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
Irene,
Just about every drug has "the potential for kidney problems." That includes over the counter ones. If you get blood work done every couple of months, a kidney problem can be detected early. I only know that my rheumy strongly recommended I go on it, because I've lost/am losing so much cartilage that I have major problems. I also have peripheral neuropathy from years of untreated gout.
It took 2 months to get in to see the rheumy for the first visit. I had to get a referral from my primary care doctor to even ask for an appt. So you might want to start working on the appt. now.
Gran
Gran,
thanks so much for you input on this.... I so enjoy hearing from all of you.
I still struggle with my dr not giving me allo. I know I should go to a rheumatologist but at this time I have no problems, I know it will come back though... we are going camping later in May and will be gone for a good bit of the summer so am wondering if I should try to get in to a rheumatologist before that... so much to think on... the dr really scared me when he told me he knows someone who died from taking allo and he would NOT prescribe it to anyone...... so I'm very mixed up right now. But from listening to all of you I think I best get off my bottom and call a rheum...
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
You're sure a cantankerous fellow, Arnold.
Made your point, infinitum. Enough already.
I enjoy hearing from you Arnold..
You have done alot of research and are sharing it for our benefit. I say..... "Go Arnold"
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
Gran,
sounds like I better. Also thinking of going to a naturalpath for my arthritis...
can you use NSAID's? I can't..
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
I've run thru all the NSAIDs, Irene. I was off Vioxx, Celebrex and
Bextra long before they were in disrepute, because they didn't work for
me any more. I'm on Medrol now, that's prednisone. It's an awful drug,
but the alternative for me is worse. I try to stay on 2 mg. but
sometimes have to go way up. It and Vicodin are all that make my life
liveable.
Gran
I'm so sorry to hear that Gran...
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
To shotnic and buc:
If it weren't for Arnold and Walter I'd be in a wheel chair and would have no idea as to what was wrong.
I have the silent affliction that Arnold speaks of, except that in my case it 's semi-silent. I have deposits in the hinge of my jaw, and in many of my tendons and ligaments in my upper arms hips, and inguinal area. The pains are not the classical "needle shaped crystal" type that we associate with an acute gout attack, but rather a completely different type - impossible to describe - that come and go and move around. They are not tophi build ups although it could be the beginning of them.
With regard to the TMJ urate deposits, I have the sensation (with the sound) of two pieces of sandpaper being rubbed together when I chew (this is the sound that the dissection of a tophus makes); the deposts have now moved backwards and are impinging upon my left eustachian tube.
For yearsssssssssssss, I have had difficulty with my left facial muscles and tendons which (in a very minor and unnoticeable way) has slightly affected my speech - I now attribute this problem to urate deposits having built up over the years
For the last three months I was on 400 mg of Allo and 1500 mg of Probenecid along with l.5 mg of Colchicine. Blood tests indicated that my liver had IMPROVED. The Doc wanted me to back off a little, and so I am now on 300 mg Allo, 500 mg of Probenecid, and .6 mg of Colchicine. And we will have blood tests for liver, kidneys and blood count in another month. If the UA number is 4 or below I'll stay on the dosages I'm on, if they are higher I'll jack the dosages back up, because it takes (according to some) a Uric Acid level of 5 or below to eliminate the urate deposits, and this will take at least 6 mos to a year and maybe longer.
The reason I am in my current state is because I didn't realize that the urate deposits would build unbeknownst to me. And so they did, because I quit taking all of the meds even though I had been taking Allo and Probenecid w/ Colchiocine for 15 years (although the Allo dosage was only 100 mg) and was gout free. Now 12 more years (part of which I had been taking 100 mg of Allo) have gone by (with two acute attacks one in each foot several years apart) and I'm now dealing with the urate deposits in a way analogous to Arnold's atrophied quadracep problem. And if he hadn't revealed this affliction, I never would have had any way of knowing what my current problem is because the Doc was dismissing it as Osteoarthritis even though I have no joint pain.
I intend to start a heavy vitamin C routine (for another reason), and so we shall see if there is any change in my symptoms. I have already thrown out 12 or so cans of cherries (I found part of a pit in one can) and I have no intention of eating strawberries nor blueberries.
I'll let you know the results of the forthcoming blood tests with regard to liver, kidneys and blood count.
In a message dated 4/25/2005 5:26:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time, shotnic@... writes:
You're sure a cantankerous fellow, Arnold.
Made your point, infinitum. Enough already.
Why did you throw out the cherries?
Thanks for the write up.
For the record, I have no problem with Arnold wanting
to lecture. But he can do it without the
condescension.
I am new to the board and relatively new to gout. Came
on here for friendly advice, and to share my
experiences. Not to be brow beat.
if they hadnt brow beaten you - would you have got the message! I read, I learned, didn't want to believe it, got the tablet, got a life back. Take the advice, ignore the feeling of being condescended to. By the way have you ever had a friendly gout attack?
In the end you make up your own mind but I took one piece of advice and now I can play my beloved cricket for this season coming up "free" from gout attacks. I eat strawberries by choice and not necessity and I dont flinch anymore when i eat prawns or sardines.
I hope you make the right choice and good luck
Tony
In a message dated 26/04/2005 04:19:01 GMT Standard Time, shotnic@... writes:
Why did you throw out the cherries?
Thanks for the write up.
For the record, I have no problem with Arnold wanting
to lecture. But he can do it without the
condescension.
I am new to the board and relatively new to gout. Came
on here for friendly advice, and to share my
experiences. Not to be brow beat.
This was unnecessary. People. Treat others like
adults. I think I've had it with this. Those of you
who are good peopel, Good luck.
There are good people here who want to help and they have helped many many
people. Imagine if we all went off allopurinol and just ate stawberries, you
wouldnt want us all to suffer the pain of gout attacks, and by the same token we
dont want you to suffer another gout attack as well. If the berries work for you
then I am pleased you have been able to do it without medication. I tried non
medication for two years before i found this group and then went to my doctor to
ask for allopurinol and it was thr right decision. I now take my tablet every
day but i also take vitamin supplements too as i figured why take one tablet
when you can take more. So i am also taking stuff like ginseng,flax seed oil,co
enzymes and more and i have never felt more active in my 44 years on this planet
and i have played cricket and football (semi pro) for 30 odd of those 44 years.
Read what they say and not how they say it, the message is the same. Read the
facts and then make your decision. I have been in this group for about a year
now and i can assure you that arnold and walter have mellowed! and if they have
upset you then you should hang around until they have an argument with each
other about gout etc,.
You are in the right place stick around.
regards
Tony
Three reasons;
1) I soon found that I had to force them down, and
2) I found a part of a pit in one can, and
3) I really didn't believe they would do any good.
What I know about gout is, in fact, from four sources:
1) Walter,
2) Arnold
3) Internet, and,
4) A book that I got from my original gout Doc (who is now retired). The book is an excellent reference (now out of print) and was written before Allopurinol was discovered. In those days the meds used were Probenecid and Colchicine. And this book contains an excellent treatise on those particular meds. Moreover, gout was controllable through them. Allopurinol, however, has a distinct advantage. It prevents the formation of Uric Acid, whereas Probenecid purges Uric Acid relying upon the kidneys to do all the work..And who knows, but what compromised kidneys may play a key role (to bvegin with) in the retention and storing of Uric Acid in (only) those people who are susceptible to gout.
Walter has a doctorate in bio-med.
Arnold is the only one (I know of, although I'm sure there are others) who had his quadracep almost destroyed by urate deposits, and it was only through his perspicacious doc that he lucked out in time.
My forthcoming experiment with ascorbic acid should be interesting with regard to ph modifiers. Stay tuned.
In a message dated 4/25/2005 8:19:03 PM Pacific Daylight Time, shotnic@... writes:
Why did you throw out the cherries?
Thanks for the write up.
For the record, I have no problem with Arnold wanting
to lecture. But he can do it without the
condescension.
I am new to the board and relatively new to gout. Came
on here for friendly advice, and to share my
experiences. Not to be brow beat.
I believe, and have believed for some time, that acidifying your system
will surpress urate levels and will provide relief from the attack
symptoms of gout.
Ascorbic acid is an excellent way of moving pH and it is better than
strawberries or cherries because it will last longer in situ. However,
make sure you take the acidic form of C and not the sodium salt, which
is also available and tastes a lot better. And also, watch out for
upset stomache. Linus Pauling and his followers found that although
vitamin C might help a cold, the upset stomache that came with the high
doses they were trying to ingest were not worth the gain. Take your C
with food.
Tony,
I like your sentiments.......you are exactly right!
The God of the mountains is still God in the valley~ Irene
Are you suggesting that this post was either "not respectful" or "non
supportive"?
Walter,
Thanks for the heads up re vitamin c. I was about to begin taking the
wrong stuff. I now have obtained crystals - Ascorbic Acid, no
additives, no sodium, no ascorbates, nada.
Also, just for the sheer heck of it, I bought some organic strawberries
and some cherry juice - pure, unadulterated juice.
I have eaten my first pound of strawberries and drank a 12 oz glass of
cherry juice and have also taken a l/2 tespoon of Ascorbic Acid mixed
with sparkling mineral water, and I'm sitting here at my computer
waiting for the pain to evaporate.
As you already know, I'm taking 300 mg of Allo, 500 mg of Probenecid
and .5 mg of colchicine with an occasional additional .6 tab of
colchicine thrown in.
The pain I'm experiencing I liken to your description of small crystal
build up and not the excruciating large crystal classical "killer"
attack, but still it is debiiitating.
Alan
If my post was offensive why did the person in question thank me for
the reply?
Confused here....
All I know is, I've had complaints, so everyone just try to cool it
and be nice to each other :)
thanks,
Pam