uric acid meter?
Hi,
I just joined (or perhaps rejoined) this group. I've had gout for 10
or 20 years. My attacks haven't seemed as bad as many on groups like
this describe, but my attacks are coming much more frequently
recently. Seems like every two or three weeks and they're lasting
longer. I'm not entirely sure what's changed that might have caused
it, and of course, that worries me.
The last time I was moved to google gout, I came across a blood uric
acid meter that's available for sale in England. That was three or so
years ago. I'm a diabetic, so testing my blood is not only routine,
but something I like to do to gauge how I'm doing .... so testing my
blood for uric acid has quite a bit of appeal to me. I've been
bouncing back and forth between foot pain and colchicine-caused
diarrhea, and I'm getting tired of that merry-go-round. It's tempting
to think actually knowing my UA levels might help.
Three years ago, there didn't seem to be anyone who had tried the uric
acid meter, and I was wondering if anyone had had experience with it
by now.
No, I'm not a shill. The meter's expensive (about $120 US plus $60
for 25 test strips) and it's not for sale in the US, just the UK as
far as I can tell. And I don't even know if the meter is accurate.
So, no, I'm not a shill.
But even still, I'm wondering if anybody knows anything about it. I
couldn't find much when I googled the newsgroups or the net.
Edd
Thanks for your response. I see from reading the posts in the search
link you posted that this was the very same group I joined about 3
years ago. And it turns out, you are the very same person I had a
similar conversation about this meter back then. Then you had just
purchased the meter and now you have experience with it. It was
interesting that you said back then that an Arctic Medical doctor you
spoke with told you that people tend to buy strips for about 2 years
and then stop. And that's about what you've done too. It's strange
that more people don't seem to have anything to say about this meter.
I must say though, that it was good to read that you've had a good
experience using the meter as well as in conducting business with
Arctic. That's encouraging.
I guess I'll have to save up my money and try to purchase one.
Another good thing your post(s) have reminded me is about the
importance of drinking fluids. About 2-3 months ago, I started a
new job where I seem to drink less during the day. My job makes it
harder to go to the restroom so I tend to sip tea rather than guzzle
soda pop. Maybe that's a factor in my increasing attacks.
Thanks.
Edd
"eddalexander" replied:
Just for the record, it was the Managing Director (MD) of Arctic Medical, not a
doctor, who told me that by eMail, when I was asking him how to avoid paying UK
VAT.
Gout counts as a chronic disease, so you don't have to pay Value Added Tax (at
17.5% - for those of you outside the UK) on associated medical goods.
You have to fill in an Inland Revenue form every time you make a purchase and
send it to the supplier. The supplier can then not charge you VAT on those
items. The whole process has to be repeated for each new transaction, such as
buying additional test strips - which is what I was querying.
I thought it ought to be enough for the company to have on file the form I
originally sent when I bought the meter, but no, the taxman requires a new
written declaration of Gout each time you buy the consumable strips!
Chris Haynes
I got gout attack last year. Still i did not have it again. it was on my toe. Now i suffering back pain. Not always paining but i cant bend smoothly. have this pain any connection with euric acid variation. I am worried too much whether the crystell deposin on my back??????
Re the increase in attacks.
My Rheum gave me the impression that all this uric acid is squirreled away, and its when the body becomes enfused in it (takes a while) that's when it stops eeking out of the blood and starts crystallising in joints.
Like a sponge that initially soaks up water, but then stops when its drenched.
I did a web search and there are Uric Acid and Glucose Meter combinations. That might be more handy for diabetics.
The Uric Acid crystals usually form in the parts of the body which get cold at night - the feet, knees, hands, elbows.
Also restricted joint movement _without_ swelling or pain would be unusual for gout (at least in its early stages).
This does not read like gout to me (I am not a doctor). I really would suggest checking with a doctor, as there are many other, more likely causes of the back problem that ought to be tested for.
Chris Haynes
Yes, rather like that. It can take 30-40 years for the body levels to build up until the 'sponge' is full.
If it was completely full during the day, it has to come out into the joints at night when the blood in your feet etc. cools and has not got 'room' for all that Uric Acid.
Each night, when your feet get cold, it's like squeezing the sponge.
In more scientific terms, as I understand it, if the solution becomes saturated during the day, it becomes super-saturated as it cools at night, hence the crystal formation.
Did you ever grow crystals when you were a kid? It's just like that.
Chris Haynes
Here is a good PDF chart of guidelines of what to eat
and not eat if you are a gout sufferer. Someone sent
this to the list back in August and I saved it. That
person also noted the following: "However there are
foods that will trigger gout that are low in purines.
Also anything that harms the immune system opens you
up to a gout problem. This includes too much refined
sugar!"
I would agree with anything that lowers the immune
system bringing on a gout attack. Both times I had my
two gout attacks, I was under extreme job and personal
stress at the time.
Here's the article/guidelines (you will need Adobe
Acrobat on your computer to open it):
http://www.dialadietitian.org/media/downloads/resources/handouts/goutdiet.pdf
--Diane