Gout medication

JMF
JMF Member Posts: 6
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:05 in Living with arthritis

Hi just joined as currently suffering with second bout of Gout. Having seen GP he has prescribed a three week course of steroids before prescribing a preventitive. Got to say worried about taking Steroids and wonder if anyone else has been on them and what to expect. He is starting me on lowest dose possible to reduce Uric acid levels, meant to be going away and a bit concerned about side effects. Thank you

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 9. Jul 2020, 08:15

    My husband has the occasional bout of gout but has never been prrescribed steroids, just Naproxen, an anti-inflammatory med. This usually clears it within a week. I have taken steroids in the past due to auto-immune arthritis (three years at 5mg per day) and they are certainly more efficient at sorting out the results of the trouble but do not tackle the underlying cause.

    You don't say what dose you are prescribed but three weeks of steroids, even at 1mg per day, should not cause any long-term harm. They 'work' by indiscriminately thinning all body tissues but in the grand scheme of things 21 days is nothing. I suspect your GPs approach is to blast the inflammation away, to clear the decks before commencing allopurinol or somesuch. Good luck. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • JMF
    JMF Member Posts: 6

    Thank you lovely people for your quick replies - Dream Daisy - yes you are completely right about my GPs approach ie blast the inflammation and then allopurinol to follow. Will keep you posted just hate taking meds as already on a lot of them but always worry when starting a new treatment - no different from the rest of us I suppose. Thanks JMF

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    You're welcome, I hope we helped at least a little. I have taken daily meds since the age of 12, anything new is regarded by me with no more than mild interest and never googled. My husband is fortunate in that his gout rarely occurs, we reduced our consumption of purines which might have helped, who knows? Please let me know how you get on. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • JoeB
    JoeB Bots Posts: 83

    I assume that your GP advised you regarding the need to adopt a low purine diet for longer term management ?

    Arthur

  • JMF
    JMF Member Posts: 6

    Thank you Arthur yes he did and I have been following it but uric acid levels still too high GP hopes by hitting it with low dose steroid over three weeks it will reduce levels before starting me on a preventative. I am just concerned that no one on this site has been prescribed steroids for their gout. JMF.

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    According to the NHS website the use of steroids for gout is common, it says "Attacks of gout are usually treated with anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen. If the gout does not improve after 3 to 4 days, you might be given steroids as tablets or an injection."

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    In all my years on here I think there have been fewer than fifteen new members with gout as opposed to an arthritis and they never stay. Once things are under control they're off and rightly so. Those of us with an auto-immune arthritis or giant cell arteritis are very familiar with steroids, they are widely used to treat the symptoms of all manner of bodily nonsense but if they are new to you then that's a different thing, isn't it? DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    I was given copious quantities of steroids for months when I had TB in 1963!

  • JMF
    JMF Member Posts: 6

    I also have arthritis and a host of other problems just seeking a little advice on yet another thing and with your comment feel as though I should not have requested help. Maybe comments like yours have made others with gout feel the same and the reason for them leaving.

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520

    I sincerely apologise, as you had not mentioned you also had arthritis (just taking other unspecified medicarion) I was ignorant of the fact and know better now. We do get people who join for info who do not have arthritis but are asking on behalf of others who do, it can be very confusing when a fuller background isn't given in the initial post. Tell you what, I'll leave the forum, I've been here for far too long for my own good let alone that of complete strangers.

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Don't go DD 😥

  • JMF
    JMF Member Posts: 6

    Dream daisy don’t go you are needed more than me, just thought I had posted incorrectly and was being told off. You know only too well what living with pain is like And sometimes just in frustration things are said. Had arthritis for many years, and now gout which also is a form of arthritis and extremely painful. Stay on this site to help others. Let’s hope today is a better one For all of us. JMF

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992

    Having started a thread for levity I thought I would add a bit to this one too!!

    i-gots-the-gout-again.jpg


  • JoeB
    JoeB Bots Posts: 83
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/670241#Comment_670241

    Short courses of steroids are frequently prescribed for a wide range of conditions and usually with good effect. I would not be too concerned. However - Do make sure that you have your Steroid Tretment Card with you at all times.

    Arthur

Categories