Take a Closer Look at Gout

Chris was an active 26-year-old student preparing to apply for nursing school when he first felt a throbbing in his toe. At the time, he assumed it was related to a leg injury he suffered earlier that year, and he ignored it. Months later, the throbbing continued. And Chris says that his knee “grew to the size of a bowling ball.” Finally, the pain became so unbearable that Chris was unable to take a single step without pain, and he could no longer deny something was seriously wrong.

With the help of his girlfriend, Chris researched online and found that his symptoms were aligned with gout, a serious and painful form of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the blood. He talked to his primary care doctor about his symptoms and the possibility they may have been caused by gout. But his doctor dismissed the potential cause, telling Chris he was “too young to have gout.”

As his symptoms worsened, Chris continued to research and learned that a blood test could help him get the answers he needed. He went back to the doctor and insisted on the blood test, and the results showed his uric acid level was higher than it should be. Finally, Chris was diagnosed with gout, nearly 3 years after he first felt the throbbing in his toe.

But that would only be the beginning of his journey.

Chris’ doctor prescribed him oral therapies to lower his uric acid and told him to make changes to his diet. Chris did as he was told and continued his online research to learn what others were doing to improve gout symptoms. He read about reducing meat intake, cutting out shellfish, and drinking cherry juice—so he tried it all. But even with lifestyle changes and medications, Chris continued to experience painful gout flares.

His gout continued to get worse to the point that Chris did not participate in activities that made him happy, like hiking with his girlfriend or going out with friends. He stopped working on his nursing school application and rarely left the couch because of the pain. Chris would set a daily goal of 200 steps—about 2 street blocks—and even that was difficult most days.

Beyond the pain, Chris struggled with his doctors, friends, and family not understanding what he was going through. He felt isolated and blamed for his gout, even though he was doing everything he could to get better. Chris explains how it was frustrating that nothing seemed to help, and no one seemed to understand.

After seeing multiple doctors and continuing to speak up for himself, Chris was referred to a rheumatologist who really listened and recognized that Chris was living with out-of-control gout. Out-of-control gout is when a person continues to experience symptoms despite being on oral medication to lower uric acid. The rheumatologist helped Chris evaluate different options to better control his uric acid. Chris finally had full support from his doctor and a plan to get his gout under control.

Today, Chris’ uric acid level is normal. His gout is no longer out of control and he’s enjoying the things he loves again. He recently went on a hiking trip with his girlfriend and is working on finishing his application for nursing school.

Because of his experience with out-of-control gout, Chris is passionate about raising awareness and helping others understand that gout can impact anyone, no matter your age or diet. His advice to others impacted by out-of-control gout? Don’t accept the pain of gout. You can do something about it. Advocate for yourself and find a gout specialist who can help you.