My Gout is Getting Better – and Steroids are Interesting

I wrote a post the other day about diseases that present in strange ways.  It basically was about the pain in my toe from my gout. (http://dr-lasermed.blogspot.com/2012/01/stereotypes-and-diseases-only.html)

Hopefully you all will be happy to know that I’m finally getting better.  It has been an interesting journey.  I did all the usual stuff, even taking a medication that I hadn’t taken in 6 years (since the last really bad attack).  No luck.  Finally, I broke down and called my doctor. 

Gasps from my audience!  The doctor got a consult! 

Thank goodness my internist gave me his cell phone number, because something is going on at his office right now (details, folks when I get them) and I can’t get through to talk to or see him.

He told me that we might have to try steroids, since nothing else was working.  Steroids and I don’t get along very well.  I get lots of fun side effects.  Here’s a partial list of common side effects that I have run through in the last couple of days:

·         headache

·         vertigo

·         insomnia

·         nervousness

·         mood swings

·         edema

·         elevated BP

·         glucose intolerance

·         facial erythema

·         acne, dry skin, thinning skin, bruising or discoloration

·         dizziness, spinning sensation

·         nausea, stomach pain, bloating

I have gone from hardly being able to walk to feeling much better.  My toe is still purple, but it is almost normal size.  It only hurts a little bit.  Now if I could only sleep. 

But I am getting lots of work done.