Hey Newt, lucky you. I was on vacation in Colorado a few years back and got Gout of the toe, talk about crippling!!!! It turned out the doc thinks I have "pseudo-gout", which is calcium crystals in the joint instead of uric acid, but the treatment is the same. It didn't matter what I did, put pressure on it, it hurt, take the pressure off of it and elevate it, it hurt (and BAD!!!!) Of course, the best part was having the ER doc stick a 2mm horse needle into my big toe joint (while his BIG assistant pulled down on my toe to open the joint, something I think they learned from the doc at the Hanoi Hilton!!!!!) They put me on Bextra and Colchicine, and yeah, it's got side effects, but it does the job. I talked to my doc when I got back, and he pretty much blew off all of the stuff they talk about either helping or causing it like drinking, and said you either get it or don't and the best thing to do is manage it. I am always interested in ways to relieve it, but I haven't changed anything, and it only comes back once in a great while, so I figure I'll just keep the meds around for when it does happen. Good luck, keep us posted on what you find out!! By the way, welcome to being an old man like the rest of us. Ha ha!!
