Anyone up? I'm in so much pain I can't sleep. What the hell is wrong with my toe?!

[cherriesandcustard]

Weird thing happened this evening. My right toe started throbbing and getting sore mid evening and when I took of my sock at bedtime it was red and hot and incredibly painful. I suddenly couldn't stand on it and it's been like that since. Haven't been able to get a wink of sleep. Have taken a naproxen, raised my foot on DD's beanbag but bloody hell it's hurting. I don't know what to do with myself.

Gout was my immediate thought. DP has it. It's a form of arthritis and some of the preconceptions about the kind of diet and lifestyle which lead to it are wrong.

Another vote for gout here. Its caused by excessive purines found in peas, beans and lentils. The idea of it being caused by red meat and red wine is not true. Drink plenty of water and get to a doctor ASAP.

@cherriesandcustard

Weird thing happened this evening. My right toe started throbbing and getting sore mid evening and when I took of my sock at bedtime it was red and hot and incredibly painful. I suddenly couldn't stand on it and it's been like that since. Haven't been able to get a wink of sleep. Have taken a naproxen, raised my foot on DD's beanbag but bloody hell it's hurting. I don't know what to do with myself.

How are you now OP ?

Oww, sounds awful- hope you got some pain relief.

Unfortunately gout is not restricted to meat guzzling, port swilling men of the Georgian era!

@cherriesandcustard

Thanks folks - yes, swollen with tight skin.

That's interesting re gout, i thought it was almost always associated with a particular lifestyle profile

The traditional association of gout with drinking port esd rubbished lonf ago. Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in joints, particularly the big toe joint, due to the kidneys under-performing. What you describe certainly sounds like gout. I find the best cure to be a megadose of Vitamin C (one or more 1000mg tablets) to "wake up" the kidheys - although it only works for me if taken within hours of the first sign of pain.

Are you feeling any better?

My partner have soetimes gout attack, usually happans overnight, what helps him it's taking double vit C. 2x1000mg. Thse water that you put in glass of water to drink.
He swears by it.

Thanks for all your messages. I really appreciate it. There seems to be a consensus re gout! I was so sure I didn't fit the profile but what I'm reading does seem consistent re the type of pain and the general aches and pains in joints recently. DM has arthritis (though not gout as far as I know).

Didn't call 111 last night because I didn't think I'd be able to get there easily anyway. I eventually managed to get about three hours of sleep and it's a little better this morning so consistent with what others have said about gout attacks happening at night. But I guess I need to see a doctor because I can't face the same thing happening tonight. Thanks again for all the advice. Will post an update later if I get to see anyone.

How is it this morning? My mum had similar and was told it was gout, she then went on a mad cherry juice drinking binge I guess she was told it would help alleviate symptoms…

Whoops, x post!
Yes do speak to someone about it, it sounds like it was horrifically painful 😢

But I guess I need to see a doctor because I can't face the same thing happening tonight.

If there is no medical reason for you to stop taking the naproxen I would take them regularly today to give you the best chance of a better night tonight.

There's some truth in the fruit juice treatment - malic acid is found in some fruits (highest in apple and green gooseberry) and it can displace the uric acid from the joints. It doesn't work for everyone.

I had the same completely out of the blue and blood tests confirmed gout.

Thanks @FOJN that's a good idea.

@Thelnebriati thanks might try that and the vitamin C drink recommended upthread

@ilovesooty thanks, hope you are ok now. the evidence for gout does seem to be mounting!

I'm not sure how well a vitamin C drink would work. What works for me and, I believe others, is chewing on a Vitamin C mega-tablet (at least 1000mg, so the sort that is almost too large to swallow).

Originally, my GP put me on amlodipine which caused some very frightening internal bleeding, so I was very relieved that Vitamin C worked!

Goit?

Chilblains?

Another vote for gout. Hope you manage to see an OOH GP for some meds OP.

Hope this helps somehow op. One picture is of shiny gout toe the other is shiny ingrown toenail (it can look worse or less severe tbf).

Thanks @cherriesandcustard. I had another attack about 18 months later and had to go on medication then, since when I've been fine.

Hope you get sorted

Gout can be extremely painful. I couldn’t tolerate just a light sheet on my foot when I had it.

quick update to say that the doctor called and I sent him pictures of my foot and he thinks it's an infection rather than gout and I've started a course of antibiotics. But he's not 100% sure and says if it doesn't turn out to be that we might look into gout. @EdithSitwell that's exactly how my toe was last night.

Big thank you again to everyone who took the time to post.

I hope you get this resolved OP. When DP had his first gout attack they treated him for gout and cellulitis. He was in so much pain the hospital gave him crutches as he couldn't put weight on his affected foot.

If it does turn out to be gout you can buy a cage to keep the sheets off your foot; if its just a short term infection you can prop the sheets up with a couple of pillows.