Big toe - sprained, broken or ...

gkainz

gkainz

Final Approach
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Greg Kainz
So, last week I fell and hurt my foot, ankle, calf, knee, groin... well, let's just say it probably could have qualified for a spot on "America's Funniest Videos" had anyone been around to see it.

So, 3 days later, my big toe joint, ball of the foot and tendons/ligaments all the way back to the ankle start hurting badly, foot puffs up like a football, turns red and hurts like h*ll. I believe I've sprained it (but thought the same thing when I broke my foot years ago) - ex pro football player friend of mine says "Turf toe - we used to just shoot it up and keep on playing".

"Ok, so what about us mere mortals?" I ask. He says "Guess you just hurt - bad!"

So, after hobbling around for 7 more days, my wife's logic overcomes my stubbornness and I go to the doc. She takes one look and says "Do you drink a lot of beer?" Huh? "How about last weekend, did you drink a lot of beer then?" I'm thinking "What the h*ll is she getting at? She thinks I'm a falling down staggering drunk? I have a couple of beers maybe 6 times a year, so "No." I tell her. She gives me this "Yeah, right" look and says "I think it's gout!" A bit of internet diagnosing turns up a strong indication of genetic or hereditary connections - turns out I have a family history of gout from both paternal and maternal grandfathers. Oh yeah, the beer questions? I guess copious quantities of beer can bring on gout, too.

They drew blood and took x-rays and I should have results tomorrow.

So, taking bets:

Sprained, Broken or Gout?
 
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I don't know what you got Man but, since a good pilot flys with his feet, I'd be damn worried! Best of luck!
 
Gout is no fun. Uric acid is painful when its not where its supposed to be.
 
Jeez Dave, be carefull. Hope its OK.
 
Ah, yes! Gout - the King of Diseases, and the Disease of Kings. Many royal mummies unearthed in Egypt show positive signs of gout in the bones.

I've been hobbled by Gout several times. Blood work shows very high uric acid levels... to the point that my MD wants me to go on medicine to lower it. I have refused that because although the uric acid level is high, my attacks are very infrequent. Like once every 2 years.

The good news is that one of the medicines that they give - indomethicin - acts incredibly fast. I went from literally not being able to walk to just fine thankyouverymuch in 6 hours. The downside is that indomethicin (aka Indocin) is tough on your liver.

Your MD should do a blood workup and then will be able to provide a way to cure the gout quickly and also advise you on a diet that will minimize the liklihood of getting it again. But it never goes away.

It is amazing how Gout targets the big toe joint. And it has for centuries. Why? It also seems to target injured or stressed joints, so I am not surprised that this attack (if it is Gout) occurred after a sprain or near-sprain.

Whatever it is, Greg, I hope it goes away soon!

-Skip
 
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Thanks, guys. In the continuing saga of "what the h*ll is gonna happen next", there's a breakdown in communication between the pharmacy and the doc's office. My prescription of 50mg Indocin doesn't jive with the pharamacy's stock - they only have 75mg - waiting on the doc's office to adjust the dosage. Doc's office says "We already took care of that" Pharmacy says "still haven't heard from them" ... Crap! Doc wanted me to get 3 full doses down the hatch yesterday.

The foot, toe, joint and arch is red and somewhat warm to the touch, but not hot. So, we'll see.

In the next chapter of above-mentioned book, while on the phone to the doc trying to straighten out the scrip, they tell me "we got the MRI results for your wife. Can you both come in to talk about it?" Oh crap.... She has been experiencing hearing problems in one ear and the ENTs couldn't see anything wrong, hence the MRI last week. They found a small auditory neuromina on the auditory nerve. While (always? nearly always?) benign, the doc and 1st neuro-surgeon says it still requires surgery, possibly gamma knife (GKR) instead of open incision, but still brain surgery. So, my little big toe issue is pretty small stuff right now.
 
Greg. I'm sure you and your wife will be fine. Our thoughts are with you.
 
The doc called late Friday evening to apologize for a mis-diagnosis. Blood test shows normal uric acid levels and x-ray shows my big toe is broken. The bad news - gout is treatable but broken big toe just means hobble around until it heals. But, that's ok, I'll take old-fashioned broken bone (had enough of those in the past) over "getting old sucks" blood diseases (don't need any of those!)

So, does that mean on my next medical I have to answer yes to "diagnosed with gout" (if it's on the questionaire) or does mis-diagnosis and correction trump the earlier call?
 
gkainz said:
So, does that mean on my next medical I have to answer yes to "diagnosed with gout" (if it's on the questionaire) or does mis-diagnosis and correction trump the earlier call?
Click to expand...

No, just report doctor visit in section19--"evaluated and treated for toe fracture, healed without problems"(hopefully :confused: ).

Barb(AME)
 
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