A worrying night

[haggis]

I haven't slept much since I saw Iains very red and swollen foot last night and remembered that the last  time he had similar he  was given antibiotics and told to go to hospital  immediately  if the redness spread. 

that started me trying to workout what wouk happen  if he had to go into hospital or wasn't able to drive the boat or car. . The situation was that the boat ( with dog ) was at Worsley, the car was at park farm,we  live in Scotland and i currently am not driving the car or boat much ( I am waiting for  a pace maker  ). How on earth was I going to get boat to marina  and get car, dog and us home.? 

It mada me realise that we should have plans,!

However, things are not as bad as I feared as we got a taxi to Salford hospital and after sitting for a couple of hours the doctor said she thought it was gout and gave iain a  prescription for pills. He is currently driving the boat.

 

What would  other boaters do in similar circumstances ?

 

[Machpoint005]

Probably not go boating. 

Sorry, but that's the logical response.

 

 

[NB Alnwick]

Fortunately, the waterways are not as remote and lonely as they once were and most boaters are willing to help another in distress.

[Naughty Cal]

If it is a genuinely serious issue phone an ambulance. 

 

We had to do this once when Liam was taken ill onboard. He was taken to the hospital, I took the boat back to the marina and a fellow boater then gave me a lift to the hospital. 

 

We got a taxi back to the boat later that night.

 

You are never that far away from help on the waterways. 

 

What worried us more was when Liam was stung by a bee when we were out in the van on the NC500. He was initially fine but then we drove to a remote beach and car park, parked up for the night and had a few tipples, as you do. He then proceeded to swell up from head to toe. We had zero phone reception,  were alone with no signs of life or civilisation to be seen and neither of us was in a fit state to drive 🙄

 

In the end we just went to bed and decided it would be a bonus if he woke up in the morning 🤣🤣🤣

 

 

Footnote: He did wake up so I never did get to claim the insurance money 🫤

[Onewheeler]

If you ask on here you are sure to get offers of help.

[dmr]

If it is gout then it will likely return, and its not at all funny. I get an attack once every couple of years. Get some good (prescription) anti-inflamatories in stock and if you can recognise the symptoms very early a single pill will likely stop it in its tracks.

[Stilllearning]

21 minutes ago, haggis said:

I haven't slept much since I saw Iains very red and swollen foot last night and remembered that the last  time he had similar he  was given antibiotics and told to go to hospital  immediately  if the redness spread. 

that started me trying to workout what wouk happen  if he had to go into hospital or wasn't able to drive the boat or car. . The situation was that the boat ( with dog ) was at Worsley, the car was at park farm,we  live in Scotland and i currently am not driving the car or boat much ( I am waiting for  a pace maker  ). How on earth was I going to get boat to marina  and get car, dog and us home.? 

It mada me realise that we should have plans,!

However, things are not as bad as I feared as we got a taxi to Salford hospital and after sitting for a couple of hours the doctor said she thought it was gout and gave iain a  prescription for pills. He is currently driving the boat.

 

What would  other boaters do in similar circumstances ?

 

What did he get given for gout? I was prescribed Colchimax,  and it worked perfectly. What caused his gout, or mine, is a whole other question.

[dmr]

Just now, Stilllearning said:

What did he get given for gout? I was prescribed Colchimax,  and it worked perfectly. What caused his gout, or mine, is a whole other question.

 

Raised uric acid in many cases and this can be tested for and some steps taken to reduce it, but in about a third of people there is no known reason.

[LadyG]

I believe  that using 999 on your mobile will connect to any network. 

In ye olden days there were no phones, so one relied on neighbours, don't be afraid to ask for help. 

I think i should make more effort to maintain fitness, an hours walk twice a day has to be much better than one, or none! 

In extremis, you can probably get a marina  to move your boat.

Probably best to keep your driving skills day to day rather than avoiding the issue,

You can always book in to a motel if you can't cope with a long journey.

I'm finding my fitness is going downhill this year , I've had two physio sessions and now routinely take a few pills and lotions, better to take care of oneself as much as possible. IMHO. 

I'm carefull to limit meats avoid processed food, drink bottled water, select organic foods. I drink tea, water, soft drinks at least every two hours. When older and less active, diet, exercise, and sleep, has to be more important. 

 

Edited September 8, 2024 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

27 minutes ago, haggis said:

However, things are not as bad as I feared as we got a taxi to Salford hospital and after sitting for a couple of hours the doctor said she thought it was gout and gave iain a  prescription for pills. He is currently driving the boat.

 

It is a terrible affliction. I could not even bear the weight of a bed-sheet, having a sock on or walking was impossible.

 

I was prescribed Colchicine and within 12 hours you'd never known it had happened.

(You can only take the tablets for 48 hours or they start to damage your Kidneys and reduce you sperm count) 

[Stilllearning]

25 minutes ago, dmr said:

 

Raised uric acid in many cases and this can be tested for and some steps taken to reduce it, but in about a third of people there is no known reason.

Yes, uric acid, but why does the level rise? The classic symptom is waking up with a very tender swollen big toe.

[Arthur Marshall]

26 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

What did he get given for gout? I was prescribed Colchimax,  and it worked perfectly. What caused his gout, or mine, is a whole other question.

I got told to take aspirin, which made it worse, then heavy duty inflammatories. I think I had two bouts of it and then never again (so far, anyway). Couldn't bear anything touching it, had a construct built at the end of the bed to keep the sheet off. Weirdly it wasn't in the big toe but the edge of the foot.

[Naughty Cal]

5 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I got told to take aspirin, which made it worse, then heavy duty inflammatories. I think I had two bouts of it and then never again (so far, anyway). Couldn't bear anything touching it, had a construct built at the end of the bed to keep the sheet off. Weirdly it wasn't in the big toe but the edge of the foot.

Liam got it in his middle toe earlier this year.

 

First time he has had it and no sign of it since. No idea why he got it or what caused it.

 

It was midweek so it wasn't drink related!

[Onewheeler]

17 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

Yes, uric acid, but why does the level rise? The classic symptom is waking up with a very tender swollen big toe.

Some people have chronic gout and need prescription drugs to control it. Others (like me) have an acute attack occasionally. In my case it's usually set off by dehydration, yeasty beer and seafood (or all three). It can affect most joints other than the spine: I've had it in various toes, a hip and a finger. I sort mine by banging in a large ibuprofen and drinking lots of water. Usually better in a day or two. A mate swears by cherry juice but it has no affect on me.

[Stilllearning]

I think it can be pâté, game, some shellfish, beer yeast, all the things we should probably consume in moderation anyway.

[cuthound]

57 minutes ago, dmr said:

If it is gout then it will likely return, and its not at all funny. I get an attack once every couple of years. Get some good (prescription) anti-inflamatories in stock and if you can recognise the symptoms very early a single pill will likely stop it in its tracks.

 

I used to get gout one or twice a year for no apparent reason. My the doctor told me to take twice the recommended dose of ibuprofen because of "the side effects of the prescription medicine".

 

When we moved to our current home 10 years ago I went to register with the local practice. The doctor noted I had had several blood tests to try to identify gout and asked me how often I got the attacks. I told him once or twice a year. He asked why I wasn't on medication for it, so I told him what my previous doctor had said 

 

He said it was rubbish, most people don't get side effects and prescribed me a daily dose of allopurinol. I haven't had a gout attack since and he was right, I have had zero side effects 

Edited September 8, 2024 by cuthound
Clarification

[Stilllearning]

Just now, Onewheeler said:

Some people have chronic gout and need prescription drugs to control it. Others (like me) have an acute attack occasionally. In my case it's usually set off by dehydration, yeasty beer and seafood (or all three). It can affect most joints other than the spine: I've had it in various toes, a hip and a finger. I sort mine by banging in a large ibuprofen and drinking lots of water. Usually better in a day or two. A mate swears by cherry juice but it has no affect on me.

I like the Colchimax, as it has opium in it, along with the crocus extract (which is a deadly poison, by the way.)

[Pluto]

I am also now on allopurinol (nothing for many years), with no side effects. First had gout many years ago at the start of my arthritis problems. 'Friends' treated the gout diagnosis with great hilarity, given that I had been living an impecunious life for a number of years previously on the boat. My dog used to get the scraps off the local restaurant boat, so had a tastier food supply than I.

[mrsmelly]

46 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It is a terrible affliction. I could not even bear the weight of a bed-sheet, having a sock on or walking was impossible.

 

I was prescribed Colchicine and within 12 hours you'd never known it had happened.

(You can only take the tablets for 48 hours or they start to damage your Kidneys and reduce you sperm count) 

HUGE alarm bell.

 

I suffer from chronic gout, have been hospitalised on two occasions in complete agony. Have taken allopurinol now for many years which keeps it suppressed. However I was also prescribed long term diclofenec and it destroyed my kidneys!! Please everyone be ultra careful with any NSAID drug including the weaker over the counter ibuprofen they can do serious long term damage.

[bizzard]

My young nephew had gout. He was told to eat less rich foods, greasy fry ups and less booze and it did the trick.  Mark Williams tuned up at a world snooker championship a few years ago with gout in one foot. He played with one shoe and one carpet slipper on his feet.

[Naughty Cal]

24 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

I think it can be pâté, game, some shellfish, beer yeast, all the things we should probably consume in moderation anyway.

Didn't realise game could cause it. That might explain why Liam got it. 

 

We do eat a fair amount of game!

[bizzard]

4 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Didn't realise game could cause it. That might explain why Liam got it. 

 

We do eat a fair amount of game!

Hence the old saying '' game leg''.

[Naughty Cal]

Just now, bizzard said:

Hence the old saying '' game leg''.

Must be too young. Never heard that one 🙄

[Stilllearning]

Often spelt and pronounced 'gammy'.

[Onewheeler]

36 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

I think it can be pâté, game, some shellfish, beer yeast, all the things we should probably consume in moderation anyway.

Also asparagus and beans. Or no obvious cause often.