Q: I hear and read a lot about gout, but I have been diagnosed with pseudogout. What is pseudogout, and how it is treated?
A: Pseudogout often resembles gout and, like gout, is caused by the formation of crystals in the joints, thus the name. But instead of being composed of uric acid, as true gout crystals are, the crystals in pseudogout are composed of a salt called calcium pyrophosophate dihydrate (CPPD). The condition is also called CPPD disease.
Pseudogout is the most frequent cause of acute arthritis in one joint among older people. Although any joint may be involved, the knee is most commonly affected. A typical attack begins rapidly with severe pain, redness and swelling of the affected joint or joints. The attacks often resolve within a few weeks whether treated or not.
To limit pain and swelling, your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or remove fluid from the infected joint and inject it with a glucocorticoid compound.
Unfortunately, recurrent attacks of pseudogout are not uncommon. Chronic attacks are likely to affect several joints at once, most commonly the wrists, fingers and knees. Like gout, pseudogout primarily involves the body's metabolism (for instance, a problem with iron or calcium metabolism) rather than the immune system. However, there is no specific therapy for the underlying metabolic disorder.
Bernard Rubin, DO, Rheumatologist
I looked on line for natural cures and found an article about blueberries so I decided to try it. I eat a 1/2 pound of blueberries a day and have not had any more problems. My doctors say this can't be the reason but they can't explain why the pain is gone either. Just this year I have started to have neck pain but no one wants to check my neck for pseudo gout. I think that is what is wrong with my neck, so I am upping the blueberries. All I can tell you is that it worked for me, you might want to try them---I did this for two weeks before I started feeling results and if I miss my blueberries for more than a few days my knee starts hurting. Also this year I saw an article that said blueberries might help because they dissolve the extra calcium deposits. Added benefit they are good for you.
This Arthritis clinic is in Virginia? I live in Boise Idaho. The rhumies here seem to think this is in my head and the pain couldn't be as bad as I say it is. The internet states this should come and go like regular gout. It is a constant for me. Like a gout attack that never goes away. It is painful and exhausting to say the least. I am willing to travel for treatment.Virginia is across the coutry. Is there someone a little closer that deals with this type of crystal? Please reply if you have a doctor that knows about this disease.
thank you for your interest in this matter
mary
Nothing showed up on labs, MRI’s, X-rays and after seeing 3 doctors, and running every test possible I am sure the doctors thought I was crazy.
After one year of trying different arthritis meds, I begged for relief and I insisted on a shot of cortisone directly in my foot. The shot had a global effect and I felt normal for the first time in 2 years. It lasted about 1 month and the intense pain returned. The doctor refused another shot stating it could cause cataracts and destroy my tendons.
I changed doctors because I had a feeling my original doctor thought I was making it all up. The second doctor started the testing all over from the beginning and prescribed the same arthritis meds. He did not have a sonogram machine and was not able to give cortisone shot in my foot. Another year and a half, I suffered in pain. I complained to everyone that would listen. The doctors found nothing. After all of this I feared he too was thinking it was in my head.
I decided to go back to the original doctor because he had a sonogram machine and he could give me another shot in my foot. I needed relief from this pain so I tucked my tail between my legs and crawled back to him.
I went in for the 3rd sonogram of my feet and lo and behold the girl that did the sonogram said “I think I know what you have! You have a thing called pseudo gout. It is rarely seen in someone your age. You are so young and healthy. She did a sonogram on my hands and after 3 years of testing, and excruciating pain, I finally have a diagnosis of chronic pseudo gout causing secondary fibromyalgia from the pain.
The doctor quickly pulled fluid from my joint for confirmation and gave me cortisone shot in my foot. This time, the shot felt like someone split my foot in half with a sledgehammer but in 3 days all the pain was gone.
That was a little over one month ago and the pain has returned. Cortisone shots can not be given often enough to relieve my pain but it is like having a remission that I can look forward to a couple times a year. I must pick my periods of relief sparingly.
I am now taking Darvocet 4x a day for pain (my stomach can not handle anything stronger) and he prescribed Celebrex which is not helping. The only constant med I had previously taken is Hydrochlorothiazide for 30 years. After searching the internet, I see that it might be the culprit.
It has been quite the 3 years. I am told that there is no cure and only treatment to make the reoccurrence less. Mine is different, it never goes away. It is always here. There is constant pain. The days of painless days are far and few between.
There must be some treatment out there.
I found some information on the University of Washingtons website about CPPD (Calcium Pyrophosphade Dehydrate), deposition disease, which is a kind of pseudogout.
In order to answer your question about medications and weight gain, I would need to know what you are taking. You can post that information here, or write to us privately by sending a question through the Ask an Expert a Question feature on our website.
Try pasting this link into your browser:
http://www.orthop.washington.edu/uw/cppddeposition/tabID__3370/
ItemID__29/PageID__1/Articles/Default.aspx#1417
Kind regards,
Brenda
I finally (luckily) discovered the folks at www.goutcure.com. These people are nutritionists, and what they sell are "natural" products that treat gout. The most critical component helps keep uric acid soluble and you need to drink lots of (unadulterated) water to flush it out.
They not only tell you what not to eat, particularly during attacks, but recommend what you should eat.
You need to learn as much as you can, (because most docs just prescribe one of the standard prescription drugs - all of which may inflict you with bad side effects. These guys have good knowledge base because of all their clients. I'm told you can check out their references (by clients) on Yahoo
I thought I could tolerate any pain,but after 3 spine surgeries,ulnar nerve trans.achilles tendon tear,2 distant hernia operation and a neck srain as result of attempted mugging.....I am giving up...the pain is diffuse however my knees....pseudogout.......has put me under.
One becomes a joke among rude neuro/ortho geeks because I cannot take anti inflammatories due to the awful allergy causing VERTIGO.
Should I have knees replaced?
God bless you,
64 year old burned out bodybuilder,runner for 30years.Dan
Leave a Comment