Toes14's Blog

My World Series thoughts are that baseball is so boring that even it's championship has to struggle to not be. Lots of people somehow disagree.

Boy do I ever have comments on this one! I'm going through it right now in my right ankle, so I'm hobbling around right with you. My first attack was in 1995 and it was a painful surprise, but I was unwilling to make life changes at the time. Over the years, it hits me in different parts of the body a few times a year, and the worse ones get me googling for remedies which usually are just medicines, not real remedies from other sufferers. So I feel like what I have to say will be a real help, since I've amassed 16 years of info.



First of all, the knee is the absolute worse place to get it. Can't walk, can't bend it, can't put any weight on that leg. Common everyday movements become impossible. Sitting on the toilet is a painful task requiring 30 seconds, right? Getting into the shower, getting into bed are overwhelming endeavors. I always wear sweatpants when it's in my knee so I can bend down and grab the ankle part and actually lift my leg into place for getting into bed/car/whatever. Next is instep/ankle because walking is equally tough since you can't put weight on that leg. Big toe isn't too bad, except for getting a shoe on. At least you can still walk okay on your heel part. I had it in my right wrist for a month straight couple years ago, got so bad I couldn't use a mouse, change gears in the car, bend it at all or sleep without it being elevated on a pillow, and even then the pain kept me from sleeping. But as bad as the wrist was, the knee is worse. Swollen, red, hot to the touch, shiny skin (on the toe), sometimes I even take pictures.



Causes? I learned early it's too much protein in the diet that causes the buildup of uric acid crystals on the inner joints. Too much beer, red wine, red meat (especially organ meat), shellfish were culprits. Back then all I ever ate were plates of meat for every meal and beer at night, so I changed that. But I still had episodes. With all my experiences and research I knew more about it than any doctor I went to see, but needed them anyway for medicines, which all have hideous side effects making them practically unuseable.



Allopurinol: daily use to prevent gout, not a cure.

Colchicine: a cure at a terrible price. Take two right away, then one every hour till the diarrhea gets so bad you can't stand it. Hopefully by then, gout is better. If not, you're SOL (!)

Indomethacin: supposed to be like a "super Advil" for pain and swelling, comes in regular and extended release, but the first pill makes me so dingy I can't focus on talking to people (like clients at work) and NOT in a good way. I like a good buzz as much as anyone, but this ain't it. If I can get past the dingy part and keep taking them, they may or may not take down the swelling. Take them longer than two days and you'll get the worst migraines you've ever experienced. I was throwing up from the pain, seriously. Happened twice in two years. I might as well toss 'em out now, I'll never take them again.

Prednisone: An actual cure that'll knock out the gout in a day or two, but only as a last resort. I take one pill twelve hours apart no more than three days (6 total). Gout will be gone, but the pills reduce your immune system so you'll pick up any diseases nearby. You'll have no defense against anyone else's sneezes and filthy hands on your casino chips and cards. PLUS, the worst thing is...they make you hemorrhage. Bloody noses and bloody poops. Seriously. It's freaky to see a 1/4 cup of blood in the toilet every time for a couple days. And you won't even feel it. Makes you self-conscious about leaving the house without black pants.

Ibuprofen: This is my main go-to-remedy now, maybe three at a time three times a day. Sure it's an NSAID so it'll make your stomach bleed if you take too much. Wake up with a sore toe? 3 ibuprofens and no meat or beer that day should do it.



When I lived in Washington, I learned these things and made adjustments to keep gout away. Switched from beer to bourbon & coke or vodka, cut out all red meat except the occasional burger, etc.(I haven't eaten an entire steak at one sitting in 10 years or more, I fear that would be too much red meat at once.) But I still got it and wondered why, so I wrote a diary of everything I ate and kept adding foods to the forbidden list. I added poultry, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, all the nightshade family in fact like peppers and eggplant, and other things. But when I moved to Vegas in June 2009, my episodes of gout went waaaaaay up and couldn't figure out why. It was SUGAR. I was refilling 4 of those Vitamin Water bottles every day, but to keep it interesting, I didn't just fill with water, I refilled with powdered iced tea or lemonade mixes, which are mostly sugar. Plus I was hitting buffets several times a week and the last plate was a desert plate (ice cream, finger cakes) so my sugar intake was off the chart compared to years before.



So I feel for ya, brother. But two weeks of gout in the knee? Geez, you need to fix that! No more beer or red meat or chicken or sugar. Now that you've got it once, you know you're susceptible and you'll keep getting it till you change your ways. You'll learn to identify it first thing in the morning, whether THIS sore toe is something to worry about or not, and believe me, you can tell after you've dealt with it a few times. Let us know your progress. Hope I've been helpful.

Get tested for P. multicida, the real cause of gout!



I usually would recommend avoidance of NSAIDs but Indomethacin is usually the best for an acute gout attack. Avoid colchicine. Allopurinol is cheap and usually Rx'd to be initiated when you are not having an attack because it can be toxic then though its rare.



If you drink beer, drink GOOD beer, no detergents or additives or fungal metabolites. If I were to ask you do you consume the chemical a skunk uses in its defense you would undoubtedly say that you do not. However, given the usual cleanliness of a bar room glass, the presence of sunlight and the usual social drinking rates, if you have a cold beer on a hot day you do indeed consume the same chemical that a skunk uses. (Less though). Avoid wines that are high in purines, particularly fortified wines which would be high in cadaverine, putricine or spermidine. Yes, that is indeed what you are drinking: cadaverine, putricine or spermidine. Didn't know that did you?



I enjoy consuming the sex organ of a fungus, but its best for gout sufferers to avoid ingesting mushrooms and prepared gravies.



Start reading labels, avoid Sorbitol.



Remember, very little is known about healthy synovial fluid. The knee is the only joint usually studied and the healthy knee is rarely studied at all.

You indeed have my sympathy.



I have been taking Allopurinol daily for several years and have only had one attack in that period. That occurred shortly after I started taking the drug, and I understand that is quite common. When I had that attack, a podiatrist prescribed (1) stopping the allopurinol until the bout was over and (2) taking indomethacin, both of which actions were mentioned above.



I was absolutely amazed how effective the indomethacin was (for me). I told the podiatrist that I couldn't conceive how a systemic treatment could be so effective on a "local" pain, but the pain that had disabled me for several days was completely gone within 12 hours of the first dose. I now keep indomethacin in my travel kit, just in case another attack occurs. I also keep some good pain relievers on hand to treat a potential gout attack and to deal with a recurring back problem, but I really try to restrict my pain medication to ibuprofin -- I don't like the overall feeling I get from taking narcotic pain relievers, even though they do a good job on the pain itself.

For gout it is important to remember that 80 percent of your uric acid levels are based on fundamental metabolic processes and not on your dietary intake.



It is important to differentiate between foods that are merely high in purine content and foods that are known "triggers" for gout such as a small quantity of fungal metabolites in particular types of beer.



Pasturella multicida is particularly common after animal bites and that is why in the northern hemisphere the first attack of gout will be in a great toe at night in March or April. Such seasonal onset indicates the effect of an infectious agent.

The first gout attack is the worst. Had mine

in 1987 and was on crutches for a week.



Knee is the worst, ankle is second.



Ibuprofin has been called a miracle

drug for gout. Take 4 every 4 hours,

don't exceed 16 in 24hrs.



Get Allopurinol, It take 450mil a day,

you can take up to 900. Don't get the

new stuff, the one where the guy is

carrying around the big jar of uric acid

on TV. I pay $8 a YEAR for Alo, the new drug

is extremely expensive, and has heart

attacks as a side effect. I have no side

effects on Alo, I eat what I want and have

a twinge in the side of my foot occasionally.



They say the pain of gout is right up there

with child birth and the worst of any disease

out there, it can be brutal. Get the drug,

take it, and give up beer. Its the only thing

I can't do, that and mushrooms.

I am getting pretty convinced gambling can be a pretty damn lonely thing, especially if the wife isnt interested.

Unfortunately, it seems to boil down to a matter of trust. Your wife has to understand that you will not cheat on her and that you will gamble within a set budget. Suggest not using your credit cards (other then for the hotel/airfare) and just bring one along in case of an emergency (and being down at the BJ tables is not one of them). I can understand why your wife would prefer you to travel with your brother or a friend. Sit your wife down, tell her that you will be very responsible, but you just need a chance to unwind and take some time for yourself.

Tell her about the "me time" first, then tell her about your decision.



Do you think she is most worried about the money or the hookers? Remember that cheap airline ticket can be very expensive. Red eye flight for one night? Couch for a week?



If you go, you had better come back in the money!

Defying your wife to go on a solo trip to vegas seems like a really, really, really bad idea.

Never been married but I have to agree with the others that simply putting your foot down and going is not a smart idea. More than one person has tried this and found the locks changed when they get back.



OTOH, I see nothing wrong with a LV trip. To me it is a better way to spend money than her concerts, but that is me. Can you rationally tell her about the "me" time and maybe suggest once to twice a year you each get a "weekend pass" to do these things? Explain to her that you aren't going to hook up with a stripper or anything like that. Women don't respond well to directness so if this fails maybe next time she wants to go away for a week for a concert try playing their game. Ask, "so, you are going to spend *how* much for all this?" And the best, "fine with me, if you want to go, then go!"



If you attempt that one, please, please post back here how it worked.

This is why Im not married and probably will never be. I dont want to answer to anyone about something as trivial as going to LV. Im not sure what the problem is, all my married friends never have an issue with going to Vegas and their wives are all completely cool with it. Your wife is being ridiculous. Is there a prior problem with gambling and hookers we dont know about and she does?

If she, or even you, are worried that you'll be alone, schedule the trip for early in October. Right around G2E time. Then you can hang out with a bunch of us who are going specifically for G2E.

>I've got $500 saved in my gambling stash right now that she doesn't know about ...

Perhaps this is an indication of a level of secrecy that is uncomfortable for her.

I doubt she will really think you are with a hooker or she would never have gone on her out of town concert trips and left you alone.

I'm doing this exact thing Oct 16-20.



$248 flight - that I will most likely get bumped to First Class both ways due to my status with the airline. + $26/night at Las Vegas Club* ($118 total, both figures have taxes included) = $366 for a solid 5 days, 4 nights in town. Works out to $73.20/night plus whatever I eat and some transit costs riding the Ace/Deuce. My goal for the trip is to make that back in 4/8 poker.



Honest advice - Stop thinking about what she's worried about and find out. "Hey, Wifey, I've been busting my ass lately and I'm really needing a few days of me time. I did some poking around and found a couple of really good deals. I'd really like to do this and I really would like to hear what you think and feel about me doing this."



And, then, listen for a little bit. It might be money. It might be hookers and/or blow. It might be not wanting to be home alone at night. Hell, you might find her totally supportive.** Regardless, offer a venue by which she can safely voice her concerns and understand them. Don't make it a quid pro quo - you went to concerts, I want to do this. Just.. listen.



And then address the concerns honestly. If it's money - explain that you'll use a little stash that you had on the side (if breaking that news will be counterproductive.. call it an impromptu bonus from work for all the ass-busting you've been doing) and were going to use this as your primary gambling funds. Then explain what you'll do if you bust out (done gambling, call and discuss more gambling funds from the common pool, etc). If it's other women, reassure her.. Not to be (wildly) out of line, but nail the sh*t out of her - before AND after your trip - so that she doesn't have to question your desire for her. If it's blow.. don't do blow. If it's not having time with you, maybe there's middle ground - take the trip together and get some good quality time together AND good quality time apart. That's how my Vegas trips have always been.



Anyway, I wish you the best of luck. Your tone sounds very controversial - you want to do something and she's the enemy or opposition to your wants. She's not the enemy. She's your life partner. Include her in the decision, even if it doesn't involve her. You'll enjoy the time out there all the more if you have her support and have a happy voice on the phone when you check in and say hi.



You can buy me a beer when you're out there, if you choose that same week. :-)



*Heck - I'm sort of kicking myself - I could have got the redone Plaza for just a little more, had I waited to make the reservation.

** It's like hitting a jackpot before you even leave!

Update - First off, thanks for all the comments. Just to clarify, there have never been any cheating/strippers/hookers incidents in the past and the wife knows I'm smart enough to stop gambling before I lose too much. I play lower limits mostly and honestly can't remember ever losing more than $250 in a day.



I talked to the wife and mentioned my desire for the trip, emphasizing that I wanted to try playing in a Hold'em tournament and put down some bets at the Sports book too. She knows that I can't do the sports betting here, and I've mentioned previously that the Hold'em tournaments here in STL are limited. I also told her that I really needed some personal time, and was frustrated with my brother/friends not ever being available for a guys weekend.



She would still prefer I don't go alone, but most of that comes from a woman's perspective, in that she doesn't want to travel alone if she can help it. She couldn't argue the cost since the airfare is roughly half of what it cost several months back.



I also promised her that if I win a decent amount or hit a nice jackpot on VP, that the money goes towards a couple trip to LV later so she can see Elton John.



So it looks like I have a green light. Now I need to figure out when I can get a couple PTO days, book the flight, figure out if I can get a free/cheap room and plan my itinerary. My definite activities include:



visit Downtown

Eat @ 777's Brewpub

play in a Hold'Em tournament

visit the Pinball Museum

place some College & Pro Football bets

I think wasps are attracted by fruit or any sugary substance so maybe ripening or rotting fruit makes them want to have a nest nearby. I believe wasps are prone to swarm if you attack their nests. Old nests are empty though. Wasps attack a great many insects so you might be doing some harm in destroying them but if their nest is near your home they might become angry at any sort of disturbance or vibration and simply attack whatever was nearby.



That bird feeder idea might be good if indeed birds do eat wasps, but I'm not at all sure they do. After all, there are those stingers. Maybe the birds eat the insects that the wasps would otherwise use to deposit their eggs in?

You definitely want to attempt to take the nests down in the morning or early evening when you can see and the wasps are not as active. During the heat of the day they will swarm if you decide to disturb them or their nests. Any hardware or home and garden store will have wasp sprays meant to spray far distances so that youshouldn't have to climb on the ladder to get to them. I would just suggest to use these high powered sprays during a time when the air is still. Good luck.

Knuckleball - That's what I've been doing. The spray cans I've bought state that they spray 'up to 27 feet', but it really looks like maybe only 15-18 feet. I've got one softball sized nest under the eaves that's not getting reached by it. I may just leave it alone, as long as the wasps are that high up and aren't bothering us or the dog when we're out in the yard.

I have not noticed a surge in activity this summer, but when I was doing battle with them, I noticed that the nest would always re-appear in about the same spot. I think the "queen" leaves a chemical marker that is irresistable to the drones who do the actual construction.



If you cannot reach, or do not want to bother with removing a nest, I would suggest calling a professional, rather than leaving the nest to grow. It can become quite large, and a large swarm can be fatal to pets, and sometimes people.



Some hardware stores sell extension poles designed for use with aerosol cans for these really hard to reach places (and to buy you a few more seconds to high tail it).



Good Luck!

If you don't like wasps then move to the ghetto.

I wouldn't worry about the "why", the reasons would likely be too numerous and well out of your control to prevent. I have the same bee problem and I'm pretty sure it was the crazy amount of rain we got. All the weeds and grasses are thick and luxurious, flower numbers are through the roof, and flowers equal stingy critters. Nothing I can do about it. Whether it's rain, lack of predatory birds, lack of parasitic insects, you're not going to prevent it, so just focus on the solution.



Don't kill yourself killin em all. I got one plum-sized beauty just under the peak of my roof. Couldn't care less, they're not bothering anything. Ill probably knock it down in the fall when they're gone just to prevent the staining their secretions leave on the soffit, but for now I just don't care. If it doesn't pose a danger to me, my family, my property or furry companions, I let it be and occasionally marvel at it.



For ones that need to go, like the softball sized example I found in the shed where my boy plays, ALWAYS go at night. Your friends are coldness and darkness. In the case of my shed, it was still over 90 throughout the night, so I propped the door open and let it cool to low 70's. They'll still be "awake", but not nearly as full of piss and vinegar as when they're heated up. Most times they're sedate enough that I can take a jar, place it over the nest, and simply scrape the nest off (make sure you have the jar cap handy lol) You could then just toss em back in the woods, or if you want em dead, put a little chlorine bleach or ammonia in the jar before scraping and cap it overnight (dont mix them, it's not fun). Haven't been stung once doing this, in fact, I haven't even come close. Do it mid day and you'll run screaming, but if you set em up they're a pushover. Raid and the like works too, but I ain't spraying that stuff where my kid plays, and even in open air I always seem to catch the perfect breeze that sends it back into my mouth.



Once they're gone you must clean the area with some sort of solvent. It doesn't have to be turpentine, but it can't be plain water. Dish soap is fine if it's a nice flat area you can scrub. If it's in a tight spot you can reach (it usually is) a splash of gas or rubbing alcohol might be needed. Insect communication is highly dependant on smell, and any pherimone left will just attrach the next residents. Unfortunately, even if you do everything perfectly, the nest is there for a reason i.e. secure, warm, close to forage...more will come eventually no matter what you do. Don;t lose your head over it.

I used to be in pest control, this is high wasp season. If I were to semi-retire (ha ha) I'd get my license back and do bee/wasp work this time of year. They will nest neart trees or near your deck because they bite the wood and make paper nests out of their saliva and the wood. The key is to, without getting stung, knock the nest down. They will not rebuild this late in the year in most cases. There is ZERO you can do to keep them from building. Just keep your eyes open for new nests. This time of year they are building nests to lay eggs for next year. The nests grow in size geometrically the rest of the season so you must be vigillent.

Cool.



My older brother's a Dolphins fan from way back, and for a while they were my sentimental favorites when I couldn't root for the Steelers. Basically I liked real dolphins at the time, so... Well, since Shula retired they haven't been the same.



The only game I've seen at a stadium was a playoff between the Dolphins and Seahawks, still at the old Orange Bowl. I recall they were advertising the new stadium for the following year.



Enjoy the game. I hope the Dolphins win.

Kinda funny, because I am a huge Dolphins fan. I was living in St. Louis up until last year, and my wife and I did go to KC for a Dolphins/Chiefs game. It was in December, and the temperature at game time was 8 degrees. They said it was the 2nd coldest game in Arrowhead history.



We left at halftime because I had never been so cold in my life.



Arrowhead is great, the atmosphere is so much better than in St. Louis, there is no comparison.



I don't have any good restaurant/bar suggestions, but we went over to I think Argosy Casino KC and it was decent. You could do Harrah's KC and be 2/3 of the way to $150 with the Total Rewards promotion.



Have fun. Go Fins!