prescriptions

[jmcguire]

i.have very rare bouts of goat but my right big toe just throbs.are there any over the counter drugs available for this if not prescription drugs.
john

[gah_70]

Does your toe hurt just during the times you have gout, or all the time?  There are prescriptions out there, like Allopurinol that are designed to keep you from getting gout attacks, but you cannot take it if you are in the middle of an attack.  There may be different things others can tell you about, but if you are having an attack, the best thing I have found is prescription steroids.  I have taken anti-inflammatory prescriptions in the past, and they do help, but upset my stomach.  I'm not sure there is anything OTC that might be strong enough, but like txsilver said, you could try an OTC NSAID to see if it might help.

Several weeks ago, my doctor recommended drinking Fresca because it has potassium citrate and citric acid in it.  He says those things dissolve uric acid in the kidneys, and it is expelled when you urinate.  Of course that isn't a "medical treatment", and I wouldn't rely solely on it, but it is something you can try and perhaps talk to your doctor about.

Good luck.

Gail  

[txsilver]

Have you tried any of the OTC NSAIDs?  An arthritis specific formula might be a good place to start.