[cbarnett2]

First of all, I am a nursing student and I realize that this board is not for diagnosis and treatment of health problems...but I was wondering if anyone here can suggest holistic interventions that I can do for my DH who is suffering from an unknown problem with his foot. First of all I have taken him to the DR several times for this problem (most recently within the last three weeks) with no resolution, so I am grasping for another approach...

He is 33 yrs old with a history of autoimmune disorders; i.e. aplastic anemia (resolved by ATG therapy), uncontrollable hypoglycemia (under control by Roux-en-Y bypass), chronic fatique, and undiagnosed joint pain. His current problem we are trying to address is severe pain and swelling of his "big toe joint", very similar to gout, but not diagnosed as such after his uric acid levels continuely came back "with in normal limits". We have been limiting his intake of purine foods...and he is in the process of trying to transition to a totally vegan diet. He has had this toe joint swelling before but the last month it has been worse then ever and it has been two weeks now with little to no improvement...

Should I take him back to the Dr so they can "look" at it again and shake their heads or is there something else that we can do for him on our own? With his history of diabetes I worry about circulation to his toe, as the area turns alarmingly dark when he is standing. I have insisted that he spend the last two days completely off his feet with it elevated above his heart.

I am open to advise from those with holistic nursing insight...

Cheri

[CharlieRN]

No suggestions, but he has my sympathy. I have gout. It is no fun to have a "funny" disease. "Walking on razor blades" is my discription of a gout attack. My personal guess would be try him on allopurinol anyway. Maybe "normal levels" arn't ok for him.
What is "normal" is just a statistical discription. Someone has to be out at the ends of those bell curves. That means that there has to be someone who has gout symptoms with low uric acid levels.

[elkpark]

I agree with Charlie -- maybe, unless there is a clear contraindication, it would be worth trying standard gout treatment and seeing what happens. I come from a family with a history of "funny" presentations of illnesses; we often don't fit the standard profile of symptoms, lab results, etc., but, eventually, it turns out that we have (whatever the illness is), we just don't show it the same way most people do ...

I've spent quite a lot of time over the years convincing doctors that either a) I know it looks like I may have X, but I'm really fine, or b) even though everything seems okay, there actually is something wrong with me.

Best wishes --

[Bean RN]

Originally Posted by cbarnett2

First of all, I am a nursing student and I realize that this board is not for diagnosis and treatment of health problems...but I was wondering if anyone here can suggest holistic interventions that I can do for my DH who is suffering from an unknown problem with his foot. First of all I have taken him to the DR several times for this problem (most recently within the last three weeks) with no resolution, so I am grasping for another approach...

He is 33 yrs old with a history of autoimmune disorders; i.e. aplastic anemia (resolved by ATG therapy), uncontrollable hypoglycemia (under control by Roux-en-Y bypass), chronic fatique, and undiagnosed joint pain. His current problem we are trying to address is severe pain and swelling of his "big toe joint", very similar to gout, but not diagnosed as such after his uric acid levels continuely came back "with in normal limits". We have been limiting his intake of purine foods...and he is in the process of trying to transition to a totally vegan diet. He has had this toe joint swelling before but the last month it has been worse then ever and it has been two weeks now with little to no improvement...

Should I take him back to the Dr so they can "look" at it again and shake their heads or is there something else that we can do for him on our own? With his history of diabetes I worry about circulation to his toe, as the area turns alarmingly dark when he is standing. I have insisted that he spend the last two days completely off his feet with it elevated above his heart.

I am open to advise from those with holistic nursing insight...

Cheri

Maybe try Louise Hays books fos some insight into the origin of his dis-ease.
You can find her books in the self help section of any book store.
I personally believe that health problems are a symptom of an internal discord, either psychologically and or spiritually.
Best wishes to you and your friend.

[cbarnett2]

To everyone that replied...it has been a while and thought I would not get a response.

He is doing better the last few weeks. He has really been watching his diet.

Cheri

[gabbyh]

Originally Posted by cbarnett2

To everyone that replied...it has been a while and thought I would not get a response.

He is doing better the last few weeks. He has really been watching his diet.

Cheri

Cheri, Glad to hear your husband is feeling better...if, in fact, he did have gout, a web-site for great info is the Univ of Maryland Alternative Medicine site...if you search google.com for "supplements for gout", you'll see their link: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsLookups/Uses/gout.html

~Gail

[lifriedland]

Yes, good to hear he is feeling better! My suggestion is acupuncture if things act up again. Good luck.

[nativehealer]

Originally Posted by cbarnett2

First of all, I am a nursing student and I realize that this board is not for diagnosis and treatment of health problems...but I was wondering if anyone here can suggest holistic interventions that I can do for my DH who is suffering from an unknown problem with his foot. First of all I have taken him to the DR several times for this problem (most recently within the last three weeks) with no resolution, so I am grasping for another approach...

He is 33 yrs old with a history of autoimmune disorders; i.e. aplastic anemia (resolved by ATG therapy), uncontrollable hypoglycemia (under control by Roux-en-Y bypass), chronic fatique, and undiagnosed joint pain. His current problem we are trying to address is severe pain and swelling of his "big toe joint", very similar to gout, but not diagnosed as such after his uric acid levels continuely came back "with in normal limits". We have been limiting his intake of purine foods...and he is in the process of trying to transition to a totally vegan diet. He has had this toe joint swelling before but the last month it has been worse then ever and it has been two weeks now with little to no improvement...

Should I take him back to the Dr so they can "look" at it again and shake their heads or is there something else that we can do for him on our own? With his history of diabetes I worry about circulation to his toe, as the area turns alarmingly dark when he is standing. I have insisted that he spend the last two days completely off his feet with it elevated above his heart.

I am open to advise from those with holistic nursing insight...

Cheri

Cheri, Look into reflexology. It is a Chinese type of massage on the feet. The Chinese believe that each part of the foot controls a part of the body. It is good to hear that he is doing better.

Nativehealer