Valsartan and Gout: What This Blood Pressure Drug Does to Your Uric Acid If you have gout and high blood pressure, your medication choices matter more than you might think. Valsartan is one of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure drugs in the United States, sold under the brand name Diovan and available as a … Read more
Can Weather Really Trigger Gout? The Science Behind Seasonal Flares If you have lived with gout long enough, you have probably noticed something odd. Your flare-ups seem to cluster at certain times of the year. Maybe your big toe tends to act up when spring rolls around. Or perhaps summer barbecues end with you limping … Read more
You wake up at 3 AM. Your big toe feels like someone wrapped it in a vise and cranked it tight. You already know what’s happening. Another gout flare. For years, the only way to know your uric acid was to visit a lab for a blood draw or prick your finger with a home … Read more
Why Exercise Triggers Gout Flares The paradox hit me the first time I tried to get serious about fitness. After years of avoiding exercise because of my joints, I finally laced up my running shoes—only to wake up the next morning with my ankle so swollen I couldn’t put on a sock. Sound familiar? In … Read more
Your Gout Might Be Slowly Killing Your Kidneys Let me tell you something most people with gout seldom hear from their doctor. That uric acid floating around in your blood does not just attack your joints. It also quietly chips away at your kidneys, setting the stage for kidney stones you will not see coming … Read more
I see the same thing almost every week at the clinic. Someone walks in looking baffled. “I’ve been drinking three liters of water a day. My gout is still flaring. Why isn’t this working?” When I ask how they’re actually drinking it, it’s typically the same story: “Huge glass before breakfast. Nothing until lunch. Then … Read more