These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT
be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An indi
vidual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
[posted 11/18/1999]
Question: IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PAIN IN MY LEGS AND LOWER BACK AND 2 NIGHTS AGO, MY KNEE STARTED TO SWELL AND IT WAS(AND STIL IS)QUITE PAINFUL.. I HAD MY KNEE ASPIRATED TODAY AND WAS TOLD I HAVE PSEUDOGOUT. HE GAVE ME A CORTISONE SHOT AND I AM TAKING INDOMETHACIN, BUT I CAN STILL BARELY WALK. I HAVE BEEN A RUNNER FOR OVER 20 YEARS WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS. I CAN’T IMAGINE NOT RUNNING AND I AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED ABOUT THIS. ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLT APPRECIATED. THANKS
Answer: Pseudogout is an inflammatory process caused by your body’s white blood cells attacking calcium pyrophosphate, calcium hydroxyapatite, and calcium oxylate crystals in your joints. It is painful during the episodes, but anti-inflammatories and occasionally steroids are usually sufficient treatment. It will interfere with your running for the next couple of weeks, not after that. It is usually non-progressive and non-deforming.
[posted 08/30/1999]
Question: What is vioxx? Can psuedogout occour from an injury? If not, what caused it? My doctor only took an x-ray to determine it. My doctor is an M.D. I was told by relatives to see specialist for both of these problems.
Answer: Vioxx is a drug belonging to a new class of anti-inflammatories. These drugs workd by affecting the white blood cells ability to initiate the inflammatory cascade. They work differently from traditional drugs like Motrin and the like. Toxicities appear less, especially GI. Currently, they have been available about 4 months(10/99) so I don’t have long term experience. Some patients(4% or so) will have gastritis. They are pricey but appear to work well with much less toxicity than traditional anti-inflammatories. Pseudo Gout is inflammation in a joint due to the accumulation of calcium crystals(regular gout is inflammation from uric acid crystals). It has a different joint distribution from gout, but the diagnosis is made by joint aspiration looking for the characteristic crystals, not by x-ray.
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