Soymilk and gout

[roslynne]

Following ahysterectomy7years ago, Iwas advised to include soya in my diet.
Ihad never suffered with gout or any other form of arthritis up until then. I tried to eat more healthily, give up the toast for breakfast and have cereal each morning with soya milk.
I have suffered agonies over the last 6/7 years with what was diagnosed as gout. My ast and most severe attack left me with what I thought was permament damage in my ankle. So much so I was sent for x rays as the pain and swelling went on for 4 months or more.
Over the years I had blamed various foods such as tomatoes, lemonade etc. Then due to various circumstances in December, I was unable to shop as normal, relying on local shops who did not stock soya milk.
Within 3 weeks there was considerable improvement. The swelling had gone down and the pain was easing.
Now I am completely pain free and can wear normal shoes for the first time in years.
I would never have associated the soya milk as a trigger, but after looking up soya milk/gout on the computer discovered your website and realised I was not alone.
I feel as though I've got a part ofmy life back I thought was gone forever.

Roz Eaton

[Milmanix]

Just got back from the ED of the local hospital this morning and was diagnosed for the first time with gout near my big toe on my left foot. Couldn't believe it! I'm relatively fit and healthy, been losing weight steadily for about six months as I'm now 48 I thought I'd work a little harder at looking after myself. Anyway, getting back to the point I came home and got straight on to the computer to find out more about gout, how it's caused, what to do about it etc. and discovered this site and these posts. I'm quite sure I'm lactose intolerant although I've never been to a doctor about it, just always avoided milk, ice cream and yogurts etc. at least for the past 10 years. Recently, however, I have been buying and eating soya yogurts from the supermarket. I've not had many, probably 8 small pots over the past 3-4 weeks. After reading these posts I'm now wondering if they could have triggered my attack? (The most pain I've ever experienced!). I'm going to knock soya on the head now and avoid it to see what happens, but I would like to know if rice or non-lactose milk are as beneficial to gout sufferers as Harvard and others indicate dairy is?

[Milmanix]

It's just over a month now and I thought I'd post an update. My gout was gone after about 4 days, the diclophenic (Pain killers) helped alot before it went of its own accord. I haven't had any more soya products and found that the lactose free milk works fine with me. I can have this without any of the side effects I experienced with regular milk. I've tried to take in dairy at least twice a week. I can't say if it is actually beneficial to my gout situation but psychologically it helps and it's nice to be able to have custard (Lactose free!) again on my mince pies! I know gout can sometimes disappear and then show up again years later, this might be the case with me too. I'll have to wait and see. But the only thing I've changed in my eating habits over the past month is the soya, I've even eaten mackerel, sardines and salmon (I love fish!), all of which are supposed to be off the menu for gout sufferers because they increase uric acid - I've had no problems, so make your own conclusions...