# I know we can't give official medical advice on the Dope, but I do have a question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 23, 2023, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066 "2023-12-23T23:45:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Apodder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apodder/32/17727_2.png) [@Apodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apodder)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/21 "2023-12-24T21:49:06Z")
OMD, someone had to say it! 😂 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/22 "2023-12-26T23:26:01Z")
Update: I was able to get in right away to see my doctor, and he ordered x-rays, which I got after donating blood at the lab. (These facilities are all in the same building.) Blood tests: Uric acid CBC with differential Sed rate Rheumatoid arthritis factor Antinuclear antibody He’s leaning towards gout, and the other tests are for autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. I’ll keep everyone posted. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/23 "2023-12-26T23:42:16Z")
Oh good. I’m glad you’re getting treatment. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/24 "2023-12-26T23:47:40Z")
I’m seeing doctors almost as much as my elderly cat! Oh, the joys of getting older. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/25 "2023-12-27T19:59:09Z")
All the labs were normal (I guessed this when the nurse called me) and the x-ray revealed mild degenerative arthritis, which isn’t abnormal at my age. I declined an orthopedic referral, and will continue taking ibuprofen as needed. So, that’s good news. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/26 "2023-12-27T20:03:26Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > All the labs were normal (I guessed this when the nurse called me) and the x-ray revealed mild degenerative arthritis, which isn’t abnormal at my age. I declined an orthopedic referral, and will continue taking ibuprofen as needed. FWIW I was told during my acute gout attacks that actually the uric acid level in your blood will go down during an attack (as all the uric acid is conveniently stored as crystals in your toe joint not in your blood 🙂 ) Again I’m not a doctor so take this with a grain of salt 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/27 "2023-12-28T11:33:19Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > You might have a stray whisker/hair embedded in the toe. No fun at all, ask my wife. Wouldn’t it be easier for all, **you** ask your wife? . [https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-obvious-jokes-some-people-cant-help-but-reflexively-make/](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-obvious-jokes-some-people-cant-help-but-reflexively-make/) nevermind, I’ll get my socks and show myself out ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/28 "2023-12-28T14:38:53Z")
I must have made some kind of a joke? Was it a funny one? Could you point me in the right direction for an explanation? If it’s Borat, I’m out of luck, not a fan, at all. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/29 "2023-12-28T21:26:48Z")
don’t read too much into it … I made a joke that didn’t really fire 😉 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/30 "2023-12-29T00:58:23Z")
Uric acid crystal will show up on an x-ray, which is one reason my doctor ordered them. My dad had no medical training, and HE could see them on his foot x-rays. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/31 "2023-12-29T02:10:17Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Uric acid crystal will show up on an x-ray Uric acid crystals _may_ show up on an x-ray, but generally only after a year or more of chronic uncontrolled crystal deposition. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066/32 "2023-12-29T23:30:38Z")
My dad’s sure did. It must have gone over some random threshold to make him have an attack. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-we-cant-give-official-medical-advice-on-the-dope-but-i-do-have-a-question/995066.md?page=1)