Most people felt that gout attacks had a big impact on their leisure and social activities, although some tried to carry on as normal. Some people did not feel like socialising or were worried that other people would knock or bump into their joint, so preferred to be alone. Joe said that ‘you haven’t got a life’ when an attack happens, and like other people we spoke to, finds it hard to walk because of the pain. People found it hard to enjoy social activities even if they were sat down, for example at the theatre.
Shirley’s had to cancel outings and gout affected her trip to New York to see her daughter
Shirley’s had to cancel outings and gout affected her trip to New York to see her daughter
Age at interview: 78
Sex: Female
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
It’s stopped me - I’ve had to cancel sort of any outings and we had theatre tickets which I hadn’t been able to use because I couldn’t sit there, having this throbbing away. Quite a few things that we didn’t get done because of that and also we - our daughter lives in New York and we go there once a year and that, and that had to be sort of curtailed - afternoons where I’ve just stayed in the hotel with ice again. And yes it has encroached on me, it has. But, you know, as I said, you get through it.
Alan and Sue felt that sometimes it was better to go out and socialise because it helped to take their mind off the pain.
Alan and Sue felt that sometimes it was better to go out and socialise because it helped to take their mind off the pain.
Age at interview: 73
Sex: Male
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
Alan: It curbs it to some extent, like for example I mean like, we very often used to go down to the pub on a Friday night; if you’ve got gout or something you’d probably say, “Oh I won’t bother tonight”, but I mean, if was other sort of, and things like, if you were going out for dinner or something like that, you’d, I’d still make the effort and go because it, it would be worse if you were just sat around at home doing nothing and thinking well I could have gone out and had a nice meal, at least that’s taken my mind off other things you know [laughs].
Sue: Well yes, I agree with you. I think you try to carry on as much as you can, because it’s just one of those things that you know what it is, but is absolute agony and you think, “well I’ve got to try”.
A few people lost contact with friends and acquaintances when they stopped going to the pub so that they could cut down on their drinking. Some were more cautious than before of overindulging in food or alcohol at social events because they believed that they could trigger an attack.
Harry’s had to stop playing golf and dominoes. He’s stopped going to the pub, and misses the company of his friends and old colleagues.
Harry’s had to stop playing golf and dominoes. He’s stopped going to the pub, and misses the company of his friends and old colleagues.
Age at interview: 78
Sex: Male
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
I used to like playing golf, and I can't - I haven't tried actually as - for about two and a half years, when I had the gout, and then walking round really did make me feel poorly at the end of the 18 holes, I would come off the golf course, and I would feel not very good at all. Then when it affected my hands, then I couldn't grip the golf clubs, so there was no point in going down there. That meant of course I didn't see the people that I used to play golf with who were my ex work colleagues, so I lost all contact, both with the works and my mates down at the golf club. And gradually I was - I was running out of friends and associates because I was just not seeing them anymore. And they won't stop playing golf just because I'm not going there, so they carry on and - I haven't tried yet actually, I must try it again to see what happens, it might be okay. But if the club goes further than the ball, then it's no good at all [laughs].
And of course the other thing, more importantly I think, I had to stop - I loved playing dominoes, and I had to stop, you know, and the highlight of my week was Monday nights playing dominoes with the local farmers up the pub, and I got so that I couldn't hold them, I couldn't hold the dominoes in my hands, and I'd struggle now because – that’s about as much as I can get - and of course you can't play dominoes unless you’ve got a pint in your hand. When I stopped drinking I had to stop playing dominoes as well, and I haven't - I think truthfully I can say I drink now the equivalent maybe of two pints per week. So I'm virtually teetotal. And I don’t drink beer, I drink red wine which is probably even worse than the beer, but I don’t go up to the pub any more. And it's a pity, really, because I really miss the company and the general chat, and for me living out here, as you can imagine, the only way you know what's going on is if you're meeting at a central point, and that point was the pub.
Jacqui was doing a lot of exercise when she had her first attack. She couldn’t continue doing as much as she did and noticed the impact on her fitness. Others had to stop playing sports such as golf, football and cricket. Simon had to give up football because of the long-term damage of gout on his joints. Jeff couldn’t get his golf shoes on during an attack or walk around the course. Tony Y, though, finds that playing golf during an attack is painful to start with but the pain eases after a while.
Gout has a big impact on Eddie because he lives alone. It affects his sporting activities and makes it difficult to socialise. He sometimes feels downhearted and demoralised.
Gout has a big impact on Eddie because he lives alone. It affects his sporting activities and makes it difficult to socialise. He sometimes feels downhearted and demoralised.
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
It can certainly cause you lots of problems, not only for the pain, but it can make you feel very downhearted, is that the right word, and very lethargic, you don’t want to do anything because the pain’s there, yeah it does. And also I’m a keen golfer but I have to play in a buggy now because of my heart, but if you’ve got a bad attack of gout then it affects your sport, bowls and golf I play, and yes you have to stop.
Although I was retired, didn’t have to go to work, it sort of limited all my activities, and meeting friends and things like that, and when you live on your own, going out and meeting friends is a big thing you see, because I belong to, we’re very fortunate here we’ve got a [local college], but I am allowed to join their gym, so that in the winter I can go up there, if I don’t see anybody here I go up there and I see the lads in the gym. And it’s all giving you, well some more friends and you meet people, but when you’ve got the gout you can’t go, and I haven’t been for a little while and, so it limits you a bit now when you’re retired.
People who had attacks on holiday sometimes found that it limited their activities more than when they were at home. Tony X felt that an attack he got while on a walking holiday affected him a lot because he could not do all the things that he wanted to. Eddie had an attack when he was in Australia, but did not feel that it spoilt his holiday.
Arthur finds it easier to manage attacks when he is at home. His attacks have affected his plans and activities when he has been away on holiday.
Arthur finds it easier to manage attacks when he is at home. His attacks have affected his plans and activities when he has been away on holiday.
Age at interview: 63
Sex: Male
SHOW TEXT VERSION
PRINT TRANSCRIPT
Obviously if I get an attack at home, it’s easier because everything’s here and all I’ve got to do is get up to bed or get to the loo or whatever, you know. There have been times where I’ve had attacks, for example, we’ve done a lot of travelling since I’ve retired from the police, we done a lot of travelling and we were in Vietnam and I had an attack there which laid me up for a week, so all our travel arrangements for that week had to be put on hold. And then once the, and of course it doesn’t just clear up like that. The pain in a joint remains, I mean I can have it for weeks afterwards and the weakness in the joints, so all those arrangements have to be put back, you know, and that causes you sort of problems with your social life, travelling life and all the rest of it, just through an attack of gout.
Taking preventative medication every day (e.g. allopurinol) often meant that gout affected people’s lives less. Carole is pleased that she can now enjoy her hobby – competing in agility competitions with her dogs – because her attacks no longer stop her from taking part (for more see ‘
Long-term treatment to lower uric acid and prevent gout attacks and long-term problems’).
Last reviewed December 2016
Copyright © 2024 University of Oxford. All rights reserved.
