Gout Attack in Progress!

After thwarting gout attacks for the last 3.5 years using cherry extract pills, I wasn't able to thwart this last bout of throbbing, inflammation, and pin needle like pain in my big toe this morning.  I took some cherry extract this morning to see if the severity of the attack or the duration would be reduced.  I'll let you know if that nips this gout attack in the bud or not!

Chromosomes 2 and 3: Nonsense Mutation Found

Browsing through the raw data for Chromosomes 2 and 3, I found an uncommon nonsense mutation in the COL6A5 gene: rs2201717.  The minor allele frequency is 0.0164.  According to GeneCards, polymorphisms in the gene may be "linked to dermal phenotypes, such as eczema".  Perhaps this is one reason for the cystic acne that plagued me during my teenage and young adult years!

Increased Risk for Allopurinol Induced SCAR

Since my thumb seems to be affected by gout now, I started to look into the possibility of allopurinol treatment.  I'm not a fan of pharmaceuticals that I have to take everyday for the rest of my life, but would like to have working joints for years to come.  While looking through my raw genetic data I came across a risk allele for allopurinol induced SCARs on Chromosome 6.  The HLA-B*58:01 allele frequency varies by population with a frequency of 1% in Caucasians and 6 to 7% in Asian populations according to Mayo Clinic.  Being about half Native American, I suppose the allele came from my Native American father.  After looking through my raw data for years, it seems that Native Americans and Asians have a lot in common genetically (no surprise to me).  The following mutation is associated with HLA-B*5801 allele and allopurinol side effects in Japanese populations: rs3095318.  I'm heterozygous but that's all it takes to up the risk for the side effects.  Since the allele most likely came from my father it's probably better to not chance it taking allopurinol.  The reactions have a mortality rate of 20 to 25%.  That's too much of a risk! 

So back to the drawing board looking for something that could lower my uric acid level.  I'm thinking I need to revamp my diet by possibly going near vegetarian, limiting high fructose corn syrup, and reducing exposure to environmental toxins, not overdoing it on iron supplements, and adding more HDACs to my diet.  Reducing exposure to environmental toxins would be limiting processed foods, purifying my water, eating more organic fruits and vegetables, detoxing regularly, and avoiding chlorophyll supplements (mice lacking the ABCG2 gene had chlorophyll induced photosensitivity!).