So I'm homozygous for the Q141K mutation in the ABCG2 gene, but a lab measured my uric acid to be 4.6 mg/dL. This is a great reading for anyone struggling with gout. The part I'm not so excited about is that more joints seem to be affected with arthritis since my onset in 2014 in spite of the normal uric acid level. That begs the question as to how to stop the disease progression if I still have issues with normal uric acid levels.
There could be more to the story. My doctor says that the low white blood cell count could indicate a possible autoimmune disease and the multiple joint involvement could indicate rheumatoid arthritis. She said this before I found out that I had a normal uric acid level. So when I found out that the uric acid level was normal, I immediately began to worry that I really have rheumatoid arthritis. My gout attack in 2014 seemed to be unique to gout as well as the flares related to eating foods high in purines. But I'm not going to blow off the possibility that it could be RA. It is also possible that I have both gout and RA. The doctor had the lab draw more blood to check for indications of autoimmune disease. I'll know the results within the next week or two. I feel like I could be waiting to receive my "death sentence". Autoimmune diseases are terrible to have from what I hear. Having one is like having enduring a long painful death. I also would have to be on medication to slow the disease progression. By the way, I liked the doctor.
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