Solely 16 on the time, one other participant stepped on his foot, and whereas it was painful at that second, Matt continued to expertise ache for “weeks and weeks”.
“Getting an precise prognosis for my ache was fairly an extended course of,” stated Matt.
“Among the medical doctors thought it was a blood clot, whereas others thought it is perhaps tendonitis.”
Two years later, nevertheless, Matt discovered he had kidney illness and the medical doctors knowledgeable him that he additionally had gout.
“This was the stage of my life the place I used to be ending faculty and heading into college,” Matt recalled.
“I didn’t know what would occur with my future,” Matt shared. “On the time I used to be very sporty and I frightened I wouldn’t have the ability to proceed my soccer.”
Gout, Matt stated, is an “invisible” incapacity, which means many individuals will not know that he has gout – a type of arthritis.
“For me, my arthritis is available in highly effective, acute flare-ups with little or no ache in between,” stated Matt.
“I want extra folks understood that at any second, for any purpose, a flare-up might start and final between two and 10 weeks.
“When it occurs, it’s all-consuming. I’ve by no means skilled ache prefer it.
“It looks like somebody’s tying a decent string round my ankle and pulling actually tightly.”
Matt stated when his gout flares up, he “cannot do something” because it “takes over” his life.
“Due to my kidney illness, I’m strictly solely allowed particular sorts of treatment, like paracetamol,” Matt revealed.
“[This] means my methods of managing the ache throughout a flare-up are fairly restricted.”
But, Matt – now in his 30s – has discovered how you can handle his situation by way of eating regimen and exercise.
Matt reduce out high-purine meals, reminiscent of crimson meat and fish and workouts often.
“I now haven’t had a flare-up for seven to eight years,” Matt beamed.