Malc wrote:
Yeah, I've had it about a dozen times over the past 8 years or so.
Had all sorts of tests, including them sticking a needle as thick as a bit into my knee to try and collect some synovial? Fluid to analyse (to no avail).
I've taken about as many painkillers as it's permissible to take without a prescription, which is starting to take effect, however, it usually makes me feel quite nauseous, so hopefully I won't need to take them for long
This sounds a lot like my exploding feet. Remarkable.
Every so often, with no root cause, one, the other or both of my feet will suddenly - like, I go to bed fine and wake up in agony - be really fucking painful in one or more of 3 typical locations, swell up a lot, and occasionally go a funny colour. No load-bearing when one goes.
Like you, the doctors did loads of test and concluded "well, it's not gout. The tests say your foot can't be swollen, yet here it is!"
If you've not tried it, try to get some diclofenac. Not voltarol gel, prescription-grade. Apparently it can fuck up your joints if routinely taken but the longest I've had to is 3 days.
Training in the gym has helped with frequency and severity of recurrence but it still happens multiple times a year.