DEAR DR. GOTT: You always provide clear information on a variety of question. Thus, mine.
I am an 85-year-old female in relatively good health. I take only levothyroxine and Zocor for medications. I recently had minor surgery and subsequently developed joint and muscle pain in my shoulders, arms, hips, thighs, and lower legs. There was no redness nor fever nor pain in my toes or feet. Blood work showed an elevated uric acid of 7.2.
A few years ago I had polymyalgia. This episode felt just as that did. I was treated for gout – cortisone injection and allopurinol tablets this time. Is there anything else that could cause an elevated uric acid level other than gout?
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