gout
"I've had undisguised symptoms for 20 year causing mild discomfort e.g. Uric acid buildup on earlobes. Chronic wrist pain. Moderate two attacks , all annoying but I never figured it to be gout or realize the horror about unleash itself on me at a fit 49 years old. I exercise, only about 10 lbs overweight and eat healthy. I was a heavy beer drinker though. Last year my left wrist and thumb swoll to the size of a red grotesque boxing glove. No pain medication could touch it. Imagine bone fracture pain with no relief. I was in chronic pain, depressed despondent and close to suicidal. Because I had ignored symptoms for so long the rheumatologist told me I had "entrenched" gout and the allopurinol was going to make it worse before it got better."