Ah ! GOUT ! The books call the pain exquisite ! and indeed it is. Even though one does not have clinical gout, uric acid can be precipitated by some medications. It happened to me while being treated with laisix(sp?) so called "water pill" and intensive antibiotics/antivirals. And believe it ..the pain is just as exqusite ! And of course there's the diet factor as well. Check it out with the doctors. [log in to unmask] (Mary Manfredi)