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By: thefamousjacob.com on December 3rd, 2025
Twenty-five years ago, I was diagnosed with gout. I was just 14 years old. My parents didn’t know how to handle a teenager with a disease that would eventually stop his mobility for weeks at a time. These are things that we learned about my gout and my home environment. Consider this your gout at home item checklist!
Medication and Gout
Medication is a given and if you are interested in more information here’s a handy article I wrote about Allopurinol. Allopurinol Verus Uloric – thefamousjacob.com
First thing I Recommend for your Gout at Home
By far the best item to have at your home is a pair of good crutches. You can go for the wooden ones, but the metal ones are a bit stronger and sturdier. Don’t worry about the hand cushions because you can always cycle them out. I would also invest into a good accessory for your crutches.
I recommend these crutches and the crutches accessories in the link below. Please keep in mind, if you do buy from the link below I do get a small kickback from the Amazon Affiliate Program. I bought crutches from these sources and can honestly say it is my best pair of crutches that I have.
https://amzn.to/4pGqaae Crutches that hold up to 300 pounds!
https://amzn.to/4ovDpJK Finpac Crutches Accessories pack. Sturdy and sticks to the crutches rather than flinging around. Saved my life!
One thing that could also help with your mobility and independence at home is to buy a simple backpack. Of course, you can put books inside the backpack but think outside the bag. I put sandwiches that are in Ziplock bags in my backpack. Another thing I put in my backpack is my water bottle and my medication. Sometimes I put in actual books or my laptop with my charger. The sky is the limit with what you can put inside.
Second Item to Improve Your Situation at Home for Your Gout
Do not underestimate a good pillow for your head and feet. Invest into a good solid pillow that is not overly soft. Maybe buy a few for both your head and your foot or knee. Then once you got your base pillow established, buy a bunch of fluffy pillows. The fluffy pillows can be the cheap ones at Costco, but do not skimp out on the firm pillows.
A firm pillow that helps elevate your legs. https://amzn.to/3Me7Aba
Third Item for your Gout Consideration is big
Trust me, the bed is probably the biggest investment for your gout health. I used to prefer a super fluffy base for my bed, but then I couldn’t get up. When your knee or ankle is swollen, the last thing you need is to sink into your bed. If you have a partner or family member that can assist you, maybe that can be an option. If you do not have another person at your disposal, I would recommend a bed with a semi firm base. Not something too hard, but not something that will suck you down.
One of the best beds I ever had was a fully incline from the waist up and down. I loved my bed that could incline my back so I can watch TV while also inclining my feet. Are they heavy and hard to move? Sure, but it’s worth it. Just do not put the bed up against the wall or the cord for your bed might break. A nice accessory you can buy for your gout and your bed is a wooden tray. Sounds silly, but having a flat surface on your bed for drinks is nice to have.
Fourth Item for your Gout health at Home is in your Bathroom
Getting to the shower with a gout attack in your feet or knees can be rather painful. You are navigating the path with crutches on a slick floor. If you can buy a thin floor runner that can help with your crutches from slipping can be good. You might want to consider also buying handrails for near your toilet and also near your shower door.
An item to consider buying is a shower seat. This can be tricky. If you live alone the major question is to leave the seat in the shower or to take out. Some might have a significant other and they could take it in and out whenever you need it.
Medline Shower Seat. Amazing chair and can sit up to 350 pounds! https://amzn.to/4oBdZKW
If you have the luxury of designing your bathroom, I will consider a few options. One option is to have the shower have either a swing or sliding door. Another option is to have the shower have some texture on the ground to help with non-slipping. If you can provide a built-in seat that would be amazing. Also consider a shower head that you can easily pull off the hook-and you can hand hold.
Last but not Least – The Fifth Item You Need in Your Home for your Gout
This last item might sound crazy but stay with me. If you have hardwood floors or low pile carpets buy a computer/office chair with wheels. I know, crazy right? Sometimes you don’t have the strength or the ability to use your crutches. Your hands might be too swollen to even hold up your body with crutches. Whenever I have a major gout attack that is below my hips, I always use a computer chair with wheels. You can scoot or do a strong push off and glide to your destination with speed. An addition to the speed, you can also use this to sit in for general use.
I am literally sitting on this chair as I type this article out. You can find it on Amazon (yes, I am an affiliate and get a kickback… but this chair has lasted a long time!) https://amzn.to/3XyLgvd
You can generally get these office chairs either new for a premium price or just check Facebook Marketplace. The crutches for you inside and outside the home, but a computer chair is for the home. I wish I would of done this in my teens, twenties and early thirties. I only just started using a computer chair in the last three years and it has been a game changer.
Hope you enjoyed this list. I will come out with a part two, three, four etc so be sure to bookmark my website and follow my youtube page (38) My Quarter Century Gout Journey – YouTube
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