[capetonianm]

I know security staff come in for much criticism, often justified, but I must pay a compliment to Gatwick TN security.

I use this terminal a lot, admittedly with Premium access, and always find the staff at least quick and efficient, and at best pleasant and friendly.

Yesterday on departing I was suffering from a particularly bad attack of gout, and anyone who has not suffered from this can have no idea how painful, unpleasant and debilitating it can be. It feels as if the affected joint, usually the big toe, is on fire from inside.

I was asked to take my shoes off and explained that whilst I would happily take one off, taking off and replacing the shoe on the affected foot was a painful and slow process. He was sympathetic and asked me to put one shoe on the belt and then asked his colleague on the other side to wave his magic wand over the other shoe, without the need to remove it.

I then went to the ‘special assistance’ area just after security to explain that if my flight (which was not yet gated) was leaving from a distant gate, such as those over the bridge I’d need a golf cart transfer, but if it was from a 55x or a 56x gate, which are very close, I wouldn’t. The lady checked and confirmed it would be the nearby gates but then said : “We are quite happy to take you to the gate even if it is only a short distance. It’s what we’re here for.”

Very pleasant attitude and on a day when I was feeling pretty miserable, it cheered me up.

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ASK1945, SimonS1, JJ, CathayLoyalist2, DerekVH, cwoodward, K1ngston, GivingupBA, w8ster, Montysaurus, mkcol74, Simonsw19, Jacob, tomwjsimpson, alanred13

[Johnnyg]

Sympathy on the gout. I know how painful it can be.

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capetonianm

[AFlyingDutchman]

@capetonianm, Gout is so incredibly painful, but ever since I started on allopurinol, I have never had a recurrence of gout. Do you take any medication for your gout?

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capetonianm

[thecartoonman]

My other half had a client who relived his agonising gout symptoms with a daily dose of Concentrated Montmorency Cherry Juice available from health shops like Holland & Barrett in the UK.

After imparting this news to my brother in law his gout has almost completely cleared up, he sometimes gets a bad attack but only very rarely and for this he is prescribed medication, but the Cherry Juice has been a game changer for him.

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

Thank you both.

I was taking Allopurinol as a preventative but stopped after a period without any attacks. Yep, stupid! I take Colcichine for the attacks.

In addition, I’ve been trying various natural remedies, including nettle tea (revolting), rooibos with honey, eating cherries, which I love, and I will try the cherry juice as that is probably pleasant too. I am also trying to drink more liquids, mostly water, than usual, but the downside to that is the need to use the loo several times during the night. I tried cranberry juice but it is absolutely foul, bitter and rancid.

I may sound like a wimp but last night I woke with a cramp in my ankle and calf and a gout flare up and it was agony. Getting old is not for sissies!

[cwoodward]

‘As a matter of fact Iv’e got it now’

I sympathise capetonianm I have hereditary gout with the first attack when I was 12. It came on while I was playing cricket for the school and was so bad that they carted me off to hospital with a suspected broken big tow. It took a couple of days in hospital before it was realised I was suffering from gout.

Reasonably under control these days but if I eat too much of the wrong things it flares up as it did on Sunday. My own fault and receding now. I also recommend the Cherry juice,it is not a preventative in my case but does relieve the symptoms…eating the cherries is much more fun though!
Lots of water helps me considerably and I don’t much mind the nighttime excursions.

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capetonianm

[capetonianm]

Again thank you all for your comments. I was able to find the cherry juice concentrate and have been drinking it. Not very nice, but better than gout which meanwhile continues.

Being someone who loves walking, and does so for pleasure as well as to get from A to B, I am finding this episode quite depressing. Even walking a few yards is painful.

[cwoodward]

I feel for you Capetonianm.

On occasions when gout is rife and I need to use business shoes and walk as normally as possible I take an anti-inflammatory tablet like Voltaren once a day for a couple of days. It works in a couple of hours to reduce the swelling and is a great help.

[capetonianm]

I have discovered that whisky helps to elminate uric acid.

Whisky has been found to have a property that decreases the serum uric acid level. Excretion of uric acid from blood is increased by 27% after drinking whisky. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate drinking of distilled liquors did not enhance serum uric acid level, blood glucose, or insulin level in healthy male subjects.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12198370

There are other sources that say the opposite, but the one above is good enough for me, given that I am rather partial to a good Islay single malt. I’m even wondering if I can claim a bottle or two of Ardbeg a month on my medical aid, purely medicinal of course.

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Montysaurus, cwoodward

[openfly]

How does a discussion about LGW security end up as a chat about gout!? 😀😀

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Ekond222

[kevin46]

I couldn’t agree more about security staff at LGW. Last time I passed through it was chaotic with so many European students undergoing secondry checks, but while I too was waiting my turn for same, It was fascinating to watch the staff patiently explaining to teens with limited English as to why their liquid make-up etc should be packed in plastic bags. Just wish some of them were transferred to LHR, but maybe it’s a different contractor

[kevin46]

You just took the words out of my mouth, openfly.

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Ekond222, openfly

[K1ngston]

Moving away from gout also! It was a few years ago I was based in Jamaica and I was heading back there with BA and I had gone through the Premium Lane, at the time I always had 2 phones, and I was chatting with the security staff and laughing etc and I heard a chime, paid no attention and then one of the team was holding up one of my phones asking who’s it was? Not paying attention I told him it was mine and he told me there was traces of explosives and that he had called the Police!

I was flabbergasted to say the least and didn’t react before a Policeman arrived and led me away explaining that now a secondary test would take place on the phone and to be patient!

The Supervisor for the Security team came and started talking to the original person and then starting performing more tests on the phone. I was chatting to the Police Officer who was calm and polite but had positioned himself as to prevent me leaving (if I felt the need to do so)

I watched the subsequent testing and then a heated argument between the Supervisor and the staff member before she came up to me handing me the phone and apologising profusely. Apparently there was a feint trace of something that a trained operative should have known was a) below acceptable levels and b) didn’t explain that it could be something as tame as nail polish remover or something similar!

The Police Officer relaxed and I was asked if I wanted to report the issue, I was happy with the explanation, the apology and I was free to go on my way, my point, the team albeit stern were polite but firm kept me in the loop and because of their professional attitude defused any situation. Luckily it didn’t happen at Heathrow where I am sure it would have been handled somewhat differently!

Point is must not remove my nail polish before I fly in future 🙂

[Author]

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