Hi Docs

I have recently suffered a strange condition and have been unable to find a diagnosis.
Yesterday I drank some cider (1 bottle) and within an hour I started getting a pain in my lower legs, my calf muscles to be exact. This is not the first time I have had this pain and previously shrugged it off and the pain went away. I attribute it to the cider because in the past when I suffered this pain I had been drinking beer (such as Becks, Kronenbourg or white white). Do you know what this condition is and how serious is it. I have been unable to get to a doctor bt if the pain continues I will go. Any advice will be appreciated.
Maybe this is a good reason to stop me drinking>
Thanks

[Dr Jose]

Hello, there!
Difficult to give you a certain answer and you might need to have a blood test to chack a number of things, including uric acid levels, which when high can cause gout. Calf or leg muscle pain could be a symptom of gout. High levels of uric acid can be caused by foods and alcoholic drinks with high content in purines, like beer, wine and spirits. Cider is not usually associated with gout, in fact apple cider vinegar seems to help it.
In summary, I am not entirely sure what the cause of your problem is. Obviously if you drink too much, the best advice would be to cut down as much as possible, and have a blood test to check that your liver is not suffering.
Best wishes,
Jose