I've had it for nearly 20 years. There is no cure as such, but it is manageable. If it becomes acute they can give you medicine taken daily for preventative purposes--allopurinol. Otherwise they prescribe colchecine or indomethacine if you're having a gout attack, steroids such as prednizone if it's really severe. If you can't get to the doc, load up on ibuprofen.
Beer and organ meats exacerbate the situation, the latter popping up all over the place in gravies, broths/soups and sausages. A buddy bought me a polish sausage at the Dbacks game Tuesday without my asking. I ate it gratefully, but popped my pills as soon as I got home because that often triggers an attack for me. Drink LOTS of water if you're stricken--it helps you pee frequently (duh) and thus more uric acid is expelled.
I have friends who have had one or two gout attacks in their lives but don't seem to suffer otherwise. Anyone who has had a gout attack, even one, will tell you that the pain is excruciating--any contact with the afflicted area--even by a bedsheet--causes immense pain. I've had it in parts of each foot--it usually hits first-timers in the big toe--the elbows, wrists and hands. I've been lucky to avoid it in the knees or hips. Upper body is preferable, since otherwise it really screws up your gait and causes the rest of your lower body to adapt and take strain. I've had it stay with me for as long as three weeks, even with medication. I don't take the preventative allopurinol just yet because I refuse to take daily medicine for something that hits me only about three times a year now, but that may change. Some of the meds are hard on the kidneys and could lead to kidney stones, so obviously tell your doctor if you or your family has a history of those kinds of problems.
Peter S.-- if you're reading, I'm not putting this on my facebook page or twitter--this is an exclusive to Net54, to all my followers who I feel must know everything about my life
