My husband has it. He has a prescription for 800 mg Ibuprofin for pain during attacks. He also has another prescription he can use when he has an attack and one he uses to help prevent them. I'll try to remember to ask him the names when he gets up. He doesn't use heat or ice. Diet is the best preventative, but like every other diet for medical reasons it gets difficult to follow. Mostly because by the time you have the gout diet, plus the high blood pressure diet, plus the 'added fiber' diet... it gets pretty tough to follow them all combined...

I have a family member that suffers with gout. It's terrible pain. He was told to cut back on too much protein in his diet. He doesn't eat near as much meat as he used to, or peanut butter, anything with a lot of protein. He hasn't cut any of it out completely though. And heat does work. He gets it in his wrists and sometimes his ankles. His dr. told him that "crystals" form and heat from a heating pad helps "melt" them, breaks them up. I would think a hot bath would also help? Maybe?

He also has pills he takes as soon as he feels the first signs of an attack, but I can't for the life of me remember what they're called right now.

I really hope you can get some relief from that awful pain.

Asked my husband and he said:

Indocin (Indomethacin) for pain
Allopurinol to help prevent episodes

He also mentioned a friend who uses a more natural approach and says that eating cherries helps when he has an attack. Or cherry juice.

Oh, how I remember the pain. I've had it once, when I was preggers with our second son. One foot was in so much pain, nothing to see...wasn't discolored or swollen, just hurt like he!!. I went to the Dr and at that time, late 50's, there wasn't anything he could give me to take. Partly because of my condition. I wouldn't wish this malady on any one. I don't have any advice, just hope it doesn;t last long and sending piles of sympathy.

I had it in my knees a couple of years ago. Horrible! The crystals, like slivers of glass, would travel through the joints, causing terrible pain. Eventually I told a cousin about it, and she said her husband's doctor had advised him to stop eating asparagus. I said, "I've been eating a lot of asparagus!" I gave it up and the pain went away, never to return (I hope). The fact that I was so willing to give up one of my favorite foods is testimony to the degree of discomfort gout can cause.

If I had to give up protein I'd be in trouble. Thanks to reactions to various foods and my need to avoid saturated fats and excess carbs, my diet is quite limited as it is. I do best with a high protein intake. Everyone's different.

Oh Vannie, you poor sweetheart, I feel for you. Andy has gout and is on Allopurinol as a preventative. I forget what he takes during a flare but know that one dare not take the Allopurinol if regular daily doses have been missed. I was just going to suggest the cherries, black cherries.

Drink lots of water
Apply Ice
Rest the foot, elevated.

I just called a friend and asked her what she recommends (she's a homeopath), and she said that (pending approval from your physician) there is a new OTC treatment, Flamosil, that people are giving great reviews. Often sold in healthfood stores. She also said to remind you to avoid food high in purines (shellfish, organ meats, peanuts.....) and get off the pred slowly....but soon.

I'm so sorry you are under the weather and hope you feel better soon, Vannie. Love ya.

I was reading on the internet that eating cherries are good for preventing gout. My neighbor, who is 86 said his doctor told him to drink cherry juice.

I also know someone who got great relief from cherries. I think he used the dried cherries.

Here's an article about diet that looks good. There are many others out there if you do a Google search on gout diet, or high purine food. Here's a second link - this one is to a list of foods that are high in purines: http://www.acumedico.com/purine.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Gout Diet

I've had periods of foot pain from gout and heel spurs over the years (also have kidney failure). The pain is awful but cherries or cherry juice do help. My best friend tipped me off to cherries.

jel48, thanks for that link. I have googled gout and don't know how I missed this site--I think it must be one of the best out there. It's so contradictory--my doc says you should eat a serving of beans or peas a day, yet this lists it as a high in purine. dang

The drug my late mom was given was colchicine that seemed to help her. She had dementia, so she couldn't tell us when the pain was first starting up for her so we could give it to her right away. It seemed like it kicked in within 2-3 days.

My husband's doctor said his Uric acid was to high in one of his blood tests and that it could lead to gout. He told him it was caused by his diet. Turned out to be everything he loved, especially bacon and nuts. He stopped those things and it was fine with the next test. I don't know if it would be to late to turn it around or not. There are some patient comments below about how they changed their diets and it helped.

Here is a link that might be useful: gout

Mom had gout in her big toe. She always said rich foods would cause it to flare up. I like the recommendation for cherries. Didn't know that.