Remember that hyperuricemia can be a killer if left untreated, regardless of how many or how often your gout attacks happen. You need to stabalize your blood uric acid levels to around 5 mg, and that isn't going to happen if you are not taking a medication like Allopurinol. So to answer your question, I would get a prescription right away.

For me, its been about two weeks since I've started Allopurinol. A majority of people do NOT get attacks while starting Allopurinol, however some do. You can also ask your doctor for colchicine to have just in case you feel an attack coming on. I wouldn't necessarily take the colchicine as a preventitive measure since you want to avoid using NSAID's as much as possible.

Rembmer that baking soda helps relieve the symptoms and pain of gout, but it really doesn't 'cure' it in regards to stabalizing your uric acid levels. If you take small amounts of baking soda while taking medication like allopurinol, you'll probably help prevent attacks. Just watch your blood pressure in regards to prolonged baking soda use.

Good luck and let us know how its going.

I haven't found the time to take the urine test yet because i am either working/coaching/taking the kids to their activities/etc. i can't just take out that huge jug or even a small container if i'm on the go. hopefully i'll be able to take the 24 hour accumulation in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime I have been taking the celebrex the doc gave me and all of the aforementioned twinges/swelling/discomfort has ceased. i feel great and have been even running alittle to supplement my usual non-impact exercise and lifting. someone said on another thread that he thought the baking soda helped his nsaid's work better. i think i agree at this point.

i know i will probably have to get on allipurinol or prebecid at some point. but, my 8 mg of ua may just be due to the dissolving of crystals in my feet brought on by the increased solubility of my ua due to my 7.5-8 ph. maybe this ua is temporarily high for that reason. i wouldn't want to get on one of those drugs and feel compelled to stay on it when i might not have needed it.

thoughts?

I felt the same way, however I had a blood test taken where my uric acid level was 9.5 mg. Shortly after, I had an attack that lasted weeks. I was taking baking soda daily, cherry extract, tried some ACV, fish oil, vitamin C, etc. Nothing helped the pain go away fully until I received a prescription for indomethacin from my doctor about five weeks after the pain first started.

I took another blood test after having done all that, and my uric acid level was 9.2 mg. The reality is that even with baking soda, diet changes, exercise, etc, it is likely going to take allopurinol to get your uric acid level to be around 5 mg.

A book I read said that diet affects the uric acid level by 1 or 2 mg at most; a strict low purine diet isn't very practical in the long term as well.

In the end you should find what works for you. However I will say that it is beyond question that it is better to take a safe medication such as allopurinol and have your uric acid level in control than to NOT take allopurinol and have hyperuricemia untreated.

Finally, remember that you can always try to reduce the dosage of allopurinol if your uric acid levels are stabalized between 5 or 6.. just be careful that doing so doesn't raise the level back up above 6.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Great info here, thank you. This is just the kind of advice I've been looking for.

You may also want to check out gout-pal.com. They have an excellent forum, lots of articles and information there as well.

Good luck!

The FDA has approved Uloric, the first new gout drug in more than 40 years. has anyone here begun taking it? It is supposed to be 3 times more effective than Allopurinol.

My husband has gout,he is on a low dose of Predisone for attacks,then as he goes off of that he's suppose to be on Allopurinol everyday.He also has diminished kidney function,not kidney diease.His kidneys work at 60%,so between inherited gout and the kidneys it's a real battle.
I have him on a "meatless" diet to try to help his condition,feed him lots of veggies,fruit, whole grains.He also will drink small amounts of cherry juice & light cranberry juice.I wish I knew what else to do for him,as he has "some" gout pain everyday.It never seems to subside completely,stress will also bring on an attack.Any other suggestions?

gepe,

It sounds like the kidney issue is the cause for the gout since the kidneys may not be able to filter the blood of uric acid. (I'm not s doctor). Has your husband tried colchicine? That's what I take to stop attacks. I'm not sure Allopurinol is doing much to prevent my gout, that's why I expressed interest in Uloric. I also eat bright red cherries to help, but I'm not sure how effective they are. Too many cherries give me gas, but it's worth it if it has an effect. Good luck with this. I enjoy about 5-6 days a month when I am totally pain free.

Hi there~

Well, your right my husband's kidneys only function at 60%.....thanks to the Army ( he has finally filed a VA claim) he was discharged for this condition.Now that he's in his late 50's he has gout, had it since he was about 42.That colchine is bad for him, made him sick,had diarrea.Actually, the Allopurinol does work,but he was recently in the hospital with pnemonia.He's been "tore down" ever since.I get him organic cherry juice, he drinks it like a"shot glass" full.He has some pain all the time anymore.It's the pits, but what can you do? only the best you can.I too have health problems...so I guess were a "peach of a pair"..huh?