I've had gout attacks off and on for many years. My doctor tests my uric acid about twice a year and it is usually above 8 and below 9. I am also type 2 diabetic and have my hba1c tested every three or four months. Since my doctor only orders the uric acid test once in a while, I assumed that uric acid doesn't fluctuate much.

The problem is that it is impossible to know whether various remedies one reads about such as cherry juice, herbal preparations, low purine foods, baking soda, etc., have any effect if one cannot measure the effect by testing the uric acid level.

I recently found a uric acid meter on the internet and ordered one. I've been testing every morning before eating and am surprised that it fluctuates widely with reading so far (over 12 days) between 3.6 and 7.6 with an average about 4.5.

The question, is: does anyone know how rapidly the uric acid level in the blood responds to dietary input and also to allopurinol input?

I'm also getting the impression that the uric acid in the tissues is a different matter than the uric acid in the blood and that it may take a while for lowered blood uric acid to have an effect on the level in the tissues. Or maybe there is little or no relationship between the two. Is there any information about what will lower the uric acid levels in the tissues (get rid of the crystals in the joints, etc.) ?

Paul rowe