Well...Allopurinol is supposed to reduce the level of uric acid in your bloodstream, which in theory should help prevent attacks. Unfortunately it doesn't do a thing for an ongoing attack. Gout is caused by the immune system attacking uric acid deposits in your joints. The deposits themselves are inert; it's your immune system causing all the trouble. from what I understand the only way for an attack to stop is for a protective sheathe to form over the deposit(s), shielding it from detection by your immune system. Gout re-flares whenever that protective sheathe breaks down or you get a new deposit.

Prednisone is a steroid and suppresses the immune response - usuually. An alternative is an NSAID like Indocine; I'm surprised your doctor didn't prescribe that as well. Aspirin will make the pain worse so don't use it.

The two most popular home remedies are black cherry concentrate; 2-3 tablespoons a day, or 1/4t of baking soda in 8oz of water twice a day. I've had mixed results with those. One person I know cycles his foot between ice water for 2-3 minutes and then very warm water for the same amount of time. I don't think that really does much good, it just gives him something to focus on instead of the pain.

Yeah
I was on indocin (indomethicin and colcichine) for 3 years and now it doesn't do anything but make me sick.
I drink tons of cherry juice everyday and do epsom salt stuff, the baking soda never worked for me.'Thanks for your reply

Probably not much comfort now but there's a new drug coming out in the next couple of years that shows great promise. Humans and apes are the only mammals that get gout because they lack an enzyme that breaks it down into a simpler compound that is easily flushed by the kidneys. Savant Laboratories has a drug in Phase III development (meaning 1 step away from seeking FDA approval) that mimics this enzyme. So far they've had excellent results; significantly reducing or even eliminating uric acid deposits in the joints after 5-6 treatments in almost all test subjects.

Just as different foods affect gout sufferers differently, various drugs seems to have a different affects on us as well. However, the best advice I got from any Doctor was to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water everyday and all day. In addition to being a generally healthly thing to do, it'll also help to prevent uric acid from crystalizing.

The reason why you are in pain is because the uric acid is beginning to dissolve. Uric acid that is stable does not cause pain. As your levels of go down on allopurinol therapy, the acid crystals start to dissolve and shed a coating of protein. This "shedding is what causes the inflammatory response as white blood cells act upon it as an invader. Remember, even though you are in pain, there is light at the end of the tunnel - your body IS reacting to the reduction of uric acid in your blood. Allopurinol during an attack will usually increase its severity- just as lowering your uric acid too quickly will bring on attacks. You do not mention if you have tophi-
allopurinol will start to reduce the size and eventually eliminate them. Ask your doctor if you can go on colchicine. This drug will help with the pain as it turns off the inflammatory response.
THE main thing in successful gout treatment is to keep your uric acid down below 7. You will notice with time that your attacks will
cease.

Ask your Doctor about taking Probenicid with the allipurinol. Probenicid is drug that forces uric acid out through the kidneys. You must stay hydrated with this drug because it is pushing crystals through your kidneys. I am on both drugs because my body over produces and under excretes uric acid. It is working for me.

If your are having an attack, ask your doctor about Indomethacin. This medicine has alleviated my symptoms and gotten rid of attacks within a day to a day and a half. If taken at the outset of symptoms, I am able to prevent a full blown attack. Hope this helps