My brother and I have got gout. When the attack comes, it is very acute and painful. Even if it is a very light touch on the spot (usually my first toe joint), it is superpainful.
While diet plays a part, genetics counts too. OK, I admit my diet is not very controlled. But for my younger brother, he eats carefully and avoids food with high uric acid content. He does not drink at all. Yet his attack is more frequent then mine!!
Every morning, I take a pill of Allopurinol 100 mg. I hardly get any attack these days (for around 2 years).
However, I still standby some Synflex (quite strong painkiller) and Colchicine (to treat acute attack) at home, in office and whenever I travel. If I do not have these 2 medicine and the Gout attack comes, then the pain is really unbearable!!
:(