Greetings!
The Gout Education Society is committed to raising public awareness of gout and arming people—like you—with resources to help you better understand gout and treatment options.
After a gout diagnosis, you will likely be given a medication to manage pain if you are having a flare, as well as a uric acid-lowering medication that will need to be taken daily. You should not abruptly stop taking your daily uric acid-lowering medication—even when you are not having flares—since stopping and starting a medication can actually cause flares and other issues.
The daily uric acid-lowering medication is prescribed to help treat the underlying cause of gout, which is elevated uric acid levels. There are several types of medications your doctor or rheumatologist may prescribe, depending on how high your uric acid levels are. It may take some time to find the right treatment for you. If you are taking a medication and are still experiencing flares, tell your doctor—they may need to increase your dosage or change your treatment plan. Uric acid-lowering medications do need to be continued for life, but you will hopefully live with fewer flares (and even potentially no flares!) with the right adjustments. Be sure to get your uric acid levels checked every six months and aim for levels to be at 6.0 mg/dL or below, depending on symptoms.
