I've taken medication for gout for 6-7 years. There are far less dangerous drugs to combat it. I use a combination of allopurinol, which keeps the uric acid levels down, and indomethicin when it acts up. I think my brother takes colchicine. I rarely have any problems and nothing like when I was first diagnosed, when I couldn't even stand the breeze moving over my swollen toe. Except for the list of foods really high in purines, you can pretty much eat anything in moderation. The food I miss most is liver sausage. But I was never big on gravies, bacon, or organ meats. Also, limiting alcohol consumption to a couple times per week helps. But it's pretty manageable.