Moe, my answer would be yes; go to the doctor for something to take
regularly to prevent the gout.  My husband was on colchicine and also
another prescription that I can't remember the name of right now.  And he
did fine with that.  Gout is so miserably painful.  Even a sheet touching a
toe can set it off.
Gwen

yes, you certainly can do that.  another thing you can do, in the meantime,
is get concentrated cherry juice (at any local health food store) and simply
take a tablespoon or two of it daily.

kate
  I got gout.   I've had it before,  but just in the big toe.  But a
month ago it was my ankle and I couldn't walk,  had to use crutches for
a couple of days.  It's still a little sore after a month.  The doctor
gave me Medrol, I suppose for the inflammation.  Things seemed to be
getting better but last night it flared up in my big toe, and it
throbbed really bad for a while. I took a pain pill and drank a lot of
water and it has pretty much cleared up already.     I watch what I eat
and I think a hay fever pill caused the attack yesterday.   I'm
concerned that my ankle hasn't completely cleared up after a month.  I'd
like to avoid permanent damage.  I guess the question is, should I go to
the doctor and ask for the preventive stuff?

  Thanks for the replies.   I've been eating cherries and drinking
cherry juice,  well Gerber's  cherry/apple juice.   I'll try the health
food store tomorrow and see what they can fix me up with also.  Also
drinking lots of water and watching what I eat.   I've got a doctor's
apt for sometime in November but if the ankle doesn't clear up I'll call
and go see him before that apt.

What kind of doctor?

Yes, if you mean a rheumatologist.

I have never heard of any "preventive stuff."
What are you talking about?  Drugs?  Exercise?

... For dessert, I'll take a pice of cherry 3.1415926.