Well you should have asked your doctor ..

He seems to be adept at telling you there is nothing HE can actually .. DO ..
but he should have been able to tell you how long an attack can last ..

But in the meantime ... it seems hemodilution .. mentioned in the article /
phlebotomy .. IS used for .. pain ..

http://tinyurl.com/2g4f5

The rest of the urls' speak to hemodilution in general ..

http://tinyurl.com/3ye4k

http://tinyurl.com/3dvsv

http://tinyurl.com/ythha

http://tinyurl.com/2tsmp

http://tinyurl.com/2zuk4

http://tinyurl.com/35hhw

http://tinyurl.com/2y4s7

http://tinyurl.com/23ljt

Who loves ya.
Tom

===========  snip  ==============

Been there, done that.

I've been able to arrest two major attacks within 24 hours and
be close to pain-free within 3 days -- minor joint pain goes on
for about two months afterwards.

I had a couple of very minor attacks over the last couple
of years and then bad ones in December and February.  
Both were real attention-getters and made me serious
about avoiding another one.  Did well for about three
months but fell off the diet wagon last month and had
another minor attack.  It's that extra beer or Shimp
Tempura when I've had fish or a turkey the same week
that does me in.  I'm getting better at sensing my body.
In my bod, increasing lower back pain is the signal to
clean up my diet and drinking act.  Look for a signal of
your own.

Maybe there's nothing new down below but the following
should help within a couple of days (decreased pain will
linger for a couple of weeks though):

1.  During any attack, increase your water intake beyond 3
quarts per day.  (Minimum of 1/2 ounce of drinking water per
pound of body weight in each 24 hours.)

2.  Place a moist compress on the joint every hour.  Alternate
cold to help with pain and warm to help get the crystals back
into solution (not too effective but anything is a step in the
right direction.  If it's a joint in the legs or feet, use a cane to
keep weight off the joint.)

3.  Avoid aspirin or Tylenol -- use Ibuprophen only if it helps
with the pain.  When it doesn't help, it's probably worth avoiding.
(Aspirin, Tylenol, alcohol and most alkaloid drugs slow down
the elimination of Uric Acid.)
 
4.  A lot of people report that eating sour chrerries helps --
1/2 pound of fresh cherries for a day or two.  Or, a can of
Musselman's unsweetened sour pitted cherries.  I have tried
the 'cherry cure'--may have helped but, they are sour enough
to give one something else to think about.

5.  Diet:  Stop any weight-loss diet until the attack is over.  
Stop booze.  Stop purine producing foods (beans, meat, fish
& foul) until you've got the attack arrested.  Get protein
from no-fat dairy or eggs.  Avoid fat.  Avoid fish and any
game.  Eat/drink 'alkaline-ash' foods (Orange juice, lemon
juice, bananas, avocados, most veggies except spinach &
cauliflower.)
 
6.  Unless your doctor says otherwise, stop diuretics or any
laxative or purgative colon therapy that will dehydrate your
body.  Increase your fiber intake.  Some gout victims swear
by a large garlic-fennel seed enema though and that may
help.  I tried it for both major attacks--don't know if it
helped but I did smell of garlic for a couple of days.

7.  I've got a buddy that swears by taking a potassium pill and
drinking a couple of quarts of water while sitting in a sauna
for an hour.  Have never tried that one.

8.  If you can't arrest an attack, see your doctor and ask
about short term Colchicine.  I've not gone this route.  My
doctor says it isn't pleasant--they keep increasing the dose
until it works or the vomiting becomes too severe!

Second, once you're over the attack, you should be able to
control things with a sensible diet.  A couple of large glasses
of milk each day & 2-3 quarts of water.  Learn to like 1.5%
fat Cottage Cheese & veggies.  Avoid fish and cold cuts.  Eat
the purine foods in moderation--count servings of beef, chicken
and pork each week and stay within an allowance that works.  
If this doesn't do it you should ask your doctor to place you
on daily Allopurinol.

I think some of the diet info for gout victims is a bit extreme
and has been influenced by the anti-purine folks (who have
issues with other diseases.)  I'm really feeling my own way
on this stuff.  Since I'm a third time victim, in the last six
months I'm no expert in living without an attack.

Hope this helps....Mike