Gout really is a pain in the...

...Foot, did you think I was going to say something else.
I guess Gout is Gods way to stop you in your tracks long enough to get your attention. I think his message is "You need to really look at how you are looking after yourself.
I had my first Gout attack just after Christmas, maybe it was the more than several beers enjoyed daily over the festive season or maybe just a bit too much good food. In hind site I have had minor niggles for a couple of years and just put the pain experienced in my foot, down to a stubbed toe or sprained ankle.
I have a family history of this kind of thing with my mother and uncles suffering from Gout in one form or another. So I guess I should have taken preventative action sooner but I didn't. Now, despite cutting out all alcohol and watching what I eat for the past 6 months, I am very annoyed that my foot has flared up again.
The cure is almost worse than the disease with the anti-gout drugs having a particularly strong laxative effect and the anti inflamitory drugs having lots of potentially nasty side effects. Maybe it's a boy thing to ignore problems until you're forced to deal with them but I certinally hope to learn from this one.
BTW God you have my attention, but please deliver the message to me here as I can't get up, my foot's killing me.