I had my first attacks in my 30's also.
With the pennies a day for ALLOPURINOL (200 or 300 mg depending on how I'm eating,) and I can avoid attacks completely.

My LAST attack about 3 years ago was MURDEROUS and was triggered by a weeklong chocolate pigout (Like 6-8 ounces of bunnies a day.) After 9 days crippling aggravation I called doc for some COLCHICINE...16 pills and 20 hour later the pain disappeared. I'd never be without a bottleful!

ALLOPURINOL is a godsend and allows you to eat whatever you want (except 5 pounds of milk or dark chocolate :D.) It has changed gout from an eventual death sentence to a mere addition of 2 pills to one's daily vitamins.

Annual (or more often at first) to make sure you're keeping uric acid below 6.0 (or BETTER 5.0) are a very good idea.

(ps...All I got from cherry juice was POOR- that stuff is $$PRICEY$$!)

My husband has had 2 extremely painful bouts of gout (no pun intended). :) I understand that it is as bad as kidney stones, which I have had several times and can relate to. His doctor prescribed Allopurinol for him. He takes 2 pills per day and has been without any flare up for about 3 years. It has really saved his day. The Allopurinol is covered by insurance, but I don't believe it's very expensive otherwise.

Good luck.