During cherry season I buy them by the large box. I separate them out into freezer bags and freeze them. I often have a hundred pounds or more at a time. Whenever I want to eat some or need to because of my gout, I simply take out a handful, wash them (since I don’t before freezing) and pop them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds. They taste just like fresh ones.

DEAR READER:
This is a novel approach to have “fresh” cherries year-round. Gout appears to respond to nearly any variety of cherry, even dried, canned, maraschino or juice. In my experience, most people like fresh cherries best so I am passing along your tip. Thanks for sharing.

My husband had seven kidney stones caused by gout crystals. He was given allopurinol to help control them but it only caused him severe pain across the bottom of his chest and top of his stomach. I was afraid his pancreas was being harmed. (We have a friend who lost his gallbladder, most likely because of his use of allopurinol.)

After seeing your article, I put my husband on two cherry extract pills a day. I figured if it helped gout, it would help kidney stones caused by gout crystals. I guess I was right because my husband has not had another kidney stone and it’s been five years!

DEAR READER:
It does appear that you were correct in suggesting your husband use cherry extract pills to treat his kidney stones. It makes sense that if cherries can alleviate the discomfort of gout, they should also reduce symptoms of kidney stones caused by gout crystals. I am therefore printing your letter for other readers input. Cherries can be eaten every day (10-15 fresh, dried, canned) or cherry extract (pills or liquid) can also easily be substituted for those who do not like cherries or find it hard to get them at certain times of the year.

I would also like to address your statements about allopurinol. Some people, such as your husband, are sensitive to the medication. Side effects can include allergy, nausea, diarrhea, rash, abdominal pain, and much more. One of the more rare side effects is hemorrhagic pancreatitis. I doubt that your husband was experiencing pain from his pancreas. As for your friend who lost his gallbladder, I also doubt this was due to allopurinol use. Gallbladder disease can cause symptoms similar to side effects of the drug. Chances are that these conditions simply coincided with their allopurinol use since most side effects from this medication occur in less than one percent of users.

That being said, both your husband and friend should have immediately stopped the medication and contacted their doctors if their symptoms were severe. The doctors could have given their respective patients exams, testing and changes in dosage or medication. There is no need to suffer debilitating side effects from medication taken for relatively trivial conditions. Gout is not deadly; it is simply annoying and painful. Kidney stones do carry some risks but in most cases are also harmless and will eventually (and painfully) pass on their own. If your husband had seven kidney stones at once, perhaps he should have tried other options such as lithotripsy which uses sound waves to break up the stones, making them easier to pass.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Dr. Gott’s Compelling Home Remedies”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

Please tell me who to see to get to the bottom of this agony.
DEAR READER:
Because gout affects joints, it is considered to be a form of arthritis. It frequently affects the big toe, but can also appear in wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, and other joints.

Gout results when too much uric acid is present in the body. Excessive alcohol consumption, radiation, crash diets, and certain medications can trigger an attack.

Because gout can mimic several other conditions, a primary care physician might have difficulty making an initial diagnosis. When doubt remains, the physician might have a sample of the joint fluid tested to determine if any uric acid crystals are present.

Dietary changes are vital. Foods high in purines (shellfish, alcohol, organ meats, and more) should be avoided. Alcohol should be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether. Cherries, dried, fresh, or in juice form consumed daily are purported to prevent attacks and should be included in the diet. If an attack occurs, cherries help reduce the pain and its duration. Positive lifestyle changes include weight reduction, control of cholesterol levels and treatment of hypertension. This may help keep this extremely painful condition at bay.

When these recommendations don’t work, medication might be necessary and there are several types from which to choose. Some are taken shortly after an attack has begun, while others are taken regularly as a preventive measure.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “About Gout”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.

I have not seen anyone mention this but I want to tell those who might be “put off” by this treatment because they think it will be oily and messy; it isn’t. I rub it on my hands at night, put on some soft gloves and go to bed. In the morning, my hands are not the least bit oily — just baby soft and smooth.

Now for the most important part of this letter.

Recently I was diagnosed with gout. I had a bad episode a couple of years ago but didn’t know what it was. When I had another episode, my doctor diagnosed it. I have learned to watch for the first signs of an attack (pain and discomfort in my big toe). It happened again recently so I tried rubbing castor oil on it. Instantly — and I do mean instantly — the pain disappeared. I put on a sock and went to bed. I didn’t have any pain all night. About an hour after I woke up the pain came back, so I put on more castor oil. Again, instant relief.

My podiatrist told me that gout is a form of arthritis so perhaps this is why the castor oil did such a good job. In fact, it worked better on my gout than on my arthritic hands! It might not work if the gout gets really bad before it is put on. I don’t know since I was diligent about putting it on as soon as the pain came back. I think the trick may be to catch it as soon as possible. I hope this helps some of your readers as much as it has helped me!

DEAR READER:
Thank you for writing to share your experiences. I had not heard of castor oil relieving the pain of an acute gout attack. So far the most popular method has been cherries. For this who experience gout, I recommend eating a handful (10-12) cherries (dried, fresh, frozen or canned) each day. This should prevent an attack. Another option is to eat 15-20 cherries each day once an attack has started. This should reduce the severity and duration allowing for more normal daily activity. Some readers have had success by drinking cherry juice rather than eating the fruit. I am glad to say that now there are several options (including prescription medication) to treat or prevent acute gout.

Folks, let me know about your experiences using castor oil for gout.

To give you related information, I am sending your copies of my Health Report “Compelling Home Remedies” and “About Gout”. Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 FOR EACH report to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).

We have been using a prescription medication on his psoriasis, every day, for more than two years. It has had very little effect. I rubbed the inside of the banana peels on the affected patches (his head, neck, face and back) once a day. After three days the psoriasis had nearly cleared up (about 90% was gone). My husband now uses the peels once a week to keep his skin clear.

Thank you, from both of us, for passing along all these helpful hints.

DEAR READER:
Other readers have had marvelous success treating their psoriasis with the banana peel therapy. It is cheap, easy, safe and — apparently — effective. For those unfamiliar with this therapy, all you do is rub the inside of the banana peel on the affected patches of skin once a day. Remember not to waste the banana. It is nutritious and delicious.

The other therapies you mentioned have also had positive results for many of my readers. Aside from the drunken raisin (raisins soaked in gin), cherries have proven useful in preventing or treating gout. Purple grape juice and liquid pectin have been equally successful in the treatment of arthritis. I have even had some readers write to me about its positive implications in relieving IBS symptoms.

To give you more information on these conditions and other home remedies, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “About Gout”, “Eczema and Psoriasis”, “Understanding Osteoarthritis” and “Dr. Gott’s Compelling Home Remedies”. Other readers who would like copies should send a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and $2 (per report) to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title(s).