Black cherries to the rescue

March 22, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I started taking allopurinol about a year ago for gout with mixed success. I happened to mention having gout at my local gym about six weeks ago and was totally surprised to hear how many people have had it.

Then four people mentioned getting black cherry concentrate at the local health store at $17.00 for a three month supply. I cannot believe what a difference the cherry concentrate has made. My pain has been completely gone for the last month and I have been able to work out at the gym like I did before the gout started a year ago.

Thank you for the info on gout and keep your great medical column coming.
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Daily Column

January 12, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I recently read your article about cherries for gout and kidney stones. I am a great lover of cherries and use them myself. I feel I have resolved the solution of eating cherries when they are out of season and not available fresh in the stores.

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.

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Daily Column

October 28, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m writing to thank you for your suggestion to use cherries or cherry extract to relieve gout and also to tell you about cherries and kidney stones.

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. [Read more...]

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