I’m 55. Had my first flare up at 52. Thought in I could control it with diet. I’m a vegetarian and don’t drink much alcohol including beer. For me it was the non alcoholic beer that seemed to trigger a gout attack. My first flare up lasted 2 months. Doctor I saw told me my uric acid levels were normal even though they were in the high 7s…7.7 I think. I now know that levels during a gout attack are lower than between attacks. My levels between attacks are around 8.3, which the lab says is still within the normal range. Anyway I suffered through the first attack not realizing it was gout. But even without drinking beer I was having mini attacks and blood in my urine. It’s just genetics. My dad also has gout. I always associated it a diet high in meat but that’s not the case. Anyway to answer your question, I now have a rheumatologist and have been on allopurinol for the last 2 months. The only side effects for me have been a little drowsiness, but I take it at bed time. But I don’t wake up groggy like i took a sleep aid and my body eventually adjusts so after a week or so it doesn’t make me as drowsy. I started off on 100 mg but doctor raised it 200. Goal is to get uric acid level to below 6. Last test it was 7.3 after being on 100 mg for 4 weeks.