Once called the “disease of kings,” gout has a long history of being associated with portly men – especially those who could afford to overindulge in rich foods and alcohol. But women are not immune from the sudden, painful joint attacks, especially after menopause. Vicky King, 46, of Alpharetta, Ga., – a thin, petite, active woman – was dumbfounded when she was diagnosed with gout.

“For the past three years, I lived under a diagnosis of OA; I never imagined gout was the true cause of my pain,” says King. “But one night I had such burning, stabbing pain, and my foot swelled to the point where I could not walk. On that night I was ready to accept any diagnosis as long as they could fix the problem,” says King.

During menopause, which occurs at age 51 on average, a woman’s body drastically cuts its production of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen may help the kidneys excrete uric acid, so after menopause, a woman’s uric acid level begins to increase. It usually takes several years for the uric acid level to reach the point where crystals can form; by about age 60, the number of gout cases in women and men are about equal. After age 80, more women than men have gout.

Your doctor can determine whether your body makes too much uric acid (you’re an “overproducer”) or doesn’t excrete uric acid fast enough (you’re an “underexcreter”). If you’re an overproducer, you can take allopurinol (Lopurin, Zyloprim) to decrease your body’s uric acid production. If you’re an underexcreter, you can take probenecid (Benemid, Probalan) to help your body eliminate uric acid. In addition to medication, you can control how much uric acid your body produces by avoiding foods high in purines, which increase the uric acid level when they are digested and metabolized. Such off-limit foods include alcohol, bacon, haddock, liver, scallops, turkey, veal and venison. Go light on moderate-purine foods, such as asparagus, beef, chicken, ham, mushrooms and shellfish.