Brief Answer:
detailed below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome to Healthcare Magic.

I read carefully your query and understand your concern..

Gout is a condition caused from high levels of uric acid in blood.
Takin Hydrochlorothiazide for a long time can increase the level of the uric acid in blood so it will deposit in joints causing inflammation.
So since you have been taking hctz for 4 years ,it is possible that this has causes the gout symptoms.
The treatment of gout consist in decreasing the inflammation on joint at the time of a gout attack and after this the aim is to lower the level of uric acid in blood in order to prevent further attacks.
The uric acid in blood should be under 6 ml /dl in order to prevent further attacks.In this level ,uric acid will not accumulate in joints and the crystals formed in the joints will disolve gradually.

So ,if the cause of gout in your case was only HCTZ ,this means that after stopping this medication the level on uric acid in blood will be back at normal values and you won't have other gout attacks.

The level of uric acid of 4.5 mg/dl is in normal range so you don't need any kind of medication.
You should do some diet changes and avoid food that contain uric acid.You should drink plenty of water and exercise regularly.. Limit the amount of high-fructose drinks, such as nondiet soda. Also, do not drink alcohol, especially beer. Restrict eating foods that are rich in purines, compounds that break down into uric acid. These compounds are high in meat and certain types of seafood.
It might be necessary to measure the level of uric acid periodically .


Hope it helps.
Let me know if you have any other question.

Kind regards,
Dr.Rovena Murati

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