Gout and taking responsibility. confusing facts

Hi all, Im 37 and had my first attack 6 years ago. I ran up the stairs and stubbed my toe on the way up. the following morning i was in agony, thought id broken it and went to A&E. Blood test and high uric acid was detected. I was perscrobed a course of colchicine and sent home. After about a week it was resolved. 

I did some research at the time as to what causes it and id been on a stag do a few days prior and put it down to that. 

Fast forward 6 years and my second attack followed the first bank holiday in April this year. Id been out drinking with firends then on the follwong day a boozy afternoon and rich meal and cheese board with the family at a nice pub. the next morning agony. I knew what it was. 

After about a week of trying to elliveiate the pain with anti inflamatories i went to the doctors who didnt want to do a blood test and just visually confimed it was gout. talked to me a little about it and suggested initially colchicine as that worked before followed by allopurinol for the rest of my days. Natuarly i didnt want to be talking tablets for the rest of my life and asked if it was possible that a change in lifesyle could prevent it. To which the doctor confirmed it was.

I also talked about my inability to drink water. At work im tea and coffe and tend to go out with friends for a dinks once a month. With the occiasional lunctime pint on the last day of the month with work colleauges. But simply it is totaly alien to go to the tap and get a galss of water. looking at 2 litres a day seems impossible... however something i need to address. 

So to take responsibility, knowing what food groups can cause it and trying to avoid or in moderation and secondlt making sure im hydrated and not dehydrated.  

Since reading more and more about gout ive come to the conclusion from various articles that once you have high uric acid levels then you must have medication to keep them low regardless of diet and other lifestyle changes that you have done to take responsibiluty for yourself. Is this ture? 

It was my understanding that high uric acid causes crystals to form in joints and thus you get the gout pain. If a lifestyle change to reduce this level of uric acid prevents an attact then does this not do the same as allopurinol? 

Lets take for example my hydration. If im dehydrated then the uric acid is less soluble in my blood and harder for your body to process it out. If i drink more warter i help my body to remove it and as such my uric acid level is lower and perhaps in check. the same as what allopurinol does. 

What ive read is that this is not the case and you would still need allopurinol. Its quite confusing. All i want to do is to take some responsibility for myself and underdstand. If i can do this i can perhaps limit my attacks or potentially stop them and also reduce my risk of other associated and pretty scary health risks if nothing is done.

Thanks for the help and pointers.

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