How to use Gout-Cha!: the step-by-step guide

Before you start

Gout is a tough condition. Flares hurt, they come back without warning, and uric acid can stay too high for months without a single symptom. Nobody gets it under control in a week.

But once the routine is running, things change: you know what's on your plate, you watch your uric acid come down towards the target, and flares get further apart. And the benefit goes beyond gout. Paying attention to what you eat, drinking enough, keeping an eye on your weight: your overall health gains too.

The app doesn't replace your doctor or your treatment. It helps you stay on track between appointments, and walk into the consultation with numbers rather than memories.

Most people give up on a tracking app within the first few weeks. We wrote this guide so that you don't. Why people abandon tracking apps →

Your first three days

No need to set everything up at once. This is the order that works best.

Day 1 · Complete your profileThe starting questions set your purine limit and your hydration goal (30 ml per kg of body weight). Add your treatment too: it feeds the report for your doctor.
Day 1 · Log your first mealSearch for a food in the Food tab, or describe your plate to Cha! (“steak, fries and a salad”). You instantly see the meal's purines and what's left for the day.
Day 1 · Allow remindersHydration (6 a day), meals (lunch and dinner), medication at dose time. They're what keeps the habit going on the days you forget. You can adjust them in your Profile.
Day 2 · Add your treatmentProfile → My treatment. You then confirm each dose with one tap from the notification. Taking it regularly is one of the first things a rheumatologist looks at.
Day 3 · Enter your last blood testIf you have a recent result, enter your uric acid. It's the number that really tells you where you stand (see next section).
Day 3 · Add your next appointmentProfile → Next appointment. With an exact date, the app reminds you three days before, just enough time to prepare your report.

The blood test: your real dashboard

Pain fades, uric acid stays. Your uric acid level, measured by a blood test, is what tells you whether your gout is really under control. Without it, you're flying blind.

What's measured	Why
Serum uric acid	The key number. Usual target: below 6 mg/dL, i.e. 360 µmol/L. Sometimes below 5 mg/dL in severe gout (tophi, frequent flares).
Creatinine and eGFR	The health of your kidneys, which clear uric acid. Your doctor also uses them to adjust the dose of your urate-lowering treatment.
CRP	The level of inflammation, useful around a flare.

How often?: When starting urate-lowering treatment and after each dose change: close monitoring, often every few weeks. Once you're at target and stable: usually every 6 months. Your doctor sets the schedule.
When?: Away from a flare if possible: during a flare, uric acid can look misleadingly normal.
Where to enter it?: In the Uric acid screen, from Home or the Analysis tab. Enter the value in your lab's unit: the app converts it and plots it on your curve, against your target.

Uric acid tracking is part of Premium.

Everything about the target and how often to test →

These figures come from rheumatology guidelines (EULAR 2016, ACR 2020, NICE 2022). The exact target and schedule are your doctor's call.

The two-minute routine

The tracking that works isn't the one you do perfectly, it's the one you do every day.

After each meal: Log it straight away, while you remember. For a dish you eat often, “Log a meal again” (Food tab) adds it back in one tap.
Throughout the day: One glass of water, one tap. Coffee and herbal tea count too.
At medication time: Confirm the dose from the notification.
Once a week: Take a look at the Analysis tab: your purine curve, your days on target and, if you track your weight, a weigh-in.
During a flare: Log it as soon as you can: joints, intensity, possible triggers. A flare doesn't undo your efforts, and every flare you log makes the next ones easier to understand.

Everyone misses a day. Backup drops protect your streak, and they refill every month.

What each screen is for

Home

Your day at a glance: purines, water, meals (and calories if you track your weight). The + button gathers everything: drink, food, flare, medication, report.

Food

Over 1,000 foods with their purine content, a clear verdict (Excellent, Moderate, Avoid) and the source (CIQUAL, USDA, NIH). Standard portions save you from weighing.

Cha!, your AI assistant

Describe or photograph a dish: Cha! works out the purines and adds it to your log. You can also ask it about a food, a drink or a medication.

Analysis

Your curves by day, week, month or year: purines, hydration, flares, uric acid and weight. This is where trends show up.

Flares

Your flare log, with joints, intensity, triggers and duration. Over time, the app highlights what tends to come before your flares.

The triangle

Three habits that act together on uric acid: purines, calories, and alcohol & sugary drinks. Each day, the app tells you which one matters most for you and suggests one concrete action.

Advice

Cha!'s tip of the day, articles by topic (diet, hydration, treatment) and a direct way to find a rheumatologist near you.

Profile

Your goals, treatment, reminders, units (metric or imperial), next appointment and the PDF report for your doctor.

Unlimited Cha!, photo analysis, uric acid tracking, the triangle, triggers and the PDF report are part of Premium.

Our honest advice on the subscription

The free version covers the essentials of daily tracking: unlimited manual meal logging, 5 meals a day with Cha!, 30 messages a day, water, flares, medication, reminders and streaks.

Premium exists because every Cha! message has a real cost: the subscription pays for it, not ads or selling your data.

Our advice, even if it earns us less: start monthly. Take the time to see whether the routine sticks and whether your numbers move. The yearly plan makes more sense once the habit is in place, usually after two or three months. And you can cancel anytime from your app store.

See pricing →

Frequently asked questions

How long before I see results?

On your plate, from the first week: you'll know what's high in purines. On uric acid, allow a few months with well-followed urate-lowering treatment. Flares then get further apart.

I forgot to log for several days. Do I start over?

No, just pick up today. You can also add a meal to a past date. A gap in the log doesn't undo anything.

Do I need to weigh all my food?

No. Standard portions are enough for useful tracking. Accuracy comes from consistency, not from the scale.

Is my data shared?

No. It's used for your tracking and for the report you choose to give your doctor. It's never sold or used for advertising.

Question not covered here? Help & support →

This guide is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting, changing or stopping any treatment.

Getting the most out of Gout-Cha!