Question
Over the past 6 years i have experienced 5 or 6 episodes of what i originally believed was gout. The first episode started in my left ankle lasted about 7days and then went to my right ankle. One episode went from knee to knee. As i write i am just recovering from my latest episode that started on my inner left thigh and then spread down to the knee. Can this be gout without being centerd around a joint?

Answer
This info from NIAMS (the part of the NIH concerned with arthritis) names the areas where gout can occur, the most common being the big toe:

In addition to the big toe, gout can affect the:
Instep
Ankles
Heels
Knees
Wrists
Fingers
Elbows
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/ffgout.htm

It doesn't sound like you've seen a doctor for this.  You should make an appointment as soon as possible and find out what's really going on.  If it is gout, you're ahead of the information game, and you and your doc can work together to find a solution for you.