How long do you take colchicine for gout?
Colchicine is taken to ease the pain of a gout attack. Take one tablet 2-4 times a day until the pain eases, unless your doctor tells you otherwise….About colchicine.
| Type of medicine | An anti-inflammatory medicine for gout |
|---|---|
| Available as | Tablets |
How effective is colchicine in treating gout?
Approximately 60 percent of patients will not achieve a 50 percent reduction in pain within 24 hours of colchicine treatment. Patients should be continued on treatment for the duration of the gout flare at reduced doses (eg, 0.6 mg once or twice daily as tolerated).
What are the side effects of taking colchicine?
Diarrhea, nausea, cramping, abdominal pain, and vomiting may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
How quickly does colchicine take to work?
Colchicine starts to work after around 30 minutes to 2 hours. However, it may take a day or two before you notice your inflammation and pain starts to get better. If you’re taking it to prevent flare-ups of FMF, you may not feel any different.
How safe is colchicine?
It’s generally a safe medicine, as long as you follow your doctor’s instructions. However, if you are taking a high dose for a long time, there is a small risk of getting kidney or liver problems. Talk to your doctor if you’re worried. They will be able to explain the benefits and risks of taking colchicine.
How long can you stay on colchicine?
Also, after receiving the medicine by injection for an attack, do not take any more colchicine (tablets or injection) for at least 7 days. Elderly patients may have to wait even longer between treatments and should check with their doctor for directions.
How many days can you take colchicine?
Is there an alternative to colchicine?
ColciGel® is a first line agent in the treatment of acute gout flares and an alternative to oral colchicine in those patients who experience either adverse drug effects (ADRs) or who do not achieve suitable symptom relief.
What drugs should not be taken with colchicine?
Colchicine should not be used with clarithromycin or erythromycin, and given the potential for fatal outcomes, it would be prudent to avoid all PGP inhibitors with colchicine (Table).
How does colchicine work in treating gout?
Colchicine is an alternative treatment for gout attacks for those people who cannot take anti-inflammatory painkillers. It works by reducing the number of white blood cells which travel into the inflamed areas. This helps break the cycle of inflammation and reduces the swelling and pain of the gout attack.
When to stop taking colchicine?
Stop taking this medicine as soon as the pain is relieved or at the first sign of nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or diarrhea. Also, stop taking colchicine when you have taken the largest amount that your doctor ordered for each attack, even if the pain is not relieved or none of these side effects occurs.
When to take colchicine?
When colchicine is used to prevent gout attacks or to treat FMF , it is usually taken once or twice a day. When colchicine ( Colcrys ) is used to relieve the pain of a gout attack, one dose is usually taken at the first sign of pain and a second, smaller dose is usually taken one hour later.
How long does it take for colchicine to take effect?
Initial effect can take anywhere between 12 to 24 hours with its peak anti-inflammatory effect occurring within 24 to 48 hours. Mechanism: Since colchicine is used for both systemic and dermatologic disease, it has been shown to possess multiple different mechanisms.