What is Colchicine?
Colchicine oral tablet is a prescription medication marketed under the brand name Colcrys. It can also be purchased as a generic drug. Generic medications are typically less expensive. Generic medications may not be available in any strength or shape as the brand-name in some cases. Colchicine capsules are also available. The capsules are marketed under the brand name Mitigare. Generic versions of the capsules are also available.
Colchicine Uses
This drug is used to treat or avoid gout attacks (flares). Gout symptoms usually appear abruptly and affect only one or a few joints. Most often, the big toe, knee, or ankle joints are affected. Too much uric acid in the blood causes gout. When uric acid levels in the blood are too high, hard crystals may grow in the joints. Colchicine works by reducing swelling and uric acid crystal formation in the affected joint, which causes pain (s). This drug is also used to alleviate attacks of pain in the abdomen, chest, or joints that are caused by a hereditary condition (familial Mediterranean fever). It is believed to function by lowering your body's output. It is thought to function by lowering the amount of protein (amyloid A) produced by the body, which builds up in people with familial Mediterranean fever. Colchicine is not a pain reliever and should not be used to treat pain from other sources.
How to use colchicine oral
- Before you start taking colchicine, and any time you get a refill, read the Medication Guide given by your pharmacist. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about the details.
- Take this drug by mouth, with or without food, according to your doctor's instructions. Dosing advice varies a lot, and it's possible that it'll be different from what's mentioned below. Taking more than the recommended dose can reduce the effectiveness of this medication and increase your risk of side effects.
- If you're taking this drug to treat a gout attack, make sure you follow your doctor's instructions carefully. When you take this drug at the first sign of an assault, it works best. At the first sign of an attack, take 1.2 milligrams, then wait an hour before taking 0.6 milligrams. The maximum dose that should be taken in one hour is 1.8 milligrams. If you have another gout episode, talk to your doctor ahead of time about how soon you should start taking this drug again.
- If you're taking this drug to avoid gout attacks or treat pericarditis, talk to your doctor about the proper dosage and schedule. Follow the doctor's instructions to the letter.
- The normal dosage is 1.2 to 2.4 milligrams daily if you're taking this drug to prevent pain attacks caused by familial Mediterranean fever. The overall dose can be taken all at once or split into two daily doses. To monitor your symptoms or if you experience side effects, your doctor may need to change your dosage.
- The dosage is determined by your medical condition, other medications or foods you may be taking, and treatment reaction. Increase your dosage, take it more often, or take it for longer than your doctor prescribes to minimize your risk of severe side effects. Even at the normal prescription doses, serious side effects will occur.
- If your doctor advises you to take colchicine on a daily basis, follow his or her advice. Take it at the same time(s) every day to help you recall.
- Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, avoid consuming grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this drug. Certain drugs can cause an increase in the amount of grapefruit in your bloodstream.
- If your condition does not improve or worsens when taking this medicine to relieve symptoms of familial Mediterranean fever, contact your doctor.
Colchicine Side Effects
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Cramping
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Unusual bleeding
- Bruising
- Muscle weakness or pain
- Numbness or tingling in your fingers
- Pale or gray color of the lips
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Unusual weakness
- Tiredness
- Fast heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Rash
- Itching
- Swelling (especially on the face)
- Severe dizziness
- Trouble breathing
Precautions
- If you are allergic to this drug or have some other reactions, notify your doctor or pharmacist before taking it. Inactive ingredients can be present in this product, causing allergic reactions or other issues. For more details, speak with your pharmacist.
- Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any medical history you have, particularly if you have kidney or liver problems (such as cirrhosis).
- This drug's efficacy can be harmed by alcohol. When taking this medication, you should keep alcohol to a minimum.
- This medication can impair your body's ability to absorb certain foods and nutrients (such as vitamin B12).
- The drug's side effects, especially muscle weakness/pain and numbness/tingling in the fingers or toes, may be more noticeable in older adults.
- Colchicine has been shown to reduce sperm output, which can affect a man's ability to father a child. For more facts, talk to your doctor.
- This drug should only be taken during pregnancy if absolutely necessary. Consult your doctor about the risks and benefits.
- This drug is excreted in breast milk. Though there have been no reports of harm to nursing children, speak with your doctor before taking this supplement.
- This drug passes in breast milk. Though there have been no reports of harm to breastfeeding children, you should consult your doctor before doing so. Your doctor can advise that you take your medication at different times while breastfeeding.
Interaction
- If you take other drugs or herbal products at the same time, the effects of some drugs can shift. This can put you at risk for severe side effects or prevent your drugs from working properly. These drug interactions can happen, but they don't always happen. Changes in how you take your drugs or close supervision by your doctor or pharmacist may also avoid or control interactions.
- Colchicine can cause severe (even fatal) muscle damage in some people (rhabdomyolysis). As a result of the muscle injury, substances are released that can cause severe kidney problems. When taking colchicine with other medications that may cause rhabdomyolysis, the risk of rhabdomyolysis can be increased. Digoxin, gemfibrozil, pravastatin, and simvastatin are among the medications that are affected.
- This medication can cause false test results if it interferes with certain laboratory tests. Make sure your laboratory staff and all of your physicians are aware that you are taking this medication.
Overdose
- If you or someone has taken too much of this medicine and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, seek emergency medical help or call a poison control center right away. Symptoms of overdose may include severe drowsiness, fainting, seizures, fast heartbeat.
- Note: Do not share this medication with anyone else even if they have the same symptoms.
- Lab and medical tests such as blood pressure, liver function should be done while you are taking this medication. Consult your doctor for more details and information.
Missed Dose
If you forgot to take any dose, take it as soon as you recall it. But if it is near the time of the next dose, skip the forgotten dose. Take your next dosage at regular intervals of time. Do not double the dose.
Storage
- Store at room temperature far away from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom as well. Keep all medications away from small kids.
- Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it gets expired or no longer in use. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Colchicine vs Allopurinol
Colchicine |
Allopurinol |
|---|---|
| Also known as Colcrys | Also known as Zyloprim |
| Prevents and treats gout. | Lowers uric acid levels in the blood, and prevents gout flare-ups. |
| Used for treating Gout, Gout prevention, Familial Mediterranean fever, Behcet's disease, and Inflammation of the heart | Used for treating Gout, High uric acid in cancer, and Recurrent kidney stones |
| Dosage forms- Pill | Dosage forms- Injection and Pill |
| Doses need to be changed if you have kidney or liver problems. | Kidney stones can form while taking Zyloprim (allopurinol), so you need to drink a lot of fluids to help prevent this. |
