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I have been talking colchicine tablets for gout now for 4 days and they are having no affect on the pain or swelling

Posted , 27 users are following.

graham129
graham129

1 tablet twice a day

0 likes, 54 replies

54 Replies

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  • spireman
    spireman

    Posted

    Blood test update.

    My blood tests showed low uric acid content so iot looks like I have not got gout. I am back to the docs after Christmas to see what can be done now. X rays/ review gout medicine? treat for arthritis /ruematism? I hope its not reumatisn cos I can't spell it.

    • ktpbwp
      ktpbwp spireman

      Posted

      There is a thing called pseudogout (no uric), ask your doctor

  • veli70979
    veli70979

    Posted

    I had a gout attack recently and the pain after seven days has not yet subsided. I took 12 tablets of colchisine (maximum dose on leaflet) on the first day, further four after 36 hours and 4 more after another 48 hours with no effect. Alarmed by the side effect warnings I started searching, before taking any more colchisine, articles about its mechanism and toxicity. I do not understand why colchisine should be good for gout at all. The thing it seems to be doing is to destroy your white blood cells (and also other cells in your body) which are at the site to defend your body. Colchisine does not interfere with uric acid or its crystals. Doesn't what I need is something which would help clear the deposited uric acid crystals at my joints? So far drinking plenty of water, rest and patience seem to be the only way. I agree with beacher101; my list of food that trigger gout gets longer at every attack: the sausages, beer, offals, liver and with this recent attack the mussel.
    • johnakapogo
      johnakapogo veli70979

      Posted

      Colchisine works by clearing uric acid thru the liver...that's why you get the runs when you take too much. However, in my experience, codeine greatly reduces  colchisine's efficacy because it is dehydrating and causes constipation defeating the action of the colchisine. Also, if you take aspartame in any form (fizzy pills like paracetamol or codeine/paracetamol...or many sugar free beverages ytou are in big trouble. Aspartame and aspirin are two things you need to avoid if you are gouty as they make things 10 time worse.

      Don't eat the usual foods proven to cause gout like prawns, anchovies (in all pasta and pizza sauces and even in fish oil) organ meats, processed meats and all sausages, bacon, ham, etc, but don't eat asparagus, spinach, beans, peas, chick peas and especially lentils as they are very high in purines (which can become uric acid in your body. Especially avoid beer as it is purine rich and also contain guanasin which prevents you from getting rid of uric acid.

      Above all, get on to Adenuric if you can, which, unlike Allopurinol, actually stops your body from producing excess uric acid. Ask your doctor about it.

      Forget blood tests. When you are having a gout attack your blood uric acid levels are low because all the excess uric acid is crystalising in your joints and so your blood levels will likely be normal. I have never heard of such a useless and meaningless test. Extracting fluid painfully from your affected joint is also useless as the uric acid is crystallised and won't likely be sucked into a needle.

      If your gout doesn't clear with colchisine ytou might suspect the other gout known as pseudogout which is calcium pyrophosphate crystals and is a lot harder to get rid of and lasts much longer than gout. It is often multi-joint and can migrate from joint to joint without ever going away completely. Attacks of pseudogout can last for weeks, even months. Loads of water and anti-inflammatory drugs is about the only "treatment" option.

      Get 

  • Tarun
    Tarun

    Posted

    The way colchicine works is not fully understood but is thought to be due to an anti-inflammatory effect. Medicines like allopurinol work to reduce levels of uric acid and prevent build-up to avoid further attacks.
  • Derfel42
    Derfel42 graham129

    Posted

    Studies have been carried out, as to the most effective dosage of colchicine and they actually found that by taking any more than 2 tablets a day they lose their effectiveness. As a 20 year long gout sufferer I can say with 100% certainty that colchicine works really well, but I have found that you need to start taking it as soon as you start to feel that tingling sensation or ache that is the pre-cursor to a full on gout attack or episode. Leave it too late and you may need to take anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen. A word of warning with naproxen though, it is a little known fact that this drug is ototoxic (harmful to the ears.) I took it for years, only to find that I have now developed a nasty case of tinnitus. The consultant could find no other explanation for the tinnitus and said that it was probably down to the naproxen. Sorry to scare monger – but as much as you don’t want gout – you REALLY don’t want tinnitus!
    • beacher101
      beacher101 Derfel42

      Posted

      Thank you for the information on naproxen. I take 3 or 4 Aleve at the first sign of a flare. Fortunately, I have needed to take it less often. How often and what dose did you take naproxen? 
  • tezza467
    tezza467 graham129

    Posted

    There is some very good advice amongst the replies to this post, but the one thing that seems to be missing is the advice given to me when I first started taking Alopurinol for my gout over 20 years ago, is that if you continue to take it during an attack or inside that recomended ten week gout free period, it WILL!! cause your gout to get much much worse than it already is. I notice in some of the posts that people mention the fact that they continue to take their Alopurinol during an attack and, low and behold, their attacks have worsened. If you only heed one piece of advice, then heed this one as it really does make a difference.

    Since beginning to take Alopurinol over 20 years ago I have had very little problem with gout. It does take a while for it to build up in your system and really keep those urate levels down, but it is worth the perceverence. If I ever get that little tell tale pain that says 'Hello I'm gout and I'm coming to get you' I continue with my alopurinol and it is usually gone within a day. However, if it persisted for more than two or three days I would stop the Alopurinol imediately and start on the Colchasine.

    I hope that this is of some help.

    • alsie
      alsie tezza467

      Posted

      I rarely get attacks since I've been allopurinol, if I do, I take colchicine and naproxen or indomethacine but I never stop the allopurinol
    • alsie
      alsie

      Posted

      The attacks don't get worse (for me)

       

    • tezza467
      tezza467 alsie

      Posted

      HI,

      are they paricularl;y bad attacks or are they just what I would call a 'touch of gout'? I occasionally get a touch of gout with pain something like a very slightly sprained joint. When this happens I don't stop the Alopurinol and the pain subsides in a day or so, but from past experience, if it lasts any longer or gets any worse I know that if I don't stop the Alopurinol I will suffer a lot more. 

      This is advice from a couple of my doctors and it has always stood me in good stead. However, we are all different and maybe you are one of the lucky ones and are the exception to the rule, and long may it be that way for you because we all know what the pain of a really bad attack is like don't we.

      Good luck to you and here's to life without gout.

      As the old saying goes "Keep taking the tablets"

    • alsie
      alsie tezza467

      Posted

      The last attack was ferocious - right ankle and right knee simultaneously, it was extreme! 2 days of colchecine and indomethacin got it under control (indomethacine is the only anti-inflammatory that really works for me). I didn't catch it in time, if I'd caught on day one it would have not escalated! Praise Buddha for allopurinol!! Good luck!
  • nexia201
    nexia201 graham129

    Posted

    i was told to take colchicine untill i have no pain then start allopurinol as i had started allopurinol and it gave me a bad attack
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      Are you still taking allopurinol and did the attack subside?
    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      No i stopped allopurinol but this time i ha top of big toe an it is taking too long to subside , im not gona star allopurinol before all pain is gone , and all i could think of that is triggering it is the soda i drink as i dont take anything else that could trigger it. The funny thing is that 3 years ago i use to go out eveey week end and drink 1/2 bottle if vodka and never had attacks or had 1 or 2 times a year ,now that i havent bern going out for a 1 1/2 years i have been having attaks all the time .
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      Exercise and moving around a lot helps to keep the blood flowing. Drinking soda will trigger gout every time, the sugar or high fructose is the cause. Stop drinking soda's and you'll be fine. Drinking 1/2 bottle of any type of liquor isn't good, but in moderation it should be fine. Also, beer is the worse for gout as well as well as wheat.

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      They say that organ meats, rye bread or wheat of any type,  pumpernickel, soda, beer, salmon and herring all give gout attacks. Maybe see what you're eating from this list and avoid it.

    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      From that list all i take is soda ,a 1.5 ltr of Fanta or sprite a day and i drink 1.5ltr bittle of water too as i work outside and its 35deg most of the time
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      Ice tea would be better, or anything without the high fructose that's in the soda.

    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      Ok i will try to drink ice tea instead of cola . what is worrying me is that the doctor prescribed me colchicine gor 3 months twice daily and im seeing that its for too long as usually they give a 5 day corse .
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      I see. It all depends on the dosage though. When in doubt you can always ask a pharmacist they know exactly what the dosage is and how much you can take. Are you also taking something to lower your uric acid as well?
    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      Not yet as doctor stopped the allopurinol ali was taking and told me not to take it until im totally pain free for at least a day
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      Okay so then start taking it when the pain goes away and you can go off the colchicine as directed by your doctor. They say you can go off the colchicine when you take another drug to lower you uric acid, so this is what your doctor has done. I suspect he's prescribing you a low dose colchicine and he's also preventing you from getting another attack by having you take the colchicine & allopurinol which may take a while to start working in your body. Some people get attacks when they start allopurinol and don't have colchicine to prevent it. So, he's on the right track with you.

    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      Yes she said take colchicine and when pain goes take allopurinol with colchicine so you dont get the attack i usually get when i start allopurinol when im pain free ,and i have to keep taking them together for the 3 months of the colchicine .
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      Yes, I do but rather than take meds I take natural ingredients that seem to help.
    • nexia201
      nexia201 Sochima822

      Posted

      I tried cherry jiuce and apple cider vinegar but doeant seem to work , probably we dont get organic stuff here so the stuff we get will not do any good
    • Sochima822
      Sochima822 nexia201

      Posted

      I have tried cherry juice it works on me, but you have to drink lots of it if you have pain.  I also take Bromelain pills and Turmeric.
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