Colchicine can be used to prevent gout attacks while starting allopurinol or febuxostat. The usual dose is:. It is generally recommended you keep taking colchicine for 3—6 months after the target serum urate level has been reached by taking allopurinol or febuxostat.
Colchicine is a useful and effective treatment for gout and is usually safe. Most people who take colchicine have no problems but extra care is needed when taking it. People who are over 65 years of age are especially at risk. Signs that you may be taking too much colchicine include:.
If you get any of these symptoms, stop taking colchicine and contact your doctor immediately or freephone Healthline Colchicine may interact with a few medicines and herbal supplements, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting c olchicine and before starting any new medicines.
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Information for healthcare providers on colchicine The content on this page will be of most use to clinicians, such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists, specialists and other healthcare providers. Pain, inflammation and function were not reported. Low-quality evidence downgraded for imprecision and bias from two trials participants suggests that high-dose colchicine compared to placebo may improve symptoms, but with increased risk of harms.
More participants reported treatment success at 32 to 36 hours with high-dose colchicine per compared with placebo per : RR 2. Pain and function were not reported. Low-quality evidence from a single trial comparing high-dose to low-dose colchicine indicates there may be little or no difference in benefit in terms of treatment success at 32 to 36 hours but more adverse events associated with the higher dose.
Similarly, low-quality evidence from a single trial indicates there may also be little or no benefit of low-dose colchicine over NSAIDs in terms of treatment success and pain reduction at seven days, with a similar number of adverse events reported at four weeks follow-up.
Reduction of inflammation, function of target joint and withdrawals due to adverse events were not reported in either of these trials, and pain was not reported in the high-dose versus low-dose colchicine trial. We were unable to estimate the risk of serious adverse events for most comparisons as there were few events reported in the trials. One trial participants reported three serious adverse one in a participant receiving low-dose colchicine and two in participants receiving NSAIDs , due to reasons unrelated to the trial low-quality evidence downgraded for bias and imprecision.
Background Gout is a very common cause of inflammatory arthritis pain, redness, warmth and swelling of affected joints and is caused by urate crystals forming either within or around joints. Study characteristics This Cochrane Review is current to August Key results Compared with placebo medication, low-dose colchicine for people with acute gout may slightly improve treatment outcomes with little or no increased risk of adverse events at 32 to 36 hours.
Other comparisons are briefly summarised here: High-dose colchicine may improve symptoms compared with placebo, but with more adverse events. There were no trials that compared colchicine to glucocorticoids. Quality of the evidence We found low-quality evidence that low-dose colchicine may be an effective treatment for acute gout when compared to placebo and low-quality evidence that its benefits may be similar to NSAIDs.
Authors' conclusions:. Search strategy:. Selection criteria:. Data collection and analysis:. We used standard methodological procedures as expected by Cochrane in this review update. This is usually reversible when you stop treatment. However, talk to a doctor if you think you may be pregnant, or you're trying for a baby. This is because this medicine is not usually recommended in pregnancy.
Women who could get pregnant will usually only be prescribed this medicine if they are taking a recommended contraceptive. However, if you feel sleepy or dizzy after taking your medicine, do not drive, cycle or use any machinery or tools until you feel OK again.
Page last reviewed: 6 November Next review due: 6 November Colchicine On this page About colchicine Key facts Who can and can't take colchicine How and when to take it Side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions. About colchicine Colchicine is a medicine for treating inflammation and pain. It can be used to: treat flare-ups attacks of gout prevent increased flare-ups of gout when you first start on a medicine like allopurinol — taken to manage your condition long term prevent flare-ups of symptoms of familial Mediterranean fever FMF — an inherited inflammatory condition Colchicine is available on prescription.
It comes as tablets. Taking even a little bit more can be very serious. Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking colchicine. Some people find it's gentler on their stomach if they take their medicine with or after food.
Colchicine is not usually recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. Colchicine can be taken by most adults aged 18 and over. It can sometimes be prescribed for children by a specialist doctor. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you: have ever had an allergic reaction to colchicine or any other medicines have a severe blood disorder such as blood dyscrasia, low amounts of white or red blood cells, a low blood platelet count or problems with your bone marrow function have severe kidney or liver problems have problems with your heart or digestive system are pregnant, think you might be pregnant or are trying for a baby Women who could become pregnant will usually only be prescribed colchicine if they are using suitable contraception.
Follow your doctor's instructions about how many tablets to take, and how many times a day. Swallow your tablet whole, with a glass of water. How much will I take? For gout The usual dose is 1 tablet micrograms , taken 2 to 4 times a day. For familial Mediterranean fever FMF Doses can vary between 1 and 4 tablets micrograms to 2mg , taken once a day. Your doctor will probably recommend taking this medicine long-term. What if I forget to take it?
Never have 2 doses at the same time. Never have an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. What if I take too much?
Taking too many colchicine tablets can be very dangerous. It could be fatal. Symptoms of taking too much colchicine can include: feeling or being sick nausea or vomiting stomach ache bloody diarrhoea signs of low blood pressure such as feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
Like all medicines, colchicine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. However, even mild side effects can be very serious. Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic anaphylaxis to colchicine. Information: You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. Colchicine and pregnancy Colchicine can be used in pregnancy, although it is not prescribed often. Colchicine and breastfeeding Colchicine is not usually used for gout while you're breastfeeding.
Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you are:. Speak to your doctor before starting on colchicine if you take: medicines that can affect your kidneys, your liver or your blood check with your doctor if you're not sure clarithromycin or erythromycin antibiotics used to treat infections ritonavir or atazanavir antiviral medicines used to treat HIV infection ciclosporin medicines for psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and after an organ transplant ketoconazole, itraconazole or voriconazole antifungal medicines verapamil or diltiazem medicines for the heart disulfram medicine used to treat alcohol dependence Your doctor may need to adjust your dose if you are taking any of these medicines.
Mixing colchicine with herbal remedies and supplements There's very little information about taking herbal medicines and supplements with colchicine. Important Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. How does colchicine work? How long does it take to work?
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