About Colchicine

Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory drug primarily used to treat conditions like gout and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).

Colchicine 500mcg tablets are effective in treating gouty arthritis or preventing gout attacks. Gouty arthritis is caused by the high level of uric acid in the blood, causing inflammation in a joint and gout attacks.

So, Colchicine prevents gout attacks by reducing redness, swelling, heat, and pain in joints.  How does Colchicine work? What are its possible side effects? Let’s figure out more about this medicine!

What Is Colchicine?

Colchicine is a generic prescription medication, that treats gout symptoms and prevents gout attacks. You must take it regularly to avoid gout attacks or must take it immediately once you notice the symptoms of gout attacks. Moreover:

• Colchicine comes under a brand name called Colcrys. Its other brand-name versions are Gloperba and Mitigare.
• It is not necessary to take Colchicine for a long term.
• If you experience diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea, stop taking this medicine. 
• Colchicine is available in the form of a tablet, solution, or capsule.

What Is Colchicine 500 mcg Used For?

Colchicine tablet is used to treat or prevent gout flares (attacks), involving or a few joints. Gout symptoms mostly occur in the knee, ankle joints, or big toe.

Colchicine lessens the building of uric acid crystals, reducing the pain in the affected joints. Colchicine is not a general painkiller so you must not use it to relieve other types of pain. 

The comprehensive uses of Colchicine are:

✅ Prevent gout attacks when used with other drugs such as probenecid, sulfinpyrazone, and allopurinol. 

✅ Treat gout attacks in adults and children of 16 years or older.

✅ Reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other types of heart procedures in patients with multiple cardiovascular risk factors or atherosclerosis (which is the growth of plaque inside your arteries).

✅ Treat a rare disease i.e. FMF, also known as familial Mediterranean fever in children of 4 years or older.

✅ It reduces the production and building up of amyloid A protein in your body, preventing pain attacks in joints, chest, or abdomen, caused by an inherited disease i.e. familial Mediterranean fever. 

However, if you are not sure whether you are experiencing gout attacks or not, consult your doctor and start your treatment according to the desired diagnosis.  

Ingredients of Colchicine

Colchicine contains two types of components: active and inactive.

• Active part: 500 mcg of Colchicine
• Inactive components: Maize, lactose, stearic acid, starch, and purified talc. 

Specifications of Colchicine

The notable specifications of Colchicine tablets are:

How Do Colchicine Tablets Work?

Gout attacks occur when high levels of uric acid build up in your blood, forming small girt-like crystals in your joints. It results in inflammation, pain, and swelling in joints. Colchicine tablets do not let your white blood cells reach the desired joints where gout symptoms are occurring. 

In this way, Colchicine tablets stop your joints from inflammation or swelling up, reducing your pain.

How Quickly Does Colchicine Work?

Colchicine tablets work quickly and relieve you from pain and discomfort. It breaks down the crystals of uric acid in your body within 30 minutes and disappears unwanted symptoms within 24 hours. However, most people get relief after 2 hours, 12 hours, or 1-2 days, depending on their health conditions and other factors. 

How to Take a Colchicine Tablet?

You must take Colchicine tablets according to your doctor’s instructions. He will guide you on how many tablets you must take and how long you should take them. Moreover:

Read a medication guide or patient leaflet for clear instructions. 

• Swallow Colchicine tablets with a glass of water.
• Do not change, stop, or increase your dose without your doctor’s recommendation. 
• You can take Colchicine tablets before or with your foods. 
• If you are taking Colchicine tablets regularly in small amounts for the prevention of gout attacks, always adhere to your doctor’s guidelines. 
• However, if you are taking Colchicine tablets in large amounts for treating gout attacks, stop this medicine once the pain is relieved or you experience any side effects.

Alternatives to Colchicine

Besides Colchicine tablets, many other medicines treat or prevent gout attacks. These are NSAIDs drugs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) which include:

• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen
• Prednisolone 
• Allopurinol 

However, consult your doctor before taking any medicine or starting any course.

Order Colchicine Online in the UK

You can buy Colchicine 500mcg tablets for gout treatment (gouty arthritis) from our UK-registered online pharmacy i.e. Ashcroft Pharmacy. You will get a free consultation and fast delivery in the UK.  

Author

Resources

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.6415.pdf

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6415/smpc/print

Colchicine 500mcg Dosage

The dose strength of Colchicine is different for different patients. So, take Colchicine according to your doctor’s advice. The dose of Colchicine tablets for gout attacks and FMF are: 

For Treatment of Gout Attacks

In the start, doctors recommend using two Colchicine tablets and after one hour, take only one tablet. However:

• You must not take any tablets for the next 12 hours.
• If you have to take it regularly, take one Colchicine tablet 3 times a day until symptoms are relieved. 
• Once you reach the limit of 12 tablets and symptoms are relieved, cease the treatment here. 
• Do not take more than 12 tablets and start another course for the next three days. 

Note: It is not recommended for children. 

• For Prevention of Gout Flare-Ups
• Prevention of gout flare-ups starts with other drugs such as allopurinol to lower the uric acid level in your body. For this, the recommended dose is one Colchicine tablet two times a day. Consult your doctor to figure out how long you should take this medicine. For children, the dose and use will be determined by the specialist doctor. 

For Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF)

For FMF, the dose strength varies from 1-4 Colchicine tablets (500mcg to 2 mg) in adults and children. You must take it once a day. 

For other Conditions

In case of liver or kidney problems, your pharmacist will reduce your Colchicine dose. If you have severe kidney or liver problems, avoid taking Colchicine tablets.

However, if you are an adult and want to reduce the risk of certain heart diseases, take 0.5 mg of Colchicine once a day. For children, the dose and use will be determined by the specialist doctor. 

What to Do, If You Forget to Take Colchicine Tablets?

If you forget to take your daily dose of Colchicine tablets, take it when you remember. If it is too late, skip your missed dose, and take your regular dose. Never take a double dose to compensate for the missed one. Also, do not take Colchicine tablets with a short interval or two doses at the same time. 

If you frequently forget to take your Colchicine dose, set an alarm or consult your doctor for better advice. 

What to Do, If You Take Too Much Colchicine?

If you take too much Colchicine, consult your doctor immediately as it can be fatal. Moreover, if you experience symptoms of overdose, which mostly occur after 3 hours, such as bloody diarrhea, low blood pressure, stomachache, vomiting, and nausea, seek emergency help from the nearest hospital quickly. 

Storage of Colchicine Tablets

You must store your Colchicine tablets at room temperature or in an airtight container, away from light, moisture, and heat. Furthermore: 

• DO NOT store Colchicine tablets above 25°C
• Keep Colchicine away from children's reach
• Disposal of Colchicine Tablets

You must dispose of your expired Colchicine tablets. Once you notice the signs of discoloration or deterioration in your Colchicine tablets, discard them immediately.

Also, do not dispose of your medicine in household waste or wastewater. Ask your doctor about the disposal guidelines to protect the environment and others from infections.

Warnings

Precautionary Measures for Colchicine Tablets

The precautionary measures before or while taking Colchicine tablets are:

Before taking Colchicine tablets, tell your doctor about your heart, liver, digestive tract, or kidney problems, if you have any.

If you have a blood disorder or you are weak, consult your doctor.

Alcohol affects the effectiveness of Colchicine tablets. So, if you consume it, limit its use.

Never exceed the prescribed dose of Colchicine tablets as it can be fatal for you.

If you experience any side effects like stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, stop taking your treatment and contact your doctor immediately. 

Colchicine tablets can cause serious bone marrow diseases so regularly get blood tests to monitor any changes in the level of white blood cells, platelets, or red blood cells.

Colchicine medicine contains lactose. If you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking Colchicine tablets.

Interaction of Colchicine with other Medications

Colchicine tablets can interact with other medications, resulting in low effectiveness and serious side effects. So, if you are taking any medicines, tell your doctor about these drugs. So, you must not take Colchicine tablets if you are taking:

• Antibiotics —- Erythromycin, Telithromycin, and Calithromycin.
• Antifungal drugs — Itraconazole, Voriconazol, Ketoconazol, etc.
• Antiviral drugs —- Atazanavir, Indinavir (used for HIV infection), Ritonavir, etc. 
• Certain heart medications —- Diltiazem and Verapamil.
• Ciclosporin (used to prevent rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and organic rejection after a transplant). 
• Disulfiram (used to treat alcoholism) 
• Tolbutamide: It controls blood sugar levels and if taken with Colchicine will increase Colchicine level in your blood.
• Cimetidine: It reduces stomach pain and if taken with Colchicine will increase the Colchicine level in your blood.
• Digoxin: It treats certain heart diseases and if taken with Colchicine will cause muscle disease called rhabdomyolysis.
• Fibrates: It lowers cholesterol levels and if taken with Colchicine increases the risk of rhabdomyolysis. 
• Certain herbal supplements and remedies

So, if you are taking any of these medicines, tell your doctor before taking Colchicine tablets as they will damage your blood, kidney, or liver. 

Foods to Avoid When Taking Colchicine

Grapefruit or grapefruit juice increases the level of Colchicine in your blood, resulting in severe toxicity and side effects. So you must not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medicine. Similarly, alcohol causes gout attacks. So while taking Colchicine tablets, it is recommended to consume less or no alcohol.

Colchicine Tablets And Pregnancy 

If you are pregnant or planning to be, do not take Colchicine tablets. 

Colchicine Tablets And Breast-Feeding

If you are breast-feeding, avoid taking Colchicine tablets as it can pass via breast milk and affect your newborn. Your doctor may recommend you other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Moreover, if you have the potential to conceive a child, do not use Colchicine tablets unless you are taking effective contraception.

Colchicine Tablets and Fertility

If you take Colchicine tablets for a long time, it will reduce sperm count in men. So, you must stop taking Colchicine tablets once your pain is relieved.

Side Effects of Colchicine

Like all medicines, Colchicine tablets show side effects. Its common side effects are:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Stomach pain
• Skin problems
• Swollen mouth
• Unusual bruising 
• Stomach pain

If you experience these side effects, consult your doctor immediately. He will change your dose and relieve you from these unwanted side effects. Some serious side effects of Colchicine tablets are:

• Nerve damage
• Inflammation of nerves, causing numbness, pain, tingling, or weakness.
• Liver damage
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Hair loss
• Rash
• Muscle pain
• Kidney damage
• Painful periods
• Affecting the menstrual cycle in females and sperm production in men.

 Not everyone gets these symptoms. However, if you get them, visit your doctor immediately and stop taking Colchicine tablets.

Colchicine Summary

Ingredient Colchicine 500mcg
Colchicine Dosing Maximum of 6mg (12 tablets) over 3 to 6 days

Once your order has been approved by our UK medical team it will be dispatched via Royal mail. All orders are sent using a tracked and signed for service.

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Orders placed after the cut-off on Friday will be delivered on Tuesday.