Colchicine

What is Colchicine?

It’s a treatment for gout that can be used to help manage flare ups of the condition when they strike. It can be taken for long term relief too, usually at the beginning of treatment with other gout management drugs like allopurinol.

Gout is a painful inflammatory condition that attacks the joints of the toes, but it can also affect the hands and wrists, too ^[1]. It’s caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood, which forms crystals in your joints that triggers the pain and swelling in gout attacks.

Taking Colchicine to help manage the condition can be very effective in reducing the pain and discomfort associated with gout. If you think you’ve got gout symptoms then it’s worth having a quick chat with your clinician who’ll be able to help and advise you on diagnosis and treatment.

How does Colchicine work?

Colchicine works to reduce the amount of inflammation that occurs in the joints caused by the buildup of uric acid, when you have an attack of gout. It does this by stopping your body from overproducing a type of white blood cell called a neutrophil. ^[2] Neutrophils help cause the swelling, inflammation and joint problems seen in gout. ^[3] So, Colchicine can reduce the pain and swelling you feel during attacks, as well as helping to bring them down.

What doses of Colchicine are there?

Your Colchicine dosage will depend on your symptoms and whether you’re treating a gout attack or preventing them. Your clinician will make sure the dose is right for you, but if you have any questions, go back to them. You can also send us a message if you’re using our service.

The usual dosage for gout attacks is one tablet (500mcg) two to four times a day until your symptoms have eased, but you shouldn’t take more than twelve tablets in total for each episode of gout.

If you’re using Colchicine to prevent gout flare ups whilst you start another gout treatment like allopurinol, you’ll usually take one tablet twice a day. Only take it for as long as your clinician advises you to. ^[4]

How to take Colchicine

Take Colchicine tablets as instructed by your clinician. If you have any questions, your clinician should be able to help. You can also message us if you’ve bought Colchicine from us.

• Swallow the Colchicine tablets whole. Don’t crush or chew them
• Take them with a glass of water
• Try to take Colchicine with or just after food. This can make it easier on the stomach
• Don’t drink grapefruit juice or any other grapefruit product while taking Colchicine. This can make the levels of Colchicine in your blood too high and lead to overdose ^[2]
• Take your tablets at the time you’ve been told to. If you’re worried you’ll forget, try setting an alarm or using a reminder app on your phone

How long does it take Colchicine to work?

It works really quickly, usually within 30 minutes to 1 hour. It reaches its highest plasma concentration in your blood after 30 to 120 minutes. ^[1] It might take a few days before you start to feel the full effects of the medication, but your symptoms should generally start to improve after this time. If you’re taking Colchicine and feel your gout isn’t improving, then check in with a healthcare professional to make sure everything’s okay.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Colchicine?

If you forget to take your dose of Colchicine then take it as soon as you remember. If it’s nearly time to take your next dose, just skip the dose and wait for that one. Don’t take double the amount of Colchicine to make up for it. If you take too much Colchicine you should seek medical help immediately. Taking a dose of Colchicine that’s too high can be very dangerous. Take the leaflet from the medication with you when you get medical attention, so they can see what you’ve taken.