Probenecid and Colchicine

Probenecid and colchicine are used together to prevent gout (gouty arthritis), but this combination does not provide a cure. Probenecid helps your body eliminate extra uric acid while colchicine reduces production of lactic acid by white blood cells.

This is a prescription-only medicine available as:

• Tablet

Before using Probenecid and colchicine, you must know all about the risks and complications associated with it. Together with your doctor, you can decide whether the medication will provide you more goods than the harms.

Here are some factors to be considered before deciding to use this medicine:

• Allergies: Inform your doctor about the allergies you have, such as to this medication, other medications, or to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
• Pediatric: Not enough is known about its use in kids.
• Geriatric: This combination may be used in elderly after assessing the risks and benefits.
• Breastfeeding: This combination may be used in a nursing mother after assessing the risks and benefits.
• Drug Interactions: Taking two medicines together can be harmful due to possible interactions. In other cases, even if there is a possible interaction between two medicines your doctor may advise you to take them together after adjusting the dose or issuing precautions. Following medicines are not recommended to be used this combination. Inform your doctor if you are using any of these medicines:

        o Amiodarone
        o Azithromycin
        o Captopril
        o Carvedilol
        o Clarithromycin
        o Cyclosporine
        o Darunavir
        o Diltiazem
        o Doxorubicin
        o Itraconazole
        o Ketorolac
        o Nelfinavir
        o Quinidine
        o Saquinavir
        o Sunitinib
        o Telithromycin
        o Verapamil

Though usually not recommended, your doctor may decide, after adjusting dose or frequency of one or both medicines, to use this medicine with any of the following medicines:

        o Amprenavir
        o Atorvastatin
        o Avibactam
        o Cephalexin
        o Citalopram
        o Doripenem
        o Fenofibrate
        o Fluconazole
        o Gemfibrozil
        o Interferon Alfa-2a
        o Lovastatin
        o Methotrexate
        o Reserpine
        o Simvastatin
        o Tacrolimus
        o Zalcitabine

Rarely and only when absolutely needed, this combination may be used with the following medicines even if using them together may put you at risk of certain side effects. In such cases, you may have to take the adjusted dose or change the frequency of intake.

        o Amoxicillin
        o Aspirin
        o Bezafibrate
        o Bismuth Subsalicylate
        o Cefditoren Pivoxil
        o Cefotaxime
        o Magnesium Trisalicylate
        o Ciprofibrate
        o Ciprofloxacin
        o Clofibrate
        o Digoxin
        o Enprofylline
        o Fluvastatin
        o Lorazepam
        o Meropenem
        o Norfloxacin
        o Pralatrexate
        o Sodium Thiosalicylate
        o Zidovudine
        o Zomepirac

• Other Interactions: Taking your medicine together with certain foods or items such as alcohol or tobacco may cause undesirable interactions. Talk to your doctor to know if using this medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco is safe. This medicine is not recommended to be used with:

        o Grapefruit Juice

• Medical Problems: Certain medical conditions might influence the effects (both positive and adverse) and action of this medicine. DO NOT forget to inform your doctor the following conditions:

        o Excessive alcohol use
        o Disorders of blood
        o Chemotherapy or radiation for cancer
        o Severe heart or intestinal conditions
        o Kidney or liver disease
        o History of kidney stones
        o Stomach ulcer

To use Probenecid and colchicine properly, you must follow all instructions given by your doctor.

Here are some points to watch for:

• Strictly follow your doctor’s instructions. Do not skip or overdose.
• Take this medicine with food to reduce stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, decreased hunger, or stomach pain.
• Drink at least 8 ounces of fluids every day to prevent kidney stones.
• Do not discontinue this medicine without consulting your doctor.

Dosing:

For best results, follow your doctor to know what amount of medicine you should take in a single dose. The doses of a medicine can differ according to the conditions for which it is being prescribed. Remember your doses can differ. The doses for prevention of gout are:

• Adults: One tablet daily for 7 days, then one tablet twice daily. Your doses may be increased if symptoms persist longer than a month.
• Children: Your doctor will decide the dose.

Missed Dose:

Take your missed dose once you remember but avoid it if it’s time to take your next dose, and follow your normal dosing schedule. Avoid taking double doses to make up for the missed dose.

Storage:

• Store in a closed container at room temperature.
• Keep away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
• Do not freeze.
• Keep away from children.
• Discard any unused or expired medicines.

In using Probenecid and colchicine, you must be careful and take some precautions as advised by your doctor. Your progress should be regularly monitored to look for improvement or some undesirable side effects.

• This medicine may interfere with some lab tests. So, inform the concerned person about this.
• Check before using aspirin or other related drugs with this combination.
• The blood level of uric acid may be raised by alcohol. Therefore, do not drink while you are on this medicine.
• If your daily intake of this medicine is 4 tablets or more, look for symptoms like severe diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, or abdominal pain. If they occur, discontinue the medicine and visit your doctor immediately.

As with many medications, there are several potential side effects associated with probenecid and colchicine.

Consult your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience any of the following side effects:

Less common:

• Problems with urination
• Sharp pain in the lower back or side
• Rashes or welts

Rare:

• Rapid breaths
• Swollen eyelids
• Breathing problems
• Chest discomfort
• Noisy breathing
• Facial skin changes
• Rash and welts with itchy skin
• Black stools
• Swollen face, feet or fingers
• Swollen glands
• Abnormal bleeding
• Yellowish eyes

See your doctor immediately if you experience any of the symptoms of overdose:

• Blood in stool or urine
• Burning sensation in stomach, throat, or skin
• Seizures
• Severe muscle weakness
• Fever
• Severe and continuous nausea or vomiting
• Breathing problems
• Reduced urination

The side effects of the medicine are not limited to the ones listed above. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects that are uncommon or worry you. To report side effects to the FDA, contact at 1-800-FDA-1088.