Today I'll begin a blog series on the medicines people take for gout. Some of them will be treatment when you have flareups and others will be preventative. For medicines I've taken, I will include my feelings on the medicine and other concerns I've heard from others and found on the internet. For medicines I haven't taken I hope to inquire with fellow sufferers for input on how the medicine works, side effects, and dosing information.
Now on February 21, 2014, I'm proud to report that I've been able to make walking for fun and exercise a near daily thing. The last week I've made walking 10k (about 5 miles per day) a personal goal, and I've accomplished that goal every day (some days beating it by more than 3000 steps!) The reason for this, as best I can tell, is my daily dosage of 100 mg of allopurinol.
Another page on Arthritis Research UK has this to say about how it does work:
One note though: if you begin taking allopurinol lookout! It can bring on acute gout attacks in the first few months of use. I was no exception to this rule. I remember my first 2-3 months of taking allopurinol I had gout appear in my big right toe (a place it had never really affected me). Because of this many doctors will also prescribe you an NSAID like colchicine, arcoxia, or instruct you to take ibuprofen for these attacks.
Because of these issues when going on allopurinol it's a good idea to get checked by the doctors. If you find any issues with your skin you should let your doctor know as soon as possible so life-threatening conditions can be ruled out. Other than these issues, wikipedia's gout side-effect entry has a few other very rare conditions. If you're worried about these side effects speak to your doctor.
Why did I choose to discuss Allopurinol first over other medications?
It wasn't difficult for me to choose Allopurinol to be featured first. This medicine has had a very positive effect in my life and many other gout sufferers. I can remember a year ago from the day I'm writing this, I was not doing well. Around this time the attacks were coming 3-4 times a month and rather blurring together not giving me any opportunity to feel good between attacks, walking for anything other than necessity was out of the question, and effects on my mental health that I didn't recognize or acknowledge were having their toll on me.Now on February 21, 2014, I'm proud to report that I've been able to make walking for fun and exercise a near daily thing. The last week I've made walking 10k (about 5 miles per day) a personal goal, and I've accomplished that goal every day (some days beating it by more than 3000 steps!) The reason for this, as best I can tell, is my daily dosage of 100 mg of allopurinol.
What does/doesn't Allopurinol do?
Some reading this will be surprised to learn that Allopurinol does NOTHING to stop a gout attack. From everyone and everything I've heard including this succinct website from Arthritis Research UK you should start taking allopurinol when you're clear of your gout attack. I'll discuss why shortly.
Allopurinol targets an enzyme called xanthine oxidase which is involved in producing uric acid. By reducing the amount of uric acid produced in the body, allopurinol helps keep the urate in the blood at the correct level. - See more at: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/allopurinol/what-it-is.aspx#sthash.MbiR2ury.dpufBy targeting an enzyme which helps produce uric acid (the source of gout), allopurinol can put a stop on chronic gout attacks.
One note though: if you begin taking allopurinol lookout! It can bring on acute gout attacks in the first few months of use. I was no exception to this rule. I remember my first 2-3 months of taking allopurinol I had gout appear in my big right toe (a place it had never really affected me). Because of this many doctors will also prescribe you an NSAID like colchicine, arcoxia, or instruct you to take ibuprofen for these attacks.
Dosage
Most gout sufferers will start on 100 mg of allopurinol. For many this will not be enough to solve your problems, but you will need to get used to the effects of allopurinol at the beginning. In follow-up doctors visits, the doctor can up your dosage; you should always be careful with taking allopurinol because there can be considerable side effects.
Side-Effects
Unfortunately, this great medication does have some difficult side-effects. One that many people will experience is a dermatological issues. In many people allopurinol will cause some slight rashes, and in others it can cause a fatal issues (I'll quote wikipedia here):
Allopurinol is one of the drugs commonly known to cause Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TENS), two life-threatening dermatological conditions.[21]
Because of these issues when going on allopurinol it's a good idea to get checked by the doctors. If you find any issues with your skin you should let your doctor know as soon as possible so life-threatening conditions can be ruled out. Other than these issues, wikipedia's gout side-effect entry has a few other very rare conditions. If you're worried about these side effects speak to your doctor.
Complications with Allopurinol? There's still hope!
If you happen to be one of those who does have problems with taking allopurinol, you can still get good preventative medicine. I will be highlighting these other medicines in the future: especially feboxostat.
In closing:
If you have been considering allopurinol to curb your gout, I highly recommend it. It has made a major difference in my quality of life.
Do you have any other questions about allopurinol? Do you take allopurinol-if so what is your dosage and story? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to address it.
Other Posts in the Medicine for Gout Series:
Colchicine
Other Posts in the Medicine for Gout Series:
Colchicine
**This website is for informative purposes and should not be substituted as advice of a medical professional. If you believe you have gout, I STRONGLY recommend scheduling an appointment with a medical professional and getting the problem checked out.
[Sources: 1- http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/allopurinol/what-it-is.aspx
2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allopurinol]
No comments:
Post a Comment