Learn About Colchicine

Precautions

Be cautious with this medication. Ladies, review your health history with your doctor first! They need to make sure it's safe for you to take. Things that make it unsafe include liver disease, heart problems, and kidney disease. You also can't take colchicine when you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Ladies, you have to use contraception when you're taking this medication! Blood issues also mean you can't take colchicine most of the time. These problems include things like low platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. Bone marrow problems also make it unsuitable! You're already more likely to bruise on this medication, so these factors increase that risk even more. Your infection risk is also a lot higher with these issues on this medication.

Be ready for regular blood tests when you're taking this medication. You will also have to avoid sick people when you have some side effects, like low platelets! Ladies, stop playing contact sports. Don't eat or drink anything with grapefruit. This fruit makes your body have a higher concentration of colchicine. That's going to increase your side effects. You can take this medication with food to avoid stomach discomfort. With that in mind, though, you can take it without food!

Medication Interactions

Colchicine has over 200 medication interactions. The first thing you need to do, ladies, is list your current medications. Don't forget OTC drugs and supplements too! Your doctor needs this list so they can make sure you avoid all colchicine interactions. Your pharmacist reviews this list as well. Ladies, don't stop taking any medications or start new ones when you're on colchicine. Talk to your doctor first!

Ladies, examples of the medication interactions you need to avoid are HIV drugs, azole antifungals, and macrolide antibiotics. When you take these or other ones that trigger interactions and still need colchicine, expect a different dose! Of course, alternative medication is another option!