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FAQs

  • What is gout?

    Gout is a form of arthritis that comes with flares of inflammation and pain.4-6

    • Most commonly affects the large joint in the big toe4-6
    • Men over age 40 are more likely to develop gout than women (although it can affect women after menopause)4-6
    • Rare in younger adults4-6
    • Affects approximately 5 million Americans7

    Gout is caused by the build up of uric acid crystals in soft tissues, usually in and around the joints.4-6

    • Uric acid is a substance that forms as the result of a breakdown of purines in the body and proteins in some foods we eat
    • Uric acid levels become high when the kidneys can't remove uric acid from the body
    • High levels of uric acid in the blood lead to high levels in the joint
    • High levels of uric acid can lead to the formation of needle-like crystals, which cause painful swelling in the joint
  • What are the symptoms of gout?

    Gout typically develops with nighttime symptoms, building over several hours to a peak, and causing intense joint pain, redness, and swelling.6 Occasionally, you may feel the gout flare before you can see the symptoms. The most common place to develop gout is the big toe.

  • What are the most common risk factors for developing gout?

    Factors you cannot control4,6

    • Advancing age
    • Gender (gout affects 3 times as many men than women)
    • Family history of gout

    Factors you can control8

    • Obesity
    • Regularly drinking too much alcohol
    • Overeating purine-rich foods (for example, liver, kidney, anchovies, sardines, meat gravies)
    • Ongoing use of certain medicines, including water pills, low-dose aspirin, cyclosporine (for patients who have had organ transplants), levodopa (for patients with Parkinson's disease)

    Diseases and preexisting conditions4-6,9

    • Chronic kidney failure
    • Coronary heart disease
    • High blood pressure
    • Diabetes
    • High levels of fat in the blood (called triglycerides)
    • Organ transplants
    • Exposure to lead
    • Thyroid problems
  • What triggers gout flares?

    Triggers include4,6,10

    • Overeating purine-rich foods (for example, liver, kidney, anchovies, sardines, meat gravies)
    • Binge drinking, particularly beer
    • Joint injury
    • Strenuous exercise
    • Severe illness or infection
    • Stress
    • Sudden weight loss
    • Surgery
    • Certain medicines, including water pills, low-dose aspirin, cyclosporine (for patients who have had organ transplants), levodopa (for patients with Parkinson's disease)
  • What is COLCRYS?

    COLCRYS (colchicine, USP) tablets are a prescription medicine used to prevent and treat gout flares. COLCRYS should not be taken to treat pain related to other conditions.

  • What is the most important information I should know about COLCRYS?

    COLCRYS can cause serious side effects or even death if COLCRYS levels are too high in your body. Keep COLCRYS out of the reach of children.

    Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have kidney or liver problems. Your dose of COLCRYS may need to be changed.

    Certain medicines, when taken with COLCRYS, can cause the levels of COLCRYS to be too high in your body. It is important for you to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. COLCRYS and other medicines may affect each other, causing serious side effects or even death. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

    Even medications that you might take for a short period of time, such as antibiotics, can interact with COLCRYS and cause serious side effects or death.

    Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:

    • clarithromycin (Biaxin®)
    • telithromycin (Ketek®)
    • cyclosporine (Neoral®, Gengraf®, Sandimmune®)
    • ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
    • itraconazole (Sporanox®)
    • HIV protease inhibitors
    • nefazodone (Serzone®)

    This is not a complete list of all the medicines that can interact with COLCRYS. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to find out if taking COLCRYS with the other medicines you are taking could be dangerous.

    Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any new medicine.

    COLCRYS is not a pain medicine and it should not be taken to treat pain related to other conditions unless specifically prescribed for those conditions.

    Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

    All other referenced brands are the property of their respective trademark holders. These trademark holders are not affiliated with URL Pharma, Inc.

  • Who should not take COLCRYS?

    Do not take COLCRYS if you have liver or kidney problems and you take certain other medicines. Serious side effects, including death, have been reported in these patients even when taken as directed. For a list of these medicines, see "What is the most important information I should know about COLCRYS?"

  • What should I tell my healthcare provider before starting COLCRYS?

    See "What is the most important information I should know about COLCRYS?"

    Before you take COLCRYS tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions including if you:

    • Have liver or kidney problems
    • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COLCRYS will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
    • Are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. COLCRYS passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take COLCRYS or breast-feed. If you take COLCRYS and breast-feed, you should talk to your child's healthcare provider about how to watch for side effects in your child

    Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including ones that you may only be taking for a short time, such as antibiotics. Do not start a new medicine without talking to your healthcare provider.

    Using COLCRYS with certain other medicines, such as cholesterol-lowering medications and digoxin, can affect each other causing serious side effects. Your healthcare provider may need to change your dose of COLCRYS. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether the medications you are taking might interact with COLCRYS, and what side effects to look for.

  • How should I take COLCRYS?


    • Take COLCRYS exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. If you are not sure about your dosing, call your healthcare provider
    • COLCRYS can be taken with or without food
    • If you take too much COLCRYS go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away
    • Do not stop taking COLCRYS even if you start to feel better, unless your healthcare provider tells you
    • Your healthcare provider may do blood tests while you take COLCRYS
    • If you take COLCRYS daily and you miss a dose, then take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time
    • If you have a gout flare while taking COLCRYS daily report this to your healthcare provider
      • Your healthcare provider might tell you to take extra COLCRYS. You will be told to take 2 extra tablets then 1 extra tablet an hour later, and if you forget to take the extra tablet, take it when you remember, don’t take any more COLCRYS for at least 12 hours, then continue your normal dose schedule
  • What should I avoid while taking COLCRYS?

    Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking COLCRYS. It can increase your chances of getting serious side effects.

  • What are the possible side effects of COLCRYS?

    COLCRYS can cause serious side effects or even cause death. See "What is the most important information I should know about COLCRYS?"

    Get medical help right away, if you have:

    • Muscle weakness or pain
    • Numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes
    • Unusual bleeding or bruising
    • Increased infections
    • Feel weak or tired
    • Pale or gray color to your lips, tongue, or palms of your hands
    • Severe diarrhea or vomiting

    The most common side effect of COLCRYS is diarrhea.

    Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

    These are not all of the possible side effects of COLCRYS. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

    Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1.800.FDA.1088 or visit www.fda.gov/medwatch.

    You may also report negative side effects to the manufacturer of COLCRYS by calling 1.888.351.3786.