Colchicine is a prescription medicine mostly used to treat gout attacks and to prevent flares. Doctors also use it for pericarditis and certain inflammatory conditions like familial Mediterranean fever. It works by calming down cells that cause inflammation—so it stops the attack but doesn’t remove crystals or cure the underlying cause.
For an acute gout attack, a commonly used approach is 1.2 mg at first, then 0.6 mg one hour later (total 1.8 mg in the first 24 hours), followed by 0.6 mg once or twice daily until the attack clears. For prevention, many people take 0.6 mg once or twice a day. Doses vary with the condition and with kidney or liver problems, so follow your prescriber’s instructions.
If you have reduced kidney function or take certain interacting drugs, your doctor will likely lower the dose or choose a different medicine. Never double a missed dose. If you’re unsure about dosing with alcohol, pregnancy, or breastfeeding, talk to your clinician—colchicine decisions can change based on personal health factors.
The most common side effects are stomach upset, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. If these are mild, they often pass. Stop the drug and contact a doctor right away if you get severe diarrhea, muscle weakness, numbness, unusual bleeding, or a fever—those can be signs of serious toxicity.
Colchicine can interact badly with drugs that block CYP3A4 (like clarithromycin, ketoconazole, ritonavir) or P‑glycoprotein (such as verapamil, cyclosporine). Combining colchicine with strong inhibitors can raise colchicine levels and cause muscle or bone marrow problems. Using statins at the same time may increase the risk of muscle damage, so your clinician will weigh the risks and monitor you.
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking colchicine when possible, since they can affect drug breakdown in some cases. If you have liver disease, kidney disease, or are older, your risk of bad effects is higher—mention these to your prescriber.
Overdose can be life threatening. Symptoms include severe GI upset, low blood pressure, rapid breathing, and organ failure. If overdose is suspected, seek emergency care right away.
Thinking of buying colchicine online? Use only licensed pharmacies that require a valid prescription. Watch out for prices that look too good to be true, poor contact info, or sites that don’t show pharmacy credentials. Ask for pharmacist support, keep copies of prescriptions, and consider shipping speed and privacy. If a site offers to sell without a prescription, walk away.
Want a quicker check: tell your doctor about all other meds and supplements, report any new muscle pain or bowel changes, and keep follow-up tests if recommended. Colchicine works well when used carefully—know your dose, watch for interactions, and buy from reputable sources.
