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This discussion about prophylactic colchicine is now closed. Please see my colchicine dosage guidelines for more information about colchicine as a preventative and weaning off colchicine. If you still have questions, please start a new topic here.
Hi guys well I'm back?I can't seem the get a handle on this curse. Last summer my Rheumatologist put me on 200mgs Allop and?one .60 Colchicine twice a day. He said?I would be using the Colchicine as a prophylactic?for 8?to 10 months.?Last Sept.?I was doing real well so?I?went off the Colchicine for about a week bang pain and swelling came back. So?I went back on the Colchicine and everything settled down. Last week?I thought?I would try getting off it again since my ankles felt so good. Well I'm going thru my worst attack since?I came off it in Sept.?I had my blood tested two days ago they said my acid level was 3.2. I'm wondering if there was some kind of screw up at the lab because my level has never been this low it usually runs around 5.5 to 5.7.??I was telling the Rhumatologist last summer that?I wanted to get off the Colchicine and he gave me? 500 mgs Naproxen?and said?I could take it twice a day. Well?I never really tried it and still have it but with the resent price increase in Colchicine I'm thinking of giving it a go. Will it take care of the pain and swelling like Colchicine ??The same doctor that gave me the Naproxen said it was heart healthy anyone heard of this? If?I remember the first warnings on this drug were stroke and heart attack. Any input on this will be greatly appreciated thanks. LIMPY
limpy said:
…. The same doctor that gave me the Naproxen said it was heart healthy anyone heard of this? If I remember the first warnings on this drug were stroke and heart attack. Any input on this will be greatly appreciated thanks. LIMPY
Why don't you google naproxen and see for yourself.
my personal opinion ?? your ua levels are not low enough to be attack free.
an attack for you could be a spike from the 5.7 to say 6.2 or whatever.? all our bodies react differently…if you are still getting frequent attacks that often, try bumping up your allopurinol to 300MG
?
I would NOT want to take any PAIN bill continiously…just not a great idea.
toofast said:
my personal opinion ?? your ua levels are not low enough to be attack free.
an attack for you could be a spike from the 5.7 to say 6.2 or whatever.? all our bodies react differently…if you are still getting frequent attacks that often, try bumping up your allopurinol to 300MG
?
I would NOT want to take any PAIN bill continiously…just not a great idea.
Toofast' I'm with you on not wanting to take any more pills than?I have to. And you may be right about a spike of acid but?I can't see why?I would get a attack if my level was truly 3.2. When?I first started taking the Colchicine the Rhumatologist said I'd be on it 8 to 10 months. That to me is to long that's why I've tried twice to wean myself off it but both times within about a week I've had an attack. Another thing besides not wanting to take this drug any longer than?I have to is the price. There's a good chance my wife will be losing her job in the next year and if that happens we'll most likely loose our insurance also. That would mean paying over $300 a month just for the Colchicine and there's no way we can afford that plus the other meds we both take. My Rhumatologist talked to me about raising my Allop up to 300mgs if my numbers were still above 5.5 but with this last test i'm sure that has gone out the window. I'd still like to know if anyone has had any luck with Naproxen for the pain and swelling? Thanks guys LIMPY
hansinnm said:
limpy said:
…. The same doctor that gave me the Naproxen said it was heart healthy anyone heard of this? If I remember the first warnings on this drug were stroke and heart attack. Any input on this will be greatly appreciated thanks. LIMPY
Why don't you google naproxen and see for yourself.
Hansinnm, Thanks for the help why didn't?I think of that. Oh wait?I did one site says low chance of doing any harm another says very risky. So?I thought this being a great place to get peoples opinions I'd ask here. For me Google isn't always the best place to get answers. LIMPY
limpy said:
Hansinnm, Thanks for the help why didn't I think of that. Oh wait I did one site says low chance of doing any harm another says very risky. So I thought this being a great place to get peoples opinions I'd ask here. For me Google isn't always the best place to get answers. LIMPY
You are right Limpy. It takes experience and quite a bit of knowledge to pick out the right crumbs what you see on the Internet.
?I have used Naproxen for nearly 27 years with always good results. I have never taken more than two pills per day and only as long as the major pain would last. Generally 2-3 days. Never more than 5 or six days. This was always in addition to 2 Colchicine per day which I generally continued to take for 3-7 days after I stopped taking the Naproxen, depending on the severity of the attack..
However, don't for get, what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander, despite popular acclaim. As has been said many times on this forum: Each individual has to make up his/her mind which way to turn and to go. You know what I mean.
Limpy, are you 100% certain the values you are being given are in mg/dL? It's very easy for (idiot) Drs to get their decimal points and units mixed up. If the 5.5+ you have been told is in fact .55mmol/L or 550 umol/L then you are actually talking 9.2+mg/dL, which would make a lot more sense of your symptoms. In this case, you definitely need to be on 300mg Allo minimum.Values drop during an attack also, so 3.2? or is that actually 5.4mg/dL would also make sense. Double check with the lab because the Dr may lie to cover himself. Give the quack a slap if he got it wrong.
Naproxen is OK in the short term, but like most NSAIDs can cause intestinal problems long term (bleeding). Good for nipping a flare in the bud, pretty useless if it really takes off.
Ok, so my Rheumatologist told me that a Uric Acid level ON MEDS (uloric) of 6.5 was just perfect…and that he had succeeded.?
Well I was still having attacks, living on Colchicine, etc….
Found a doc that knew a thing or three..
Off Colchicine
No more attacks
on cheap allopurinol (300 mg)
uric acid is 5.2 –
?
BUT every body is different…plus as mentioned your UA is LOW around an attack.
?
Perhaps a second opinion with another doc (non rheumatollgist) is in order.
toofast said:
Ok, so my Rheumatologist told me that a Uric Acid level ON MEDS (uloric) of 6.5 was just perfect…and that he had succeeded.?
Well I was still having attacks, living on Colchicine, etc….
Found a doc that knew a thing or three..
Off Colchicine
No more attacks
on cheap allopurinol (300 mg)
uric acid is 5.2 –
?
BUT every body is different…plus as mentioned your UA is LOW around an attack.
?
Perhaps a second opinion with another doc (non rheumatollgist) is in order.
Hi Toofast, I've had a second opinion he said Gout. He also told told me that it might take up to a year for for the meds to take full effect but than it would be like?I've never had Gout as long as?I stay on the Allop. So far he's been right. After 8 months the only time?I have a real attack is when?I come off the Colchicine.?I just hate to think that I'll have to take?it for the rest of my life just to be able to walk normal. LIMPY
limpy,
?
I strongly feel that very?few people with proven gout will find 200 mg. allopurinol enough for long term complete control.
Go onto 300 mg. It will be more effective and will actually COST you less.
?
Is Naproxyn good or bad for your heart…that question has a funny answer: it is probably BOTH.
Some NSAIDS block the agglomerating action of platelets, thus less blood clots in heart (MI)?and brain (ischemic stroke.) Problem is that most act short term, blocking for around a day or less. Aspirin on the other hand, blocks platelets for a week. And here's the rub, the other NSAIDS prevent aspirin from doing its job. So if you take aspirin and Naproxyn, you are probably doing yourself a disservice, BAD. If you do NOT take aspirin, you are preventing clots slightly with Naproxyn, GOOD.
Funny business, eh?
?
I am caught betwixt and between. I LIKE naproxyn for pain but I NEED aspirin for the certainty of?platelet control. I sometimes take both and hope for the best.
This discussion about prophylactic colchicine is now closed. Please see my colchicine dosage guidelines for more information about colchicine as a preventative and weaning off colchicine. If you still have questions, please start a new topic here.
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