How Do You Take Colchicine for Acute Gout? Plus, 7 More Colchicine FAQs
Colchicine helps prevent and treat gout attacks. Learn how to take colchicine for acute gout, plus how it works and how long it stays in your system.
Gloperba
Used for Gout
Used for Gout
Gloperba (colchicine) is an oral solution for adults to prevent gout flares (attacks). It works as an anti-inflammatory medication. You take it by mouth once or twice per day. Side effects include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Gloperba (colchicine) is only available as a brand-name medication.
What is Gloperba (colchicine)?
What is Gloperba (colchicine) used for?
- Prevention of gout flares in adults
How Gloperba (colchicine) works
Gloperba (colchicine) is an anti-inflammatory medication. It works by blocking certain immune cells that cause inflammation. This can help prevent gout attacks.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Gloperba |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Antigout |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | No lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
Side effects of Gloperba (colchicine)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
Less Common Side Effects
- Rash
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle pain
- Low blood cell counts
Gloperba (colchicine) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Taking too much medication (overdose): severe dehydration, multiple organ failure, trouble breathing
- Low blood cell counts: fever, tiredness, chills, cough, trouble breathing, pale skin, fast heart rate, lightheadedness, easy bleeding or bruising
- Severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis): dark brown urine, severe muscle weakness or pain, fever, tiredness, trouble moving arms or legs
When do Gloperba (colchicine) possible side effects begin and end?
Time passed since treatment started:
H
D
W
M
Diarrhea
Nausea
More on Gloperba (colchicine) side effects
The following Gloperba (colchicine) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Black, tarry stools
blood in the urine or stools
burning, "crawling", or tingling feeling in the skin
difficulty with breathing when exercising
fever with or without chills
headache
large, hive-like swellings on the face, eyelids, mouth, lips, or tongue
muscle weakness
numbness in the fingers or toes (usually mild)
peeling of the skin
pinpoint red spots on the skin
redness of the skin
skin rash or hives
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
swelling
tenderness
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Symptoms of overdose
burning feeling in the stomach, throat, or skin
chest pain or discomfort
chills
cold, clammy, pale skin
confusion
diarrhea (severe or bloody)
dizziness
general feeling of illness
headache
irregular heartbeat
irregular, fast, slow, or shallow breathing
muscle weakness (very severe)
nausea, stomach pain, or vomiting (severe)
seizures
slow heart rate
unusual tiredness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$695.12
GoodRx discount
$594.59
Pros and cons of Gloperba (colchicine)
Pros
- A first-choice option for preventing gout attacks
- Good choice for people who have trouble swallowing pills
Cons
- Has a lot of interactions, like with certain antibiotics and grapefruit
- Not known if it works well to treat a gout flare
Pharmacist tips for Gloperba (colchicine)
- Take Gloperba (colchicine) every day as your prescriber instructed you to. Taking it daily can help prevent gout attacks.
- You can take Gloperba (colchicine) with or without food. Taking it with food might help if you have stomach upset from the medication. But don't take it with grapefruit or grapefruit juice since it can raise your risk of side effects.
- Draw up your dose using a dosing syringe or cup. These might come with the medication when you pick it up from the pharmacy, but ask the pharmacy for extras. Don't use household spoons to measure your dose because they're not accurate.
- Ask your prescriber what to do if you have a gout attack while taking Gloperba (colchicine). Don't take extra medication. It's not known if that will help with the pain from the gout attack, and taking too much can be dangerous.
- It's best to avoid alcohol while taking Gloperba (colchicine). The medication can cause stomach upset and headaches, and alcohol can make these worse. Also, alcohol can raise your risk of a gout flare.
- Let your care team know about the medications you take or plan to take. They can check for interactions with Gloperba (colchicine) and make changes if needed. Some medications, like statins and certain antibiotics and antifungals, can raise your risk of side effects. Your care team can help keep you safe.
- Tell your care team if you have bothersome side effects while taking Gloperba (colchicine). This can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain that you can't relieve. Your prescriber can check what's going on. It's possible that your dose is too high and needs to be adjusted.
- If you're male and are thinking about having children, talk to your prescriber about family planning. Although rare, Gloperba (colchicine) might affect your fertility. It might make it harder for you to have children. This effect could be reversible when you stop taking the medication.
- Store Gloperba (colchicine) at room temperature. Keep it up and away from children and pets.
More on Gloperba (colchicine) tips
Risks and warnings for Gloperba (colchicine)
Gloperba (colchicine) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Life-threatening overdose
An overdose of Gloperba (colchicine) can happen if you take too much of the medication. This is serious and life-threatening. Only take Gloperba (colchicine) as directed by your prescriber. And keep the medication out of reach from children.
Early symptoms of a Gloperba (colchicine) overdose include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These can lead to serious dehydration. More dangerous symptoms can happen later. That's why it's important to get help as soon as possible. If you think you or someone else has overdosed on Gloperba (colchicine), call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or call 911 right away.
Low blood cell counts
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that raise the amount of Gloperba (colchicine) in the body | Kidney or liver problems
Gloperba (colchicine) can sometimes lower your blood cell counts, which can be serious. Low white blood cells can put you at risk of infection. Low platelets can make you bleed or bruise more easily. And low red blood cells can lead to anemia.
Tell your care team right away if you have signs of a low blood cell count while taking Gloperba (colchicine). These can include fever, tiredness, chills, cough, or trouble breathing. Other signs include pale skin, fast heart rate, dizziness, or easy bruising or bleeding.
Drug interactions
Gloperba (colchicine) can interact with many medications. These interactions can make the level of Gloperba (colchicine) in your body get too high. This can lead to dangerous side effects.
Some examples include heart medications called calcium channel blockers (CCBs) like diltiazem (Cardizem). It can also include digoxin (Lanoxin). Other examples are statins and fibrates for cholesterol. Even more are certain antifungals and antivirals.
Make sure your healthcare team has a full list of the medications you take. Also let your prescriber know if you have any liver or kidney problems. These health issues can make the effects of some drug interactions worse. Your prescriber can adjust the dose of your medications if needed to keep you safe.
Nerve or muscle toxicity
- Risk factors: Older adults | Taking statins or fibrates with Gloperba (colchicine) | Taking other medications that raise the amount of Gloperba (colchicine) in the body | Kidney problems
Some people who take Gloperba (colchicine) for a long time have had nerve or muscle problems. Although rare, it can include a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis, where muscles get damaged and break down.
The risk of muscle damage is higher for older people and those with kidney problems. It also might be higher if you take statins, fibrates, or cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, or Sandimmune).
If you have muscle pain or weakness, dark or red urine, or trouble moving your arms or legs while taking Gloperba (colchicine), get medical help right away. These can be signs of muscle or nerve problems. You might need to stop taking the medication. These symptoms often go away within a week, but sometimes months, after stopping.
Gloperba (colchicine) dosage
The average cost for 1 bottle of 150ml of 0.6mg/5ml of Gloperba (colchicine) is $594.59 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 14.46% off the average retail price of $695.12. 
Bottle of oral solution
Bottle of oral solution| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150ml of 0.6mg/5ml | 1 bottle | $594.59 | $594.59 |
Typical dosage for Gloperba (colchicine)
Each 5 mL of the oral solution contains 0.6 mg of colchicine.
The typical dose is 0.6 mg by mouth once or twice a day. The maximum dose is 1.2 mg per day.
Interactions between Gloperba (colchicine) and other drugs
Gloperba (colchicine) may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Gloperba (colchicine). Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
More on Gloperba (colchicine) interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Amiodarone
- Atazanavir
- Boceprevir
- Carvedilol
- Clarithromycin
- Cobicistat
- Conivaptan
- Cyclosporine
- Darunavir
- Diltiazem
- Dronedarone
- Erythromycin
- Flibanserin
- Idelalisib
- Indinavir
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Lapatinib
- Lopinavir
- Nefazodone
- Nelfinavir
- Nilotinib
- Posaconazole
- Quinidine
- Ranolazine
- Ritonavir
- Saquinavir
- Sunitinib
- Telaprevir
- Telithromycin
- Tipranavir
- Vemurafenib
- Verapamil
- Voriconazole
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Abametapir
- Amprenavir
- Aprepitant
- Atorvastatin
- Capmatinib
- Crizotinib
- Delavirdine
- Fenofibrate
- Fenofibric Acid
- Fluconazole
- Fluvoxamine
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosaprepitant
- Fosnetupitant
- Gemfibrozil
- Imatinib
- Interferon Alfa-2a
- Lasmiditan
- Letermovir
- Lovastatin
- Mibefradil
- Mifepristone
- Netupitant
- Pitavastatin
- Pravastatin
- Reserpine
- Rosuvastatin
- Simvastatin
- Tacrolimus
- Venetoclax
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Bezafibrate
- Ciprofibrate
- Clofibrate
- Digoxin
- Fluvastatin
How much does Gloperba (colchicine) cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Gloperba (brand)
$594.59
Gloperba (colchicine) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Gloperba (colchicine) will not be safe for you to take.
- Kidney or liver problems and also take a medication that interacts with Gloperba (colchicine)
- Both kidney and liver problems
What are alternatives to Gloperba (colchicine)?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Gloperba (colchicine). Compare a few possible alternatives below.
News about Gloperba (colchicine)
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Gloperba (colchicine) images
