Colcrys is not a gout painkiller

[Keith Taylor]

I’ve seen a couple of websites today claiming that Colcrys (a brand of colchicine) is a gout painkiller. One of them goes further to regard it as “gout-specific”

Not strictly true on either count.

Though colchicine is used to prevent gout pain, it is not good to describe it as a painkiller. It does not act against pain, but it does stop inflammation getting worse. This is important, because if you take it too late, it has very little effect. It is not a bad thing to take it during a gout attack. but do not expect immediate relief. If you have missed the first signs of a gout attack, you can still take up to 2 colchicine a day until pain is bearable, but you will need something else. Your doctor can prescribe strong anti-inflammatories that reduce inflammation and pain. In the worst cases, you can also ask for compatible analgesiscs that can alternate with anti-inflammatories to block gout pain and let you live your life.

So Colcrys isn’t a painkiller, and neither is it gout-specific. It is prescribed for many inflammatory diseases. A new report from Nicola Dalbeth, Mechanism of Action of Colchicine in the Treatment of Gout, lists many other diseases where colchicine can help. These include osteoarthritis, pseudogout, and cardiovascular diseases.

Of specific interest, for me, and others who like to understand how their gout drugs work, the report lists 5 ways that colchicine helps gout pain. They all stop or limit inflammation from spreading, but none kill gout pain once it has started.

It is important to understand your gout treatment so that it is working best for your gout. Don’t rely on a standard treatment plan that might only work for some people. Talk about your gout here, and together we can work on a treatment plan that allows you to work with your doctor, and live your life free from gout pain.

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