Colchicine is a widely used medication in treating and preventing painful gout attacks, but it does not cure it. Similarly, diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory widely used to relieve different types of pain and inflammation, but can they be used together? Both have specific adverse reactions, and combined can enhance them.
If you want to know more about the effects of taking colchicine and diclofenac together, continue reading this article from FastlyHeal. In addition, you can find helpful information on improving gout problems without drugs.
Table of Contents
What is colchicine for?
Colchicine is the most widely used drug to prevent pain attacks in gout, although it is also used to treat other pathologies.
Gout is a disease caused by the accumulation of urate crystals in different areas of the body, the most common is that this pain appears in the big toe. It is a very intense discomfort that can last several days. Colchicine does not decrease the number of urates present in the blood, nor is it a typical anti-inflammatory/analgesic such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. Different mechanisms give their action:
- It does not allow cells of inflammation to reach the affected area, thus decreasing the body’s reaction to the disease.
- The pH is more basic, so urate crystals accumulate less in certain places (they do not precipitate).
It can also be used as a preventive treatment for attacks. It can be taken in small doses every day in those people who tend to have frequent or powerful attacks.
Among the side effects of colchicine are:
- Gastrointestinal complaints include bloody and watery diarrhea, cramping pain, nausea, and vomiting.
- Liver toxicity.
- Blood problems: decrease in blood cells such as platelets and red blood cells (leading to anemia). This, incredibly, in patients who use this drug for a long time.
- Less urine production or bloody urine.
- Nerve and muscle problems: neuritis, myopathies.
- Hair loss.
- Skin problems: dermatosis, allergy.
- Decreased sperm production, with the consequent possibility of reversible infertility.
It should be used with care under medical supervision in the following diseases:
- Blood disorders
- Liver failure.
- Renal insufficiency.
- Stomach or duodenal ulcer.
- Heart problems.
- Elderly.
- Alcoholism.
- After using the following drugs for 14 days: CYP3A4 inhibitors (antivirals, oral contraceptives, antifungals, fluoxetine, among others) and P-glycoprotein (verapamil).
It should not be used in pregnancy or lactation because, although there are no human studies, it has been proven that it can cause problems in the pregnancy of animals—neither in cases of hypersensitivity (allergy) to medication.
What is diclofenac used for?
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has different effects on the body:
- Decreases inflammation.
- Calms aches.
It is used for a short time in problems such as:
- Trauma
- Muscle pains.
- Articulations pain.
- Gynecological pain.
- Postoperative pain.
Among the side effects that diclofenac can cause are:
- Gastrointestinal problems: ulcer, bleeding, pain in the pit of the stomach, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intestinal inflammation, hepatitis.
- Dizziness, headache
- Skin rash
- Blood problems due to a decrease in platelets and white and red blood cells. This is very rare, but it can happen.
- Kidney problems
- Allergy.
It should be used with caution in the elderly. It should not be used during pregnancy.
People who must use it for a long time must be medically controlled regularly.
Can you take colchicine and diclofenac together?
As we have seen in the description of both medications, both would serve to mitigate pain in case of gout, but colchicine is more specific than diclofenac. There is a problem if you want to do a treatment with both medications, and it is due to the possibility that their adverse effects are added. If you’ve been paying attention, both drugs can have similar side reactions, including:
- Gastrointestinal problems: their severity is due to the possibility of bleeding and inflammation, which can become an emergency.
- Alterations in blood cells with the consequent: anemia, clotting problems, and even more incredible difficulty in facing infections.
- Kidney problems: gout is already an accumulation of toxins. If two drugs are added that leave residues in the body, kidney overload can be understood.
- Liver disorders: the same happens in the liver. Both drugs pass through it, and because this is like a sponge that serves to filter everything that the body does not need, it can also become inflamed by so much accumulation. This not only brings problems at that time, such as pain or difficulty with indigestion, but by accumulating toxins, it complicates its other functions (immunity, hormonal production, among others).
It is not advisable to take colchicine and diclofenac during the same treatment for all this we have seen.
How do you relieve gout without so many drugs?
Many scientific studies have proven the association between diet and gout. Certain foods produce an increase in urate crystals, which precipitate, accumulate, and give rise to painful attacks:
- Meat: of all kinds (beef, pork, and even fish).
- Sugar.
- Sweetened beverages.
- Corn syrup: is present in the vast majority of processed products such as cookies, desserts, and others.
On the other hand, the accumulation of toxins throughout life causes the liver and kidneys (the organs in charge of cleaning the body) to become saturated. They are no longer able to eliminate what they should. Therefore, improving your diet by stopping consuming products with preservatives, dyes, and flours will improve your health.
At some point, it had been seen that some vegetables, such as spinach, could increase the number of urates, but it was proven that this is not the case, that it is healthy to consume them with drops.
Likewise, it is critical that the basis of the diet is raw fruits and vegetables, perhaps in the first stage of the disease. Until the body can rid itself of so much accumulation, it is convenient to consume especially vegetables, raw of course. That way, they retain all their vitamins and their ability to help the liver and kidneys cleanse themselves. On the other hand, they contain a large amount of fiber, which is necessary to lower uric acid levels.
It has been seen in some studies that milk would be a protective factor against gout attacks, and it is because it has among its components a substance called orotic acid, which competes for the place of urate crystals, which by not being able to precipitate they do not trigger pain pictures. However, this does not mean that the drop is cured, but that the urate crystals continue to circle, not having room to settle, but the toxicity continues. On the other hand, it has been shown in several studies that dairy leaves residues in the body that accumulate and enhance inflammatory reactions, which means that they indirectly contribute to body imbalance, favoring diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and even cancer.
Other foods that help cure gout are nuts, olive oil, seeds, and fermented sprouts.
Losing weight is also key to curing gout since being overweight indicates an accumulation of toxins that the body can hardly eliminate.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.