Patient/caregiver was educated upon how to take colcrys as follows:
- Take the medication at the same time every day, as indicated, to avoid forgetting the medication. Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- While taking colcrys, observe strict compliance with fluid intake requirements. Colcrys must always be taken, observing compliance with atleast 2.5 liters of water/fluid intake every day.
- Take the colcrys tablet as a whole. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole regular tablet, you may cut the tablet and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. You may also crush the tablet and sprinkle the powder on a spoonful of soft jelly or applesauce and swallow the jelly or sauce along with the medication.
- Colcrys use can induce some dizziness and make one drowsy. Do not take colcrys with alcohol or opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, as these products can add to the dizziness and confusion caused by colcrys. A number of OTC cough medications, antihistamines, antiseizure medications, muscle relaxants, and antianxiety medications, can potentiate the confusion caused by colcrys, thus resulting in many cross reactions and side-effects and so, must be avoided taking along with colcrys.
- Observe compliance with recommendation on other pain medication intake, if you are prescribed medications such as, ibuprofen and naproxen, for better control of acute pain and inflammation. Compliance with pain medication intake can complement overall therapeutic benefit of colcrys intake.
- Colcrys takes some time to fairly control the symptoms of active inflammation. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Continue taking colcrys as ordered, for the prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms of gouty arthritis/renal stones are under control. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without physician recommendation, can lead to recurrence of gout symptoms.
- While taking colcrys, notify your doctor regarding any unresolved and worsening episodes of pain and inflammation in the joints. Your physician could change the dose of colcrys, based on the relief obtained from symptoms of gout or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to have your doctor updated on the relief obtained from colcrys intake. Be accommodative to dose changes with the medication, until you show an optimum response.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose, as it can lead to toxicity with the drug. Notify your physician and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
