What it is used for

Treating a gout attack
Preventing gout attacks when starting allopurinol or febuxostat
Familial Mediterranean fever

Read our guides:

Gout

Off-label uses

Doctors sometimes prescribe a medicine for a condition it is not officially licensed for. This is called off-label use. It is legal and common when there is good evidence it helps, and your doctor should explain why they are suggesting it.

Pericarditis (inflammation around the heart)
Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate crystal disease)

How it works

Colchicine stops white blood cells from moving into the joint and reacting to uric acid crystals. This reduces inflammation, pain and swelling.

Side effects

Like all medicines, Colchicine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Many are mild and ease after the first few weeks.

Common side effects

diarrhoea
feeling sick or being sick
stomach pain

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if these bother you or do not go away.

Serious side effects

These are rare. Call 111 or contact your doctor straight away if you get:

severe diarrhoea or vomiting. Stop taking it
unusual bruising or bleeding, sore throat or high temperature
muscle pain or weakness, or numbness in your hands or feet

Call 999 if you have signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of your lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or trouble breathing.

You can report any side effect to the Yellow Card scheme, run by the medicines regulator.

Stopping and withdrawal

Important safety information

Do not take more than the prescribed dose. Too much colchicine is dangerous.
Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
It interacts with some antibiotics, such as clarithromycin, and some statins.

Questions about your medicine?

A pharmacist can answer questions about your medicines for free, without an appointment. You can also ask your GP for a medication review. Check if you can get free prescriptions.