Gott: Has colchicine been nixed by doctors?
Q. I was in my doctor's office last week for new prescriptions, and he indicated that colchicine is being pulled from the market. I take it for gout and don't know what I can use in its place. Do you have any suggestions?
A. As you are aware, oral colchicine is prescribed either to prevent attacks of gout brought on by the presence of too much uric acid in the blood or to treat symptoms once they occur. The injectable form has been on the market since the 1950s and has been used for acute gout attacks and as an alternative for the treatment of back pain.
The medication is relatively side-effect-free, but some people may suffer from headache, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, flushing and more. Severe allergic reactions can include chest tightness, swelling of the tongue and a great deal more.
Your physician was not referring to your oral medication but to the injectable form used for intravenous administration. The Food and Drug Administration has stated the toxicity risks associated with injectable forms outweigh any potential benefit. This is particularly true when the drug is compounded because of potential concentration errors. The FDA has stated that a number of deaths have been well documented and attributed to improperly compounded injectable colchicine products. Abdominal pain, seizures, organ failure and lack of blood-cell production have been reported with improper dosing.
Q. I have a friend who says she is suffering from Morgellons disease. What is this? I've never heard of it.
A. Morgellons is a disorder that presents with itchy sores, rashes, stinging and crawling sensations on and under the skin. There may be threads or black specklike materials on or beneath the skin, visual and behavioral changes, severe fatigue, an inability to concentrate and joint pain.
It was first reported almost 10 years ago. Since then, there have been confirmed cases of Morgellons in all 50 of the United States, yet researchers still know little about the disorder and even whether it's contagious. Its symptoms share common characteristics with Lyme disease, kidney and liver disorders, drug and/or alcohol abuse, delusional parasitosis and more. The peripheral nervous system is often affected by the disease, but the most significant known aspect is the involvement of the central nervous system.
Almost every person diagnosed with the disorder complains of depression, bipolar mood disorder, short-term memory loss and difficulties with concentration. Sadly, many people with Morgellons are misdiagnosed with a psychiatric disorder (perhaps because of the itching present under the skin). There appears to be involvement with Lyme disease, and many who suffer from Morgellons have tested positive for Lyme, but not all Lyme patients have Morgellons.
This poorly understood illness can be both disabling and disfiguring, affecting people of all ages. For more information, contact the Morgellons Research Foundation at Morgellons.org or write to P.O. Box 357, Guilderland, NY 12084-0357.