How long should you take allopurinol?

Adults and children 11 years of age and older—600 to 800 milligrams (mg) per day, taken in divided doses for 2 to 3 days. Children 6 to 10 years of age—300 mg per day, taken once a day for 2 to 3 days.

Is allopurinol bad for the kidneys?

Allopurinol can help lower serum urate levels to improve gout symptoms without an increased risk to the kidneys, they concluded. “Our results help to mitigate the concern that allopurinol is harmful to the kidney functioning of patients with gout,” said Dr. Vargas-Santos.

Is it safe to take allopurinol every day?

Remember, allopurinol should be taken every day to prevent a gout attack. It can take 2-3 months to become fully effective. It does not have any effect during a gout attack, although you should continue to take it regularly every day even if this happens.

Why is allopurinol bad?

Sometimes starting allopurinol can trigger a gout attack. This is because some of the crystals can dislodge into the joint as they get smaller which can cause an attack. You may be given another medicine to reduce the risk of these attacks.

What foods to avoid while taking allopurinol?

You should avoid purine-rich foods, such as anchovies, liver, kidneys and sardines. They can aggravate gout. You may need to avoid alcohol while taking allopurinol. Alcohol, especially beer and wine, can decrease the effectiveness of allopurinol.

What are the common side effects of allopurinol?

The more common side effects of allopurinol oral tablet can include:

• skin rash.
• diarrhea.
• nausea.
• changes in your liver function test results.
• gout flare-up (if you have gout)

Can I come off allopurinol?

If you stop allopurinol treatment suddenly, there is a high risk that gout may get worse or you will get serious side effects. Only stop taking allopurinol if a doctor tells you to. A doctor will help you to reduce your dose slowly so you do not get serious side effects.

Is allopurinol bad for your heart?

Yet another study of gout patients using Scottish database reported that compared to non-use, allopurinol use was associated with higher (not lower) adjusted hazards of cardiovascular hospitalization (including coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertensive heart disease, heart failure, stroke, other cardiovascular …

Is there an alternative to allopurinol?

Febuxostat, a novel nonpurine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, is a potential alternative to allopurinol for patients with hyperuricemia and gout.

Is Bananas good for gout?

Bananas are low in purines and high in vitamin C, which makes them a good food to eat if you have gout. Changing your diet to include more low-purine foods, like bananas, can lower the amount of uric acid in your blood and reduce your risk of recurrent gout attacks.

Does allopurinol make you gain weight?

Can allopurinol cause weight gain? Weight loss is more likely with allopurinol than weight gain. With allopurinol, patients experience weight loss, nausea, and a loss of appetite. Acute gout attacks, diarrhea, nausea, and skin rash are all possible side effects of allopurinol.

How does allopurinol harm kidneys?

Allopurinol decreases blood and urine uric acid levels by blocking xanthine oxidase. This is an enzyme that helps make uric acid. High levels of uric acid in your blood or urine can cause gout or kidney stones. Allopurinol oral tablet may cause drowsiness.

Does allopurinol cause weight loss?

If you experience any unanticipated reaction while taking allopurinol, contact your doctor immediately. Allopurinol would be more likely to cause weight loss than weight gain. Patients report weight loss, nausea and loss of appetite with allopurinol.

When should I take allopurinol?

You should take allopurinol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Allopurinol is usually taken once or twice daily, after meals. If you are taking allopurinol for gout, you will usually start with a low dose and slowly increase the dosage over the first week.