ALLOPURINOL - ORDER ONLINE

Allopurinol reduces the amount of uric acid made by the body. Excessive uric acid in the blood can lead to damage and produce kidney stones and gout.

Allopurinol will also help to prevent gout, but will not ease an acute attack.

Allopurinol is also used to help to decrease uric acid levels that occur as a result of some sorts of chemotherapy for certain types of leukemia, lymphoma or solid tumors.

ALLOPURINOL INFORMATION

Using Allopurinol

Allopurinol is taken by mouth. Follow the instructions on the prescription label. Swallow allopurinol tablets with a drink of water. If allopurinol upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Side Effects

Side effects to allopurinol are rare but some can be serious. Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible: any type of skin rash or itching; any signs of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, swelling or irritation of the eyes, or swelling of the lips and mouth; blood in urine; muscle aches or pains; pain or difficulty passing urine, reduced amount of urine; redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth; sore throat, fever, or chills.

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome) include: diarrhea; headache; indigestion; loss of appetite; nausea, vomiting; nose bleeds; stomach pain or cramps.

Precautions

Tell your prescriber if you have any of the following conditions: kidney disease; liver disease; an unusual or allergic reaction to allopurinol, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives if you are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant or if you are breast feeding.

Visit your health care professional for regular checks on your progress. If you are taking allopurinol to treat gout, you may not have less frequent attacks at first. Keep taking allopurinol regularly and the attacks should get better within 2 to 6 weeks. Drink plenty of water (10 to 12 full glasses a daily). This will help reduce stomach upset as well as reducing the risk of getting gout or kidney stones.

Tell your doctor immediately if you get a skin rash together with chills, fever, sore throat, or nausea and vomiting, if you have blood in your urine, or have difficulty passing urine, irritation of the eyes or swelling of the lips and mouth.

Alcohol may increase the chance of stomach problems and increase the amount of uric acid in your blood, therefore avoid alcohol.

Do not take vitamin C without asking your doctor. Too much vitamin C may increase the chance of you getting kidney stones.

You may get drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how allopurinol affects you.

Drug Interactions

Allopurinol may interact with the following drugs: aluminum hydroxide, amoxicillin or ampicillin, azathioprine, certain medicines used to treat gout, certain types of diuretics; chlorpropamide, cyclosporine, mercaptopurine, theophylline and warfarin.

Tell your prescriber about all other medications you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Tell your prescriber if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way allopurinol works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of allopurinol, take the missed dose as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that allopurinol dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

Storage

Allopurinol should be stored at room temperature between 15 and 25 degrees C (59 and 77 degrees F). Protect allopurinol from moisture. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Keep allopurinol out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.