Gout What a Pain the Foot - My big toe to be specific

[kittyboy]

For any of you who have suffered through gout it a quite painful.

I recently had an attack and had to wait 5 days to see my GP. He scripted me Prednisone, Colchicine, and Allupurinol.

The prednisone and colchicine are palliative and the allupurinol is a prophylaxis.

Short question for my next trip to thailand - are these drugs available over the counter? And if so at what cost.

I really do not need medical advice about not taking drugs without seeing my GP..etc.

Just curious about availability and price.

Similar Threads:

• Pain in the arse
• Specific question re Chiang Mai massageshops
• Airport gripes and Thailand travel tips (non-gay-specific)
• Pain
• Mamasans Helpful or a Pain??.............

[bobsaigon2]

If you'll Google each one followed by "in thailand" you'll probably find they are all available OTC, but you'll probably not find any prices for them in Thailand.

[FarangRuMak]

I get gout occasionally.
Cholchicine is the old reliable.
It disperses those crystals in joints and starts giving relief immediately.
After 1 day don't ever get too far from a toilet. Take 1 every 6 hours for a few days only.
Only 30 baht per card otc.
Allupurinol is a preventative for chronic gout. Stops the build up in the first place.
Must be taken daily I think.
You probably need a prescription.
Sometimes an anti-inflammatory will work.
I'm not an expert; just an occasional victim.

[kittyboy]

I get gout occasionally.
Cholchicine is the old reliable.
It disperses those crystals in joints and starts giving relief immediately.
After 1 day don't ever get too far from a toilet. Take 1 every 6 hours for a few days only.
Only 30 baht per card otc.
Allupurinol is a preventative for chronic gout. Stops the build up in the first place.
Must be taken daily I think.
You probably need a prescription.
Sometimes an anti-inflammatory will work.
I'm not an expert; just an occasional victim.

My understanding is the colchicine acts as an anti inflammatory - basically a type of NSAID or non steroidal anti inflammatory drug. I don't think it breaks up or disperses the uric acid crystals. The recommended dosage is not standard. Some websites recommend .6 every 6 hours and other recommend 1 .6 tablet then an hour later 2 .6 tablets. and then monitor and repeat every 24 hours.

[Smiles]

For all those who have never experienced gout, this diagram below certainly cuts to the chase . . . in a nutshell.
Ive never had gout, but I can immediately see that it could easily be extremely debilitating. I have a rather minor arthritis in my right shoulder but its quite under control ... though unfortunately there's no more golfing for me.
But an out-of-control untreated gout I'm sure will sooner or later effect ones overall mobility.

Good luck Kittyboy!

[2lz2p]

I previously had gout, and yes it is VERY painful and I was treated at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya by an orthopedist - given medication for pain and to treat the cause - crystals from high level of uric acid. A few months later, while being treated in the Internal Medicine Clinic at BHP for an infection, I "felt" a new bout coming on and asked that doctor to check my Uric Acid levels - they were high. He prescribed two medications and said I needed to take daily from now on to prevent another attack. That was a 3 or 4 years ago and I have not experienced any repeat of the gout.

The two medicines are: Puride 100mg(Allopurinol) and Colcitex 0.6mg (Colchicine). I get mine at BHP with 10% discount [I know, even with discount, more expensive than a pharmacy, but my health insurance reimburses me 85% if from a Hospital Facility and 75% if from a pharmacy]. At BHP with 10% discount, the price for 30 tabs of Colcitex is 351 baht and for 30 tabs of Puride it is 270 baht. They are available at pharmacies and probably do not require a prescription as is the case with many medicines here in Thailand that require a prescription in USA. Fascino pharmacy will probably have at a much lower price.

[Phred]

Gout is hereditary for me. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It feels like getting hit on the big toe with a board with a nail stuck in it and the nail remaining embedded in the toe after the board is retracted. It can leave you hobbling for days. My mother had to crawl to the bathroom after one really bad attack.

My first gout attack was in my mid-late 40’s. I immediately got a prescription for Allopurinol (I get it in Asia under the name Tonsaric but still submarked Allopurinol), which has no big side effects. Since then I have taken it faithfully daily and get regular uric acid tests (you want to be consistently under 7.0) I avoid seafood and beer (well, as much as I can, hard to avoid Chang in Thailand but drink more red wine now) or anything high in purines. A decade later I haven’t had another attack (knock on wood).

Good luck kittyboy.

[Up2U]

I have been taking Allopurinol (Allopin here in Thailand) for 15 years to control uric acid levels and kidney stones. I have not had a kidney stone ever since I started this regimen. I buy Allopin OTC and it is not expensive.

[Manforallseasons]

When reading the OP's post I thought for a moment this was Gaybutton's board.

[Patanawet]

No knowledge about the specific drugs you mention but most medications are available (no prescription needed) at the pharmacy on Rama 4 --CHULA BESAJ -- a short walk from Dusit Thani Hotel on Rama 4.
Prices always cheaper than normal pharmacies.
Make sure you get the right shop as there are several pharmacies in that strip of Rama 4.
Their phone no. is 02 235 3133-4 mobile 085 522 5959
LINEID: chulabhesaj
Open mon-sat 8:30 am -8:00 pm
Tip for any pharmacist write the names of your medicines on paper or photograph on your mobile.