3 Months Long, Wrong Medication By The Hospital

[invex]

Suffering from severe Gout attacks almost every month, I decided to go to the hospital.

The doctor doctor prescribes me 3 different medications:

-1. To stop the attack; Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

-2. Omeprazole. To neutralize the diarrhea from Diclofenac

-3. For the pain. Colchincin, a toxic natural product and secondary metabolite.

I had to go back after 10 days.

However, I felt better after 1 week and stopped taking the drugs as I didn’t like/trust Colchicin. The Gout came back immediately and I went back to the hospital. The doctor prescribes me the same 3 medications again.

I went back again after 10 days, and by then the attack was gone and I had to stop taking the 3 daily pills. He gave me a new drug; Allopurinol together with Colchicin once more, to reduce the uric acid in my blood. I have high levels of uric acid since I was young (levels at +8). I told him I did not trust Colchicin as there are some bad things about this drug on the net.

They took my blood and uric acid was at 8.3.

I had to go back after 2 months.

By then, my uric acid was at 6.7 and he told me just to take 1 medication only from today on. It was Colchicin. I told the people at the pharmacy that I did not like that drug but she replied “don’t worry, the doctor knows what he is doing”.

I had to go back after 3 months.

Yesterday I went back and it was another doctor. He told me that I had to take Allopurinol to reduce the uric acid levels and better not take Colchicin anymore, as that drug is more for the pain only.

Apparently the first doctor gave me the wrong drug and I was taking them for 3 months. Colchicin is very harmful to the kidneys and I have problems there already some time.

Doctor nr. 2 told me not to talk about this mistake.

Now; what should I do? Or just do nothing and leave it like that?

[gotlost]

You don't say if these doctors are in a hospital or clinic, but if I were you I would go to Chiang Mai Ram.

[Maejo Man]

As a long term sufferer of gout you have my sympathies. Fisrtly who on earth prescribed this bunch?

-1. To stop the attack; Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

-2. Omeprazole. To neutralize the diarrhea from Diclofenac

-3. For the pain. Colchincin, a toxic natural product and secondary metabolite.

I won't go into a diatribe on here, but the medical forum has some gerat threads from people with gout, and worth a look.

I have found that a purine free diet keeps any major attacks away, and either "colgout" or allopurinol will keep it at bay. In the event of a major attack, I have found a couple of indocid or arthexrin will get rid of the discomfort in a couple of hours.

[invex]

These doctors are in a big hospital just outside of the city.

[Flatouthruthefog]

You don't say if these doctors are in a hospital or clinic, but if I were you I would go to Chiang Mai Ram.

Anything from the drugs counter at Ram wil be the most expensive in town. Rajavet, opposite the Holiday Inn, is less flashy but just as good and far better value in my (fairly extensive) experience.

But back to the gout. Get as much apple cider vinegar down you as possible. I drink 2 tumblers a day, diluted 50-50 with water. It's bloody awful but bloody effective!!

[PMNL]

The reason that the first doctor did not prescribe alloperinol for you in the first place because it would aggravate the attack, but I do not know why he/she told you to stick with colchicine instead of cut down the dosage of alloperinol. Colchicine is not so bad however, it is better to take a few colchicine rather than NSAID type of medication when acute attack.

Like the other posters said to becareful with what you eat/ drink. Low purine food is recommended for gout sufferers and avoid alcohol in order to not trigger acute attack. To be honest I do not think you can do anything much with the first doctor, it seems he/she stopped your alloperinol because the lower level of uric acid, for colchicine continuous treatment...No idea.

Good Luck.

[SM7WGP]

As I have the problem my self.

Buy this in the pharmacy

Zyloric 100 mg for reducing urine acid

Voltaren 75mg for reducing the pain and inflammation.

This is import medicine and Zyloric will cost you 600 bath 100 tabs and Voltaren 190 bath 10 tabs

But remember gout is nothing that you can get cured of only have it in control

Edited April 3, 2010 by SM7WGP

[Tywais]

Moved to the Health forum.

[Gary A]

Gout is certainly no fun and is a crippling disease. I have now been taking Allopurinol for a number of years, I eat and drink what I want and have no more gout problems. Thank you Allopurinol. I buy 1,000 at a time and they are 100mg. I take two a day. I think I paid about 600 baht for a container of 1,000 100mg pills.

If I were you, I'd start taking the Allopurinol and keep a few Colchicine pills in case the Allopurinol causes an attack. DON'T stop taking the Allopurinol. You should not need the Colchicine after you have been taking the Allopurinol for a couple of weeks.

[lopburi3]

Agree with above - and there should not be any need to pay for Zyloric as local made Allopurinol should be available. I take 300mg per day for the last 20 years and have not had another attack since and always normal uric acid levels. Have Colchicine in case of an attack but have never had to use since starting the Allopurinol routine. And can eat normal diet.

[mrtoad]

These doctors are in a big hospital just outside of the city.

I think the word "Docotrs" is pushing it somewhat. What the hel_l was he doing prescribing that mix for you?

As mentioned by several other posters, you only need the Colchicine for acute attacks - the allopurinol is not to be used during the acute stage. However, no idea why he kept proceeding with Colchicine as a long term treatment - nonsense as far as I know.

[JRinger]

the 2nd doctor advised you not to talk about the mistake? what BS....you don't hear much about malpractice suits here.

In my experience, both farkin doctors & clinics will prescribe whatever they want. The clinics will prescribe what makes them the most profit.....examples:

1. Went to Bangkok hospital for severe abdominal pains mostly from the backside. The doctor on duty dianosed stomach ulcers and prescribed 6,000 baht worth of drugs. A few days later, ultrasound at Khon Kaen Ram found Kidney stones.

2. Cut over my eye from rusty steel: went right away to the local clinic to get a tetanous shot. Watching as the "doctor" was filling six small bags with pills I asked what those were and he said if I didn't take them I would have problems. I told him I didn't want them and he got a bit upset and waved me out like a dog (after paying for the shot). No problems and it healed fine.

3. Went to the clinic for tylenol and same thing, filling several small bags of pills for my sniffles. I asked what are those for? He said if I didn't take them I would get well....fark off

4. Had a heart attack several years ago and while in intensive care the doctor on duty wanted to do a angioplasty. when I asked him if that didn't work, then what..He said we would have to do a bypass....I said I wanted to try drugs first to see if that helped....He actually got angry and said he was only trying to save my life....after two days in ICU and two days in a normal room I was released with a bag full of drugs that "I had to take for the rest of my life"....I stopped taking those drugs, including expensive drugs to lower cholesterol that gave me terrible leg cramps. Three years on I have no chest pains and I don't take any drugs at all and still have a couple beers every other day.

While in the local clinics I watch as the doctors give/sell antibiotics to young children for simple things like a cold. All done in the name of PROFIT...>...MARTHA FOKKERS.....

I go to the doctor for diagnosis and try to find natural remedies and have done so for many years and at the moment I don't have any problems except a bad taste in my mouth from those cark sokkers who ruin peoples lives.

Accupuncture helped probably more than anything for the heart problem and other herbs such as Cat whiskers cured/disolved the kidney stones without having to fork out 50k for the shock treatment. When natural cures are mentioned to a western medicine doctor they only laugh and say that stuff is worthless......

I've several more examples of my own experience but my response is already long enough.....my advise: try natural remedies first unless of course it's an emergency situation......it's no secret that the Pharmeceudical industry isn't in the soup line.....

[CMX]

OP

In fairness to one of your docs, cholesterol medicines - if they are of the Statin family - only very recently have been acknowledged to cause serious muscle pain in any significant numbers. Some figures given now are (NO LONGER the "very rare" that the drug companies claimed) but 1-4% or 2-8%, depending on sources. Statins have been, however, notoriously "under-reported" for some time, according to nurses I know and my personal physicians in the U.S. So your doctors here may have been following the "latest" protocols. (My complaint here is with the pharmaceutical corporations.)

Interestingly, the drugs are so good with regard to reducing strokes and heart attacks (in those with elevated cholesterol levels) that there has been some discussion of recommending them to those with other risk factors for these life-threatening diseases, not high cholesterol alone.

My own muscle reactions prevent me from using Statins too, so I must eat healthy foods and exercise. I am forced to eat Thai foods (with less of the careful selection required in the West) and to golf and swim a lot. So it goes.

Edited April 3, 2010 by CMX

[Dr. G]

Allopurinol to reduce the level of Uric Acid.

Indomethathacin to reduce the acute inflamation .

If taken long term a regular kidney function check should be made.

g

[invex]

Thank you all for the comments.

I have learned a lot.

However, still don't know what to do with the malpractice.

Regards.

[hhgz]

"Voltaren 75mg for reducing the pain and inflammation."

Voltaren is an effecitve NSAID however, as an informed patient, I'm sure that you realize that this drug has the side effect of causing ulcerative colitis.

What to do about "malpractice"...what malpractice? Different doctors prescribe medications every day. Take a deep breath, and get on with your life.

[Gary A]

Thank you all for the comments.

I have learned a lot.

However, still don't know what to do with the malpractice.

Regards.

Save your self the trouble and just forget about the malpractice. The only thing you would be doing is paying a lawyer and giving yourself a headache.

[junkofdavid2]

Very good local allopurinol (e.g. zyloric) brand for me is "Puride" by Polipharm.

About 1 baht each for 100mg and 2 baht each for 300mg.

Comes in high quality individual packaging for each tablet.

[Wrong Turn]

Invex

Related to your gout attacks, I have had over 150+ for sure. I was on NSAIDs and pain killers, and colchicine on and off for years.

Never tried Allopurinol, but did get a prescription for it.

Do a search on "gout" here and you'll find at least one thread on using baking soda (1/2 teaspoon) in 4 oz. of water in the morning and at night, for alkalize your blood.

After 7 years of pain, lost work, lost money, and misery,

baking soda stopped my gout attacks.

Special thanks to the poster, kmart for the info.

All of the doctors I'd seen in the US, Thailand, and elsewhere, NEVER told me about alkalizing my blood!

Edited April 6, 2010 by Wrong Turn