WAY OT: Any doctors or pharmacists on here?

[Dave]

I apologise for the blatant off-topicness but there's a hell of a lot of very knowledgeable people here - however, I'll keep it short :-)

I'm on a drug called Allopurinol which helps to prevent attacks of Gout, which unfortunately isn't 100% effective and I still suffer from the odd attack now and then. When I'm actually in an attack, I'm supposed to take Indometacin as the cure.

What I'm not sure of though, is, do I stop the Allopurinol while taking Indometacin or carry on with it?

Thanks - and again, sorry for being so OT

[Peter Crosland]

Ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or go and ask your local pharmacist

Peter Crosland

[Peter Crosland]

Don't take my word for it but the BMA Concise guide says that you should continue taking the Allopurinol. The Indometacin is a pain killer.

Peter Crosland

[OG]

I'm not an expert, and would primarily recommend you contact your local Pharmacist for advice. That said, anyone can register with the British National Formulary, the national resource for advice and information on medicines and their use.

The entry for Allopurinol includes the following Contra-indications: not a treatment for acute gout but continue if attack develops when already receivingallopurinol, and treat attack separately

There are a few interactions listed for Allopurinol, but not Indometacin

On balance, I would say continue with the allopurinol until you can confirm with a pharmacist. HTH

[Dave]

Thanks to both Peter and OG. I'll continue with the Allopurinol and see our local pharmacist tomorrow.

[tony sayer]

In article , Dave scribeth thus

As a fellow gout suffer you have my sympathies!.. I've not got so bad as to be on Allopurinol, which I believe doesn't help everyone the same way and I believe Indometacin is now rather olde world.

Yes you can take the Allopurinol with the Indo, my dad had gout very bad and he did and it wasn't that which finished him off;!

Might suggest you pester your Doc to see a rheumatologist, might suggest something better and a diet sans the things that trigger attacks off..

But you prolly know that already;!..

Hope it gets better or improves :)

[Dave]

I reply to all 5 repliers.

Now I know why this ng is so popular, just how wide a knowledge base is there out there?

Dave

[Tim Watts]

On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:38:20 +0000, "OG" wibbled:

Fantastic resource - thanks for that.

This used to be available in book form in the librray - guess they updated it :)

[Peter Crosland]

Google is your friend. Not exactly rocket science!

Peter Crosland

[Mark Spice]

I am not a pharmacist but I did study Pharmacology at the School of Pharmacy (*) so I can fake it when needed. I would concur with the above advice to register at

This is where the pharmacists were taught to check everything (**) so if there is anything you need to check anything related to pharmaceuticals this should be the first place to check.

Cheers

Mark

(*) 75% of the course was shared with the pill counters but when they went off to play shops we did real science instead

(**) Although it was the book form when I was at Uni

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[OG]

"I found a site on the internet that said it would be OK" might not be what you want to be saying to your doctor. Sometimes you need a filter.

[Dave]

Thanks everyone, that's great. Now registered with the BNF as well :-)

[Adrian C]

Make sure that was the right one. And not the extreme right one...

BTW Another UK relevant web resource is

[OG]

What can be scary is looking up the cost of the medicines you're using. I'm on eyedrops that costs about £5000 per litre.

[Bob Eager]

What do they do? !!!! Mind, there are quite a few things that are probably equally expensive. I wonder if Russ Andrews sells an expensive fluid...

Oh yes, antistatic spray for CD labels, but that's only 400 quid a litre...

I'm going to be on some eyedrops before the end of the week...my left eye is finally coming out on Wednesday... :-(

[Tim Watts]

On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:49:50 +0000, "OG" wibbled:

And my sprog's Epipens are nigh on 30 quid a pop (they have to carry 2 each).

[Dave]

Surely not coming out of your head?

Dave

[Bob Eager]

Yup. Just call me Cyclops after Wednesday!

[fred]

In article , Bob Eager writes

Not wishing to pry into the whys & wherefores but good luck with the op and your recovery.

[Dave]

I am very sorry Bob, long pause for thought, what more can I say, long pause for thought.

Dave