• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info

What is this medicine?
ALLOPURINOL (al oh PURE i nole) reduces the amount of uric acid the body makes. It is used to treat the symptoms of gout. It is also used to treat or prevent high uric acid levels that occur as a result of certain types of chemotherapy. This medicine may also help patients who frequently have kidney stones.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. This pricing information was updated 09/2009. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit www.drugstore.com. Actual costs to patients will vary depending on the use of specific retail or mail-order locations and health insurance copays.

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What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

• allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
• breathing problems
• muscle aches or pains
• redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• changes in taste
• diarrhea
• indigestion
• stomach pain or cramps

This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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How should I use this medicine?
Take this medicine by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. If this medicine upsets your stomach, take it with food or milk. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 6 years for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

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What if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

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What may interact with this medicine?
Do not take this medicine with the following medication:

• didanosine, ddI

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:

• amoxicillin or ampicillin
• azathioprine
• certain medicines used to treat gout
• certain types of diuretics
• chlorpropamide
• cyclosporine
• dicumarol
• mercaptopurine
• tolbutamide
• warfarin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to allopurinol or previous serious reaction.

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

Call your doctor or health care professional at once if you get a skin rash together with chills, fever, sore throat, or nausea and vomiting, if you have blood in your urine, or difficulty passing urine.

Do not take vitamin C without asking your doctor or health care professional. Too much vitamin C can increase the chance of getting kidney stones.

You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol can make you more drowsy and dizzy. Alcohol can also increase the chance of stomach problems and increase the amount of uric acid in your blood. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

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What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• kidney or liver disease
• an unusual or allergic reaction to allopurinol, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast feeding

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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