[Noah930]

That sounds like the correct traditional dosage, Art. Take a loading dose, and then another tablet every hour (or was it 2 hours?) until the symptoms go away or you can't stand the side effects. Side effects being diarrhea.

My dad (internist) turned me onto another dosing regimen. Take just one colchicine per day, along with the normal daily allopurinol.

He showed me a study in which they had 3 groups: high dose colchicine, low dose colchicine, and placebo (no colchicine). In all 3 groups the patients also took allopurinol. The high dose colchicine was several tablets (can't recall the exact number, but it wasn't as much as the one tab every hour regimen). THe low dose colchicine was just one tablet per day. The placebo was obviously no colchicine.

They stopped the study because the low dose colchicine was as effective as the high dose, yet had fewer side effects. The authors didn't think it was ethical to continue the study and subject the high dose group to the continued higher side effects without added benefit. Interestingly the placebo group had GI side effects comparable to the low dose group. Anyway (for now) I'm sold on the low dosing regimen for acute gouty flares.