Generic Allopurinol

Allopurinol is the generic name for a medication that also goes by the brand name Zyloprim. It is prescribed for patients who have primary or secondary gout, and for patients with elevated levels of serum and urinary acidic levels, such as those receiving cancer treatments for leukemia and lymphoma. It can also be used to treat people who have calcium disorders that result in high levels of daily uric acid. Allopurinol can be given in tablet form or as an injection.

The most common side effect of Allopurinol is a skin rash. These rashes can be mild to very severe, even fatal, and it is recommended that treatment with Allopurinol be stopped immediately if a rash develops. In addition, if allergic reaction develops, or if you experience painful or bloody urination, you should discontinue Allopurinol. Other severe but less common side effects can include fever, chills, jaundice, and either an increase or a decrease in white blood cells. In some cases, taking antibiotics at the same time as Allopurinol can increase the negative side effects. Other side effects can include diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, an increase in the alakaline levels in the blood, an increase in acute attacks of gout, headache, inflammation of the blood vessels, liver disorders, abdominal pain, inflammation of the stomach, and upset stomach. You may also experience muscle disorders, nerve inflammation, numbness, tingling, or prickling sensations of the skin, sleepiness, nosebleeds, hair loss, hives, red spots, skin sensitivity, loss or distortion of taste, kidney failure, swelling of the tongue, loss of appetite, weakness, decreased libido, asthma, runny nose, sweating, cataracts, eye infections, impotence or male infertility. You should see your doctor if you have any of these rare reactions.

It is important during treatment with Allopurinol that you drink enough water to produce two liters of urine every day. This will help in the prevention of kidney stones and with the absorption of Allopurinol at the proper levels. If you do not experience immediate relief of your gout, do not stop taking Allopurinol, since it often takes from two to six weeks to experience optimal results. It is recommended that you take your Allopurinol after meals in order to minimize stomach irritation.

Allopurinol is in Pregnancy Category C, which means that it has not been shown to cause harm to developing fetuses. However, these are results from animal studies; conclusive studies have not been done on pregnant women. It has been determined that Allopurinol passes into breast milk, but the effects on the nursing baby are not known. Whether you are pregnant or nursing, or plan to become pregnant or to nurse a baby, you should discuss it with your doctor to determine whether the benefits of taking Allopurinol outweigh any possible negative effects for you or your baby. Allopurinol is rarely prescribed for children, though there are cases in which a child may have an excess of uric acid due to cancer treatments or to genetic conditions. In these cases, Allopurinol may be indicated for pediatric use.