Gold Treatment.
Last updated Thursday, December 30, 2004
Side effectsDoes gold treatment have side effects? This page includes some information about side effects of gold treatment.
Remember:
- Not everyone taking gold will have side effects.
- Most side effects are minor, but some can be serious.
- Side effects can occur at any time during treatment with gold.
- They may also occur for many months after you stop taking it.
- Talk to your doctor about the side effects; usually, the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks.
What are common side effects of gold treatment? Common side effects of gold treatment include:
- Skin rash
- The rash is usually itchy, red, and
scaly, with tiny bumps. It may appear anywhere on the body, and can
eventually cover the whole body. It usually occurs on the chest, arms,
and legs. It can also cause sores inside the mouth. The rash can be
quite severe and uncomfortable at times. Generally, it is mild and
affects only a few spots. It usually goes away on its own within
several weeks, if gold is stopped.
- Metallic taste, small sores in the mouth, or thinning of the hair
- These problems often go away when the dosage of gold is lowered.
- Diarrhea or loose bowel movements
- These
are common side effects of oral gold. This does not mean you'll have to
stop taking the medicine. The problem may go away by itself or may go
away if the dose is lowered. Taking a bulk-forming laxative may help
manage this side effect. If you have loose bowels for more than a few
days, or if you have severe abdominal pain or other symptoms, contact
your doctor as soon as possible.
- Allergy-like reactions
- This
sometimes occurs shortly after a gold injection. You may feel weak,
faint, dizzy or nauseous. This usually goes away after you lie down for
a few minutes.
What are less common side effects of gold treatment? Less common side effects of gold treatment include:
- Damage to the bone marrow
- (The bone marrow is
where the body produces red and white blood cells and platelets). This
is uncommon, but can cause serious problems or even death. Your doctor
will take regular blood tests to check for this side effect.
- Kidney damage
- To detect early signs of kidney problems, urine tests are done repeatedly during therapy.
- Liver, intestinal, and lung damage
- These
have been reported in people treated with gold, but these reactions are
very rare. Blood samples, analyzed every few months, should detect the
possibility of liver damage.
If any side effects are severe, gold treatment will be stopped. It
takes many months for injectable gold to be eliminated from the body,
but complete recovery from the side effect usually occurs much sooner.
In the meantime, serious reactions may be treated with cortisone-like
drugs, medicines that speed the elimination of gold from the body, or
other measures.
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