Gold Treatment.
Last updated Thursday, December 30, 2004
Proper use of gold treatment
Gold treatment will work best for you if you take the medicine
correctly. Here are some general rules to follow and answers to common
questions about taking the medicine.Can gold treatment be taken with other medicines? Sometimes, gold treatment can be taken with other medicines. Because
gold takes a while to begin working, there will be days (during the
first four to six months of treatment), when you will have some joint
pain and swelling. During this time, your doctor may prescribe other
medicines, such as aspirin or other NSAIDs,
to help reduce pain and swelling. If the gold is effective, it may be
possible to slowly reduce these medicines. Some doctors may also use
gold in combination with other, stronger medicines, such as corticosteroids (prednisone).
Always tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other
prescription or over-the-counter medicines. It is important to know how
they will interact with the gold. Can gold treatment be used while pregnant or breast-feeding? It is not known how gold will affect pregnancy
or breast-feeding. Studies in animals show that gold may cause birth
defects. Animal studies also show that injectable gold may cause
unwanted effects in nursing babies. If you are pregnant, planning to
have a baby, or are breast-feeding, discuss the risks and benefits of
gold treatment with your doctor.Can children take gold treatment? Gold injections are given to some children who have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
Oral gold is also sometimes given to children with JRA, but it has not
yet been approved for use in children by the federal Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).Can people with arthritis take gold treatment if they have taken it before? Gold may be effective when started again. But you should not take gold
again if it caused severe side effects when you last used it.How can gold treatment injections be arranged during travel? Depending on the length of your trip, you may have to arrange for gold
injections as well as for blood and urine tests while you're gone. Talk
to your doctor about how and where you can do this.Can alcohol be drunk while taking gold treatment? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about alcohol and gold treatment. You
may be able to drink small amounts of alcohol, if gold injection is the
only medicine you're taking. Alcohol may cause increased stomach
problems if you're taking oral gold. If you're taking oral gold or
other medicines (NSAIDs, prednisone, etc.), you may have to avoid
alcohol.What should a person with arthritis do if a dose of gold treatment is missed? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Missing only one or two doses will
not affect you. But if you miss many doses, the gold will not work as
well.
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