• Basic Info
• Top Questions
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What is allopurinol?
Allopurinol reduces the production of uric acid in your body. Uric acid buildup can lead to gout or kidney stones. Allopurinol is used to treat gout or kidney stones, and to decrease levels of uric acid in people who are receiving cancer treatment. Allopurinol may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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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. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of allopurinol?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using allopurinol and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;

• pain or bleeding when you urinate;

• urinating less than usual or not at all;

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

• bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

• seizure (convulsions).

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;

• dizziness or drowsiness;

• increased sweating; or

• joint pain.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take allopurinol?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication. Take each dose with a full glass of water. To reduce your risk of kidney stones forming, drink 8 to 10 full glasses of fluid every day, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Allopurinol can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

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What is the most important information I should know about allopurinol?
Do not use this medication if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction to allopurinol. Stop taking the medicine and call your doctor at once if you have any signs of skin rash, no matter how mild. Take each dose with a full glass of water. To reduce your risk of kidney stones forming, drink 8 to 10 full glasses of fluid every day, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Allopurinol can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect allopurinol?
Before taking allopurinol, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: azathioprine (Imuran); chlorpropamide (Diabinese); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Sandimmune, Neoral); mercaptopurine (Purinethol); an antibiotic such as ampicillin (Principen, Omnipen, others) or amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmentin, Trimox, Wymox); a blood thinner such as dicoumarol or warfarin (Coumadin); or a diuretic (water pill). This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with allopurinol. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Allopurinol has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies using high doses have revealed evidence of fetotoxicity and teratogenicity; it is not clear if these effects are a result of direct toxicity or maternal toxicity. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Allopurinol should only be given during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

Allopurinol and its active metabolite, oxypurinol, are excreted into human milk. The effects in the nursing infant are unknown. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering allopurinol to nursing women. Allopurinol is considered compatible with breast-feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In a case study of a 5-week old infant, the excretion of allopurinol and oxypurinol into human milk was evaluated following maternal ingestion of allopurinol 300 mg once daily for 4 weeks. Milk allopurinol levels were 0.9 and 1.4 mcg/mL, with corresponding milk to plasma ratios of 0.9 and 1.4, at 2 and 4 hours post-dose, respectively. Milk oxypurinol levels were 53.7 and 48 mcg/mL, with corresponding milk to plasma ratios of 3.9 and 2.4, at 2 and 4 hours post-dose, respectively. Two hours after breast-feeding (4 hours post-dose), allopurinol levels were undetectable in the infant's serum while oxypurinol was present at a concentration of 6.6 mcg/mL. There was no evidence of side effects in the infant, including no changes in standard clinical chemistry and hematology, during 6 weeks of maternal allopurinol therapy and regular breast-feeding (150 mL/kg/day).

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to allopurinol or previous serious reaction.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of allopurinol is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking allopurinol?
Do not use this medication if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction to allopurinol. Before taking allopurinol, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: kidney disease; liver disease; diabetes; congestive heart failure; high blood pressure; or if you are receiving any chemotherapy. If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take allopurinol. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

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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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