Why are you taking it?

Gold belongs to the second family of drugs used to treat arthritis and inflammatory disease. It acts by damping down inflammation in joints. They have no direct pain relieving effect, so you will need to continue your other arthritis tablets at least for some time.

How and when is it to be taken?

By injection, usually into the buttock. We use alternate sides weekly for up to 20 weeks, then reduce to fortnightly or monthly if it is effective. You should arrange with your doctor to be given the injection.

What happens if I forget my appointment for my gold injection?

The day before or after your injection is due is o little consequence. Longer alterations can be made to fit in with holidays.

How long will it take to work?

The effect of Gold treatment is gradual. It may take at least 3 months for the full benefit to appear.

How long can I stay on treatment?

Provided it suits you, gold injections can be continued for many years.

Are there any side effects, and what are they?

All medication can cause side-effects in some people. It is a question of balancing the risk of side-effects against the benefits of treatment. Some side-effects that can be caused by Gold Injections are:

Why is careful monitoring so important?

You will have a blood and urine monthly - please bring a urine specimen with you. These will be arranged at your GP surgery. In this way we can pick up early changes. These will improve if you stop the gold injections. The monitoring is for your safety.

If unable to attend, please telephone for another appointment.

Remember to bring a specimen of urine to each monitoring clinic.

If you have any questions, queries or worries about your treatment, please contact your local rheumatology nurse.