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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffThese tips can help you manage familial Mediterranean fever:
- Take your medication on schedule. Sticking to your colchicine regimen is crucial for relieving your symptoms and preventing complications. Taking colchicine on a regular schedule may also reduce side effects of the medication.
- Discuss pregnancy with your doctor. If you'd like to start a family, talk to your doctor about how you can increase the chances that your baby will be healthy. Fortunately, colchicine therapy isn't associated with an increased risk of infertility or of abnormalities in a developing baby. If you become pregnant, you may find that the frequency and the severity of your symptoms lessen during pregnancy. It's not certain why symptoms may improve, but it may be related to hormonal changes.
- Fine-tune your diet. Some people with FMF notice that their attacks are lessened by following a low-fat diet. One side effect of colchicine therapy is lactose intolerance, so if you experience abdominal discomfort, such as bloating, a lactose-free diet may improve your symptoms.
References
- Familial Mediterranean fever. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch297/ch297b.html. Accessed May 28, 2010.
- Kastner DL. Familial Mediterranean fever. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2899961. Accessed May 28, 2010.
- Fonnesu C, et al. Familial Mediterranean fever: A review for clinical management. Joint Bone Spine. 2009;76:227.
- Rosenberg PM, et al. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 1, 2010.
- Galip G, et al. Current perspectives on familial Mediterranean fever. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases. 2009;22:309.
- Rosenberg PM, et al. Management of familial Mediterranean fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 1, 2010.
- Ben-Chetrit E, et al. Familial Mediterranean fever in the world. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2009;61:1447.
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