The most common consequence of colchicine is diarrhea. In fact, many physicians are taught to escalate a dose of colchicine in patients with an acute attack of gout until they experience diarrhea. The nurse should caution the patient about this potential consequence of treatment. Other adverse events related to colchicine use are vomiting, nausea, headache, and fatigue. A rash is possible with colchicine use, but not common. Colchicine may rarely cause muscle weakness, myopathy, elevated CPK, and muscle pain but generally not muscle cramps.