Treatment

There's no cure for familial Mediterranean fever. However, treatment can help prevent signs and symptoms.

Medications used to control signs and symptoms of familial Mediterranean fever include:

• Colchicine. This drug, taken in pill form, reduces inflammation in your body and helps prevent attacks. Work with your doctor to determine the best dosing strategy for you. Some people take one dose a day, while others need smaller, more-frequent doses. Common side effects include bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
• Other drugs to prevent inflammation. For people whose signs and symptoms aren't controlled with colchicine, medications that block a protein called interleukin-1, which is involved in inflammation, may be prescribed. These medications include canakinumab (Ilaris), rilonacept (Arcalyst) and anakinra (Kineret).