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Uroxatral for Bladder Spasms

Uroxatral is prescribed to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate. When the prostate becomes enlarged, the muscles spasm, or contract, and make it difficult for urine to drain from the bladder. Uroxatral relaxes these muscles, which causes the bladder opening to enlarge. This makes it easier to pass urine and alleviates the inability to empty the bladder completely. Uroxatral is prescribed only for men. It is available as a time-released tablet.

  1. Taking Uroxatral

    • Take Uroxatral after a meal. Take it at the same time every day. Because Uroxatral is a time-released capsule, it should not be crushed or chewed. Swallow the pill whole and follow with a glass of water. Uroxatral must be used consistently for maximum benefit. Follow the dosage directions supplied by your doctor.

    Precautions

    • According to drugs.com, Uroxatral has an effect upon the pupils of your eyes that might interfere with cataract surgery. Be sure to let your eye doctor know you are taking Uroxatral (reference 1). Tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease, prostate cancer, kidney disease, cardiac disease or hypotension. You may not be able to take Uroxatral with these health conditions. Inform your doctor if you take antifungal medications, cardiac drugs or medication to treat AIDS or HIV as these can have undesirable interactions. Uroxatral should not be taken if you have severe liver disease or take itraconazole, ketoconazole or ritonavir (reference 2).

    Side Effects

    • Dizziness is a common side effect of Uroxatral. Sanofi-Aventis, the manufacturer of Uroxatral, advises patients to avoid dangerous activities like driving and operating machinery when starting treatment due to the risk of a sudden drop in blood pressure (reference 2). Call your doctor right away if you experience chest pain or fainting after taking Uroxatral. You should get immediate medical help if you experience symptoms of allergic reaction like swelling of your throat and difficulty breathing. Other serious potential side effects include dark urine, jaundice, clay-colored stools, fever, nausea and loss of appetite. You could possibly experience minor side effects like headache, diarrhea, sore throat, drowsiness, skin tingling and cough. According to the official Uroxatral website, the most common side effects associated with Uroxatral are dizziness, headache, tiredness and upper respiratory tract infection (reference 2).

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