Common uses

Ditropan is used to decrease the urgency and the frequency of urination. Ditropan works by
relaxing the bladder smooth muscle and helps to decrease muscle spasm. This delays the initial desire and the urge to urinate. Your doctor may have prescribed Ditropan for another reason. Ask
your doctor if you have any questions about why Ditropan has been prescribed for you. There is no evidence that Ditropan is addictive.

Before using

Do not take Ditropan if you have:
* Angle closure glaucoma or shallow anterior chamber -disorders of the eye
* Partial or complete intestinal blockage; stomach, intestinal or large bowel problems including colitis (inflammation of the colon)
* Myasthenia gravis - a disease of the muscles
* Urinary tract blockage
* Severe bleeding
Do not take Ditropan if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
The safety of the use of Ditropan in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant has not been established. Like most medicines, Ditropan is not recommended for use during pregnancy, unless you and your doctor or pharmacist have discussed the risks and benefits involved.
Do not take Ditropan if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. Like most medicines, Ditropan is not recommended while you are breast-feeding. Do not give Ditropan to a child under 5 years, unless directed by the child's doctor or pharmacist. The safety and effectiveness of Ditropan in children under 5 years have not been established. Use caution when giving Ditropan to children age 5 years or older. Children are more sensitive to the effects of Ditropan. Do not take Ditropan after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack. If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well. Do not take Ditropan if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering or if the tablets don't quite look right. If you are not sure whether you should start taking Ditropan, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Directions

Take oxybutynin tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. Oxybutynin works best on an empty stomach. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Elderly patients over 65 years old may have a stronger reaction to this medicine and need smaller doses.



Precautions

Before taking oxybutynin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: active internal bleeding, untreated/uncontrolled glaucoma (narrow-angle), severe blockage/slowed movement of stomach/intestines (e.g., gastric retention, paralytic ileus), decreased bladder emptying activity (urinary retention).
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: bladder disease (e.g., bladder outflow blockage), certain muscle disease (myasthenia gravis), heart disease (e.g., congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias), high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease, certain nervous system disorder (autonomic neuropathy), enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hypertrophy-BPH), stomach/intestinal disease (e.g., acid reflux disease, hiatal hernia, ulcerative colitis), overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).
This drug may make you dizzy, drowsy or cause blurred vision; use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving or using machinery. Limit use of alcoholic beverages.
This drug may increase the risk for heatstroke because it causes decreased sweating. Avoid becoming overheated in hot weather, saunas, and during exercise or other strenuous activity.
Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly because they may be more sensitive to its effects.
This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.


Possible side effects

The side effects of oxybutynin generally relate to the dose taken and are usually reversible. That is, when the dose increases, so does the risk of side effects occurring. There do not appear to be many instances of long-term side effects resulting from oxybutynin therapy.

Some side effects that may occur with oxybutynin include dryness of the mouth, nose or throat, drowsiness, constipation and a decrease in sweating. If you experience a decrease in sweating, your body may have difficulty cooling in circumstances involving high temperatures, and hence care should be taken in these situations. As mentioned above, most of the possible side effects are reversible on cessation of the medication. For a more complete list of possible adverse reactions to oxybutynin, a Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet can be obtained from your local pharmacy or the manufacturer of the product.

If you take too much

Immediately telephone your doctor or pharmacist or the Poisons Information or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Ditropan. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention. If you take too much Ditropan, you may feel
* restless or excited
* flushing, light headedness or
dizziness
* difficulty in breathing
* numbness in the hands or feet


Drug interactions

The following drugs can interact with Ditropan. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these:
• other bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare);
• glycopyrrolate (Robinul);
• flecainide (Tambocor);
• mepenzolate (Cantil);
• thioridazine (Mellaril);
• HIV /AIDS medicine such as nelfinavir (Viracept) or ritonavir (Norvir);
• an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or troleandomycin (Tao);
• atropine (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop);
• bronchodilators such as ipratroprium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);
• irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine); or
• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Ditropan. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.