Flavoxate Hydrochloride
About
Flavoxate Hydrochloride belongs to the group of medicines called anti-spasmodic agents used to treat muscle spasms of the urinary tract, which could occur due to inflammation of the bladder, urethra, or prostate gland. Flavoxate Hydrochloride is also used to relieve symptoms that may occur due to surgery, painful urination, inability to control urine flow, and excessive urination at night. An overactive bladder is the contraction or tightening of bladder muscles that cause bladder spasms.
Flavoxate Hydrochloride contains 'Flavoxate hydrochloride' that relaxes the muscles of the urinary bladder, thereby helps in preventing frequent urination, excessive or uncontrolled urination. Flavoxate Hydrochloride also helps in relieving the associated pain due to the inflammation and contraction of the urinary bladder due to urinary incontinence.
You are advised to take Flavoxate Hydrochloride for as long as your doctor has prescribed it for you, depending on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience certain common side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, gastric pain, dry mouth, and drowsiness. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and will resolve gradually over time. However, you are advised to talk to your doctor if you experience these side effects persistently.
Do not take Flavoxate Hydrochloride if you are allergic to any of its contents; if you have gastrointestinal bleeding, obstruction in food passage, muscular inability to swallow, urinary retention, closed-angle glaucoma (eye pressure disease), or muscle weakness. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Flavoxate Hydrochloride may cause drowsiness, vertigo and blurred vision, so drive only if you are alert. Flavoxate Hydrochloride is not recommended for children below 12 years of age, as safety and efficacy have not been established.
Uses of Flavoxate Hydrochloride
Medicinal Benefits
Flavoxate Hydrochloride belongs to a group of medicines called antispasmodics used to relieve and prevent muscle spasms. Flavoxate Hydrochloride works by inhibiting bladder contractions in the urinary tract, thereby reducing the associated pain. Flavoxate Hydrochloride treats urinary tract muscle spasms caused due to the inflammation of the urinary bladder, prostate gland or urethra. Besides this, Flavoxate Hydrochloride also relieves symptoms that arise after the surgery, cystoscopy or catheterisation like dysuria (painful urination), nocturia (excessive urination at night) and the inability to control urine flow (urinary incontinence).
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Flavoxate Hydrochloride
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach upset
- Gastric pain
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Flavoxate Hydrochloride if you are allergic to any of its contents; if you have gastrointestinal bleeding, obstruction in food passage, muscular inability to swallow, urinary retention, glaucoma, or muscle weakness. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; your doctor will prescribe you Flavoxate Hydrochloride only if the benefits outweigh the risks. Flavoxate Hydrochloride may cause drowsiness, so drive with caution. Flavoxate Hydrochloride is not recommended for children as safety and efficacy have not been established. Avoid consuming alcohol with Flavoxate Hydrochloride as it could lead to increased drowsiness. Inform your doctor about your health conditions and medications to rule out any side effects.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Flavoxate Hydrochloride may interact with anti-convulsant (topiramate and valproic acid), antihistamine (diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, and cetirizine), anti-anxiety (alprazolam and duloxetine), pain killer (acetaminophen), anti-cholinergic (oxybutynin), and anti-depressant (fluoxetine).
Drug-Food Interactions: No interactions found/established.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Inform your doctor if you have urinary obstruction, gastrointestinal obstruction, muscle weakness, gastrointestinal bleeding, or glaucoma.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid alcohol consumption while taking Flavoxate Hydrochloride. Alcohol intake, along with Flavoxate Hydrochloride, may cause increased drowsiness.
Pregnancy
cautionPlease consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding this; your doctor will prescribe only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
cautionPlease consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding this; your doctor will decide whether breastfeeding mothers can take Flavoxate Hydrochloride or not.
Driving
cautionFlavoxate Hydrochloride may cause drowsiness and vision disturbances; do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you feel drowsy.
Liver
cautionDose adjustment may be needed. Flavoxate Hydrochloride should be used with caution in patients with liver impairment/liver disease. Please consult your doctor if you have a liver impairment or any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
cautionDose adjustment may be needed. Flavoxate Hydrochloride should be used with caution in patients with kidney impairment/kidney disease. Please consult your doctor if you have kidney impairment or any concerns regarding this.
Children
unsafeFlavoxate Hydrochloride is not recommended for children below 12 years as efficacy and safety have not been established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Pelvic floor exercises would help treat bladder spasms.
- Avoid foods like sugars, carbonated beverages, tea, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy foods, chocolate, and tea.
- Limit fluid intake, as excess fluid intake could cause an urge to urinate frequently.
- Avoid drinking excess alcohol or caffeine.
- Maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly.
- Quit smoking.
Special Advise
- Do not take Flavoxate Hydrochloride if you have lactose intolerance, as Flavoxate Hydrochloride may contain lactose.
- A urologist might suggest tests like urodynamics test, urine culture, and bladder function test to diagnose symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB).
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
The contraction or tightening of bladder muscles causes bladder spasms. This is termed an overactive bladder. Continuous contractions may cause an urge to urinate. Overactive bladder is characterised by involuntary leakage of urine, excessive urination, and urgent need to urinate. The common causes of bladder spasms are urinary tract infections, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, diabetes, constipation, impaired kidney function, bladder stones, enlarged prostate, or neurological disorders.
FAQs
Flavoxate Hydrochloride relaxes the muscles of the urinary bladder, thereby helps in preventing frequent urination, excessive or uncontrolled urination. Flavoxate Hydrochloride also helps in relieving the associated pain.
Dry mouth could be a side-effect of Flavoxate Hydrochloride. Limiting caffeine intake, avoiding smoking and mouthwashes containing alcohol, drinking water regularly, and chewing sugar-free gum/candy might stimulate saliva and prevent drying of the mouth.
There is some overlap between the symptoms of both OAB and BPH. OAB occurs due to malfunctioning of the nerves that trigger uncontrolled urinary bladder muscle contractions. The main symptom of OAB is a sudden urge to urinate that’s hard to control, which is stressful. On the other hand, BPH occurs due to an enlarged prostate gland, which puts pressure on the urinary bladder, thereby blocking urine with pain.
Avoid taking Flavoxate Hydrochloride if you are being treated for glaucoma. Consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding this.
Flavoxate Hydrochloride is used to treat symptoms of the bladder such as frequent urination, urgent urination, painful urination, bladder pain, increased night-time urination, and urine leakage associated with prostate enlargement, overactive bladder, irritation of the urethra, or bladder infections.
