Tamsulosin (Flomax)
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Tamsulosin (Flomax)
Used for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or “Enlarged Prostate”
Tamsulosin is taken daily for relief of obstructive and irritative voiding symptoms. Obstructive symptoms include slow / weak stream, start/stop stream, or incomplete emptying. Irritative symptoms include frequency, urgency, and waking up at night to urinate (nocturia).
How Tamsulosin ( Flomax) works
Tamsulosin (Flomax) is an alpha-1 blocker. It selectively blocks a smooth muscle
receptor found in the tissue of the prostate and bladder opening. By blocking these
receptors, the medication encourages relaxation of the muscles in your prostate and
bladder opening, which relieves symptoms of BPH by making it easier to urinate
Typical dosing for Tamsulosin ( Flomax)
- The typical starting dose is 0.4 mg by mouth once a day, 30 taken at the same time each day.
- The maximum daily dose is 0.8 mg once a day.
- It comes in a capsule that should be swallowed, not opened up.
mensRxplus Recommendations:
- Take Tamsulosin (Flomax) at about the same time every day to have the most consistent results. Many men take it before bed, though it is best to take about 30 minutes after a meal.
- When you first start taking Tamsulosin (Flomax) avoid quickly going from lying down to standing, and instead sit for a minute before standing up. This will reduce the chance of dizziness.
Side Effects:
Common Side Effects
- Headache (19-21%)
- Dizziness (15-17%) – tends to happen when standing up too fast
- Stuffy nose (13-18%)
- Abnormal ejaculation (8-18%) – smaller volume or no volume
Note, if present, headaches and dizziness typically subside within weeks of starting treatment. However, stuffy nose and ejaculatory changes are more likely to continue while taking medication.
Less common side effects can include: diarrhea, back pain, chest pain, sleepiness, weakness, trouble sleeping, sore throat, nausea, blurred vision, and lower sex drive.
Serious Side Effects
Allergic Reaction is the most serious side effect and can result in rash, hives, trouble breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. People with an allergy to sulfa
medications infrequently may have a similar reaction to Tamsulosin.
Tamsulosin (Flomax) interactions with other drugs:
Tamsulosin (Flomax) interaction with other drugs:
Take care when taking medications that could lower blood pressure as there is an increased risk of dizziness. Your doctor may need to lower the dose of one of your blood pressure medications if you start taking Tamsulosin. Do not take with other alpha-blocker medications used for blood pressure and / or BPH (Terazosin, Prazosin) as they could have compounding side effects.
It is commonly not recommended to take Tamsulosin with medications used for ED, such as (Sildenafil) Viagra or Tadalafil (Cialis). However in reality there are many men who have both BPH and ED. Discuss with your doctor, or consider taking daily Cialis if you have both BPH and ED.
See detailed warnings section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tamsulosin starts working immediately. Most men will notice a benefit within days.
Tamsulosin causes relaxation of the smooth muscle in the bladder opening, thisarea is normally closed tight during ejaculation so that all the ejaculatory fluidgoes towards the tip of the penis. When the bladder opening is slightly relaxed,the pressure of ejaculation may cause some of the ejaculatory fluid to go theother direction, so it ends up in the bladder. This is harmless, and it will come outwith urination. An alternative BPH medication that does not have this side effectis Alfuzosin (Uroxatral).
Some of the side effects, like headache and dizziness may lesson or resolveafter a couple weeks of taking Tamsulosin (Flomax). Those who notice sideeffects of stuffy nose and changes in ejaculation are less likely to see theseresolve. If any of the side effects persist or are too bothersome, speak to yourmedical provider. They may recommend an alternative medication for BPH thatworks differently, such as daily Tadalafil (Cialis), or you may want to see aUrologist to learn about surgical options to relieve your BPH symptoms. Bothminimally invasive and more involved surgical options exist.
Alcohol can make it harder for you to get and/or maintain an erection, which might worsen ED. Alcohol also slightly lowers your blood pressure, so when combined with sildenafil men have a higher chance of headache and dizziness. Also, both alcohol and sildenafil are metabolized by the liver, so alcohol consumption can result in a longer delay before sildenafil starts to work.
Warnings
Sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing
When you first start to take Tamsulosin (Flomax) or if your dose is increased, you canexperience a sudden drop in blood pressure when you get up from a sitting or lyingdown position. This is called orthostatic hypotension, and symptoms include feeling lightheaded or dizzy, blurry vision, fainting, nausea, and confusion. Always make sure tomove slowly from a lying down position to a sitting position, and then stand up slowly toallow your body to adjust to possible changes in blood pressure. Your body shouldadjust to the medication after the first few days, but if you continue to have thesesymptoms tell your healthcare provider. If you fall and hit your head, get medical helpright away.
Risk factors: Moving too quickly from sitting down to standing up | Not enough fluid in your body
(dehydration) | Taking other medications that lower blood pressure | Heart failure | Drinking
alcohol
Prolonged and painful erection (priapism)
Although rare, Tamsulosin (Flomax) can cause painful erections that do not go away, and can require medication or surgery to treat. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop an erection that lasts longer than 4 hours. There is a slightly increased risk of prolonged erection if you are taking medications for erectile dysfunction (ED).
Eye problems
This issue is a concern for patients who have a planned eye surgery for cataract or glaucoma. Tamsulosin (Flomax) can cause an eye problem called floppy iris syndrome (FIS), which can raise your risk of having eye problems during and after eye surgery. If you have planned eye surgery talk to your eye provider before starting Tamsulosin (Flomax), or if you are already taking make sure to inform them, as they may need to adjust their surgical technique.
Severe allergic reactions
Some people have experienced a severe allergic reaction to Tamsulosin (Flomax), especially those allergic to sulfa. These reactions can be life-threatening and include facial swelling, hives, and anaphylaxis (e.g., closing of the throat). If you notice dizziness, fast heartbeat, a choking sensation, difficulty breathing, swelling around your eyes, swelling of the lips or tongue, or any signs of a severe skin reaction after taking Tamsulosin (Flomax), get medical attention right away.
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