bethanechol
Bethanechol is used to treat urinary retention, or trouble passing urine. It's taken by mouth multiple times a day. Bethanechol is available as a generic and there's no brand name version. Common side effects of this medication include stomach cramps, watery eyes, and a feeling that you need to empty your bladder right away.
What is Bethanechol?
What is Bethanechol used for?
- Urinary retention (trouble passing urine) due to recent surgery, childbirth, or nerve problems
How Bethanechol works
Bethanechol is a cholinergic agonist, meaning it acts like acetylcholine, a chemical that your body makes. Acetylcholine is normally responsible for muscle contraction. Because it works like acetylcholine, bethanechol causes your bladder muscle to contract, which empties your bladder and helps you urinate more easily.
Drug facts
Side effects of Bethanechol
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Drooling
- Watery eyes
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Sweating
- Urinary urgency (feeling you need to empty your bladder right away)
Less Common Side Effects
- Feeling unwell
- Headache
- Feeling warm
- Small pupils
- Trouble breathing
- Low blood pressure
- Burping
Bethanechol serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Overdose: stomach upset, drooling, feeling hot, sweating, nausea, vomiting
- Seizures
The following Bethanechol side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common or rare
more common with the injection
Belching
blurred vision or change in near or distance vision
dizziness or lightheadedness
feeling faint
frequent urge to urinate
headache
increased watering of mouth or sweating
nausea or vomiting
redness or flushing of skin or feeling of warmth
seizures
sleeplessness, nervousness, or jitters
stomach discomfort or pain
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Bethanechol
Pros
- Typically works within 30 minutes
- In case of an accidental overdose, effects can be reversed with a medication called atropine
- Available in many different strengths
- Available as a lower-cost generic medication
Cons
- Need to take the medication 3 to 4 times a day
- Can cause dizziness and lightheadedness
- Might need to take it every hour at first to find the right dose that works for you
- Can't be used if you have asthma or seizures
Pharmacist tips for Bethanechol
- Take bethanechol on an empty stomach, either 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after, to avoid nausea and vomiting.
- When you first start bethanechol, you might need to take it every hour (up to a total of 50 mg) to find the best dose for you.
- Don't take higher than prescribed doses of bethanechol. Taking higher doses can lead to an overdose with symptoms, such as stomach upset, drooling, feeling hot, sweating, nausea, or vomiting. Let your provider know if you have any of the symptoms above.
- bethanechol can make you dizzy, so don't stand or sit up too quickly from a sitting or standing position because you could faint.
Common questions about Bethanechol
Bethanechol starts working within 30 minutes from the time you take it. You should feel the full effects within 60 to 90 minutes. Since it can cause urinary urgency (feeling that you need to empty your bladder right away), make sure you have access to a bathroom after taking your doses throughout the day.
Bethanechol is classified as a cholinergic agonist, not a diuretic (water pill). Although it works to make you urinate more like a diuretic does, it works in a different way to do this; it squeezes (contracts) your bladder muscle, which empties your bladder. If you want to learn more about how diuretics work instead, check out this article.
You will likely need to take bethanechol 3 or 4 times a day. When you first start taking the medication, your provider might ask you to take a dose every hour, up to a total amount of 50 mg, to find the right dose that works best for you.
Take bethanechol on an empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal). If you take this medication too close to eating, you might feel nauseous or start to vomit.
Bethanechol and oxybutynin have opposite effects on your bladder muscle and are taken to treat different conditions. Bethanechol squeezes your bladder muscle, helping you urinate when you're having trouble doing so. Oxybutynin, on the other hand, relaxes your overactive bladder muscle so that you don't have to urinate as often.
Bethanechol isn't FDA-approved for treating gastroparesis, a condition where your stomach doesn't empty well because the muscles and nerves of the gut aren't working properly. Bethanechol hasn't been well-studied for gastroparesis, but existing research suggest it doesn't help in this condition. If you've gastroparesis, talk with your provider about your treatment options.
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Risks and warnings for Bethanechol
Bethanechol can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Urinary infection (reflux infection)
Normally, your urine flows from your kidneys to your bladder. A muscle called the bladder sphincter holds your urine inside your bladder. If for some reason that muscle doesn't relax as bethanechol works to contract your bladder, your urine can flow back up to your kidneys. If there is bacteria in your urine and this happens, it can cause an infection. Be sure to talk to your provider if you notice pain in the lower part of your body, cloudy urine, fever, chills, blood in the urine, or other abnormal symptoms.
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Bethanechol can make you feel dizzy and lightheaded. Don't stand or sit up too quickly from a lying or standing position or you might faint.
Extreme drop in blood pressure
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that are ganglion blocking compounds
If bethanechol is taken together with medications known as ganglion-blocking compounds, such as mecamylamine (Vecamyl), a dangerous drop in blood pressure can occur. Severe stomach symptoms usually happen before there is a drop in blood pressure. Make sure to tell your provider that you are taking bethanechol when you are prescribed a new medication.
Bethanechol dosage
Interactions between Bethanechol and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Betel Nut
How much does Bethanechol cost?
$20.75
Bethanechol contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Bethanechol will not be safe for you to take.
- High thyroid hormone levels
- Stomach ulcer
- Asthma
- Low blood pressure
- Low heart rate
- Coronary artery disease (condition causing plaque build-up in the arteries)
- Seizures
- Parkinsonism (a condition causing abnormal muscle movements)
- Stomach and bladder blockage
- Conditions with weakened stomach or bladder walls
- Recent bladder or stomach surgery
- Redness, swelling, or wounds in your stomach or intestines
- Vagotonia (a condition that causes slow heart rate and fainting)
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