Hyoscyamine sulfate is an anticholinergic medication. It can ease symptoms of different conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), stomach ulcers, and overactive bladder, in adults and children. Hyoscyamine is taken by mouth, typically every 4 hours. It's available in many dosage forms, including immediate-release tablets, sublingual tablets, and oral solution. Some side effects of hyoscyamine include dry mouth, sleepiness, and dizziness.
Stomach and intestine problems (e.g., stomach ulcers, stomach cramps, irritable bowel syndrome)
Control spasms in certain conditions (e.g., overactive bladder)
Colic in babies (Hyoscyamine elixir and drops only)
Pain from gallstones or kidney stones
Runny nose
Relief of certain symptoms (e.g., sweating, salivation, muscle rigidity, tremors) of Parkinson’s disease
Hyoscyamine belongs to the drug class known as anticholinergic medications. It works by blocking a chemical called acetylcholine from attaching to receptors (signaling proteins) in various parts of your body.
Source: DailyMed
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 immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Confusion (especially in the elderly)
dizziness, lightheadedness that continues, or fainting
skin rash or hives
Incidence not known
difficulty with swallowing
fast irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
hives or welts
hoarseness
irritation
itching skin
joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
redness of the skin
shortness of breath
skin rash
tightness in the chest
trouble with breathing
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
Bloated feeling
blurred vision
difficult urination
difficulty with swallowing
drowsiness
false sense of well-being
headache
increased sensitivity of eyes to light
loss of memory
nausea or vomiting
redness or other signs of irritation at the place of injection
trouble with sleeping
unusual tiredness or weakness
Incidence not known
Decreased interest in sexual intercourse
inability to have or keep an erection
loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
loss of taste
For patients using scopolamine:
After you stop using scopolamine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of scopolamine you were using and how long you used it. During this period of time check with your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects:
irritability
nightmares
pupil of one eye is larger (patch only)
sensitivity of eyes to light (patch only)
trouble in sleeping
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.
Works quickly to relieve symptoms
Comes in several different dosage forms (e.g., oral tablet, sublingual tablet, orally dissolving tablet, liquid)
Can be used in adults and children
Available as a lower-cost generic
Needs to be taken multiple times per day
Can have a lot of bothersome side effects (e.g., sleepiness, dizziness, dry mouth, trouble urinating, constipation)
Not known if it's safe for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding because it hasn't been studied
You can take hyoscyamine with or without food, but if it upsets your stomach, try taking it with food to help.
Hyoscyamine can cause dizziness and raise your risk for falls. Let you provider know if you're taking benzodiazepines, anxiety medications, or muscle relaxants. These medication can worsen sleepiness and confusion from hyoscyamine.
If you take antacids, take hyoscyamine before meals and the antacid after meals.
Hyoscyamine can cause your mouth to feel dry because it causes your body to make less saliva. Make sure to drink enough water when you're taking this medication.
Hyoscyamine can affect your ability to think, focus, and react. Don't drive, operate machinery, or do anything that requires concentration until you know how this medication affects you.
Hyoscyamine can cause your body to make less sweat. This can cause your body to overheat more easily in hot temperatures and make you more thirsty. Make sure to drink enough water and stay hydrated while taking this medication.
Different brands and formulations of this medication may be used in children of different ages. Discuss with your child's healthcare provider about which brand and dosage form is best for your child.
Tips on how to take hyoscyamine:
For the immediate-release and extended-release tablets: Swallow the tablets whole. Don't crush, chew, or split the tablets. If you're having trouble swallowing the tablets, talk to your provider about switching you to a different formulation of hyoscyamine.
For the sublingual tablet: Take the sublingual tablet by placing the tablet under your tongue and allow it to dissolve. Don't eat, drink, or smoke while it's dissolving. Also, you can swallow your saliva, but don't swallow the tablet.
For the dissolvable tablet (ODT):, make sure your hands are dry before handling the medication. Peel off the foil backing, and remove the tablet from the blister card. Don't try to push the tablet through the foil; this can damage the medication. Place the tablet on the tongue to let it dissolve, and swallow with saliva.
More tips for hyoscyamine liquid:
The oral drops contains 0.125 mg/mL and the elixir contains 0.125 mg/5 mL. Double check your bottle and the prescribed dose to avoid accidentally taking the wrong amount.
Store the medication bottle at room temperature and keep it in the original bottle to protect from light.
Make sure to only use a medication dose cup, syringe, or dropper from the pharmacy to measure out your dose. Don't use household spoons because they aren't accurate and might cause you to take the wrong dose.
Hyoscyamine 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.
Hyoscyamine can cause sleepiness, dizziness, and blurry vision. Don't drive or do any activity the requires a lot of attention until you know how this medication makes you feel.
Risk factors: Age 65 years or older | Mental health conditions
Hyoscyamine can sometimes change your mood, thoughts, or ability to think. It can cause symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, or feeling disoriented. It can also lead to agitation, seeing or hearing things that aren't really there (hallucinations), or euphoria. In serious cases, it can also lead to a coma. Typically, these symptoms go away in 12 to 48 hours after you stop hyoscyamine. Please let your provider know right away if you experience any changes to your mood, thoughts, or behaviors.
Risk factors: Heart problems | High blood pressure
If you have heart problems, such as heart failure, past heart attacks, or high blood pressure, let your provider know. Hyoscyamine can cause your heart rate to go up, which can worsen certain heart conditions. Let your provider know if you notice a change with your heart rate or feel symptoms such as a pounding or racing heart.
Risk factors: Age 65 years or older
Hyoscyamine can cause your autonomic nervous system, also known as involuntary functions of your body, to change. For example, you might experience the muscles of your gut slowing down, which can lead to constipation. Your body might produce less saliva or sweat, which can lead to dry mouth and feelings of thirst, and make it more likely for you to suffer a heat stroke. Hyoscyamine can also affect other functions, such as your heartbeat or vision. Let your provider know if you experience any changes to your bodily functions. If you have a fever, don't take hyoscyamine without asking your provider first.
Hyoscyamine should be used cautiously in people who have prostate problems, because it can worsen their condition and lead to difficulty urinating.
If you've ever had a colostomy (or any similar procedures), let your provider know before you take hyoscyamine for diarrhea. Sometimes, diarrhea is a sign that you have a block in your gut, and taking hyoscyamine can be harmful.
If you think you have food poisoning, let your provide provider know before you take hyoscyamine. If you do, taking this medication can lead to a very dangerous problem called toxic megacolon.
Don't take hyoscyamine if you have severe ulcerative colitis. Large doses of hyoscyamine can slow the gut down to a stop. This can result in serious problems, like severe inflammation and swelling of the colon.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
0.125mg/5ml | 473 ml | $4.77 | $0.01 |
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
0.125mg | 30 orally disintegrating tabs | $12.48 | $0.42 |
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
0.125mg | 30 sublingual tablets | $11.83 | $0.39 |
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
0.125mg | 30 tablets | $10.72 | $0.36 |
Hyoscyamine comes in many different formulations, including immediate-release (IR) tablet, extended-release tablets, orally disintegrating tablet, and liquid solutions. Follow the directions your provider gave for your specific hyoscyamine product.
Some examples include:
Hyoscyamine 0.125 mg immediate-release (IR) tablet:
Age 12 years or older: The typical dose is 1 to 2 tablets every 4 hours or as needed. The maximum dose is 12 tablets within a 24-hour period.
Age 2 to under 12 years (IR tablet and chewable tablet only): The typical dose is half a tablet to 1 tablet every 4 hours or as needed. The maximum dose is 6 tablets within a 24-hour period.
Hyoscyamine 0.375 mg extended-release tablets:
Age 12 years or older: The typical dose is 1 to 2 tablets by mouth every 12 hours. The maximum dose is 4 tablets within a 24-hour period.
Hyoscyamine 0.125 mg/1 mL oral solution drops:
Age 12 years or older: The typical dose is 1 to 2 mL by mouth every 4 hours or as needed. The maximum dose is 12 mL within a 24-hour period.
Age 2 to under 12 years: The typical dose is ¼ to 1 mL by mouth every 4 hours or as needed. Do not take more than 6 mL in 24 hours.
Age under 2 years: The dose depends on your child's body weight. In general, the typical dose ranges from a 4 drops to 8 drops by mouth every 4 hours or as needed.
There's also an injectable form that's used for people in the hospital who aren't able to take hyoscyamine by mouth.
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 any of these medicines, 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 medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with a medication in this class or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using medicines in this class with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Urinary tract blockage
Stomach or intestinal blockage
Long-term constipation
Unstable heart or bleeding problems
Severe ulcerative colitis with toxic megacolon
Stomach and intestine problems (e.g., stomach ulcers, stomach cramps, irritable bowel syndrome)
Control spasms in certain conditions (e.g., overactive bladder)
Colic in babies (Hyoscyamine elixir and drops only)
Pain from gallstones or kidney stones
Runny nose
Relief of certain symptoms (e.g., sweating, salivation, muscle rigidity, tremors) of Parkinson’s disease
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BPI Labs LLC. (2023). Hyoscyamine sulfate injection, solution [package insert]. DailyMed.
Chartwell RX, LLC. (2023). Hyoscyamine sulfate elixir; solution; tablet [package insert]. DailyMed.
Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Narcotics.
PDR by ConnectiveRx®. (n.d.). Levsin.
Pharma Packaging Solutions, LLC dba Tjoapack LLC. (2023). Hyoscyamine ER- hyoscyamine sulfate tablet, extended release [package insert]. DailyMed.
Salisbury, B. H., et al. (2023). Antacids. StatPearls.
Sam, C., et al. (2023). Physiology, acetylcholine. StatPearls.
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