Drug trade name- Detrol
Category- Urinary Incontinence
Generic name- Tolterodine
Group- Antimuscarinic
Introduction and Quick Information
Detrol is used in the treatment of overactive bladder with certain symptoms of urinary urgency, frequency and incontinence. It helps to reduce spasm of the bladder muscles. By relaxing and soothing muscles in the bladder, detrol improves the capability to control your urination and reduce frequent trips of bathroom.
Is Detrol FDA Approved?
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Detrol (generic name tolterodine) in 1998 and its further combinations (Detrol LA) were approved in 2001. If you want to know the further information about Detrol FDA approval, visit FDA official website or you can ask your health care provider about it.
Usage and Benefits of Detrol
Detrol (tolterodine) is used to reduce urinary difficulties, including frequent trips to bathroom and inability to control urination. Detrol is a group of drugs called antimuscarinics. It acts by preventing bladder contraction and decreasing the stress from it.
Benefits of Taking Detrol-
- It reduces and prevents the strong urge of urination
- It reduces the leakage incidents
- It reduces the frequent urination problem
- Detrol shows its effect 24 hours after taking it
- It also controls sudden urges to urinate
Detrol can be used for other health issues as well, which are not enlisted in this medication guide, but you can ask your doctor for further information.
Side Effects of Detrol
Detrol may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if you experience any of these Detrol side effects during the period of treatment.Some of them are as:
- Constipation
- Dry eyes
- Headache
- Dry mouth
- Upset stomach
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Discomforts in urination
- Chest pain, rashes
- Joint pain
- Painful urination
- Unusual urination
This is not a complete list of side effects, ask your doctor for more information.
General Recommended Dosage
Read all the information provided by doctor or pharmacist before you start taking Detrol. If you have any questions or doubt regarding the information, consult your pharmacist or doctor.
Take this medicine direct by mouth, with or without food twice in a day or as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Take this medicine on a regular basis in order to achieve the better health benefits from it. Remember to take your prescribed dosages on time each day. Detrol dosage is based on patient’s medical condition (especially liver and kidney disease) response of certain treatment or therapy and certain interacting drugs as well.
Do not try to increase your dose or take Detrol more often without a doctor’s prescription. Overdose or double dose will never improve your condition faster and risk of adverse effects may be increased.
Inform your doctor in case your condition does not improve or if it worsens.
In Case I Miss a Dose
If you miss a dose of Detrol, try to take it as soon as you remember. Skip the dose if you are about to take the next dose. In case of a missed dose, you should never try to take a double dose to make up for the missed one.
In Case I Take Overdose
Detrol Overdose can have some adverse reaction to the body. Seek for medical emergency or attention to avoid overdose consequence.
Overdose symptoms may include dry mouth, fast or uneven heartbeats, blurred vision and more.
Drug Interaction of Detrol
Certain drug interactions with Detrol can lead to some health discomforts or worsen the condition for which you are taking this medicine.
Before taking this medicine, tell your doctor if you have been taking any of the below-mentioned medication or treatment:
- Hear rhythm medicine such as dofetilide, amiodarone, sotalol, disopyramide,
- Droperidol
- arsenic trioxide
- narcotic medications such as methadone, levomethadyl
- antibiotics such as sparfloxacin, telithromycin, pentamidine, erythromycin, azithromycin, Erythrocin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin
- chloroquine
- cyclosporine
- medicines for the treatment of a psychiatric disorder such as thioridazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, mesoridazine, pimozide
This is not a complete list of drug interaction; there are plenty of drugs which have not been mentioned in this medication guide. Tell your doctor if you have been taking any sort of prescribed or non-prescribed medicines such as herbal products, vitamin and mineral supplements etc., during the treatment do not start taking any medicine or other health treatment without informing your doctor.
Life Style and Food Habits you must follow when on Detrol
There are plenty of things that you should tell or consider before taking Detrol. Unhealthy food and some lifestyle habits can reduce the effects of Detrol. You should not take this medicine if you have allergic reaction with Detrol (Tolterodine) and inform your doctor if you have any of the below mentioned health issues such as-
- glaucoma
- myasthenia gravis
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- a blockage of the urinary tract
- a blockage in stomach or intestine
- a personal or family history of “long QT syndrome”
There could be more health issues that can affect your health while taking Detrol. If you have any of these health discomforts then your doctor needs to make dose adjustments with some medical tests supporting it.
How safe is Detrol for Pregnant women or Nursing Mothers?
Doctor never recommends this medicine to pregnant women due to some safety concerns. However, there are no specific medical studies that show that Detrol can harm an unborn baby. This medicine doesn’t affect nursing mother’s health as well but due to some health concerns, it is better not to use this drug if you are breastfeeding your child. It is strictly advised, that any pregnant woman or nursing mother should not use this medicine until it has not been prescribed by a doctor.
Complication and Condition Possible due to prolonged use
Detrol may have some adverse side effects if you use this medicine longer than the recommendation. Although this medicine does not have habit-formation capability however for safety reasons, you should never try to take this medicine longer than prescription especially without telling your doctor.
Availability
Detrol is generally available at government and FDA approved drug stores where you can buy Detrol after showing a doctor’s prescription. You can also buy this medicine from online drug stores after providing required information about your cause to buy.