Flomax (tamsulosin) is an oral drug employed in treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. Flomax usage includes treatment of moderate to severe urinary urgency, urinary frequency and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. Tamsulosin (Flomax generic name) belongs to a group of medicines called alpha-blockers. The active substance tamsulosin in the capsule is a so-called alpha1, a receptor blocker that relaxes the muscles of the prostate and the urethra. This facilitates the flow of urine and supports bladder emptying.
How does Flomax look?
Tamsulosin Flomax capsules are marked Flomax 0.4 mg on one half of the capsule and BI 58 on the other.
Results
So what does Flomax do apart from the above and how good is the effect? It is known that selective a1-blockers have a positive effect on the passage of distal ureteral stones, and after a spontaneous session lithotripsy (ESWL), the number of painful episodes reduces and therapeutic effectiveness is improved with engagement of Flomax for kidney stones treatment. This has been confirmed by clinical studies, which are based on survey data, accounting and registration of analgesics attacks of renal colic, as well as data on the self-discharge of stones and their fragments after ESWL.
At the same time, some Flomax reviews authors found no significant effect of Flomax medication on the stone passage after shock wave lithotripsy. Efficiency blockers, according to different authors, ranging from 63 to 84%. It depends on the proper selection of patients based on the severity of inflammation in the urinary tract, the degree of obstruction, kidney function, the size of the stones and their location. The positive effect of a-blockers explain the impact on the smooth muscle of the ureter, which improves its permeability. Experimental studies have demonstrated the ability to directly inhibit the reduction of tamsulosin isolated fragments of the distal ureter
How does Flomax work?
Tamsulosin, the active medicinal ingredient in Flomax, is an alpha1-adrenoceptor (AR) antagonist. It binds selectively and competitively to the postsynaptic alpha1-AR, especially the subtypes alfa1A and alfa1D and is a potent antagonist of the lower urinary tract tissue. Tamsulosin improves micturition symptoms (increases the maximum urine flow rate) by reducing obstruction by relaxation of the smooth muscle of the prostate, bladder neck and urethra.
Flomax and kidney stones
Flomax mechanism of action primarily consists in rendering urethra muscles elastic so that it alleviates pain during urination. The nature of kidney stones (i.e., chemicals like calcium, struvite, uric acid, etc. that crystalize over time in kidneys) is such that when they are minor in size, they are excreted with urine. This is a traumatic process that is made painless with Flomax used for kidney stone removal thanks to dilation of urethra resulting from smooth muscle relaxation.
How is Flomax taken?
The capsule should be taken without chewing (as a whole) with a glass of water while standing or sitting upright (not lying). The recommended Flomax dosage in adults is 1 capsule daily (Flomax 0.4 mg), after breakfast; capsule should be swallowed whole with milk or water (about 5 oz.) while standing or sitting; take the capsule whole, not chewed, as this will prevent sustained release of the active ingredient. Your doctor has given you a suitable dose for you and your condition and the duration of treatment. The dosage may not be altered by unauthorized persons. Please discuss with your doctor or pharmacist if you have the impression that the effect of Flomax is too strong or too weak.
Flomax should always be taken after the first meal of the day. If Flomax is taken on an empty stomach, this may increase the number of side effects or increase the severity of the side effect.
Dosing information
Always take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The recommended Flomax dose is one capsule daily after the first meal of the day. This dose is also beneficial in Flomax kidney stones treatment.
What you should know before taking
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Flomax:
- if you have an inability to pass urine (urinary retention).
- if you have narrowing of the gastrointestinal tract.
- if there is a risk that your digestive system works more slowly (stomach and bowel movements).
Your doctor will have told you if you have this:
- if you have a hernia of the diaphragm (hiatus hernia) or heartburn and / or if you are taking medicines that can cause or worsen inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis).
- If you suffer from some form of nervous disease (autonomic neuropathy).
- if you suffer from severe kidney disease.
- if you suffer from moderate liver disease.
Periodic medical examination is necessary to monitor the development of the condition you are treated for. Flomax can affect your blood pressure, which may make you feel dizzy, faint, or in rare cases cause you faint (orthostatic hypotension). You should sit or lie down if you notice any of these symptoms until they disappear.
If you are undergoing or have a scheduled eye surgery due to lens opacity (cataract also called cataract) or increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma also called glaucoma), tell your eye doctor that you have previously used, use or will use Flomax . Eye doctor can then take appropriate action regarding your medication and surgical techniques used. Ask your doctor whether you should postpone or make a temporary interruption of the drug when you have surgery for the cloudy lens (cataract) or increased eye pressure (glaucoma).
Flomax contraindications
- If you are allergic to tamsulosin hydrochloride or any of the other ingredients in this medicinal product. Anxiety or allergy to Flomax may manifest as sudden swelling of the hands and feet, swollen lips, tongue, or throat, leading to atemporal bleeding and / or itching and skin rash (angioedema).
- If you have had dizziness or weakness in the past due to a drop in blood pressure during a change of position (when sitting up or lying down)
- If you are suffering from a severe liver disorder
- If you have a severe disorder of the renal function
- If you notice dizziness or weakness during the use of Flomax. Please sit or lie down immediately until the symptoms have disappeared.
- If you have a sudden onset of swelling of your hands or feet, swollen lips, tongue or throat, atemproblems and / or itching and skin rash during treatment with Flomax caused by an allergic reaction (angioedema)
- If you have to undergo eye surgery due to a lens dislocation (cataract) or increased eye pressure (glaucoma)
Please inform your eye specialist that they have taken Flomax in the past, are taking Flomax, or are planning to take Flomax. This allows your eye specialist to take appropriate precautions with regard to the medicines that you receive as well as the surgical technique used. Ask your doctor if you should stop taking Tamsulosin or temporarily stop if you have an eye surgery due to a dull lens or increased eye pressure.
Before starting Flomax, your doctor should study you to rule out the existence of other conditions that can cause the same symptoms as a prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia). A special examination, namely a digital rectal examination, should be carried out. If necessary, a determination of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) should be carried out at regular intervals before the start of treatment and after treatment.
Drug interactions
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other medicines, recently used other medicines, or intend to use / use other medicines.
In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking the following medicines:
- Medicines that lower your blood pressure (verapamil, diltiazem);
- Medicines for the treatment of HIV (ritonavir, indinavir);
- Medicines for the treatment of fungal infections (ketoconazole, itraconazole);
- Other alpha-blockers (doxazosin, indoramine, prazosin, alfuzosin);
- Erythromycin, an antibiotic for the treatment of infections;
- Ciclosporin, a means for suppressing the immune system, which is used, for example, after organ transplants;
- Concomitant use of tamsulosin with other alpha1A receptor blockers can lead to blood pressure reduction.
Some patients who are taking alpha blockers for the treatment of hypertension or patients with prostate enlargement may have drowsiness or mild headache, which may be caused by low blood pressure during rapid onset or standing up. Some patients had these symptoms when taking medicines for erectile dysfunction (impotence) with alpha-blockers. To reduce the likelihood of these symptoms, the alpha blocker should be taken as a normal daily dose before starting to take the drug for erectile dysfunction.
Diclofenac (anti-inflammatory pain reliever) and warfarin (anticoagulant drug) may affect how quickly Flomax is removed from the body.
Pregnancy, lactating period and paediatric population
Do not give this medicine to children under the age of 18 because it does not work in this age group. Flomax is not indicated for the treatment of women. In men, ejaculation problems (ejaculation disorders) were reported. This means that the seed does not leave the body via the urethra, but instead enters the urinary bladder (retrograde ejaculation) or that the ejaculation volume is diminished or no ejaculation takes place (absence of ejaculation). This may affect male fertility.
Important information
- If you accidentally take too much Flomax capsules, contact a doctor or pharmacist immediately.
- If you forget to take Flomax after your first meal of the day, you can make up for it later in the day, after a meal. If you have missed the whole day, take the next morning as usual 1 capsule.
- Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
- Do not stop taking Flomax if your doctor has not advised you, as discontinuation may cause your symptoms to recur or worsen.
- If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Caution: This medicine may interfere with reactivity and prolonged use. No studies have been carried out on the effects on the viability and the use of machines. Please note, however, that under the treatment with Flomax can come to drowsiness.
What are the side effects of Flomax?
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Stop taking Flomax and contact your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects:
- Sudden swelling of: hands, feet, lips, tongue, or throat with atemporal bleeding and / or itching and skin rash caused by an allergic reaction (angioedema);
- Strong ulcers or lesions of the mucous membranes (Stevens-Johnson syndrome);
- Ssevere inflammation and blistering of the skin known as erythema multiforme
Frequently occurring side effects Flomax can cause are:
- Dizziness;
- Ejaculation disorders (including reduced or unrecognizable semen ejaculation)
Occasionally occurring side effects of Flomax are:
- Headache;
- Irregular heart beat;
- Drowsiness, especially if you are sitting or getting up;
- Feeling cold;
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation;
- Skin rash, itching;
- Weakness
Rarely occurring side effects Flomax causes:
- Fainting;
- Swelling of the hands and feet, swollen lips, tongue or throat, leading to atemporal bleeding and / or itching and skin rash (angioedema);
- Strong ulcers and lesions of the mucous membranes (Stevens-Johnson syndrome);
- Persistent, painful, unwanted erection (priapism);
- Blurred vision;
- Low vision;
- Nose bleeds;
- Severe inflammation and blistering of the skin (Erythema multiforme);
- Peeling of the skin (exfoliative dermatitis);
- Irregular heartbeat (sometimes life threatening);
- Difficulty breathing;
- Mouth dryness
Other drugs with the same active ingredient
Apart from Flomax generic which will be reviewed later in the present piece, other drugs containing tamsulosin that are used for similar purposes is Urizia. Urizia is a combination of two drugs, named solifenacin tamsulosin in a tablet. Solifenacin belongs to a class of drugs called anticholinergics and tamsulosin belongs to a group of medicines called alpha blockers. Urizia is used when previous treatment with a single drug (Flomax) for these disorders has not yielded adequate symptom relief. Solifenacin, the second component in Urizia, reduces the unwanted contractions in your bladder and more urine can be retained in the bladder. You can therefore wait longer before you need to go to the bathroom.
Other forms of tamsulosin, including Flomax generic tablets, are Urisurge, Flomax, Flomaxtra, Contiflo XL, Bestflo, Urimax and Pradif.
Analogues
Urizia, Avodart and Rapaflo are registered Flomax alternatives. Urizia (see above) can be used as a Flomax alternative if tamsulosine treatment proves to be ineffective. A more close analogue of Flomax is Avodart. The active substance is dutasteride. It belongs to a class of drugs called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Avodart reduces production of dihydrotestosterone, which means that the prostate shrinks and the symptoms are alleviated and the risk of acute urinary retention and the need for surgical treatment decreases.
As far as Rapaflo vs. Flomax comparison goes, Rapaflo (silodosin) has similar action so in majority of cases the two drugs are interchangeable. However, as compared to Flomax price, Rapaflo cost is considerably steeper. Another downside of Rapaflo is that it lacks clinical data and patient-years comparable to Flomax and Flomax generic.
Order Flomax: tips for online shopper
The patent for Flomax expired in 2009, giving rise to mass production of tamsulosin generic in many countries outside of U.S., including Canada. Generic for Flomax, Tamsulosin, is available from many manufacturers with well-established names in pharmacology. Generic Flomax is more affordable and features an unaltered formula yielding benefits identical to those of the original drug. Generic Flomax online is available through a wide variety of e-drugstores, including those cited and verified by Canadian Pharmacy service.
Such verification provided by Canadian Pharmacy is carried out in order to protect online shoppers. Buying drugs online without prescription poses a great risk to get drugs that do not help or that make you feel even worse. The drugs may contain something completely different or in different doses from what is promised in connection with the purchase.
If you have problems that you need treatment, it is important to go to a doctor to get a diagnosis, a prescription and a follow-up of how the treatment worked. It is also important to buy the drugs at a reputable drugstore like Canadian Pharmacy locator service. Only then can you be sure that you get the right drug in the right dose.
Storage information
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. The expiry date stated on the carton and blister after "EXP." And EXP. The expiry date is the last day of that month. No special precautions. Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.