What is Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Oxybutynin reduces muscle spasms of the bladder and urinary tract.
Oxybutynin is used to treat symptoms of overactive bladder, such as frequent or urgent urination, incontinence (urine leakage), and increased night-time urination.
Oxybutynin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Oxybutynin reduces muscle spasms of the bladder and urinary tract.
Oxybutynin transdermal is used to treat symptoms of overactive bladder, such as frequent or urgent urination, incontinence (urine leakage), and increased nighttime urination.
Oxybutynin transdermal may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Oxybutynin reduces muscle spasms of the bladder and urinary tract.
Oxybutynin topical (for the skin) is used to treat symptoms of overactive bladder, such as frequent or urgent urination and incontinence (urine leakage).
Oxybutynin topical may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to oxybutynin, or if you have:

• untreated or uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma
• a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines); or
• if you are unable to urinate

If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before taking oxybutynin, tell your doctor if you have:

• glaucoma
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• an enlarged prostate
• ulcerative colitis
• a blockage in your stomach or intestines
• a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis; or
• a stomach disorder such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or slow digestion

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether oxybutynin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to oxybutynin, or if you have:

• untreated or uncontrolled glaucoma
• a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines); or
• if you have decreased urination or are unable to urinate

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication:

• glaucoma
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• myasthenia gravis
• an enlarged prostate
• an intestinal disorder, such as ulcerative colitis; or
• a stomach disorder such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or slow digestion

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether oxybutynin transdermal passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to oxybutynin, or if you have:

• untreated or uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma
• a blockage in your digestive tract (stomach or intestines); or
• if you have decreased urination or are unable to urinate

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication:

• bladder obstruction or other urination problems
• glaucoma
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• myasthenia gravis (a nerve-muscle disorder)
• severe constipation
• an intestinal disorder such as ulcerative colitis; or
• a stomach disorder such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or slow digestion

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether oxybutynin topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Oxybutynin Side Effects

What are the possible side effects of Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using oxybutynin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• hot, dry skin and extreme thirst
• severe stomach pain or constipation
• pain or burning when you urinate; or
• urinating less than usual or not at all

Less serious side effects may include:

• dry mouth
• dry eyes, blurred vision
• mild constipation
• diarrhea
• nausea, mild stomach pain or upset
• dizziness, drowsiness, weakness
• headache
• sleep problems; or
• runny nose

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using oxybutynin transdermal and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fever with hot, dry skin
• uneven heart rate
• pain, burning, or other difficulty when urinating; or
• severe itching, burning, or blistering that does not clear up within several hours after removing the skin patch

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild skin itching, burning, redness, or discoloration where a patch was worn
• dizziness, drowsiness, weakness
• blurred vision
• dry mouth
• warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
• constipation or diarrhea
• dry eyes
• stuffy nose
• back pain
• feeling restless; or
• sleep problems (insomnia)

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using oxybutynin topical and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fever with hot, dry skin
• uneven heart rate
• pain, burning, or other difficulty when urinating; or
• severe itching, redness, pain, rash, or other irritation where the medication was applied

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild skin irritation where the gel was applied
• cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat
• dizziness, drowsiness, tired feeling
• headache
• blurred vision
• dry mouth
• constipation
• stuffy nose, sore throat; or
• nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Oxybutynin Interactions

What other drugs affect Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

The following drugs can interact with oxybutynin. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these:

• other bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare)
• glycopyrrolate (Robinul)
• flecainide (Tambocor)
• mepenzolate (Cantil)
• thioridazine (Mellaril)
• HIV /AIDS medicine such as nelfinavir (Viracept) or ritonavir (Norvir)
• an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) or erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin)
• an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• atropine (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop)
• bronchodilators such as ipratroprium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva)
• irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine); or
• an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), and others

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with oxybutynin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Before using oxybutynin transdermal, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• atropine (Donnatal, and others)
• belladonna
• clidinium (Quarzan)
• dicyclomine (Bentyl)
• glycopyrrolate (Robinul)
• hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others)
• mepenzolate (Cantil)
• methantheline (Provocholine)
• methscopolamine (Pamine)
• propantheline (Pro-Banthine)
• scopolamine (Transderm-Scop)
• antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with oxybutynin transdermal. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

• atropine (Atreza, Sal-Tropine), belladonna (Donnatal, and others), benztropine (Cogentin), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), methscopolamine (Pamine), or scopolamine (Transderm-Scop)
• bronchodilators such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva)
• glycopyrrolate (Robinul)
• mepenzolate (Cantil)
• other forms of oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol)
• other bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare); or
• irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz, Levsin, and others), or propantheline (Pro-Banthine)

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with oxybutynin topical. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

What should I avoid while taking Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Oxybutynin can cause blurred vision, drowsiness, or dizziness. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Oxybutynin can decrease perspiration and you may be more prone to heat stroke.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Oxybutynin can cause blurred vision, drowsiness, or dizziness. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of oxybutynin.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated while you are using oxybutynin transdermal.
Do not expose the oxybutynin transdermal transdermal patch to sunlight. It should be worn under clothing.
Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by oxybutynin.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Avoid applying lotions, powders, oils to the skin you plan to treat with oxybutynin topical. These other skin products can make it harder for your skin to absorb oxybutynin, and it may not work as well. You may apply oxybutynin gel to skin that has been treated with sunscreen.
Avoid getting this medication in your mouth, nose, or eyes. If it does get into any of these areas, rinse with water. Do not apply the gel to recently shaved skin, open wounds, or irritated or broken skin.
Oxybutynin can cause blurred vision, drowsiness, or dizziness. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of oxybutynin.
Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself hydrated while you are using oxybutynin topical.

Oxybutynin Dosage

How should I take Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take this medication with a full glass of water.
Oxybutynin may be taken with or without food.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
Measure the liquid form of oxybutynin with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
Try to take this medication at the same time each day.
If you use the extended-release form of oxybutynin, you may notice what looks like part of a tablet in your stools. The tablet shell is not designed to be absorbed by the body, and may therefore pass into the stools without dissolving. This is a normal side effect of oxybutynin extended-release tablets.
Store oxybutynin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.
This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
To use the patch, open the sealed pouch and remove the protective liner. Apply the transdermal patch to a clean, dry area on your stomach, hip or buttock. Avoid skin that is oily, irritated, or damaged. Avoid placing the patch on a skin area that will be rubbed by a waistband or tight clothing.
Press the patch onto the skin and press it down firmly with your fingers. Make sure the patch is well sealed around the edges. When properly applied, the patch should stay on while swimming or bathing.
Leave the patch in place and wear it for 3 to 4 days. You should change the patch twice per week. Each time you apply a new patch, choose a different skin area on your stomach, hip, or buttock. Do not apply a patch to the same skin twice within one week.
Try to change your patch on the same two days each week (such as every Sunday and Thursday). There is a calendar printed on the package of this medication to help you establish a steady patch-changing schedule.
If the patch falls off, try sticking it back on. If it does not stay on, replace it with a new one and wear it until your next regular patch-changing day. Do not change your schedule, even if you apply a new patch to replace one that has fallen off.
After removing a patch, fold it in half so it sticks together and throw it away in a place where children or pets cannot get to it.
Use baby oil or mild soap and water to remove any adhesive residue that stays on your skin. Avoid using harsh soaps, alcohol, nail polish remover, or other solvents that could irritate your skin.
Keep the oxybutynin transdermal patch in its sealed pouch until you are ready to use it. Store the pouches at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.
This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying this medication. Also wash the skin area to be treated. Use a mild soap or cleanser.
Each packet of oxybutynin gel is for one use only. Throw away the empty packet in a place where children and pets cannot get to it.
Tear open the sealed packet and empty the entire contents into your hand. You may also empty the packet directly onto the treatment area. Oxybutynin topical can be applied to the skin on your stomach, upper arm, shoulder, or thigh.
Apply the gel to a different place on any of these skin areas each time you use it. Do not apply the gel to the same skin two days in a row.
Do not bathe, shower, swim, use a hot tub, or exercise vigorously for at least 1 hour after applying this medication.
It is best to cover treated skin areas with clothing after the gel has dried completely. This will help prevent getting this medicine on your other skin or on other people. If someone else does come into contact with a treated skin area, they should wash the contact area right away with soap and water.
Oxybutynin gel is flammable. Avoid using near open flame, and do not smoke until the gel has completely dried on your skin.
Keep oxybutynin gel in its sealed packet until you are ready to use it. Store the packets at room temperature away from heat and moisture.

What happens if I overdose on Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, tingly feeling, fever, uneven heart rate, vomiting, and urinating less than usual or not at all.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, tingly feeling, fever, uneven heart rate, vomiting, and urinating less than usual or not at all.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose symptoms may include feeling restless or excited, warmth or tingly feeling, fever, thirst, hot and dry skin, uneven heart rate, vomiting, and urinating less than usual or not at all.

What happens if I miss a dose of Oxybutynin?

Oxybutynin (Oral)

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Oxybutynin (Transdermal)

If you forget to change a patch on your scheduled day, remove and replace the patch as soon as you remember. Wear the patch until your next regular patch-changing day. Do not change your schedule, even if you wear the new patch for less that 3 days.
Do not apply two patches at the same time to make up the missed dose.

Oxybutynin (Topical)

Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Sourced from everydayhealth.com