Ed Spaz

Hyoscyamine is a prescription medication used to used to control symptoms associated with disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Hyoscyamine is also used in the treatment of bladder spasms, peptic ulcer disease, diverticulitis, colic, and irritable bowel syndrome. Hyoscyamine may also be used to treat rhinitis.

Hyoscyamine belongs to a group of drugs called Belladonna alkaloids. Hyoscyamine help by decreasing the motion of the stomach and intestines and the secretion of stomach fluids, including acid.

Hyoscyamine comes as a tablet, an orally disintegrating tablet, an extended-release (long-acting) capsule, an elixir, and a solution to take by mouth.

The tablets and liquid are usually taken three or four times a day.

The extended-release capsules are usually taken twice a day.

• Do not chew, divide, or break hyoscyamine extended-release capsules. Swallow hyoscyamine capsules whole.

Common side effects of hyoscyamine include drowsiness, dizziness, dryness of the mouth, urinary retention, and blurred vision.

Hyoscyamine can also cause blurred vision, drowsiness, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how hyoscyamine affects you.

Hyoscyamine is a prescription medication used to used to control symptoms associated with disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Hyoscyamine is also used in the treatment of bladder spasms, peptic ulcer disease, diverticulitis, colic, and irritable bowel syndrome. Hyoscyamine may also be used to treat rhinitis.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Edwards Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Serious side effects have been reported with hyoscyamine. See the “Hyoscyamine Precautions” section.

Common side effects of hyoscyamine include the following:

• drowsiness
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• headache
• blurred vision
• flushing (feeling of warmth)
• dry mouth
• constipation
• difficulty urinating
• increased sensitivity to light

This is not a complete list of hyoscyamine side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• Amantadine (Symadine, Symmetrel), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), fluphenazine (Prolixin), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil) mesoridazine (Serentil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), perphenazine (Trilafon), phenelzine (Nardil), prochlorperazine (Compazine), promazine (Sparine), promethazine (Phenergan), protriptyline (Vivactil), thioridazine (Mellaril), tranylcypromine (Parnate), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), triflupromazine (Vesprin), trimeprazine (Temaril), trimipramine (Surmontil), amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl), protriptyline (Vivactil), and clomipramine (Anafranil)
• Medications containing belladonna (Donnatal),
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), selegiline (Emsam, Eldepryl, Zelapar), rasagiline (Azilect)

• Certain antihistamines
• Antacids

This is not a complete list of hyoscyamine drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with hyoscyamine including the following:

• Diarrhea
• Skin rash
• Eye pain
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Psychosis has been reported in sensitive individuals given hyoscyamine sulfate. Tell your doctor if you notice any of these signs or symptoms:
  • confusion, disorientation, short-term memory loss, hallucinations, dysarthria, ataxia, coma, euphoria, anxiety, decreased anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and/or agitation
• Hyoscyamine sulfate may decrease sweating and result fever or heat stroke. Patients with a fever or those who may be exposed to elevated environmental temperatures should use caution.

If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

Hyoscyamine can also cause blurred vision, drowsiness, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how hyoscyamine affects you.

Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking hyoscyamine if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should not usually take hyoscyamine because it is not as safe and may not be as effective as other medications that can be used to treat the same condition.

Do not take hyoscyamine if you:

• are allergic to hyoscyamine or to any of its ingredients
• have glaucoma
• have obstructive uropathy (for example, bladder neck obstruction due to prostatic hypertrophy)
• have obstructive disease of the gastrointestinal tract (as in achalasia, pyloroduodenal stenosis)
• have paralytic ileus
• intestinal issues
• unstable cardiovascular status in acute hemorrhage
• have severe ulcerative colitis
• have toxic megacolon complicating ulcerative colitis
• have myasthenia gravis

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of hyoscyamine, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking hyoscyamine, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to hyoscyamine or to any of its ingredients
• have or had glaucoma
• have or had heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease
• have congestive heart failure or cardiac arrhythmias
• have a urinary tract or intestinal obstruction
• have an enlarged prostate
• have ulcerative colitis (a condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum)
• have myasthenia gravis.
• have hyperthyroidism
• have hypertension
• are having surgery, including dental surgery. Tell your doctor or dentist that you take hyoscyamine.
• are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking hyoscyamine, call your doctor.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Hyoscyamine falls into category C. No studies have been done in animals, and no well-controlled studies have been done in pregnant women. Hyoscyamine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Hyoscyamine has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from hyoscyamine, should not be administered to a nursing mother.

Take hyoscyamine exactly as prescribed.

Hyoscyamine comes as a tablet, an orally disintegrating tablet, an extended-release (long-acting) capsule, an elixir, and a solution to take by mouth.

Do not chew, divide, or break extended-release (long-acting) capsule. Swallow extended-release (long-acting) capsule whole.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of hyoscyamine at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• kidney function
• weight (children)

The maximum dose of hyoscyamine in adults is 1.5 mg/day, given in divided doses.

The maximum dose of hyoscyamine in children (2-12 years old) is 0.75 mg/day, given in divided doses.

If you take too much hyoscyamine, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store hyoscyamine at room temperature.
• Store medication away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
• Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.