Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Tamsulosin as follows:
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor
- Take the medication dose with a glass of water at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
- This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Take the tablet/capsule as a whole. Do not cut, crush, or chew the Tamsulosin tablet/capsule, which can result in rapid absorption of the medication into the blood stream and compromise the therapeutic benefit of Tamsulosin intake. Tamsulosin could also be prescribed as a controlled release pill, which should be swallowed as a whole too. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole tablet/capsule, contact your physician for a change in plan of care to be considered.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Tamsulosin use not only inhibits the action of adrenaline on alpha-1 receptors in the smooth muscle of prostate and the bladder, the medication also partially inhibits action of adrenaline on alpha-1 receptors in the blood vessels, thus relaxing the blood vessels and leading to episodes of hypotension. Since Tamsulosin use leads to drop in blood pressure, taking it with other antihypertensive medications can lead to severe drop in blood pressure. Try spacing Tamsulosin out from other antihypertensive medications to avoid episodes of severe hypotension, dizziness, confusion, and prevent any falls and accidents.
- Avoid drinking alcohol with Tamsulosin. Alcohol can act as a bladder irritant and intake of alcohol can result in urge for urination and increased frequency, adding to the discomfort. Also, alcohol intake can lead to dizziness and confusion, thus adding further to the same side-effects Tamsulosin intake can cause.
- Avoid drinking excessive caffeinated drinks and soft drinks rich in sugar with Tamsulosin, as they can act as bladder irritants and significantly increase the urge for urination, thus compromising the therapeutic benefit of Tamsulosin intake.
- Observe compliance with periodical prostate evaluation and lab for PSA, as ordered. Report any worsening of symptoms of urinary retention and difficulty urinating immediately to your physician. Consider life-style changes, such as, physical exercise based on endurance, and weight loss, if obese.
- It takes about a month or two and may be even longer, before the symptoms of urinary retention, difficulty urination, and frequency improve. So, do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Your physician could change the dose of Tamsulosin, based on the relief obtained from symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary retention or based on the side-effects developed. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments to update your physician regarding the relief obtained. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Continue taking Tamsulosin as ordered, even if your symptoms of urinary retention and BPH are relieved, as Tamsulosin could be a life-time management measure for your symptoms of BPH. Abrupt discontinuation on Tamsulosin intake can revert the symptoms of BPH again. Discontinuing the medication should only be on your physician’s recommendation.
