Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take oxybutynin as follows:
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water along with some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Oxybutynin could be prescribed as an oral syrup, regular tablets, extended-release tablets, or skin patches.
- When taking oxybutynin as an oral syrup, use a measuring spoon/cup to measure the correct dose being taken, in order to avoid risk for over/under dosing.
- Take the regular tablet as a whole. If you have difficulty swallowing the whole tablet, oxybutynin tablet could be crushed and the powder be taken mixed with some food or water.
- If you are prescribed an extended-release variety of the tablet, do not crush or chew the tablet, as it can lead to a rapid absorption of the drug into the blood stream. Extended-release tablets are meant for slow absorption and prolonged period of action. Rapid absorption of the drug into the blood stream can compromise the therapeutic benefit of the medication.
- If you are prescribed oxybutynin skin patch, be sure you are applying the patch on a dry and intact portion of the skin. Applying the patch to any open or inflamed site on the skin can result in rapid absorption of the drug into the blood stream, thus compromising the therapeutic benefit of the medication. The skin patch usually is changed twice a week. While changing the patch, also remember to change the site of application to another dry and intact portion of the skin on your body, as reapplying to the same site can compromise the absorption of drug into the blood stream and thereby, compromise the therapeutic benefit of oxybutynin patch.
- Avoid drinking alcohol with oxybutynin. Alcohol can act as a bladder irritant and intake of alcohol can result in bladder spasms and urge for urination, thus defeating the purpose of oxybutynin intake. Also, alcohol intake can lead to dizziness and confusion, thus adding further to the same side-effects oxybutynin intake can cause.
- Avoid drinking excessive caffeinated drinks and soft drinks rich in sugar with oxybutynin, as they can act as bladder irritants and significantly increase the urge for urination, thus defeating the purpose of oxybutynin intake.
- Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, as ordered, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- It may take about 3 – 4 weeks and may be even more, before the random bladder spasms, urge for frequent urination, and episodes of urinary incontinence are controlled and optimum response is noted. 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 oxybutynin, based on the relief obtained from bladder spasms and episodes of urinary incontinence. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to have your doctor updated. Be accommodative to changes in the plan of care, until you show an optimum response.
- Continue taking oxybutynin as ordered, for the prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms of bladder spasms, urinary incontinence, and urge for sudden urination are under control. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without physician recommendation, can lead to recurrence of the symptoms.
