Ditropan side effects - how long do they last

[nools31]

Hi there,

I was recently diagnosed with IC (although I have had it for donkeys years).
Well yesterday I started on Ditropan. As I have been reading posts here for years now I know I should expect plenty of side effects no matter what I take :-). Well I have the following side effects: drowsiness, agitation, fast heartbeat and dry mouth. The agitation and drowiness bothers me the most. I am currently taking cymbalta for post natal depression so the agitation really does bother me. Can anyone tell me if these are long lasting effects or does a person eventually tolerate them?. Also does it take time to notice the positive effects of the drug (if there are any)? My doctor told me to come back in 6 weeks, so I am guessing it will take time to see if the drug is effective

As I am from Ireland I tried to enter the European countries section but cant seem to. Does anybody know anything about this.

Cheers
Nuala

:cat:

[SharonA]

The urologist who diagnosed IC as what causes my symptoms put me on Ditropan. I could not tolerate them. He then switched me to Detrol. It caused the same problem...Severe retention and what I call "desert mouth". My mouth was so dry, my tongue stuck to the roof. I had to go off of both of them. I know that there are people here who say that these types of meds (Over Active Bladder) helps them, but that was not the case for me.

[TexasHoney]

I have tried both of them.Neither of them helped me. I had mild dry mouth and some retention as well.

[nools31]

Hi there, I appreciate the quick feedback!

My doctor said that the next treatment he would try would be Amitriptyline Hydrochloride (Elavil). He said that the Ditropan is used to stop the spasms which he says would cause the urgency and the incontinence both of which I have. He said it should also help to stop the buring pain in my bladder. I do think it has taken a bit of the edge off, but the side effects seem to be worse than the therapeutic effect which is minimal. I seem to be going around like a zombie at the moment, but this is only day two. I feel like I have gone back months as I needed to be on tranquilisers for the panic which came with my depression (I am now off the tranquilers yay....but the ditropan almost has the same effect as a tranquiliser)
I am currently seeing a gynaecologist and a urologist both of which work from the same clinic and it was the gynaecologist who carried out the cystoscopy (he had to fix a botched up suturing job of someone else's episiotomy!) so he did both together. He prescribed the meds. I find the gynaecologist more empathic and interested in my case and he seems more proactive. However the urologist mentioned instillations and the two doctors are in contact about my case, so for this I am grateful. My GP (General Practitioner) ...(I think you may call this your Primary Care Physician) doesn't seem to have much knowledge of IC in terms of the effect it has on ones life, but he is open to my suggestions and was happy to refer me to the specialists.
My urologist mentioned getting an MRI for my muscle pain. I dont believe that it will show up anything. My physiotherapist said I may have fibromyalgia or chronic myofascial pain. The muscle pain started almost in parallel with my most acute phase of IC when I was 19. I believe that Amitriptyline helps with the muscle pain too. Do people find that?
The ironic thing I have found is that I have gone from one PCP to another in the hope of help and they all thought i was over anxious and depressed. (Well yes I was depressed but why not have an actual physical problem aswell?). Now that I am in the psychiatric system they have referred back to specialists because they said there is only so much that they can do for me on an emotional level and that I needed to get my physical problems under control. This was such a relief as I finally came full circle and felt vindicated that this was not in my head but was a real physiological problem. Even my own mother used to think it was due to anxiety. My symptoms of urgency and frequency started when I was 9 and I got full blown IC at age 19. That acute phase lasted a few years. Thank god I have not been that bad since. I' m now 35 and have the usual flare ups. In my early 20's I went through the public system for help then as I hadn't the monetary means. To say that I was dismissed is an understatement. Unfortunately Ireland's health system is becoming more of a two tier system which is disturbing and one is treated with a different attitude if they go private. It appals me but I am thankful that now I can afford medical insurance.

I have only had the courage to tell even my closest friends about IC recently. The only way I can explain the urgency to them is to compare it to being in the last trimester of pregnancy!!

After the birth of my baby last year I found a gynaecological physiotherapist who diagnosed me with PFD. She does trigger point massage for me. I would say that 1 in every 10 sessions has had a very positive outcome. This is amazing to me. It confirms to me that I need both treatment for IC and PFD in parallel. It also tells me that I have to take responsibilty and control over my condition because no-one takes a holistic approach.

I am soooo relieved that I have finally got a diagnosis of IC after running around from doctor to doctor. Now I know I have a long road ahead of me to find a therapy that helps but that to me is so positive.

I am both relieved and a little frightened at the journey ahead. I hope i can find support here and in turn be a support to people as I learn more and more.

Lastly I dont know if it is appropriate to talk about God, but in my deepest despair I thought he did not exist and now when I feel positive I can only but thank Him for helping me to keep fighting and keeping my determination alive.

Although I have rarely posted I am grateful to all the people who have posted. It has kept me going when no-one in my family understands what I have been going through. My husband is the only one who has an idea.

It may sound daft but I did not feel that I had the right to post on this forum because I had never recieved an "official" diagnosis. And yet if it wasn't for me dipping in and out of this forum I would truely be lost

I am so grateful to everyone on this forum

Best wishes
Nuala

[Mothergoose]

Well I am not sure I have been around long enough to welcome you, but welcome. Ditropan caused me severe retention as did all OAB meds, but no other side effects.
And I think it is fine to mention god, if people don't believe they don't have to read anything that offends them. I thank god everyday for the good parts of my life.

[Tuckersmom]

I have been on two of the OAB drugs. First it was Ditropan XL, and the only side-effects I had were dry mouth and constipation. I am now on Enablex, and those are the only two side-effects I am experiencing with it, too.

[Becky Boo]

Hi there Nuala, really glad you've decided to join us after such along time fighting this on your own! I live in England so I would think that many of our medications would be the same. I was diagnosed with IC & PFD in May of this year, although I've had frequency all my life & just thought this was "normal" It wasn't until October 07 that I started to experience pain. I was also started on Ditropan. At the time I started ditropan my bladder was still very tender from the cystoscopy & hydro so didn't feel it had any immediate affect. I also had the dry mouth & drowsiness. My Urologist changed me from ditropan to Lyrinel xl 10mg which I now take before I go to bed. It is the same sort of drug as ditropan but is a slow release one so you don't have to take it throughout the day. I'm much happier on this & although I get a dry mouth its not as bad & i do take constant pain relief which I would think adds to this! I also take 40mg Amitriptyline at night to help with the constant pain. I must say the pain is not as bad now as it was in April! Most medications do make you feel more tired in the day, but I've found that your body does get used to it as time goes on. My frequency has gone from needing to pee 15 to 40 times a day to approximatley 5 to 15 which is fantastic for me :smile tee. I do also follow the IC diet. I also take a muscle relaxant as & when needed called Diazepam. They come in 2mg tablets which I break in half if I only want to take a small amount as these can also make you feel tired to! I tend to take a whole tablet if I know I've got to sit for a longer period of time than I'd like.
Hope this info helps you & feel free to email me privately if ever you need to :smile tee. Good luck with all your meds & hope you start feeling better with each day that comes!
Big hugs
xx