Question for people on Elmiron...

[ScrabbleMom]

I've moved this to the Elmiron section; sorry I put it in the wrong place...

At what times do you take it?

Do you make sure that the doses are in 8 hour intervals, or can you vary it a bit with no problem? I co-sleep with my baby and HATE having an alarm clock go off at 6 am so I can take a pill. It's been waking him up...

Just wondering what other people do...

TIA...

[dee106]

Hi, I was put on Elmiron in November (newbie here) and my dose is 100 mg. I take 2 in the morning on an empty stomach and 2 at night on an empty stomach with a full glass of water. Was never told to take it 8 hours in between. Apologize for not being more help...Good Luck!

[dee106]

P.S. the only other thing I was told was to take it on an empty stomach 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after a meal so the medication would work better.

[ScrabbleMom]

This helps tremendously. I read of someone else who takes 200 mgs at a time, so obviously it is fine if I take my 3 pills without having them perfectly 8 hours apart. Thanks! The 8 hours instruction was on the bottle from Target...

[Goldfinch]

My doc said that if I had trouble taking my three pills spaced out during the day I could take 2 at once instead. Until recently, when I cut back on Elmiron because of some side-effects, I was taking one mid-morning--at least 2 hours after breakfast--one late afternoon (we eat a late dinner) and one at around 11pm before bedtime. It was more like 6 hours apart. It kept me from between meals snacking--not a bad thing, really.

[dg2901]

When I first started taking Elmiron i was on 3 pills 3/day. I'm also on another med that has to be taken in the morning on an empty stomach so my morning dose was a bit tricky. It was pretty much like clockwork that I would have to get up to use the bathroom around 4am so while I was up I'd take my first dose. My 2nd dose I'd take between 11-12noon. My last dose I'd take right before going to bed. This schedule worked out fine for me.
If you do have issues with trying to space your doses you could phone your pharmacist and ask him/her the best dosing schedule for you.

:)
Diana

[mbanet15]

I found out I had IC in december 08 and they put me on Elmiron and i take 100mg 3Xdaily and they never told me anything about how many hours apart to take it just 1hr before or 2-3hr after meals, But I dont really think it is working for me because I take AZO everyday because i constatly feel like i have to go, does anyone know any other medicines that they have been on to help?

[dg2901]

MB15--Elmiron is going to take several months before you start seeing progress. This can be anywhere from 3-6 months, with full benefits taking up to a year. Dont give up on it as its been very beneficial to a lot of us.

Elavil has worked wonders for people in regards to helping with pain and with the full bladder feeling. You might want to ask your Dr about this to see if it would be an option for you.
There are lots of medications to help with symptoms so if one doesnt work dont give up.

Wishing you well...
Diana

[mary124]

After all of these years being on Elmiron (10 years, I think) I still have trouble taking the 2nd dosage. I get too busy at work to even think about it, so there are times that I forget to take it all together. My doctor told me if I need to take 3 caps in the a.m. and 3 in the p.m. Whatever it takes to get it in my system.

[Zygala87]

mbanet15 please speak to your Doctor about taking AZO everyday. Our 21 year old Granddaughter almost died from taking tons of it every day so she did not have to miss a day of school. When we got her a PCP and away from clinics & ER's she was saved. Her Doctor told her that AZO does build up in the kidney's and causes great harm. Her whole health was ruined by a simple UTI and bad judgement. She is doing well now. Thank GOD! I hope you feel better soon. Hugs, Ziggy

[ICNDonna]

It's NEVER a good idea to exceed the instructions on the container of an over-the-counter medication without the advice of a physician. AZO is pyridium and is not intended to be taken full time.

Donna

[Goldfinch]

As many above have noted, phenazopyridine, which is the main ingredient in AZO, uristat and pyridium, is not generally recommended for long-term use. Why don't you ask your doctor about the other urinary tract antiseptics such as Urelle, Prosed, Utira-c or Uta? These meds help relieve many of the same symptoms, such as burning, stinging, frequency and urgency and are well tolerated and safe for long-term use. Check out the UTA threads under "Treatments for Mild IC" if you want more details.