Medication Information Leaflet
What is this medication for?
Tolterodine is used to treat a condition called overactive bladder. Overactive bladder happens when you cannot control your bladder muscle. When the muscle contracts too often or cannot be controlled, you get symptoms of overactive bladder such as:
- not being able to control when to empty your bladder, where you get a strong need to urinate with leaking or wetting incidence (urinary incontinence)
- a strong need to urinate right away (urgency)
- urinating often (frequency)
How should I take/use this medication?
- Do not stop taking your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
- This medication is usually taken one to two times a day.
- For sustained release capsules, do not crush, chew, or open the capsule as this can affect the release of medication into your body.
- You may take this medication with or without food.
What should I do if I forget to take/use this medication?
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Then take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
What precautions should I take?
Inform your healthcare professional if:
- You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication
- You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
- You are not able to empty your bladder (urinary retention)
- You have delayed or slow emptying of your stomach (gastric retention)
- You have an eye problem called “uncontrolled narrow angle glaucoma”
- You have liver, kidney or heart problems
- You have dementia and is taking medications called cholinesterase inhibitors such as Galantamine, Donepezil, Rivastigmine as these combinations may affect the condition.
What are some common side-effects of this medication?
- Drowsiness
- May affect your ability to drive and use machinery. Make sure your reactions are normal before you drive or do things which require you to be alert.
- Dizziness
- Get up slowly from a sitting or lying down position.
- Dry Mouth
- Chew sugar-free gum, suck on sugar-free hard candies or ice chips, sip water regularly
- Dry Eyes
- Apply lubricant eye drops if necessary.
- Constipation
- Drink more water (if you do not have any fluid restrictions), eat more high- fibre foods, and exercise regularly
What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
- Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
- Difficulty in breathing
- Itchy skin rashes over your whole body
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.
What food or medication should I avoid when I take this medication?
Avoid taking grapefruit,or grapefruit juice as they may interact with your medication and increase the risk of side-effects.
Avoid drinking alcohol as it may increase the risk of dizziness, light-headedness or drowsiness.
Inform your healthcare professional if you are taking or intend to take any other medication, supplements, traditional medications or herbal remedies.
How should I store this medication?
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.
How should I throw away this medication safely?
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.
Disclaimers
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on September 2019
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