Tamsulosin Hydrochloride, Oral tam-SOO-loh-sin hy-droh-KLOR-ide

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: alpha blocker (enlarged prostate gland therapy)

Generic and brand names: tamsulosin hydrochloride, oral; Flomax

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia).

It may also be used for other conditions determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• kidney disease
• low blood pressure
• liver disease
• prostate cancer
• vertigo or severe dizziness

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take your dose 30 minutes after the same meal each day. Follow your healthcare provider's directions exactly.

Do not chew, crush, or open the capsules. Swallow them whole.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, lightheadedness, fainting.

What should I watch out for?

Caution: This medicine is for men only.

This medicine does not protect you from prostate cancer. Continue to have screening exams as recommended by your healthcare provider.

This medicine may cause impotence (trouble having and keeping an erection), decrease your sex drive, or reduce the amount of semen released during sexual intercourse. These effects are usually mild and temporary when they occur.

Rarely, this medicine may cause a painful erection of the penis that will not return to normal. If this occurs, contact your healthcare provider or get medical care right away. It can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction if not treated.

Do not give this medicine to anyone else.

This medicine may make you dizzy or lightheaded. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert. Be careful to avoid falling.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. Also, drinking alcohol may make it worse. Do not drink alcohol unless your healthcare provider approves.

Tell your eye care provider that you have taken this medicine. This is very important if you are scheduled to have eye surgery.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Dizziness or fainting that continues or gets worse, painful erection that does not go away, fast heartbeat, yellow skin or eyes, new or worsening chest pain, vision problems.

Other: Headache, weakness, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, stomach pain, abnormal ejaculation, trouble sleeping.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril, enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• alpha blockers such as doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), and terazosin (Hytrin)
• angiotensin receptor II blockers (ARBs) such as candesartan (Atacand), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), losartan (Cozaar), olmesartan (Benicar), telmisartan (Micardis), and valsartan (Diovan)
• antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Monodox, Vibramycin), erythromycin (Ery-Tabs, E.E.S.), isoniazid, levofloxacin (Levaquin), metronidazole (Flagyl), moxifloxacin (Avelox), pentamidine (NebuPent), norfloxacin (Noroxin), rifampin (Rifadin), telithromycin (Ketek), and tetracycline
• antifungal medicines such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), and voriconazole (VFEND)
• anti-HIV medicines such as delavirdine (Rescriptor), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), nevirapine (Viramune), ritonavir (Norvir), and saquinavir (Invirase)
• antipsychotics such as aripiprazole (Abilify), chlorpromazine, clozapine (Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), thioridazine, and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), and primidone (Mysoline)
• aprepitant (Emend)
• beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor), propranolol (Inderal), and sotalol (Betapace)
• bosentan (Tracleer)
• calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cartia XT, Cardizem, Tiazac), nicardipine (Cardene SR), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), and verapamil (Calan, Covera HS, Isoptin SR, Verelan)
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• conivaptan (Vaprisol)
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune)
• heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), diltiazem (Cartia XT, Cardizem, Tiazac), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), flecainide (Tambocor), nicardipine (Cardene SR), procainamide, propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine, sotalol (Betapace), and verapamil (Calan, Covera HS, Isoptin SR, Verelan)
• imatinib (Gleevec)
• medicines to treat erectile dysfunction such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra)
• medicines to treat pulmonary hypertension such as sildenafil (Revatio) and tadalafil (Adcirca)
• natural remedies such as black cohosh, California poppy, golden seal, hawthorn, periwinkle, quinine, saw palmetto, and St. John’s wort
• nitrates such as nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur), isosorbide dinitrate, or mononitrate (Imdur, Isordil)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

The effects of this medicine may be increased if you take it with grapefruit juice. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.