Sign inBefore taking solifenacin
Before taking solifenacin make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:
- If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breast-feeding.
- If you have liver or kidney problems.
- If you are having kidney dialysis.
- If you have neurogenic bladder disorder (a lack of bladder control).
- If you have suffered damage to the nerves that control bladder emptying.
- If you have glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).
- If you suffer from hiatus hernia with reflux oesophagitis (acid reflux or heartburn).
- If you have high blood pressure, or hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland).
- If you have prostate problems.
- If you have been experiencing difficulty passing water.
- If you have a problem with gut motility (movement of waste through the gut) such as ulcerative colitis, paralytic ileus, or toxic megacolon.
- If you have heart or heart rhythm problems.
- If you suffer from myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakening disease).
- If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.
- If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
How to take solifenacin
- Before beginning treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet.
- Take your medication exactly as directed by your doctor.
- Try to take solifenacin at the same time each day to avoid missing any doses. Solifenacin is taken once a day and can be taken with or without food. Swallow your dose with a drink of water.
- If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember. Do not take more than one dose a day to make up.
Getting the most from your treatment
- It may take 4 weeks for the full benefit of treatment with solifenacin to develop.
- Keep your regular appointments with your doctor, so your progress can be monitored. Your doctor will want to review your treatment every 3-6 months.
- If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take alongside solifenacin.
- If you are having any treatment like an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.
Can solifenacin cause problems?
Along with their useful effects all medicines can cause unwanted side effects which usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side effects continue or become troublesome.
| Common side-effects - these affect less than 1 in 10 people who take this medicine | What can I do if I experience this |
| Dry mouth | Try sucking sugar-free sweets, pieces of ice or chewing sugar-free gum |
| Feeling sick, reflux, indigestion, tummy pain | Eat little and often. Stick to simple foods |
| Constipation | Try to eat a well balanced diet containing plenty of fibre and drink several glasses of water each day |
| Blurred vision, dry eyes, drowsiness, or dizziness | Make sure your reactions are normal before driving, operating machinery or doing any other jobs which could be dangerous if you were not fully alert or able to see properly |
| Headache | Ask your pharmacist to recommend a suitable pain-killer. If the headache continues, speak with your doctor |
| Increased sensitivity to sunlight | If your eyes become more sensitive to light than normal, wearing sunglasses or avoiding too much sunlight should help. If your skin becomes more sensitive to sunlight, avoid sunbeds and bright sunlight or wear a sunscreen of at least factor 15 |
| Reduced ability to sweat | Make sure that you do not become overheated in hot weather |
| Swollen ankles and feet, changes in taste, tiredness, difficulty in passing urine, a fast or fluttering heartbeat, dry skin, skin rash, diarrhoea, flushing of the face, restlessness, and feeling disorientated | If any of these become troublesome, speak with your doctor |
If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to this medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
How to store solifenacin
- Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
- Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.
Important information about all medicines
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References
- Manufacturer's PIL, Vesicare® 5mg film-coated tablet, Astellas Pharma Ltd, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated July 2008, accessed April 2009.
- British National Formulary; 57th Edition (March 2009) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London (link to current BNF).