Guide to Overactive Bladder Medications

Ditropan

Ditropan (oxybutynin) treats overactive bladder symptoms by reducing spasms of the bladder muscles. While this drug is effective at treating overactive bladder, there are side effects and risks that should be considered before treatment is started. Side effects of this drug include drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, constipation, stomach pain, dry eyes, insomnia, diarrhea, and weakness. Do not take this drug if you have an inability to urinate, uncontrolled glaucoma, or an intestinal blockage.

Toviaz

Toviaz (fesoterodine) relaxes the bladder muscles to reduce urinary urgency. Side effects of Toviaz include dry eyes, dry mouth, constipation, dry throat, back pain, and couch. This drug is also associated with difficulty emptying the bladder completely. This drug should be used with caution in people who have kidney or liver disease, severe constipation, difficulty urinating, muscle disorders, and glaucoma. Do not take this drug if you have intestinal or urinary tract blockages or glaucoma that has not been treated.

VESIcare

VESIcare (solifenacin succinate) provides better control of urination by relaxing the bladder muscles. This drug treats overactive bladder symptoms such as frequent urination, urinary urgency, and urine leakage. Solifenacin succinate can cause blurred vision, upset stomach, constipation, fatigue, dry eyes, stomach pain, and weakness. Those with intestinal blockages and difficulty urinating should be careful when using this drug. People with liver disease, narrow angle glaucoma, delayed stomach emptying, muscle diseases, kidney disease, and enlarged prostate should also use caution.

Detrol

Detrol and Detrol LA (tolterodine) are used to treat overactive bladder symptoms. This drug causes several side effects, including constipation, dry eyes, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, and headache. People with gastric retention and urinary retention should not use this drug. People with kidney disease, abnormal heart rhythm, enlarged prostate glands, stomach diseases, liver disease, and intestinal diseases should use caution when using these drugs.

Enablex

Enablex (darifenacin) treats muscle spasms of the bladder and urinary tract. This reduces the frequency of urine leakage and improves urinary urgency and frequent urination. Enablex can lead to dry eyes, nausea, stomach pain, upset stomach, flu-like symptoms, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, and weakness. More serious side effects include painful urination, burning during urination, extreme thirst, and inability to urinate. Use caution while taking this drug if you have glaucoma, intestinal blockages, ulcerative colitis, or muscle problems.