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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
When other options for bladder control don't work, medication may help. Learn what medications are available and their possible side effects.By Mayo Clinic StaffBladder control problems sometimes continue even after making lifestyle changes and trying bladder training. When other options don't work, it may be time to talk to your health care provider about medications.Medications are available for people who often have sudden, intense urges to urinate, also called overactive bladder. They're also available to people who have urine leaks that can happen along with overactive bladder. This is called urge incontinence.There are fewer drug options for people who have urine leaks during activity. This is called stress incontinence. Stress incontinence can cause leaks when coughing, sneezing or lifting heavy objects.Here's a look at drugs commonly used to treat bladder control problems and their possible side effects. Medications combined with behavioral treatment might be more effective than medication alone. AnticholinergicsHow they workAnticholinergic drugs block the action of the chemical messenger acetylcholine. Acetylcholine sends signals to your brain that trigger bladder contractions associated with an overactive bladder. These bladder contractions can cause a need to urinate even when the bladder isn't full.Anticholinergic medications include: Oxybutynin (Ditropan XL, Oxytrol, Gelnique) Tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA) Darifenacin Solifenacin (Vesicare, Vesicare LS) Trospium Fesoterodine (Toviaz)These prescription drugs are usually given as a pill or tablet taken by mouth. Oxybutynin is also available as a prescription gel or skin patch that delivers a continuous amount of medication.In addition, oxybutynin is available as a skin patch without a prescription (Oxytrol for Women).It can take several weeks before symptoms begin to improve on an anticholinergic medication. It might take 12 weeks to see the full effect of the drug.Side effectsThe most common side effects of anticholinergics are dry mouth and constipation. An extended-release form taken once a day might cause fewer side effects.For dry mouth, try sucking hard candy or chewing gum to produce more saliva. Other less common side effects include heartburn, blurry vision, rapid heartbeat, flushed skin and trouble urinating. Cognitive side effects may also occur. They include trouble with memory and confusion.The oxybutynin skin patch might cause skin irritation. Your health care provider may suggest that you rotate the location of your patch. Mirabegron (Myrbetriq)How it worksMirabegron is a medication approved to treat certain types of urinary incontinence. It relaxes the bladder muscle and can increase how much urine the bladder can hold. It might
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