Tamsulosin impacts

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 12:41

I have just had RT (20 fractions) for Prostate cancer ( 7 3+4) and am also on HT. It all seems to have gone quite well overall . But at my post radiation treatment review meeting the oncologist gave me some pills ,Tamsulosin, evidently to improve my occasionally (slow) urine flow (it's a bit worse at night when Im still doing 3 toilet visits) to take just for two weeks. However, looking at the details supplied, the side effects include possible dizzy spells, so I have left them aside for now, although I would consider them if it gets any worse. But for now I could do without getting side effects from a cure for the previous lot's side effects! I hope I was right! Anyone have any experience with this? I tend to avoid all pills if at all possible!

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 14:49

Suppliers of Pills are bound to list all side effects, even rare ones. Tamsulosin Hydrochloride capsules have been around for a long time now, I have been taking them for over 20 years without dizzy spells or indeed any noticeable problem, although some men on the forum have been affected one way or another. They can help in the urinating process. They help me void as I have a narrowed Sphincter and serve as a muscle relaxant but they are also taken for other reasons. Give them a try when not driving or doing anything demanding and you may find you are not badly affected by after effects, so you can then take them as a matter of course for as long as necessary.

Barry

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 15:40

Taking the medication that your consultant believes you need is usually a wise idea - he perhaps thinks that you are at risk of going into urinary retention which can be quite serious. John was on tamsulosin (and / or its equivalents) from the age of 35 to 50 without any significant side effects.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 16:04

I agree with the above.

I took tamsulosin after having a problem with urinary flow, and while undergoing what seemed a long-winded sequence of tests which eventually found a malignancy. It did the job with flow, and I didn't notice any side effects.

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 16:35

Tamsulosin is an absolute "wonder drug" as far as I'm concerned. Works absolutely brilliantly for me.

It lowers your blood pressure (which is beneficial in my case), but if your blood pressure is already on the low side it can cause dizzy spells as a result.

Best wishes,

Chris

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 20:01

I am on Tamsulosin but not for urine flow, well, I started them to help with urine flow after Brachy, when I tried to come off them my GP said I would be better staying on them. My BP had come down and that was good, so now I take them for hypertension. The only side effect for me is that I pee like a carthorse! John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2

Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23 <0.01

User

Posted 05 Jun 2022 at 22:24

Tamsulosin also acts as an uncontrolled blood pressure medication. If your blood pressure was already on the low side, or you take other drugs which also act as uncontrolled blood pressure medications at the same time (e.g. PDE5 inhibitors, Sildenafil, Tadalafil, etc), or you suffer from significant postural hypotension (blood pressure drop when you stand up), then it might make you faint. The advice given is be careful the first few times you take them, but if you have no problems, you're probably OK. All Tamsulosin formulations are modified release (slow release), so check how to take them for this to work. In all the ones I've seen, they must be taken with food in your stomach. If they are not taken according to the instructions, they may release too quickly, resulting in a more significant blood pressure drop, and them running out sooner (they don't last quite 24h anyway).

They are a very commonly used drug, and most people have no problems with them. If you do, there are other alpha-blockers available.

User

Posted 06 Jun 2022 at 11:21

Hi I had tamsulosin after Brachytherpy PSA 2.19 Gleason 3+4=7 in September 2016.I had no side affects and stopped taking them after seven months but was still getting up about three times a night for a few years.

I am coming up to six years this September since my operation and take Amlodipine for blood pressure, Atorvastatin to lower cholesterol.

John.

User

Posted 14 Aug 2022 at 09:31

I have been on tamsulosin since Feb. One 400 microgram per day and it worked wonders. No side effects really. However, when I recently started a 6 x once a week radiotherapy treatment on my prostate, all things went pear shaped after the first session. The tamsulosin seemed to significantly lessen in effect and period of effect. Half way through radiotherapy I got my oncologist to agree to let me go to two tamsulosin tablets, to 800 mcg per day. But one 400 mcg taken in the morning and one 400 mcg taken in the evening. This helped but it still takes tamsulosin 3-4 hours to 'kick in' and the effect lasts perhaps 5-6 hours, tailing off. I did wonder if it's better to take one 800 mcg microgram tablet a day rather than the two x 400 microgram. Tamsulosin seems quite fussy about being taken just after food and I suspect the type of food impacts on how long it lasts. I just wish I could get 24 hour cover and not have to use my old method of walking up and down when tamsulosin has worn off.

Tamsulosin does help with difficulty in peeing, dramatically for a short time. But I still get up every hour or so through the night, it has had no impact on frequency. I have been prescribed Solifenacin 5mg - once a day and Amitriptyline 10mg once a day, although I try not to use that every day. Sadly I am still getting up a lot and sometimes feel I should get a catheter as my quality of life has diminished a great deal.

User

Posted 19 Oct 2022 at 15:37

I've had a similar treatment regime to you, and have been on Tamsulosin for over four years now. It hasn't given me any dizzy spells (or other side effects that I'm aware of).

I did come off it for a few days as an experiment, but found I ended up peeing virtually hourly, so didn't hesitate to get back on it asap!

User

Posted 20 Oct 2022 at 09:58

I have been on tamsulosin for about 10 years initially for what I hoped was benign hyperplasia. It certainly helped peeing a d had no ill effects. Turns out I was diagnosed with PC a last Decemb er T3b N0M0 gleason 9 (4+5). Have been on Zoladex followed by RT (60 gy in 20 fractions). PSA down to 0.08 3 months after. Oncologist has stopped zoladex thank goodness. It made me feel wrecked. Have had to to have a pee 4 or 5 times at night, GP has put me on oxybutynin for over active bladder a d it seems to be working. Still waiting for the side effects of zolly to wear off. Tamsulosin does help.

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