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BETHANECHOL

(Also Known As: DUVOID)

Take this medicine on an empty stomach (either 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals) to lessen the possibility of nausea and vomiting, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Take this medicine only as directed. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

Dosing

The dose of bethanechol will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of bethanechol. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• To empty the bladder:
  • For oral dosage form (tablets):
    • Adults 25 to 50 milligrams (mg) three or four times a day.
    • Children Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The usual dose is 0.6 mg per kilogram (kg) (0.27 mg per pound) of body weight a day. This dose is divided into smaller doses and taken three or four times a day.
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults 5 mg injected under the skin three or four times a day.
    • Children Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The usual dose is 0.2 mg per kg (0.09 mg per pound) of body weight a day. This dose is divided into smaller doses, which are injected under the skin three or four times a day.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine and you remember within an hour or so of the missed dose, take it right away. However, if you do not remember until 2 or more hours after, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store the tablet form of this medicine in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For bethanechol, the following should be considered:

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to bethanechol. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding It is not known whether bethanechol passes into the breast milk.

Children Although there is no specific information comparing use of bethanechol in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of bethanechol in the elderly with use in other age groups, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

• Asthma or
• Epilepsy or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• Intestinal blockage or
• Low blood pressure or
• Parkinson's disease or
• Recent bladder or intestinal surgery or
• Stomach ulcer or other stomach problems or
• Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination Bethanechol may make these conditions worse

• High blood pressure Bethanechol may cause a rapid fall in blood pressure

• Overactive thyroid Bethanechol may further increase the chance of heart problems