• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
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What is hyoscyamine?
Hyoscyamine produces many effects in the body, including relief from muscle spasms. Hyoscyamine also reduces the fluid secretions of many organs and glands in the body, such as the stomach, pancreas, lungs, saliva glands, sweat glands, and nasal passages. Hyoscyamine is used to treat many different stomach and intestinal disorders, including peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome. It is also used to control muscle spasms in the bladder, kidneys, or digestive tract, and to reduce stomach acid. Hyoscyamine is sometimes used to reduce tremors and rigid muscles in people with symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of hyoscyamine?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using hyoscyamine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• diarrhea;

• confusion, hallucinations;

• unusual thoughts or behavior;

• fast, pounding, or uneven heart rate;

• rash or flushing; or

• eye pain.

Less serious side effects may include:

• dizziness, drowsiness, feeling nervous;

• blurred vision, headache;

• sleep problems (insomnia);

• nausea, vomiting, bloating, heartburn, or constipation;

• changes in taste;

• problems with urination;

• decreased sweating;

• dry mouth; or

• impotence, loss of interest in sex, or trouble having an orgasm.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take hyoscyamine?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your medication may come with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Do not crush, chew, break, or open an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

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What is the most important information I should know about hyoscyamine?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to hyoscyamine, or if you have kidney disease, a bladder or intestinal obstruction, severe ulcerative colitis, toxic megacolon, glaucoma, or myasthenia gravis. Before taking hyoscyamine, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, congestive heart failure, a heart rhythm disorder, high blood pressure, overactive thyroid, or hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Avoid taking antacids at the same time you take hyoscyamine. Antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb hyoscyamine. If you use an antacid, take it after you have taken hyoscyamine and eaten a meal.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect hyoscyamine?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: amantadine (Symmetrel); haloperidol (Haldol); an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate); phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), mesoridazine (Serentil), perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine (Compazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), or trifluperazine (Stelazine); or

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Hyoscyamine has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have not been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Hyoscyamine is only recommended for use during pregnancy when there are no alternatives and benefit outweighs risk.

There are no data on the excretion of hyoscyamine into human milk. Some experts recommend cautious use of hyoscyamine during breast-feeding due to the sensitivity of the neonate to anticholinergic agents (probably because of immaturity of motor endplates). Hyoscyamine is considered compatible with breast-feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Angle-closure glaucoma.
• Obstructive uropathy (e.g., bladder neck obstruction secondary to prostatic hypertrophy).
• Obstructive GI disease (e.g., achalasia, pyloroduodenal stenosis).
• Paralytic ileus.
• Intestinal atony (especially in geriatric or debilitated patients).
• Acute hemorrhage when cardiovascular status is unstable.
• Tachycardia secondary to cardiac insufficiency or thyrotoxicosis.
• Severe ulcerative colitis or toxic megacolon complicating ulcerative colitis.
• Myasthenia gravis (unless used to reduce adverse muscarinic effects of an anticholinesterase agent such as neostigmine).
• Myocardial ischemia.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include headache, dizziness, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, hot dry skin, and feeling restless or nervous.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking hyoscyamine?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to hyoscyamine, or if you have: kidney disease; an enlarged prostate or problems with urination; intestinal blockage; severe ulcerative colitis, or toxic megacolon; glaucoma; or myasthenia gravis. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: heart disease, congestive heart failure; a heart rhythm disorder; high blood pressure; overactive thyroid; or hiatal hernia with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
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