Darifenacin

Conditions Treated

Darifenacin is used to treat an overactive bladder (a condition in which the bladder muscles contract uncontrollably and cause frequent urination, urgent need to urinate, and inability to control urination). Darifenacin is in a class of medications called antimuscarinics. It works by relaxing the bladder muscles to prevent urgent, frequent, or uncontrolled urination.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Darifenacin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• dry mouth
• constipation
• upset stomach
• stomach pain
• diarrhea
• weakness
• dry eyes

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• difficulty urinating or being unable to urinate
• burning pain during urination
• rash
• itching

Darifenacin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Darifenacin comes as an extended-release (long-acting) tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with plenty of liquid. This medication may be taken with or without food. Take darifenacin at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take darifenacin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Swallow the tablets whole; do not split, chew, or crush them. Your doctor will start you on a low dose of darifenacin and may increase your dose after 2 weeks. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking darifenacin, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to darifenacin or any other medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); antihistamines; clarithromycin (Biaxin); flecainide (Tambocor); ipratropium (Atrovent); itraconazole (Sporanox); ketoconazole (Nizoral); medications for irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, or urinary problems; nefazodone (Serzone); nelfinavir (Viracept); ritonavir (Norvir); and thioridazine (Mellaril). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had urinary obstruction (a blockage of urine flowing out of the bladder), any type of blockage in the digestive system, benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlargement of the prostate), severe constipation, ulcerative colitis (sores in the intestine that cause stomach pain and diarrhea), myasthenia gravis (a disorder of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness), glaucoma, or liver disease. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking darifenacin. you should know that darifenacin may cause blurred vision or make you dizzy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. you should know that darifenacin causes decreased sweating, which may cause heat prostration (collapse because of high body temperature) in hot weather.