Oxybutinin for Stress Incontinence

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Hello all,

I was surprised by my urologist today when he wrote me a script for oxybutinin for some mild stress urinary incontinence I have been experiencing for the past few months. I thought that this medication was for OAB. Has anyone here been prescribed oxy for stress incontinence? I’m now second-guessing whether there might be some overactivity that he’s identified that I’m not aware of. I’m also concerned that taking it will make it harder to gauge my progress with the pelvic floor physiotherapist that I have been seeing.

 

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My doctor did the same. I don’t really understand the difference between OAB and stress incontinence, but I have been taking oxybutinen for months. My incontinence decreased, but I don’t know if the meds contributed to that improvement. By the way, I also haven’t noticed any side effects from oxy

 

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Not a direct answer to your question, but important to know: Oxybutinin can contribute to constipation. So it's something to watch for, and/or do some preventative countering.

 

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I took it when my incontinence got worse, when it got Better I stop it and only use when I have issues.
It helps control problems for me

Had radical prospecting 2 years ago

 

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if it works for you that's great good luck

 

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I've been on it for years, what's your dosage? I think side effects are dependent on how much and how long.

 

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@Chuck11 thanks for the info. I’m curious to see whether it will have an effect. I took my first dose last night and if anything leaked more than usual before bed, but I’m also more anxious than usual and I know that’s a contributing factor.

 

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@filops oop, thanks. I was not aware of that and am prone to constipation. Will keep an eye on the bowel habits.

 

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@Cnsweel thanks for sharing. So, do you use it for stress incontinence?

 

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@DPCARE thanks, we’ll see how it goes.

 

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Keep in mind it takes about four weeks to fully work. That's why when I started it I was advised to stay on for six weeks before the Dr would adjust the dosage.

 

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@CES97 I started yesterday on 2.5mg 3 times per day to see if I can tolerate it, with instructions to take a full 5mg tablet prior to going to the gym where, at the moment, I am guaranteed to have an accident doing certain resistance exercises and in yoga classes. My urologist wants me to increase to 1mg 3x per day if the incontinence doesn’t improve. Do you take it for stress incontinence and did you see results? I’ve been put on it once before for bedwetting but found that taking it right before sleep made me really nauseous. Since starting with the pelvic floor physio I haven’t wet the bed since June which has been great, but have had persistent (Slowly improving) issues with daytime control since March after a wild UTI.

 

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Be mindful of the fact that constipation can cause pressure on the bladder and causing wetting issues that is one thing they check for with children and bedwetting

@filops oop, thanks. I was not aware of that and am prone to constipation. Will keep an eye on the bowel habits.

 

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I can only speak for myself but I take 30mg daily (10mg x 3) for bladder spasms that takes me from leaking to flooding. Yes it helps with the spasms but I do stop taking it because of side effects. I'm convinced that anyone that has been on it for years the body builds a tolerance (just my opinion).

If I'm going to travel then I'll start back on it or if I'm having unusually strong spasms but other than that I try and stay off of it. Remember it has to accumulate (the four weeks) in your body to really work to it's full protentional.

@CES97 I started yesterday on 2.5mg 3 times per day to see if I can tolerate it, with instructions to take a full 5mg tablet prior to going to the gym where, at the moment, I am guaranteed to have an accident doing certain resistance exercises and in yoga classes. My urologist wants me to increase to 1mg 3x per day if the incontinence doesn’t improve. Do you take it for stress incontinence and did you see results? I’ve been put on it once before for bedwetting but found that taking it right before sleep made me really nauseous. Since starting with the pelvic floor physio I haven’t wet the bed since June which has been great, but have had persistent (Slowly improving) issues with daytime control since March after a wild UTI.

 

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@Rowan123 I’ve taken it for years. It will NOT alter your PT. It is used to treat EVERY kind of incontinence. Just make sure you take realllllllllly good care of your teeth and gums because for a number of us here on the forum, it rotted our teeth severely. They need to quit listing “dry mouth” as the name of the side effect on medication pamphlets and change it to “tooth and gum decay.” That’s the real consequence of “dry mouth.” There are others here who have not experienced any tooth decay as a result of taking it. They had hard teeth to begin with. I have very soft teeth and it did the damage very rapidly and thoroughly. P.S. It doesn’t work that well, or at all, for most. But there are a number of people here who have taken it for years and it’s helped them and not rotted their teeth.

 

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Oxybutynin didn’t make me constipated. And it works within 30-60 minutes of starting it. Doctors often say it takes a month to make sure you’ll actually take it for a length of time.

 

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@CES97 good to know, thanks. I am impatient.

 

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@DPCARE, thanks. I do notice that it can be a bit worse if I’m not regular. Thankfully, chronic constipation was a feature of my childhood rather than my adulthood.

 

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@snow thanks, that is terrifying. My teeth are definitely not the most robust. I’ll keep on eye on the dry mouth symptoms. I’ve got to say, I’ve been using it for less than a day and I’m already noticing a difference. I usually can’t make it three hours without a slow drip starting but surprised myself at work when I didn’t leak much at all after having to hold on for over 6 hrs today.

 

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@Rowan123 Your positive reaction to Oxybutynin is awesome! I’m glad it works for you. That is how it works for me, too - I still get a strong urge to pee, but then voila! I can hold it for 2-3 hours.