• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is bethanechol?
Bethanechol stimulates your bladder to empty. Bethanechol is used to treat urinary retention (difficulty urinating), which may occur after surgery, after delivering a baby, and in other situations. Bethanechol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

What are the possible side effects of bethanechol?

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking bethanechol and seek emergency medical attention:

• an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives); or

• shortness of breath, wheezing, or tightness in your chest.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take bethanechol and talk to your doctor if you experience

• dizziness or drowsiness;

• headache;

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal discomfort;

• slow heartbeats followed by fast heartbeats;

• flushing or warmth about the face;

• sweating; or

• tearing eyes.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Back to Top

How should I take bethanechol?
Take bethanechol exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Take bethanechol on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals to prevent nausea and vomiting. Store bethanechol at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Back to Top

What is the most important information I should know about bethanechol?
Take bethanechol on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals to prevent nausea and vomiting. Bethanechol may cause dizziness or fainting, especially when you rise from a sitting or lying position. Rise slowly to avoid becoming dizzy, falling, or hurting yourself. Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Bethanechol may cause dizziness. If you experience dizziness, avoid these activities.

Back to Top

What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

Back to Top

What other drugs will affect bethanechol?
Before taking bethanechol, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: donepezil (Aricept); tacrine (Cognex); quinidine (Cardioquin, others); or procainamide (Pronestyl, Procan SR). You may not be able to take bethanechol, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with bethanechol. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking or using any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Back to Top

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

Bethanechol has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have not been conducted with bethanechol. It is not known whether bethanechol can cause fetal harm during pregnancy or can affect reproductive capacity. Bethanechol is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

There are no data on the excretion of bethanechol into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

Back to Top

Who should NOT use this medication?

• Hyperthyroidism.
• Peptic ulcer.
• Latent or active bronchial asthma.
• Coronary artery disease (CAD).
• Epilepsy.
• Parkinsonism.
• Pronounced bradycardia or hypotension.
• Vasomotor instability.
• Condition in which the strength or integrity of the GI or bladder wall is in question or when increased muscular activity of GI tract or urinary bladder might prove harmful (e.g., recent urinary bladder surgery, GI resection and anastomosis) or when there is possible obstruction of GI tract or bladder neck, spastic GI disturbances, acute inflammatory GI tract lesions, peritonitis, or marked vagotonia.
• Known hypersensitivity to the drug or any ingredient in the formulation.

Back to Top

What does my medication look like?
Bethanechol is available with a prescription under the brand name Urecholine. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you. Urecholine 5 mg--white, round, scored tablets Urecholine 10 mg--pink, round, scored tablets Urecholine 25 mg--yellow, round, scored tablets Urecholine 50 mg--yellow, round, scored tablets

Back to Top

What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a bethanechol overdose include abdominal discomfort, increased salivation or watering mouth, flushing or hot feeling of the skin, sweating, nausea, and vomiting.

Back to Top

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking bethanechol?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have uncontrolled hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid); have stomach ulcers; have asthma; have recently had bladder or intestinal surgery; have a blockage in your intestinal tract; have a slow heart rate or low blood pressure; have a disease or blockage of the arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease); have epilepsy or any other seizure disorder; or have Parkinson's disease. You may not be able to take bethanechol, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

Where can I get more information?
More Information

Back to Top