Bethanechol chloride
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Urocarb Tablets. It does not contain
all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor
or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using
Urocarb Tablets against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Urocarb Tablets are used for
This medicine is used to treat certain disorders of the urinary tract or bladder such
as urinary retention, a decrease in the urge or desire to urinate (pass water). This
condition can sometimes arise after surgery or after giving birth. The condition
can also be caused by an obstruction in the bladder and Urocarb is not used in these
cases.
Urocarb Tablets contain bethanechol chloride, which mimics the action of a natural
chemical in the body called acetylcholine. It causes the smooth muscle in the bladder
to contract and the bladder to empty.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is not addictive.
It is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Before you take Urocarb Tablets
When you must not take it
Do not take Urocarb Tablets if you:
are allergic to bethanechol or any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this
leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take Urocarb Tablets if you have any of the following:
asthma
overactive thyroid
heart failure
low blood pressure
stomach ulcer
epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
kidney infection
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.
It may cause muscle contractions that could lead to miscarriage.
It may also affect your developing baby if you use it during pregnancy.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging
is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives
or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
a recent kidney infection
urinary tract blockage or difficult urination
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start
taking Urocarb Tablets.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food
shop.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or
avoid while taking Urocarb Tablets.
How to take Urocarb Tablets
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist
for help.
It is important to take Urocarb Tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. If you
take it less often than you should, it may not work as well and your condition may
not improve. Taking it more often than you should may not improve your condition
any faster and may cause or increase side effects.
How much to take
The usual dose of Urocarb Tablets is 10mg to 30 mg (1 to 3 tablets taken three or
four times a day.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water or let them dissolve under your
tongue.
When to take it
Take your medicine on an empty stomach, for example, 1 hour before food or 2 hours
after food.
Taking these tablets close to meal times can cause upset stomach, nausea and vomiting.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
This medicine helps to control your condition, but does not cure it.
If you are not sure how long to take it, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next
dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine
as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some
hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13
11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you
think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Urocarb. Do this even if there
are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are using Urocarb Tablets
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist
that you are taking Urocarb Tablets.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking
this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking
this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Things you must not do
Do not take Urocarb Tablets to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells
you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as
you.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you
are taking Urocarb Tablets.
This medicine helps most people with urinary retention, but it may have unwanted side
effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious,
most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the
side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any
of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
increased salivation
stomach pains
hot flushes
increased sweating
blurred vision
shortness of breath, wheezing or tightness in the chest
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. Serious
side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Urocarb Tablets
Storage
Keep your tablets in the bottle until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the bottle they may not keep well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store Urocarb Tablets or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed,
ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Urocarb tablets are round, light pink tablets with a break-line on one side. It is
supplied in bottles of 100 tablets.
Ingredients
Urocarb Tablets contains 10 mg bethanechol chloride as the active ingredient. They
also contain:
lactose monohydrate
wheat starch
acacia
hydrogenated vegetable oil
magnesium stearate
erythrosine (CI45430)
amaranth (CI16185)
Sponsor
Mayne Pharma International Pty Ltd
1538 Main North Rd
Salisbury South, SA 5106
Australia
Urocarb is a registered trade mark of Mayne Pharma International Pty Ltd
This leaflet was prepared in January 2019.
AUST R number 14861
