Tamsulosin and Finasteride dosing regime
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi Folks
Been troubled with BPH for a couple of years now. Was prescribed Tamsulosin about 18 months ago taking it once a day after breakfast.
Visited the GP again a few weeks back when I had what I thought was an acute UTI. He arranged blood and urine tests and also referred me for an ultrasound scan of my bladder and kidneys. He conducted a DRE and commented that my prostate is not particularly enlarged based on my age (76).
All tests came back OK with no sign of urinary infection and no bladder/kidney issues seen in the ultrasound scan (They did see a very mild widening of the aorta so I have to be monitored for that on a regular basis to offset the threat of an aneurysm. My blood pressure is OK)
I asked him about the possibility of prostatitis being the cause of my symptoms and he thought it might be the source but held off doing an antibiotic intervention for the time being.
What he did suggest was adding Finasteride into the mix as well as the current Tamsulosin but he suggested that I switch to taking the Tamsulosin at night before bedtime and the Finasteride first thing in the morning.
Does anyone know the logic of switching the dosing regime to move the Tamsulosin to bedtime? Since the switch I seem to be getting up more often at night and I don't know if that is due to the switch or some other factor. Or maybe I'm just over-analysing things
0 likes, 4 replies
Guest arlowood
Posted
i don't take either of those meds but do take Doxasozin for BPH and hypertension morning and evening. i was having nighttime frequency, urgency, hesitation & straining due to the morning dose having run out by night. Doc has probably suggested evening dose to reduce night symptoms as it does help me.
kevin00462 arlowood
Posted
Hi there.
I'm 52 and take both. Been on Tamsulosin for about 2 years and Finesteride for 9 months for my BPH.
I take them both at 9pm and then have some Noqdirna at 10pm which is supposed to help me get through the night by producing less urine.
Finesteride reduces the size of the prostate so i guess that can be taken anytime.
Tamsulosin relaxes the muscles so i think it makes it easier to pee. Thats why i think it is better to take it at night. Lying down causes pressure on my bladder so when i get up it should be easier for me to pee. Hopefully it is! I'm currently getting up 3-6 times but it is the pressure on my bladder that causes the discomfort. Hopefully the tablet is helping.
Basically I find standing up really helps my symptoms and frequency but sitting and lying down causes discomfort so agree with Mr Twiglet that morning dose could run out by the evening.
I've just come back from another nasty bout of retention (due to drinking too much liquid - lesson learnt) so i will hopefully be reducing the times i get up at night. i set an alarm for 2,4,6,8 just to make sure the pressure doesn't become uncomfortable.
arlowood kevin00462
Posted
Hi Kevin
I'm not getting up as much as you during the night but I thought I noticed a higher frequency after switching to Tamsulosin at bedtime. I also noticed some retention issues during the day when I stopped taking the Tamsulosin at breakfast. I had the urge to empty my bladder but the sphincter just would not relax to allow me to pee. Not sure if that was a real effect but I have changed back to taking the Tamsulosin in the morning and the Finasteride at bedtime. I think things have reverted to my usual pattern or waking 2-3 time to pee but I will monitor things for a week or two to get a better idea.
I just wondered if there was any pharmaceutical reason for the GP's suggestion in terms of mode of action of the drugs and any possible interactions. I've only been taking the Finasteride for a few weeks and the GP indicated that it does take quite a time for it to have any effect on reducing the prostate size - maybe up to 6 months possible so I have a way to go to tell if it is having a benefit
kevin00462 arlowood
Edited
Hi arlo,
I hope your new process is still working for you. I don't think there can be any real reasons for changing your frequency pattern other than 'it might help, give it a try'.
I have been on finesteride and tamsulosin for a while now and whilst i think they are helping, i still have times when it takes me a while to pee and how do we know if the prostate is shrinking. I will look forward to that being tested again! How do we know if these medications are working?
All we can do is what works for us - i swear by standing up all day and drinking less. It almost makes the discomfort bearable.
Had a bad evening last night where i peed 4 times in little over an hour. This related to my last drink and supper which consisted of nothing strange apart from a whole courgette. Surely that didn't cause the problem!?
I felt like i was peeing for a bit longer over Xmas so perhaps things are getting a little better.
I'm still setting an alarm for 2,4,6,8 each night but hope to change that to 2,5,8 in the new year, but the pressure and flow are a bit of a concern at the moment. I don't want the pressure to build because it affects the flow!
My next idea is to Google 'What's the best position to sleep in with BPH?' I don't think i will be able to sleep standing up but a position where there is less pressure on the bladder and prostate would really help. Sadly, i dont think that research has ever been done!
Good luck on your journey.
Kevin