Enablex works by blocking a specific receptor in the bladder to stop symptoms of bladder overactivity. This improves your ability to control the urge and rate of urination.
It is only available as an extended-release film-coated tablet.
What Is Enablex Used For?
Enablex is a prescription drug that treats overactive bladder with urinary urgency and loss of bladder control.
An overactive bladder can lead to the frequent, sudden urge to pee accompanied by loss of bladder control or incontinence (accidentally leaking urine). This happens when the bladder muscles squeeze too often and at the wrong times. Enablex is a strong anticholinergic medication that helps reduce these symptoms by controlling bladder overactivity.
How to Take Enablex
Take once daily by mouth with a full glass of water. Take it at the same time of day, with or without food. Swallow the tablet whole. Do not crush, chew, or break it. Talk to your healthcare provider if you cannot swallow your medicine whole.
Based on your response, your healthcare provider may increase your dose (amount) of Enablex.
Storage
Store Enablex at room temperature (about 68 to 77 degrees F) and away from light. During short periods, you may store it between cool and mildly hot temperatures (between 59 and 86 degrees). Keep your tablets in a dry place; do not store them in your bathroom. Keep it away and out of reach of children and pets.
Discard all unused and expired drugs. Do not toss them down the drain or the toilet. If you have questions about the best ways of disposing of your medicine, ask your pharmacist. Check out local drug take-back programs in your area.
What Are the Side Effects of Enablex?
This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist. You may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at fda.gov/medwatch or 800-FDA-1088.
Common Side Effects
Some people may have little or no side effects while on Enablex. However, talk to your healthcare provider if you notice any adverse effects after starting it, especially if symptoms become bothersome or don’t go away. The most common side effects of Enablex are:
Dry mouth Constipation Headache Heartburn Upset stomach Urinary tract infection (UTI) Flu symptoms
Severe Side Effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you have a medical emergency.
On rare occasions, Enablex may cause severe and sometimes deadly side effects. Call your healthcare provider promptly if you have any of these symptoms:
Urinary retention (inability to empty your bladder) Severe constipation or stomach pain Confusion Hallucinations Change in eyesight, such as blurred vision Urinary tract infection (UTI) with symptoms like pain or burning when passing urine (dysuria), blood urine, lower stomach or pelvic pain Dizziness Not sweating when hot or warm Signs of an allergic reaction like angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat)
Long-Term Side Effects
Long-term use of Enablex may significantly decrease cognitive function. It may also increase the risk of new-onset dementia.
Dosage: How Much Enablex Should I Take?
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose once you remember. If it is too close to your next dose, skip the missed dose. Go back to your regular dosing frequency. Do not take extra or double the quantity.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your healthcare provider may send a report to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
For oral dosage form (extended-release tablets): To treat bladder problems: Adults—At first, 7. 5 milligrams (mg) once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Enablex?
Only take as much Enablex as prescribed. Overdose symptoms may include a change in eyesight, including blurry vision.
Precautions
What Are Reasons I Shouldn’t Take Enablex?
Avoid Enablex if you have or you are at risk of:
If someone collapses or isn’t breathing after taking Enablex, call 911 immediately.
Darifenacin may cause a serious type of allergic reaction called angioedema. Angioedema may be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, a large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs, trouble with breathing, or chest tightness while you are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause some people to become dizzy, drowsy, or have blurred vision. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy, not alert, or not able to see well.
This medicine may make you sweat less, causing your body temperature to increase. Use extra care not to become overheated during exercise or hot weather while you are using this medicine, since overheating may result in heat stroke.
This medicine may cause constipation. Call your doctor if you get severe stomach pain or become constipated.
This medicine may cause dry mouth. For temporary relief of mouth dryness, use sugarless candy or gum, melt bits of ice in your mouth, or use a saliva substitute. However, if your mouth continues to feel dry for more than 2 weeks, check with your medical doctor or dentist.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Urinary retention Gastric retention (your stomach takes too long to empty) Uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (blocked drainage canal in your eye)
What Other Medications Interact With Enablex?
Significant drug interactions exist between Enablex and some other medicines. You may have worsening side effects if you take these drugs with Enablex.
Avoid taking Enablex with a drug called doxorubicin, as the combination can increase exposure to doxorubicin and cause treatment-related side effects.
Other drugs may interact with Enablex. If using them together is unavoidable, your healthcare provider may change the dosage of one of your medications.
The following medications can interact with Enablex:
Antifungal medications such as Sporanox (itraconazole) and ketoconazole Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatments such as Norvir (ritonavir) and Viracept (nelfinavir) Biaxin XL (clarithromycin) Tambocor (flecainide) Melaril (thioridazine) Tricyclic antidepressants such as Pamelor (nortriptyline), Norpramin (desipramine), and amitriptyline
This is not a complete list of all the drugs that may interact with Enablex. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions or concerns. Before starting treatment, tell your healthcare provider if you take any other prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins, or herbal supplements you take.
What Medications Are Similar?
Other drugs used to treat overactive bladder like Enablex are:
Myrbetriq (mirabegron) Vesicare (solifenacin) Detrol (tolterodine) Sanctura (trospium) Toviaz (fesoterodine) Ditropan (oxybutynin)
Mirabegron causes less dry mouth but is not as effective as darifenacin in treating overactive bladder.
Focusing on cost, oxybutynin is cheaper than darifenacin and just as effective. Tolterodine and solifenacin are other more affordable alternatives.
Enablex does not interact with food, but food significantly reduces the absorption of trospium in your body. Unlike the other medications listed, mirabegron and tolterodine do not interact with grapefruit or citrus fruit juices.
How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Enablex?
Up to 50% of women experience urinary incontinence in their lifetime. The risk of an overactive bladder can increase with age, but it is not considered a normal part of aging. It is a health condition that can have a significant impact on your daily life.
Upset stomachHeadache Heartburn Dry mouthConstipationUTIsFlu-like symptoms
Having less control of your bladder can be uncomfortable, tiresome, and sometimes embarrassing. Do not leave it untreated. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms or if your medication is not working.
In addition to taking your medicine regularly, practice pelvic muscle exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, at least three times daily.
