Uribel is a medicine mainly used to cause relief for the pain and discomfort when urinating as well as the frequent urge to urinate. It is also used to help reduce the chance of infection after a medical procedure in the urinary tract. Uribel is mainly made of two components- Methenamine and Salicylate. Patients who have a tendency to have cramps or spasms in their urinary tract are generally prescribed to use this medicine, however, there might be side effects to it so you must use this if only prescribed by a doctor. You are not able to access this medicine without a prescription anyways; just make sure to use as directed. Keep in mind that complications may arise in small children so it is better not to use this medication for children.
A Guide To Using Uribel
Uribel is a rather popular medicine that has been used to cure different kinds of discomfort that can be caused by any irritations or any infections in the urinary tract. It is mostly prescribed to a patient when they are suffering from severe pain, burning or spasms caused by a urinary tract infection.
At the same time it must be noted that Uribel is in no way an antibiotic and this is why it cannot and should not be used to cure a urinary tract infection. It’s main purpose, simply put, is to relieve the patient of the pain that is caused as a result of the infection.
As mentioned earlier, Uribel is made of two major ingredients. The Methenamine is actually a type of antibiotic. There is another variant of this called Methylene blue which is antiseptic in nature. Both of these two are used to help prevent the growth of bacteria in urine and thus it will typically reduce the chance of any infection. Salicylate on the other hand is kind of an Aspirin. It helps to reduce pain and is what helps in giving relief to the user. It also has some additional ingredients like sodium phosphate and benzoic acid which are what helps to make the urine more acidic. What the acidic nature of urine helps with is to make the methenamine work more efficiently. All of these different ingredients work together to give Uribel the helping abilities it has.
The dose and use of Uribel tends to vary from person to person depending on their age, symptoms, nature of ailment etc. Normally this medicine is to be taken orally and with a full glass of water; it is highly advisable not to lie down for at least ten minutes after taking this medication. Some may face stomach aches or pains which is quite typical. If that happens to be the case, then it is recommended to then take Uribel with some food or a meal. The normal frequency when it comes to the dosage of this medicine is four times a day, but it may vary according to the symptoms. The medicine usually takes 1 or 2 days to start the seeing improvement in your condition, so if you do not see any improvement even after 2 to 3 days of use, it is important to with your doctor since Uribel might not be the right medication for you. Also if you face pain or any burning sensation while urinating, consult your doctor immediately as this is a serious reaction that should be taken seriously.
Why is Uribel so effective?
Uribel is considered the go to medicine for relieving the above mentioned discomforts by doctors. This is because where other medicines contain just one ingredient, usually an analgesic meant for pain relief, Uribel is power packed with five ingredients i.e. antiseptic agents to avoid the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract, an antispasmodic that relaxes the muscle tissue of the urinary tract and a pain reliever that reduces the discomfort fromburning sensations and relieves pain.
INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Uribel caps ules indicated for the treatment of symptoms of irritative voiding. Indicated for the relief of local symptoms, such as inflammation, hypermotility, and pain, which accompany lower urinary tract infections. Indicated for the relief of urinary tract symptoms caused by diagnostic procedures.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients is possible. Risk benefits should be carefully considered when the following medical problems exist: cardiac disease (especially cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, and mitral stenosis); gastrointestinal tract obstructive disease; glaucoma; myasthenia gravis, acute urinary retention may be precipitated in obstructive uropathy (such as bladder neck obstruction due to prostatic hypertrophy).
WARNINGS
Do not exceed recommended dosage. If rapid pulse, dizziness or blurring of vision occurs discontinue use immediately.
When to avoid taking Uribel?
As with most medicines, there are precautions that need to be taken with the use of Uribel as well. Before your doctor prescribes this medicine to you, you must reveal to him or her whether you have any of the following conditions: -
-Glaucoma
-Heart diseases
-Stomach ailments
-Bladder obstruction
-Intestine ulcers
-Myasthenia gravis
-Enlarged prostate
-If you are breast feeding
-If you are pregnant
-If you are trying to get pregnant
-If you have trouble passing urine
It is not yet established whether the ingredients present in Uribel harm an unborn baby. This is why it is advised that you avoid this medication if you are pregnant and even if you are breast feeding, as the ingredients can be passed on to the nursing baby via breast milk which can be harmful for the little one.
Similarly, this medicine is not meant for children or infants either. Elderly people who take this medicine might experience side effects like drowsiness, confusion or agitation.
PRECAUTIONS
Cross sensitivity and/or related problem
patients intolerant of belladonna alkaloids or salicylates may be intolerant of this medication also. Delay in gastric emptying could complicate the management of gastric ulcers.
Pregnancy/Reproduction (FDA Pregnancy Category C)
hyoscyamine and methenamine cross the placenta. Studies concerning the effect of hyoscyamine and methenamine on pregnancy and reproduction have not been done in animals or humans. Thus it is not known whether Uribel caps ules cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Uribel caps ules should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed.
Breast feeding
problems in humans have not been documented; however, methenamine and traces of hyoscyamine are excreted in breast milk. Accordingly, Uribel caps ules should be given to a nursing mother with caution and only if clearly needed.
Prolonged use
there have been no studies to establish the safety of prolonged use in humans. No known long-term animal studies have been performed to evaluate carcinogenic potential.
Pediatric
infants and young children are especially susceptible to the toxic effect of the belladonna alkaloids.
Geriatric Use
use with caution in elderly patients as they may respond to usual doses of hyoscyamine with excitement, agitation, drowsiness or confusion.
CPT code J1980 - Injection, hyoscyamine sulfate, up to 0.25 mg - Please double confirm this one
This medicine has a problem when it comes to it’s reaction with caffeine. So it is highly recommended not to ingest any foods or beverages that contain a large amount of caffeine such as tea, coffee or cola. Having these foods and beverages when you are using Uribel would increase the chance of developing negative side effects as well as it will most likely decrease the effectiveness of this medication a great deal.
Dizziness, vomiting and nausea are some of the the main and most common side effects of this medicine. However, depending on the functionality of your body, some of the other side effects can also be observed; these side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision and in some cases constipation. If you have dry mouth, try to have some hard sugarless candy or sugarless chewing gum and make sure to drink enough of water and fluids throughout the day to keep yourself from becoming dehydrated. In some cases, this medicine can turn your stool and urine to a blue-green color, but no need to be worried since this is a totally normal side effect and harmless in nature. This is something that would go away as soon as you stop using this medicine. A few serious side effects include black/tarry stools, abdominal pain, easy bruising or bleeding etc. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of these more serious side effects. Also, in very rare cases, patients may experience an attack of extremely high blood pressure, but this rarely happens and there are chances only if the patient is already under a lot of different drugs. It is important to be very clear with your doctor about any other medications you may be taking, even if they are over the counter just to make sure there won’t be any negative reactions.
Uribel increases your serotonin levels. This means that if you are already using any medicine that increases serotonin, using Uribel along with it would increase the chance of high amount of serotonin in your body which might result into serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome symptoms include high body temperature, increased reflexes, agitation, dilated pupils, sweating, tremor and diarrhea and they can vary from mild to sever. Like mentioned before, it is always advisable to inform your doctor about all the medicine that you are currently taking so that the doctor can decide whether Uribel would be suitable for you or not. Otherwise, it may lead to unwanted complication and things can get worse.
Serious allergic reactions are very rare among the side effects of Uribel. In rare of the rarest cases, patient may experience severe allergic reaction and he/she should consult the doctor immediately if the symptom persists. Also, it is highly recommended that you ask your doctor about the possible side effects so that you can distinguish between the harmless and harmful side effects and this would reduce any unnecessary unrest among the patient. It is important to be educated about the harmless and harmful side effects of any medication you are taking to make sure you spot any before it is too late.
If you have any kind of allergy to anything, it is advisable to inform your doctor about that as the doctor would be able to determine if any of the substance in the medicine may cause allergic reaction or not. If you have not taken an allergy test, you should get one done immediately since it would not only let you know to which substances are you allergic to, but also decrease the chance of having allergic reaction due to medication. This would minimize a lot of suffering for you and this can even be a life-saver.
Using alcoholic beverages is a strict no while using this medicine, just like with all other prescription medications. Uribel, in some cases, has the ability to cause blurry vision and dizziness; using alcohol would only increase the intensity of this effect and hence it is extremely unsafe to drive, especially you feel any of these symptoms. Do not get involved into any activity that requires you to be on high alert and also do not use any machinery during medication if you feel drowsy. This would greatly impact your normal power and performance to apprehend things and the result may be devastating to yourself and other who may be around you.
It is also advisable for you to inform the doctor of your medical history in detail so that the doctor would be able to decide the dose that is applicable for you, or even if it is appropriate for you to be prescribed this medicine. If you have any liver or kidney problems, doctors may suggest an alternate medicine so that no complication arises. So be informative about your full medical history to your doctor for your own good and don’t keep anything hidden, not even any small thing.
Children who have the chickenpox or flu should not take this medicine. If they are suffering from any other disease or have received a recent vaccine for any flu, they should also avoid this medicine. Though extremely rare, this medicine may cause Reye’s syndrome in children if not used properly. Also, taking this medicine is also not advisable during pregnancy since it may cause harm to the unborn baby. It is very important to know that this medication mixes in with breast milk, so if you are breast feeding, either you have to stop breast feeding or you have to stop the medication. Please consult your doctor in such scenarios to decide which action to take.
Uribel has been known to have interactions with many substances that include, but is not limited to: atomoxetine, bupropion, buspirone, carbamazepine, cyclobenzaprine, dextromethorphan, maprotiline, methotrexate, mifepristone, potassium capsules/tablets, pramlintide and some other narcotic drugs. Any fatal interaction with any of these substances can cause extreme and serious side effects and this is why it is highly advisable not to take this medication without consulting a doctor first and foremost. This medicine may also interfere with a number of laboratory tests and hence may provide false results. It is recommended that you tell your doctor or laboratory operator that you use this medicine beforehand and they would be able to decide whether it is ok to go ahead with the lab test as well as to determine certain test results to be inaccurate.
As an adult, it is always expected that you take any kind of medicine in the specified amount. Anything more than the specified amount may lead to an overdose and the result of overdose can be fatal at times. If you have skipped any dose by mistake, do take the dose as soon as you remember. But if it is too late, you should skip the dose and continue with the next one. Also, never take two doses at once or too close to each other in order to compensate for the previously missed dose. This would only worsen the situation and would highly increase the chance of an overdose. The symptoms of overdose of Uribel consists of fever, fast heartbeat, severe drowsiness, seizures, unusual excitements or hallucinations. So if you experience any of these overdose symptoms, quickly get in touch with an emergency room or a poison control center.
There are certain cautions you need to follow while storing the medicine. This medicine cannot be kept in your bathroom where you normally keep your all other medicines like aspirins. This must be stored in the normal room temperature, in a dry, moist free area and must not be shared with anyone. Also, never pour this medicine, or any other medicines at that, into drains or flush it down in the toilet. Keep it away from extreme light exposure and also from the reach of children and pets. This may prove extremely harmful to them.
This medicine comes in the typical prescription bottles and normally there are 100 capsules in them. This is not an over the counter medicine and can only be used if prescribed by a doctor. Each capsule of Uribel contains 118 mg of methenamine, 40.8 mg of sodium phosphate monobasic, 36 mg of Phenyl salicylate, 10 mg of methylene blue and 0.12 mg of hyocyamine sulfate. This medication should never be used in treatment of a urinary tract infection. Rather, if you have a bacterial infection, some other antibiotic is normally prescribed for the treatment. It is also very dangerous for children under six years of age since they are more vulnerable and sensitive to the normal side effects. So keep the information stored in your mind that using Uribel for children under six years is a strict no. Also, antacids are known to decrease the functionality of this medicine by reducing the absorption rate in blood. So it is highly recommended to have this medicine at least one hour early before you take antacids.
This medication is likely to make you sweat less and thus it increases the chance of getting a heat stroke. You should avoid any hard work while on this medication and also avoid any activity that may increase the heat of your body. If you live in a hot area, try not to go out frequently and avoid standing under direct sunlight. And if you feel that your body is heating up, quickly look for a shade and take rest to allow your body to cool down. This medicine may also cause side effects like confusion, agitation and constipation among the older adults and the combination of drowsiness and confusion may lead to falling and hence it is also not very suitable for aged people.
Uribel is a widely used drug that is prescribed by doctors to help with a patient’s bladder sensitivity as well as any urinary discomfort. Please keep everything we have gone over in mind when making the decision to take this medication once it is prescribed to you.
Generic drug Brand drug Formulary chapter Effective date
Uro-MP Uribel® 1. Antibiotics & Other Drugs Used for Infection December 22, 2014
BRAND Name GENERIC name PRICING (AWP) INDICATION SIMILAR THERAPIES ON FORMULARY/AWP CODE*
UTA CAPS 120MG
methenamine/hyo scyamine/meth blue/sod phoscaps
$3.71/tab
For treatment of urinary tract infections
Uribel ($2.71/tab) and Ustell ($2.41/tab)
covered as T3 Exclude – 13 along with existing 120mg UTA and 90 days notice
ICD 10 CODE FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS
O23.30 - Infections of prt urinary tract in pregnancy, unsp trimester
CODE Z87.440 - Personal history of urinary (tract) infections
O23.31 - Infect of prt urinary tract in pregnancy, first trimester
O23.32 - Infect of prt urinary tract in pregnancy, second trimester
O23.33 - Infect of prt urinary tract in pregnancy, third trimester
. For symptoms of bladder pain, medications such as Pyridium or Uribel can help soothe the bladder. Other medications to help with pain include NSAIDs (Ibuprofen) and Gabapentin. Amitriptyline is a medication that helps with bladder relaxation and pain. Some herbal medications have also been shown to improve symptoms. Cystoprotek has been used for its anti-inflammatory properties and may help the bladder lining to heal. You may find that acidic foods or drinks exacerbate your IC symptoms. Prelief may be recommended to take with meals. Prelief is an over-the-counter acid reducer that can take the acid out of your food and drinks. For chronic prostatitis patients, medications such as Rapaflo or Flomax are used to help relax the muscles of the bladder and prostate making urination easier.
Side effects of Uribel
The most common side effect of Uribel is the effect of the urine (and in some cases the stool) turning to a blue color. This is completely harmless and it ceases once the medicine is discontinued. Some other side effects of Uribel are-
-Vomiting
-Shortness of breath
-Blurred vision
-Dry mouth
-Inability to urinate
-Fast heartbeat
-Flushing
-Nausea
-Dizziness
-Drowsiness
You must immediately contact your doctor if any such side effects turn out to be rather severe. The same applies if you end up suffering from swelling, rash or severe itchiness. Remember, it is important to stick to the dose that has been recommended to you and not over consume the medicine. If you miss a dose then take it as soon as you can, unless it is time for the next dose in which case just forget about the missed one.
As always, please remember that this article is just an informational guide. Please consult with your doctor before you start using Uribel.
