Enlarged prostate medication

[Nikon-]

hi all i hope everyone is as well as can be expected

I have just been assessing my medications prior to gp appointment on Wednesday and would welcome any comments on effects of Finasteride and Tamsulosin on RLS

Thanks

[SueJohnson]

Finasteride is fine. One person said Tamsulosin made their RLS worse, but I can't find anything that says it does.

[Nikon- in reply to SueJohnson]

Many thanks Sue

[Dougg]

Hi Nikon.

I have used tamsulosin and was underwhelmed by its efficacy. It helped a little, but not a lot. I didn't notice any change in my RLS while taking it. I subsequently found tadalafil (brand name: Cialis) to be more effective, and you can take both as long as you allow four hours between them (per my pharmacist). The combo of the two worked better for me than either one alone. I have now stopped using tamsulosin and am trying doxazosin instead, while still continuing tadalafil. So far, I prefer doxazosin, although neither would rate as great in my experience. That said, your mileage may vary, as prescription meds can have different effects on people.

I have never tried finasteride. I notice that drugs.com does a comparison (see drugs.com/compare/finasteri... and it looks like their reviewers found tamsulosin more effective. I admit to being wary of finasteride because the most common reported side effects are impotence and decreased libido, neither of which I care to have.

Good luck. I hope you find a drug, or combo, that works well for you.

[Nikon- in reply to Dougg]

Thank you Dougg agree with you on side effects of Finasteride not something i want either but for some reason or another i find myself on both the Finasteride and the Tamsulosin so am stuck between the two 🥴

[Hages]

finasteride no problem for me Tamulousin sent my RLS into overdrive

[Nikon- in reply to Hages]

Thanks Hages thats three of us so far 😊

[50568789]

It's all part of a bigger picture, but for the moment I can report having stopped taking tamsulosin for a week (agreed with GP) my RLS stopped after a day, no symptoms for rest of week. Still monitoring effect on BP and any other consequences in terms of meds regime, but looks like my suspicions were not unfounded!

[Nikon- in reply to 50568789]

Thank you 50568789 seems like only you and I possibly affected by Tamsulosin on RLS but will discuss with my gp

[Lambretta175]

I was on Tamsulosin then Finasteride and didn't notice any difference at all in my RLS.Am waiting for hospital appointment now to have a Rezum operation on my prostate which entails a general anaesthetic and catheter.I will print out info on the effect of anaesthetic on RLS before hand.

[Nikon- in reply to Lambretta175]

thank you Lambretta175 andgood luck with the op

[SueJohnson in reply to Lambretta175]

Tell your doctors and anesthesiologists about your RLS and its symptoms and that you need your medicine and ask if there will be any drug interactions from what they will give you. Also talk with the patient representative ahead of time. Tell them not to give you any sedating antihistamines or sedating anti-nausea medications. Instead insist they use Zofran (ondansetron) for anti-nausea. You can download the Medical Alert Card that you can show your doctors, that tells them about the condition and what will happen after surgery and what medicines to avoid at rlshelp.org/ although you will need to join the RLS foundation. An international membership is $40, but they have some good information on it and you get their monthly magazine. However the safe antidepressants listed on medical alert card are not antidepressants: Lamotrigine, Carbamazepine, Oxcarbazepine. Also there is a 2 page handout "Surgery and RLS: Patient Guide" on the RLS Foundation website which is very helpful. Also "Hospitalization Checklist for the Patient with RLS"

[Lambretta175 in reply to SueJohnson]

Thanks very much Sue ,Consultant said it will be at least 6 months for the op.I will screen shot this page.

[SaltyUK in reply to Lambretta175]

I think that Sue’s advice regarding your op is very important.

I had a TURPS procedure two months ago and afterwards my RLS was unbearable. I think that it may have been caused by the anaesthetic and/or the drugs I was given for the procedure. I also lost quite a lot of blood which I believe reduced my iron levels. I didn’t know at the time that I should have told them about my RLS.

I have now been prescribed Gabapentin and iron tablets which have worked remarkably well so far.

Good luck with your op. Mine was very successful.

[Lambretta175 in reply to SaltyUK]

Thanks very much.

[Eryl]

If you have no other side effects of either they should not affect rls but your diet is probably causing both conditions. High carb diets cause inflammation in the nerves which leads to rls and high carb diets can lead to enlarged prostrate. youtu.be/AIbhXK2UJ6w(Not working as expected?)

[Nikon- in reply to Eryl]

Thanks Eryl will bar that in mnd 👍

[Dgags]

I take Tamdulosin twice a day, morning and night. I haven’t noticed any impact on my RLS. The statins I take seem to be the major factor in my RLS. I started taking statins in 1997. My RLS began within two years. I wish you well in dealing with your RLS.

[SaltyUK]

Hi Nikon,

I was prescribed both medications for my BPH. Personally I didn’t think that they did much for my prostate condition and further more I didn’t think that they made my RLS worse. However, what I have learned from this forum so far is that we all react to medications in different ways.

I have now been prescribed 900mg Gabapentin and iron tablets which have virtually eliminated my RLS for now.

Hope this info helps.