Flomax Patient Info

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Flomax - Patient Info [Tamsulosin]

° a weak or interrupted urinary stream ° a feeling that you cannot empty your bladder completely

° a feeling of delay or hesitation when you start to urinate

° a need to urinate often, especially at night

° a feeling that you must urinate right away

Since cancer of the prostate may cause similar symptoms, you should be evaluat-ed by your doctor to rule out prostate can-cer. Your doctor will likely examine your prostate gland manually to detect abnor-malities and may measure prostate-spe-cific antigen (PSA) in your blood to help in evaluating for the presence of prostate cancer. FLOMAX capsules do not affect PSA levels.

Treatment Options for BPH
There are three main treatment options for BPH:

° Program of monitoring or "Watchful Waiting". Some men have an enlarged prostate gland, but no symptoms, or symptoms that are not bothersome. If this applies, you and your doctor may decide on a program of monitoring, including regular checkups, instead of medication or surgery.

° There are different kinds of medication used to treat BPH. Your doctor has prescribed FLOMAX capsules for you. See "What a FLOMAX capsule does to treat BPH" below.

° Surgery. Some patients may need surgery. Your doctor can describe sev-
eral different surgical procedures to treat BPH. Which procedure is best
depends on your symptoms and med-ical condition.

What a FLOMAX capsule does to treat BPH
FLOMAX capsules act by relaxing mus-cles in the prostate and bladder neck at the site of the obstruction, resulting in improved urine flow and reduced BPH symptoms.
What you need to know while taking FLOMAX Ž (tamsulosin HCI) capsules

° You must see your doctor regularly. While taking FLOMAX capsules, you must have regular checkups. Follow your doctor's advice about when to have these checkups.

° It is important for you to recognize that FLOMAX capsules can cause
a sudden drop in blood pressure especially following the first dose or when changing doses of FLOMAX -capsules. Such a drop in blood pressure, although rare in occurrence, may be associated with fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness. Therefore, get up slowly from a chair or bed at any time until you learn how you react to FLOMAX capsules.