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Print ArticleIncontinence & Overactive Bladder Health Center
Diet, Drugs, and Urinary Incontinence Symptoms
What you eat and drink, as well as the drugs you take, may all have an effect on incontinence symptoms. Use these two charts to learn more about the potential effects of food, drink, and medication on incontinence.
Diet and Urinary Incontinence Symptoms
|
Food or Drink |
Effect on Incontinence |
What to Do |
|
Too much water or other fluid |
Overfills the bladder. |
Drink no more than 2 liters (about 2 quarts) of fluid a day. Drink most fluids during the daytime and limit fluids in the evening. |
|
Too little fluid |
Irritates the bladder. Promotes infection. |
Drink at least 1 liter (about 1 quart) of fluid every day. |
|
Alcoholic beverages |
Cause dehydration by increasing the amount of urine. Interfere with brain’s signals to the bladder about when to release urine. |
Cut down on or eliminate alcohol. |
|
Caffeine-containing drinks and foods (such as coffee, tea, colas, or chocolate) |
Stimulate the bladder. Act as diuretics, producing more urine. |
Reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. |
|
Acidic foods and drinks (such as citrus fruits, coffee, tea, and tomatoes) |
Irritate the bladder. |
Cut down or avoid these items. |
|
Carbonated drinks |
Irritate sensitive bladders. |
Use sparingly or not at all. |
|
Spicy foods |
Irritate the bladder. |
Avoid these foods. |
|
Sugar, honey, and artificial sweeteners |
Irritate the bladder. |
Limit your use of these foods, if possible. |
Medicine and Urinary Incontinence Symptoms
|
Medicine |
Effect on Incontinence |
What to Do |
|
High blood pressure medicine (diuretic “water pills", calcium channel blockers, and more) |
Some increase urine output. Some relax the bladder, allowing urine to escape.
|
Let your doctor know that your medication may be making incontinence worse. Ask your doctor if you can adjust the dose or switch to another medication to lower your blood pressure. If you cannot switch or adjust medications, ask your doctor about ways to limit the incontinence symptoms. |
|
Antidepressants, sedatives, and tranquilizers |
Some hinder ability of the bladder to contract. Some decrease your awareness of the need to urinate. (Note that some may improve incontinence symptoms.) |
Ask your doctor about switching to another medication or to another type of therapy to treat your depression. |
|
Muscle relaxants |
Relax bladder muscles. |
Use only if necessary. Ask your doctor about steps to limit incontinence side effects. |
|
Sleeping pills |
Reduce your awareness that the bladder is full. |
Explore alternatives to sleeping pills, such as exercising regularly to sleep better, or launching a bedtime ritual. |
If you suspect that any of your drugs are making incontinence worse, DO NOT stop taking the medication on your own. Rather, tell your doctor about your concerns. Your doctor may be able to switch or adjust your medication to relieve these incontinence symptoms. In some cases, however, the benefit of the medication may be worth the increase in your incontinence symptoms. If so, work with your doctor to find other ways to ease those symptoms.
WebMD Medical Reference
ENABLEX is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat the following symptoms due to a condition called overactive bladder:
- · having a strong need to go to the bathroom right away (also called "urgency")
- · leaks or wetting accidents (also called "urinary incontinence")
- · having to go to the bathroom too often (also called "urinary frequency")
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
You should not take once-daily ENABLEX if you have certain types of stomach problems, glaucoma, or have trouble emptying your bladder. Side effects of ENBLEX include blurred vision, and more commonly dry mouth, constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain. Use caution when doing certain activities until you know how ENBALEX affects you.
Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
