Uses
What is silodosin used for?
Silodosin is commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition where the prostate gland is enlarged but not cancerous. An enlarged prostate may lead to problems with urination (peeing).
Silodosin is used to help reduce the following symptoms of BPH.
- Frequent need to pee
- Urgent need to pee
- Waking up during sleep to pee
- Trouble starting or stopping the flow of urine
- Urine stream that is weak, dribbles, or pauses
- Feeling like your bladder is not empty after you pee
Silodosin may also be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.
How does silodosin work (mechanism of action)?
Silodosin is an alpha blocker. It works to relax certain muscles in your prostate and bladder. This improves the flow of urine and reduces the symptoms of BPH.
How is silodosin supplied (dosage forms)?
Silodosin is available as Rapaflo and generic silodosin in the following dosage forms that are taken by mouth.
- 4 mg oral capsules
- 8 mg oral capsules
How should I store silodosin?
Silodosin should be stored at room temperature, between 68 F to 77 F (20 C to 25 C). It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F to 86 F (15 C to 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it. Store in a cool, dry place that is away from moisture and not in direct sunlight.
Side Effects
What are the most common side effects of silodosin?
The most common side effects of silodosin are listed below. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.
- Less or no semen with orgasm (retrograde ejaculation)
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Stuffy nose, runny nose, or other common cold symptoms
There may be other side effects of silodosin that are not listed here. Contact your healthcare provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.
What are the serious side effects of silodosin?
While less common, the most serious side effects of silodosin are described below, along with what to do if they happen.
Severe Allergic Reactions. Silodosin may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop using silodosin and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
- Breathing problems or wheezing
- Racing heart
- Fever or general ill feeling
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
- Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
- Itching, skin rash, or pale red bumps on the skin called hives
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
- Stomach cramps
- Joint pain
Low Blood Pressure Upon Standing (Orthostatic Hypotension). Silodosin may cause a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing up from a seated or lying position. To help prevent this, be careful not to get up too quickly. If you feel dizzy, sit or lie down right away until the dizziness stops, then take your time getting up again. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of orthostatic hypotension.
- Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting upon standing
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Feeling weak
- Feeling like your heart is racing or skipping (palpitations)
Warnings & Precautions
Who should not use silodosin?
Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not use silodosin.
- Silodosin
- Rapaflo
- Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed
Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific silodosin products they stock.
Severe Kidney Problems. Silodosin should not be used if your kidneys are not working as well as they should be. If there is a concern about the health of your kidneys, your healthcare provider may do tests to determine if they are working well enough to take this medicine.
Severe Liver Problems. Silodosin should not be used if your liver is not working as well as it should be. If there is a concern about the health of your liver, your healthcare provider may do tests to determine if it is working well enough to take this medicine.
Drug Interactions. Silodosin should not be taken while you are using certain other medicines. Before taking silodosin, tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.
What should I know about silodosin before using it?
Do not take silodosin unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider. Take it as prescribed.
Do not share silodosin with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them.
Keep silodosin out of the reach of children.
Take silodosin with a meal.
Silodosin may cause dizziness. Do not drive or do other activities that require coordination until you know how silodosin affects you.
Silodosin is commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. In some cases, BPH can occur at the same time as prostate cancer. Your healthcare provider may recommend getting tested for prostate cancer before you start silodosin and getting regular screenings thereafter.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before using silodosin?
Tell your healthcare provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them determine if silodosin is right for you.
In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.
Planned Eye Surgery. Silodosin may raise the risk of eye problems during or after cataract or glaucoma surgery. Tell your healthcare provider if you are planning to have eye surgery. They may recommend that you wait until after the surgery is over to start silodosin.
Pregnancy. It is not known if or how silodosin could affect pregnancy or harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are or plan to become pregnant.
Breastfeeding. It is not known if silodosin passes into breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Interactions
Does silodosin interact with foods or drinks?
Your healthcare provider may tell you to limit or avoid grapefruit while taking silodosin. Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice may raise the blood levels of silodosin. This could increase the side effects from silodosin.
Take silodosin with a meal to lower the chance of side effects. See the Side Effects section for information about possible side effects of silodosin.
If you have trouble swallowing this medicine, you may open the silodosin capsule and sprinkle the entire contents on a spoonful of cool applesauce. Swallow the applesauce right away (within 5 minutes) without chewing it, then drink an 8-ounce glass of cool water to make sure you have swallowed all of the medicine.
It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect silodosin. The risk of side effects, such as dizziness, may be higher if you drink alcohol while taking silodosin.
Does silodosin interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?
Silodosin interacts with many other medicines. Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you take.
In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before taking silodosin.
- A medicine for high blood pressure
- A medicine in the same drug class as silodosin (alpha blockers), such as doxazosin (Cardura) or tamsulosin (Flomax)
- A medicine for fungal infections, such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- An antiviral medicine for HIV, such as ritonavir (Norvir)
- Cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune, and others), which is a medicine to suppress your immune system
- Erythromycin (Ery-Tab and others), which is a medicine used for bacterial infections
- Clarithromycin (Biaxin XL), also a medicine used for bacterial infections
- A type of medicine called a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, such as avanafil (Stendra), sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio, and others), tadalafil (Cialis and others), or vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), which are used for erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
- A calcium channel blocker medicine, such as verapamil (Verelan) and diltiazem (Cardizem and others)
This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with silodosin. Always check with your healthcare provider.
Overdose/Missed Dose
What should I do if I accidentally take too much silodosin?
If you or someone else has used too much silodosin, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.
What should I do if I miss a dose of silodosin?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and only take the next dose. Do not take double or extra doses.
Are you currently using Silodosin (Rapaflo)?
This survey is being conducted by the WebMD marketing sciences department.