Bentyl

Bentyl is a prescription medication used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This medication belongs to a group of drugs called anticholinergic (or antimuscarinic) agents. It relieves intestinal spasms by blocking muscarinic receptors in the digestive tract.

Bentyl comes in capsule, tablet, and in an oral syrup form. It is taken 4 times daily, with or without food.

Bentyl is also available as an injectable form to be given directly into a muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.

Bentyl is a prescription medication used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Forest Laboratories, Inc.

Oral/Injectable:

Common side effects of Bentyl include:

• dizziness
• blurred vision
• nausea
• vomiting
• dry mouth
• weakness

This is not a complete list of Bentyl side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• Antiglaucoma agents
• Antacids
• other anticholinergics such as glycopyrrolate (Cuvposa, Robinul), trospium (Sanctura), oxybutynin (Anturol, Gelnique, Oxytrol, Ditropan), solifenacin (Vesicare), propantheline (Pro-Banthine), and atropine (Atropen, Sal-Tropine)

This is not a complete list of Bentyl drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Bentyl including the following:

• Psychosis. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of psychosis:
  • Thoughts and speech are unorganized
  • Experience beliefs that are not based in reality 
  • Hear, see, or feel things that are not there

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Bentyl there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking Bentyl, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Bentyl or to any of its ingredients
• are a nursing mother
• have acid reflux disease
• have problems urinating
• have heart problems
• have myasthenia gravis
• have glaucoma
• have severe ulcerative colitis
• have an enlarged prostate
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• have mental health problems

Bentyl is not for infants younger than 6 months.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Bentyl falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Bentyl. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Bentyl has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Bentyl, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Take Bentyl exactly as prescribed.

Bentyl comes in capsule, tablet, and in an oral syrup form. It is taken four times every day.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Bentyl at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on how you respond to this medication and the side effects you may experience.

Injectable:

The recommended dose range of Bentyl (dicyclomine) is 10-20 mg to be given directly into the muscle (IM) four times daily by a healthcare professional. Patients should only use this route of administration for a maximum of 1-2 days when they cannot take the oral version.

Oral:

The recommended dose of Bentyl (dicyclomine) is 20 mg, four times daily.

If you take too much Bentyl, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If Bentyl is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Bentyl at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.