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.

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.

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

Bentyl can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Bentyl affects you.

Do not take Bentyl if you:

• are allergic to Bentyl or to any of its ingredients 
• are a nursing mother
• have acid reflux disease
• have problems urinating
• have myasthenia gravis. This is a disease that causes extreme weakness in the muscles that you voluntarily control. If you have this, notify your doctor.
• have glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease that damages a major nerve in your eye. Notify your doctor if you have vision problems.
• have severe Ulcerative Colitis. This is a disease where inflammation or sores are present along the inside of your colon or rectum. Notify your doctor if you have been told that you have this.

Bentyl is not for infants younger than 6 months.

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.

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.