Tamsulosin and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2020

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Took first pill, room started to spin, dizziness and heart rate through the roof. Thought it was going to be it for me, wanted to call ambulance but tried to work through it. Passed out at some point. Ridiculous"

• Jim...
• September 1, 2014

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Flomax improved my ability to pee, however, it also made me listless, and I experienced dizziness when changing positions suddenly. After a (1) month trial, I am giving it up. For me, the benefits are not worth the side effects."

• zyp...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 1, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I am 57 years old and have been on Tamsulosin for about 4 years. I had recurring urination problems for a couple of years after a prolonged bad bout with prostatitis. I ended up with a blockage that required a catheter for a couple of weeks (not the first time). My urologist put me on this 'stuff', and yes, I am now Niagara Falls in the can, but the side effects were and are off the charts and have gotten progressively worse over time. Constant dizziness, no energy, bad balance, muscle and joint aches, breathing and sinus problems (runny nose, sneezing, pain, nasal drip), and recently, I have developed a cough and have to clear my throat constantly. I'm done! Tapering off. I will talk to my urologist about other options. At this point, the catheter looks good! LOL. This drug does work well, but the 'price' of the side effects is just too high for me. Good luck!!"

• JJa...
• April 24, 2019

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "I am a 42-year-old woman. I was prescribed Flomax for kidney stones. I have been on this for almost 2 weeks, but I just can't take the side effects anymore. My head and neck hurt so bad, and it will not go away no matter what I do. I feel dizzy, weak, and very 'winded', it seems hard to catch my breath. I feel in a catch-22 because it helps the urine flow, but I just feel so awful otherwise... ???"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2013

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "Have been on it several times for stones. I actually request it from my doctor each time I have a problem stone. While it helps pass stones easily, the dizziness is a major factor for myself. But I will continue to use it!"

• Anonymous
• June 23, 2008

Tamsulosin for Urinary Frequency "I am a woman taking Flomax for severe urinary retention. Flomax works wonderfully, although it did not start to work for me until I had taken it for about 3 weeks. Initially, there was some mild drowsiness and dizziness, which has mostly subsided. Make sure you talk to your doctor about getting on a bathroom schedule so you can eventually stop taking this. I was going 15 to 20 times a day and not able to empty below 200 ccs. This combination has gotten me down to going only 6 or 7 times a day and completely empty."

• Ipe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2018

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "While Flomax definitely helps with ease and volume of urination, the side effects are just too much. This is the second time I’ve tried it. The first time (about a year ago) I stopped for the horrible side effects and decided I would never take it again. This time I guess I forgot about those because I told my doctor I wanted to try it again. Within a day or two, I stopped getting up as much at night, I had a more powerful stream, and I didn’t feel the urgent sensation to pee as much. I also experience dizziness, nausea, headaches, toothaches, ejaculation problems, and for some reason, it makes me have a hard time breathing. I’m stopping it today for the second time. Hopefully, I’ll remember these side effects the next time I think I might want to take it."

• pee...
• August 7, 2011

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I have been taking Flomax for a month for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. I had been getting up to urinate 2 or 3 times a night, suffering from severe pain during urination. Since starting Flomax, I have found myself dizzy if getting up quickly, blurred vision, decreased sex drive with abnormal ejaculate. I have lower back pain. I feel weaker and tired all the time. On the upside, I can go all night with no need to get up to urinate, and the pain while urinating is 50 percent less."

• Hug...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2018

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Has way too many side effects: dizziness, fatigue, myalgia, and it made me constipated. It really seems like our doctors don’t know anything. I’ve been using natural supplements and I actually have a quality of life that is bearable. Going to China to be cured. Alpha blockers are designed to make you stay on a life treatment with horrible symptoms. No thank you, I’ll stick with my own recipes that I came up with that help more than anything any doctor has given me. All the doctors think I’m crazy, but they’re just programmed that way and very textbook. Think outside the box, people, if your treatments don’t work, it is time to do more research."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2009

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I have been using Flomax (0.4 mg 1/day) for approximately 2 weeks, with a great improvement after the 2nd pill. My problem with urination wasn't too bad to begin with - slow start, weak stream, start/stop, up 2-3 times per night -- just inconvenient. I have experienced side effects with Flomax: get very dizzy when first standing up within 3-4 hours after taking the pill (feels like I'm going to pass out), so I take it at night; noticeable muscle weakness, but not severe. Also, sex is affected, weak orgasm. I tried Saw Palmetto (2,000 mg/day)--seemed to help some, but not very much."

• mes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 31, 2018

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "After 1 week of Flomax, urine flow was slightly affected. I have started experiencing dizziness, extreme fatigue, weakness, nausea, diarrhea, headache, chills, body aches, and flu-like symptoms. Goodbye Flomax."

• Fok...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 13, 2017

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Flomax gave me serious side effects, including the following: toothache, gum infection, sinus infection, cough, chest pain, vision problem, muscle ache, muscle weakness, dizziness, premature ejaculation, inability to hold an erection for sex, lack of orgasm after painful ejaculation."

• Ica...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2018

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I have been taking Flomax for a week now, passing pee improved a lot, however, I experienced a severe stomach cramp that lasted about six hours, a constant niggly headache, and a strange feeling of vertigo, blurry vision on and off. Today my whole abdomen feels like it's on fire! It also feels like fever shakes. Terrible side effects, at least for me. I would rather continue herbal treatment, which has worked for the last ten years or so."

• MSK...
• March 7, 2014

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "I have bilateral medullary sponge kidney disease and pass stones almost daily. Although it does not relieve the pain, it does help pass the stones and prevent an obstruction. I no longer experience any of the side effects like dizziness, but I also take it at night. I have a history of cardiac reactions to medications, and sometimes a stone will cause my heart rate to skyrocket to 160 with a blood pressure of 165/100, but it is clearly the stones and not caused by Flomax. My only complaint is that my insurance refuses to pay for this medicine because I am a woman. I don't think that is right, and I'm not going to accept that kind of discrimination. Even my doctor's office is surprised by the discrimination."

• HME...
• February 5, 2016

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "Six weeks postpartum of having my baby, I started experiencing UTI symptoms. After two rounds of antibiotics, ruling out appendicitis, the doctor concluded it must be a kidney stone. Told me to drink lots of water. For a month, I experienced dull pain, extreme pain, to no pain. Finally, I had excruciating pain. My hubby drove me to the hospital. Went to the Outpatient building (to avoid ER costs). Got a CT scan and KUB scan. The urologist fit us in that day to look over. I had a 7mm stone that had reached my ureter. She prescribed Flomax. After 1 dose and 9 hours later, I passed the stone. Didn't even feel it pass! Woke up the next morning and didn't feel pain. Went back to Outpatient for a KUB scan and showed no stone! Only symptoms were dizziness."

• Anonymous
• August 30, 2009

Tamsulosin for Urinary Frequency "I stopped my 4-5 time nightly peeing down to 2-3 but I get dizzy standing sometimes and always when outside in the heat playing golf. Never let myself get dehydrated and now drink electrolyte mixture. Does not interfere with outdoor exercise or biking (don't get dizzy)."

• Gus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 1, 2019

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Since being on Flomax, my bowels don't function properly. Constipation. Need laxative every 3 days. Stomach aches, cramps, low energy, dizziness. Just generally feel bad. Hardly ever leave home now. It's terrible. Been on it 90 days. Wasn't sick until I started taking this drug. I'll elect surgery early if necessary to get off this drug."

• Sne...
• August 12, 2009

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I don't know if this medicine would have worked or not because after three days, I was so weak and dizzy from low blood pressure that I stopped taking it. Better to get up 1-2 times a night to pee than pass out from walking across the house. If you have low-to-normal blood pressure, watch out. Also tried doxazosin/Cardura before this with similar results."

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2020

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "I took one for the first time before bedtime, hoping for it to help pass a large stone. I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and the room started spinning. I came back into my bedroom and either fell on the floor or fainted, resulting in a fractured toe and rib. Once I got up, I experienced chills throughout the night. I'm not taking them anymore - no wonder the FDA hasn't approved them for women."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2012

For Urinary Frequency "Been taking tamsulosin for one week. Previously had been getting up 2-4 times each night and was constantly looking for a bathroom during the day. The first couple of nights I took the tamsulosin, I only got up once. On the fourth night, I didn't get up at all, and during the day, I had no overwhelming urges to run to the bathroom. Have had no side effects such as dizziness, dry mouth, or stuffy nose. This stuff really works, and I can see it will improve my sleep and my overall lifestyle."

• Fem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2016

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "Female, age 35, with a history of kidney stones. Went to the ER for kidney stone pain on a Friday, was given a shot of Flomax and a prescription to take daily. Saw urologist and received a CAT scan on Monday - one 5mm kidney stone in the ureter and two more (one in each kidney) to come. On day six of Flomax and going to stop taking it - feeling very dizzy, nauseous, tired with chills/low fever at night. Still haven't passed the stone but can't take these side effects. Doctor said I can go back on Flomax anytime if my kidney stone pain comes back and I need it to help pass this stone."

• Rat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2015

Tamsulosin for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "Helped somewhat with urination, however, sexual ejaculation got crazy, and erection was short-lived, even with Viagra. Dizziness is a very big problem, especially when golfing. Had a rash this morning just under my pectoral muscles, itching. I have been taking this med for about 4-5 weeks. Call in to the Doc now, waiting....."

• Ghu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 9, 2020

For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia "I was diagnosed with chronic urethritis, had issues with weak stream, failure to fully empty bladder, frequent peeing at night. My urologist prescribed me this medicine (tamsulosin). Initially, after a day, those symptoms seemed to relieve, but I notice the side effects of this medicine in my body so terribly, like dizziness, stuffy nose, severe fatigue, bodily weakness, gasping for air when sleeping, tooth sensitivity, and a difficult time falling asleep at night. I consider setting an appointment with my urologist to consult this matter."

• MSK...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 20, 2017

Tamsulosin for Urinary Tract Stones "I have Medullary Sponge Kidney Disease and pass around 100 stones each year. I recently used Flomax to help me pass 4 and 5 mm stones that were in my bladder for 2 and 1/2 weeks and causing horrific bladder spasms. There were many times that I screamed and cried as I urinated. I was on strong pain medicine, but it didn't touch the bladder pain at all. I began taking Flomax, and while the spasms didn't stop, the pain was more tolerable, and I passed my stones, 3 stones at once (2, 5, and 6 mm). I have trouble swallowing pills and capsules, and I wish Flomax came in a chewable or liquid. Otherwise, it works well with few side effects-only some mild dizziness. I take it as needed. My insurance refuses to cover it because I'm a woman."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2023

Tamsulosin "I am 49 years old and had bladder surgery 5.5 weeks ago. I have been unable to urinate naturally since the surgery. Due to the use of catheters, I am on my second UTI. My doc put me on Flomax to see if it would help me begin urinating on my own. I have taken 3 doses and will not be taking any more. Congestion, fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea/vomiting. I have never had so many negative experiences with a medication."