Can you take Oxybutynin with Unisom SleepTabs?
1 drug interaction and 26 additional warnings found for the following 2 drugs:
- oxybutynin
- Unisom SleepTabs (doxylamine)
Drug interactions
Moderate drug interactions
Moderate:
oxyBUTYnin doxylamine
Applies to: oxybutynin and Unisom SleepTabs (doxylamine)
Using oxyBUTYnin together with doxylamine may increase side effects such as drowsiness, blurred vision, dry mouth, heat intolerance, flushing, decreased sweating, difficulty urinating, abdominal cramping, constipation, irregular heartbeat, confusion, and memory problems. Side effects may be more likely to occur in the elderly or those with a debilitating condition. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
Food/lifestyle interactions
Moderate food/lifestyle interactions
Moderate:
doxylamine Food/Lifestyle
Applies to: Unisom SleepTabs (doxylamine)
Alcohol can increase the nervous system side effects of doxylamine such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Some people may also experience impairment in thinking and judgment. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with doxylamine. Do not use more than the recommended dose of doxylamine, and avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medication affects you. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns.
Moderate:
oxyBUTYnin Alcohol (Ethanol)
Applies to: oxybutynin
Ask your doctor before using oxyBUTYnin together with ethanol (alcohol). Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking oxyBUTYnin. You should be warned not to exceed recommended dosages and to avoid activities requiring mental alertness. If your doctor prescribes these medications together, you may need a dose adjustment to safely take this combination. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
Disease interactions
24 potential interactions Applies to: 17 conditions, including Depression, Asthma, COPD, Hypotension, and Hyperthyroidism.
Asthma
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Asthma.
It has been suggested that the anticholinergic effect of antihistamines may reduce the volume and cause thickening of bronchial secretions, resulting in obstruction of respiratory tract. Some manufacturers and clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Asthma.
Oral anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents may cause respiratory depression and apnea when given in high dosages or following acute overdose. However, some patients may be susceptible at commonly used dosages, including the elderly, debilitated or severely ill patients, those receiving other CNS depressants, and those with limited ventilatory reserve, chronic pulmonary insufficiency or other respiratory disorders. Therapy with anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic agents should be administered cautiously in these patients. Appropriate monitoring and individualization of dosage are recommended.
Autonomic Neuropathy
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Autonomic Neuropathy.
Agents with anticholinergic activity can exacerbate many of the manifestations of autonomic neuropathy, including tachycardia, anhidrosis, bladder atony, obstipation, dry mouth and eyes, cycloplegia and blurring of vision, and sexual impotence in males. Therapy with antimuscarinic agents and higher dosages of antispasmodic agents (e.g., dicyclomine or oxybutynin) should be administered cautiously in patients with autonomic neuropathy.
Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Cardiovascular Conditions and Disorders.
Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.
Central Nervous System Disorders
Moderate:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a moderate potential interaction with Central Nervous System Disorders.
Oxybutynin is associated with anticholinergic central nervous system (CNS) effects. If a patient experiences anticholinergic CNS effects, dose reduction or drug discontinuation should be considered. Oxybutynin should be used with caution in patients with Parkinson's disease and in patients with preexisting dementia treated with cholinesterase inhibitors due to the risk of aggravation of symptoms.
COPD
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with COPD.
It has been suggested that the anticholinergic effect of antihistamines may reduce the volume and cause thickening of bronchial secretions, resulting in obstruction of respiratory tract. Some manufacturers and clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Dementia
Moderate:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a moderate potential interaction with Dementia.
Oxybutynin is associated with anticholinergic central nervous system (CNS) effects. If a patient experiences anticholinergic CNS effects, dose reduction or drug discontinuation should be considered. Oxybutynin should be used with caution in patients with Parkinson's disease and in patients with preexisting dementia treated with cholinesterase inhibitors due to the risk of aggravation of symptoms.
Depression
Major:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a major potential interaction with Depression.
A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of most anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics. Some of these changes include decreased inhibition, aggressiveness, agitation, and hallucinations. These drugs can cause or exacerbate mental depression and cause suicidal behavior and ideation. Therapy with these drugs should be administered cautiously in patients with a history of depression or other psychiatric disorders. Patients should be monitored for any changes in mood or behavior. It may be prudent to refrain from dispensing large quantities of medication to these patients.
Gastrointestinal Obstruction
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Gastrointestinal Obstruction.
The use of oxybutynin is contraindicated in patients with GI obstruction, ileus, atony, megacolon, toxic megacolon associated with ulcerative colitis, severe colitis, and obstructive uropathy. Oxybutynin exerts direct antispasmodic effects on smooth muscles and possesses anticholinergic activity (1/5 that of atropine).
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Gastrointestinal Obstruction.
Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.
Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.
The use of oxybutynin is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled angle-closure (narrow angle) or narrow anterior chamber glaucoma. Oxybutynin exerts anticholinergic activity (1/5 that of atropine) and can result in increased intraocular pressure and loss of accommodation.
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.
Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Glaucoma/Intraocular Hypertension.
Some hypnotic drugs can have an anticholinergic effect and should be used with caution in patients with glaucoma, and trouble urinating due to retention or enlarged prostate.
Hyperthyroidism
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Hyperthyroidism.
Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.
Hypotension
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Hypotension.
Antihistamines may infrequently cause cardiovascular adverse effects related to their anticholinergic and local anesthetic (quinidine-like) activities. Tachycardia, palpitation, ECG changes, arrhythmias, hypotension, and hypertension have been reported. Although these effects are uncommon and usually limited to overdosage situations, the manufacturers and some clinicians recommend that therapy with antihistamines be administered cautiously in patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and/or hyperthyroidism.
Infectious Gastroenteritis
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Infectious Gastroenteritis.
The use of drugs with antiperistaltic activity (primarily antidiarrheal and antimuscarinic agents, but also antispasmodic agents such as dicyclomine or oxybutynin at high dosages) is contraindicated in patients with diarrhea due to pseudomembranous enterocolitis or enterotoxin-producing bacteria. These drugs may prolong and/or worsen diarrhea associated with organisms that invade the intestinal mucosa, such as toxigenic E. coli, Salmonella and Shigella, and pseudomembranous colitis due to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Other symptoms and complications such as fever, shedding of organisms and extraintestinal illness may also be increased or prolonged. In general, because antiperistaltic agents decrease gastrointestinal motility, they may delay the excretion of infective gastroenteric organisms or toxins and should be used cautiously in patients with any infectious diarrhea, particularly if accompanied by high fever or pus or blood in the stool. Some cough and cold and other combination products may occasionally include antimuscarinic agents for their drying effects and may, therefore, require careful selection when necessary.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The use of oxybutynin is contraindicated in patients with GI obstruction, ileus, atony, megacolon, toxic megacolon associated with ulcerative colitis, severe colitis, and obstructive uropathy. Oxybutynin exerts direct antispasmodic effects on smooth muscles and possesses anticholinergic activity (1/5 that of atropine).
Liver Disease
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Liver Disease.
Limited pharmacokinetic data are available for the older, first-generation antihistamines. Many appear to be primarily metabolized by the liver, and both parent drugs and metabolites are excreted in the urine. Patients with renal and/or liver disease may be at greater risk for adverse effects from antihistamines due to drug and metabolite accumulation. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously in such patients. Lower initial dosages may be appropriate.
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Liver Disease.
In general, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics are extensively metabolized by the liver. Their plasma clearance may be decreased and their half-life prolonged in patients with impaired hepatic function. Therapy with these drugs should be administered cautiously in patients with liver disease (some are not recommended in severe liver impairment), and the dosage should be adjusted accordingly. Laboratory testing is recommended prior and during treatment.
Myasthenia Gravis
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Myasthenia Gravis.
The use of oxybutynin is contraindicated in patients with myasthenia gravis. Oxybutynin exerts direct antispasmodic effects on smooth muscle and inhibits the muscarinic action of acetylcholine on smooth muscle (1/5 the anticholinergic activity of atropine).
Renal Dysfunction
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Renal Dysfunction.
Limited pharmacokinetic data are available for the older, first-generation antihistamines. Many appear to be primarily metabolized by the liver, and both parent drugs and metabolites are excreted in the urine. Patients with renal and/or liver disease may be at greater risk for adverse effects from antihistamines due to drug and metabolite accumulation. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously in such patients. Lower initial dosages may be appropriate.
Urinary Retention
Major:
oxybutynin
oxyBUTYnin has a major potential interaction with Urinary Retention.
The use of oxybutynin is contraindicated in patients with GI obstruction, ileus, atony, megacolon, toxic megacolon associated with ulcerative colitis, severe colitis, and obstructive uropathy. Oxybutynin exerts direct antispasmodic effects on smooth muscles and possesses anticholinergic activity (1/5 that of atropine).
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Urinary Retention.
Antihistamines often have anticholinergic activity, to which elderly patients are particularly sensitive. Therapy with antihistamines should be administered cautiously, if at all, in patients with preexisting conditions that are likely to be exacerbated by anticholinergic activity, such as urinary retention or obstruction; angle-closure glaucoma, untreated intraocular hypertension, or uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma; and gastrointestinal obstructive disorders. Conventional, first-generation antihistamines such as the ethanolamines (bromodiphenhydramine, carbinoxamine, clemastine, dimenhydrinate, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenyltoloxamine) tend to exhibit substantial anticholinergic effects. In contrast, the newer, relatively nonsedating antihistamines (e.g., cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) reportedly have low to minimal anticholinergic activity at normally recommended dosages and may be appropriate alternatives.
Moderate:
Unisom SleepTabs
The doxylamine in Unisom SleepTabs has a moderate potential interaction with Urinary Retention.
Some hypnotic drugs can have an anticholinergic effect and should be used with caution in patients with glaucoma, and trouble urinating due to retention or enlarged prostate.
More resources
oxybutynin
A total of 309 drugs are known to interact with oxybutynin.
- Oxybutynin is in the drug class urinary antispasmodics.
-
Oxybutynin is used to treat the following conditions:
- Dysuria
- Hyperhidrosis (off-label)
- Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity
- Overactive Bladder
- Prostatitis (off-label)
- Urinary Frequency
- Urinary Incontinence
Unisom SleepTabs
A total of 464 drugs are known to interact with Unisom SleepTabs.
- Unisom sleeptabs is in the drug class miscellaneous anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics.
- Unisom sleeptabs is used to treat Insomnia.
Drug Interaction Classification
| Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit. | |
| Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances. | |
| Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan. | |
| No interaction information available. |
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.