Oxybutynin is a medicine used to treat symptoms of an overactive bladder. These can include:
- a sudden and urgent need to pee (urinary urgency)
- needing to pee more often than usual (urinary frequency)
- wetting yourself if you cannot make it to the toilet in time (urinary incontinence)
It's also used to treat bedwetting in children (nocturnal enuresis).
Oxybutynin works by relaxing the muscles in your bladder. This means your bladder can hold more liquid and you do not need to pee as often or as urgently.
Oxybutynin is only available on prescription.
It comes as tablets, slow-release tablets (also called prolonged release), a liquid that you swallow, or patches that you stick to your skin (transdermal patches).
Key facts
- Oxybutynin may take 4 weeks or longer to work fully. If your symptoms do not start to improve after 1 to 2 weeks, talk to your doctor.
- Your doctor will do a review after 4 weeks to check oxybutynin is working and is still the best treatment for you. They'll also check that your treatment is still needed every 6 to 12 months.
- Common side effects of oxybutynin include a dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and feeling dizzy or sleepy.
- Do not drive a car or ride a bike if oxybutynin makes you sleepy, gives you blurred vision, or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate.
- It's best not to drink alcohol when you first start taking oxybutynin, as it can make you very sleepy.