Tamsulozin

I just started taking Tamsulozin for an enlarged Prostate and being a fit and active 61 year old, I was wondering about keeping up my exercise regime. I don’t normally have any blood pressure problems but I know the meds lower the BP but I still want to exercise the 3-5 times a week- normally weights and some cardio. Any thoughts or comments. Thanks

First of all Caper 17 ,,,,welcome to the forum !!....many great guys and gals here to answer all your questions.....as for me , Ive been taking the drug for a year and a half now with NO problems....I`m quite active and havent noticed any dizzyness etc.....just really helps my flow ....good luck ....David

Thanks for the quick responses. I am taking 0.4 per day - don’t seem to have the side effects they say may occur- maybe a little ‘ hangover’ type of headache and a little lightheaded but not too bad so far. I was just a little disappointed that I may have to cut out exercising as I am probably now in the best shape I have been since playing hockey as a highschooler and I didn’t want to regress! So maybe take it easy but still put in a workout a couple of times a week . I forgot to ask my Dr. about that- I was a bit frazzled- I was 3000 miles from home with no one I knew in the city as the conference I was attending had wrapped up the previous day and I stay an extra day for private meetings - then I quickly found out I couldn’t P and ended up in the cities Emerg for 6 hours , then sent home (hotel) to pack and with my new friend the catheter, we flew for 6 and half hours home- after giving up my good seat on the plane to go to go back to get closer to the washrooms! Been an adventure- jet lag and all!

good Idea.. I can guarantee It's good for me ;-)

I take tamsulozin twice daily for dysuria. I have started to work out fairly heavily and have only noticed the occasional light headed ness. I can’t tell if it’s from the tamsulozin or the hard work out. But either way, when I feel that way, I relax and let it pass. Good luck. -JR

Caper - I have used FlowMax and Rapaflo for short-term relief during and after radiation treatment for my prostate cancer. I did not stop my exercise routine (age 70, 5 days/week gym rat), but I did dial it back a bit until I became accustomed to working with reduced blood pressure.

One thing you need to be aware of, related to these drugs. After I started the FlowMax, I saw my ophthalmologist for a regular eye exam. He updated my list of meds and I told him of the FlowMax. He stopped and seriously thanked me for mentioning that to him, since so many men use these drugs but don't say anything to docs who are treating unrelated conditions. He said that he will notate my chart because if I EVER need eye surgery, once having taken Rapaflo or FlowMax, there are additional precautionary measures they would need to take prior to surgery - even if I was no longer taking it. So, be sure you tell any and all of your docs that you are using this medication, in case it may affect something later on.

I think you'll be fine, though. Just use a bit of extra caution at first. I did notice that my muscles didn't feel as "tight" after a workout, but I didn't lose any bulk or definition in the long run. (I'm not that big, anyway. Just a skinny old gym rat.)

Bhp for 19 years....I'll be 61 in two weeks so got that early in lufe like dad and brother. On Tamsulosin .4 mg for five years for bhp. Psa always been zero but bhp got obstructive two years ago so Urologist doubled it to .8...maxed out. A couple months ago my "bought time" finally ran out and after a cysto showed severe blockage I scheduled a Greenlight laser TURP which I had four weeks ago (aling with a Laparascopic ventral hernia repair at the same time....OW!)
Better now but the best thing, aside from being able to pee again was dumping the Tamsulisin! I Literally grew to hate that stuff....I dumped maybe 20 caps in the toilet, took a leak on them and flushed! (Got a souvenir picture of that too!)
I had every side effect listed and then some! And they got worse when the dose was doubled.
the last dose was the night before surgery and the next day, after all the opiates wore off many of those side-effects were gone....that fast! No more dizzy spells, eyes out of focus, morning headaches or dry eye syndrome. Also, eyes no longer hypersensitive to light!I
Not sure how related but joints don't ache as much either now.
Downside is my blood pressure did rise a tad (direct result of stopping Tamsulosin) and the erections aren't quite as hard as they were just before the TURP but some of that is just my body's defenses as my urethra is just a bit raw inside and still healing.
The Flowmax just buys you some time...eventually most will need further treatment. I am really happy with the results of the green laser (in the hands of my very skilled Urologist, anyway!). Wish I'd have done this five years ago though as my bladder beefed up so much in musculature (2.5 plus trabeculation....Severe!) that it'll probably never be very flexible again and probably always lower capacity too...but it will improve some over the next year or so.
My advice is to consider getting a Turp sooner rather than later, start looking for a Urologist who does lots of them and is really good at ut and as soon as you find yourself bumped up to .8 mg, think about taking the time off and getting it done.

And find one who burns out a bit more than most others so you won't have to re-do it in a few years.

As for results, it's like night and day!

Be sure to take this medication in the evening, other wise it can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure during exercise.

Thanks- I do take it in the evening and exercising in the morning so I don’t seem to have any issues so far.

Caper17 the Cystoscopy is not as bad as it sounds, They stick a camera up and into your bladder for a look see...
My URO was up and out, I told him I wanted to see, He smiles and say's, Want me to do it again, I said, Can't you just rewind the Computer so I can see....

Just be sure the uro uses the most up-to-date equipment. I'm not sure if there are still any uro's using the old ones, but there used to be two sorts of cystoscopies in use -- flexible and rigid. about 20 years ago my then-uro scoped me with the old rigid (larger diameter, too) device, and I had to wear a catheter and bag for a week until the swelling subsided. Others now say no issue. So - just make sure they use the newest, flexible scope and you should do fine.

Just an update. Had an appointment with my Urologist today for a Cystoscopy. Look so like a TURP is in my calendar for the first of the year. My bladder has expanded too much for his liking and is still holding too much urine after I P. My prostate is definitely enlarged and will only get worse going forward. So I have that to look forward to but I would rather have it done now and get it over with as some of you have suggested in previous posts.

Good Luck. I will be praying for you!