Combination drugs

akia · Post by **akia** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 1:34 pm

Is it safe to take Elmiron and Flomax at the same time? Has anybody done this before?

During a visit yesterday to the family doctor I asked to be put on Elmiron to see if it works. She said she would give me a 10 day course but she would refill my prescription for Flomax. She wants me to take one or the other.

I'm afraid to stop taking the Flomax as it helped provide relief for me and I'm now getting better from what I can observe. Has anyone else gone off an alphablocker before?

Elmiron for ten days seems like a waste since the manufacturer and the pharmacy papers all say that it takes 6-8 weeks to show any signs of relief. It seems like a waste of time.

Post by **webslave** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 2:00 pm

Elmiron for 10 days IS a waste. And what's more, there is a study in the pipeline showing Elmiron is no better than placebo (or so I'm told).

akia · Post by **akia** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 6:42 pm

But is it not supposed to help with mast cell degranulation?

Post by **webslave** » Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:08 pm

The question is: how well is it absorbed? Just because you swallow it doesn't mean the large, complex molecule in Elmiron gets to the target tissues. I can't tell what to think just yet ... let's wait for the study.

akia · Post by **akia** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 1:30 pm

webslave wrote:The question is: how well is it absorbed? Just because you swallow it doesn't mean the large, complex molecule in Elmiron gets to the target tissues. I can't tell what to think just yet ... let's wait for the study.

I eagerly await the results.
But I'll try it while I wait. I've got absolutely nothing to lose.

latte · Post by **latte** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:12 pm

I am a Dr. Parsons patient, the inventor of Elmiron! I have been taking it for about one year with no side effects. I am better but I also take Atarax, Flomax, and prostaprotek so it is hard to say if it the determining factor(maybe over time we just get better anyway). I asked Dr. Parsons how much gets into the prostate. He said that very little is absorded into the blood stream. I don't remember the exact number but it is just a few %. After about six months I asked him again how much gets into the prostate and he said, well it doesn't, so I asked him, well what good is it? Well I also had a phone conference with a very well known urologist in Boston and I asked him the same thing. He said that they consider the bladder and prostate all as one organ since they are so close together so if you treat the bladder you also treat the prostate. From what I know(I am not a doctor), the Elmiron coats the bladder lining to help heal the inflammation. How much it treats the prostate seems not to be known. Any doctors on the board know anything more?

akia · Post by **akia** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:19 pm

I'm taking it not for the prostate but to see if it will help my condition via the urinary symptoms of IC. During the past year I have noticed that my symptoms may be more bladder related than prostate. I think my problem has to do with bladder wall and neck muscles. If there is a chance that inflammation may be causing a problem then I think Elmiron is worth a shot no?

Michael in Boston · Post by **Michael in Boston** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:57 pm

Elmiron is supposed to take at least 3 months to work, as intended. Therefore, I think your doctor doesn't understand or is just giving you something to make you feel psychologically more comfortable.

UCPPS - Prostatitis, Interstitial Cystitis Forum

UCPPS - Prostatitis, Interstitial Cystitis Forum

Combination drugs

Combination drugs