Flomax belongs to a class of drugs called alpha adrenergic blockers. It is a prescription drug used to treat a condition called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that causes discomfort and sometimes difficulty urinating.
Flomax relaxes blood vessels and also relaxes the neck of the urinary bladder, allowing for more comfortable urination. It may take a month of taking Flomax (Tamsulosin) every day for symptoms to improve. If no improvement has occurred by that time, or if symptoms have worsened, it is important to report this to your health care provider.
Common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, fitful sleep, and weakness. These side effects are usually mild and temporary. Decrease in sex drive and decrease in semen amount have been reported, but only rarely. Very rarely, a condition called priapism is seen as a side effect of Flomax. Priapism is an erection that lasts longer than four hours. In the very unlikely event that you experience this, prompt medical treatment is important to prevent permanent damage.
Men who take medication for erectile dysfunction should not take Flomax (Tamsulosin) due to possible dangerous interactions between the drugs. If you take drugs for insomnia or if you take anti-psychotic medications, you should tell your health care provider. It is very important that you not drive or operate machinery until you know whether Flomax causes dizziness or drowsiness and can plan accordingly.
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