What is the difference between tamsulosin and finasteride

BPH, as a life-altering urinary condition requires prompt medical interventions, both medical and surgical.

Patients and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial study was done in Isfahan. Around men with BPH divided into 2 groups with 60 patients in each group. Total of its scores was between 0 and Then, one group received tamsulosin and the other group received combination therapy with finasteride and tamsulosin. After 4 weeks, the AUA symptom score was done for both of groups.

Results were analyzed by the paired t test, t test and chi-square through SPSS version Conclusion: The results of our study showed that tamsulosin and finasteride are effective drugs for BPH treatment. Combination therapy with finasteride and tamsulosin was significantly more effective, in our study, compared to tamsulosin alone. Type the code from the image.

Please don't use dangerous characters. However, if you are currently using, or considering, an alpha-1 blocker, you may want to take some precautions when adding one of the PDE-5 inhibitors. This seems especially to be a problem when taking sildenafil Viagra and vardenafil Levitra ; tadalafil Cialis is a longer-acting PDE-5 inhibitor, and the risks are less clear. As a result, some doctors recommend that if you are using a nonselective alpha-1 blocker for BPH, you should avoid taking an erectile dysfunction medication altogether.

However, our panel of Harvard experts think the concerns are overblown. Or you can lower the dose of your alpha-1 blocker or PDE-5 inhibitor. That is what Jack Muriel eventually decided to do. The combination created the dizziness that caused him nearly to run off the road. Or, if that dose was not sufficient, he could try 50 mg of Viagra. But to prevent problems, he needed to make sure that he took it at least four hours before or after he took the Flomax.

Could these medications, already approved to treat erectile dysfunction, also alleviate BPH symptoms? The answer may be yes, according to early studies of sildenafil Viagra and tadalafil Cialis — although the dosing is different than for erectile dysfunction. The medications may help by relaxing smooth muscle within the prostate, thereby improving the flow of urine. However, more research is needed. The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial showed that taking one of the 5—alpha-reductase inhibitors, finasteride, reduced the risk of developing prostate cancer by The PCPT study has generated heated discussion, and one leading theory is that because finasteride shrank the prostate gland, doctors had a smaller target to sample, and were therefore more likely to find cancer.

It is unclear whether the findings also apply to dutasteride, but because the drug is in the same class, most researchers think it does. For now, check with your own urologist for advice about what you should do. Pay attention to PSA levels. It is important to obtain a baseline PSA value before beginning treatment with one of these medications, and then have another after 6—12 months, to see how much the PSA has gone down after treatment.

This follow-up PSA then becomes your new baseline. So, for example, if you start taking a 5—alpha-reductase inhibitor, and your PSA falls from 3 to 1.

But if it should double over the course of a year, say from 1. Henry Banks developed acute urinary retention after drinking large quantities of water for a CT scan. This is a medical emergency, because if someone is unable to urinate and excrete urine, over time pressure that builds up in the bladder can adversely affect the kidneys, possibly leading to kidney failure — which is life-threatening.

For most men, of course, the most tangible worry about acute urinary retention is that they may have to have a catheter inserted to relieve pressure on their bladder — which is simply uncomfortable, bothersome, and potentially embarrassing the catheter can sometimes leak, causing accidents. Sometimes a man can be weaned from the catheter and return to taking a BPH medication, but not always. A man who has developed acute urinary retention may need to consider surgical options to alleviate his symptoms.

Although BPH symptoms often remain stable, one study found that progression was likely in men with the following clinical profile:. To reduce your risk of developing acute urinary retention, you have two options. The first is to take some common-sense precautions, no matter what BPH medication you are on.

If your doctor recommends a medical test that requires you to drink fluids ahead of time, as Henry did, mention that you are taking a BPH medication and ask what your doctor advises.

It may be time to consider switching to a 5—alpha-reductase inhibitor. Obviously the decision about whether to make some change in your medication regimen for BPH — whether it involves changing the dose or switching medications — is a complex one. You alone know how bad your urinary symptoms are, and what other health issues and trade-offs you need to consider.

Table 2 summarizes the salient information by drug and suggests the type of men who might want to consider taking one drug rather than another. Ultimately, of course, you are the authority when it comes to your own body, and different people metabolize drugs in different ways, so these general guidelines should be viewed as just that — general.

Even so, the information in this table, and in the rest of this article, may help you clearly evaluate your medication options. And if you ultimately decide that medications are not providing you with sufficient relief, it may be time to look into surgical options. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. You can write to the editorial person regarding questions going unanswered here as well as for expressing concern that the article has not been updated since Email address is: popd hms.

Hello, further to my Post of November 17; I have maintained a near Vegan diet, other than occasional fish and to my surprise the health benefits are significant. I no longer need any Omeprazole, I have lost 14lbs and Cholesterol reduced from 7 to 4.

Most impressive is that I reduced Tamsulosin to alternate days and now enjoy undisturbed sleep and my sinuses are clear most of the time. Hope this helps someone. Best wishes. My doctor discussed the use of 5 mg per day of cialis for bph. I currently take viagra mg as needed which is rarely effective recently.

If I start cialis 5 mg per day for bph, what do patients do when they need something for ed? Also, are there surgical procedures for bph that have minimal side effects on ed? Thank you.

On alfuzosin for about 4 months. Stopped working and had acute urinary retention and have had indwelling catheter for about 3 weeks and soon to have urodynamic study to see if TURP would help.

Is this trial with the self catheter worth it or is it best just move quickly with TURP? Excellent advice! I am 62 and have suffered from severe BPH for a while now. Anyone ever try Floxman and doxazosin together? Meaning alternating doses of each every other day. Each works a little differently, I have been curious about this. The literature warns against it.

Also says we should not take PE medication, but many do. I too am taking 0. I had my first PSA level test 2 months ago and the reading was 4. After taking it for 3 weeks, I went for another PSA test and the reading was 3. Does Tamsulosin help lower the PSA level?

I stopped using it since after my second PSA test because I noticed that I had trouble sleeping at night and I had to wake up two times to pee. One of the side effects of Tamsulosin is sleeplessness. Are there any serious problems in the future if BPH is not treated? Any people with same experience please share. Greatly appreciate any help. I am a 66 year old male, recently retired. My Urologist had recommended that I start taking Finasteride 5mg after the surgery.

I am concerned with the risk of developing a aggressive type of cancer, is someone in a similar situation? Thanks for any feedback. If You have ever known one herbal medicine you may want to consider a change to try it. Diuretic and anti-inflammatory pills as prostatic hyperplasia medication new suggestion.

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All I hear is a bunch of whining about one thing that you could repair in the event you werent too busy looking for attention. I am I was diagnosed with BPH about 5 years ago and have been taking avodart since. About 2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with sleep apnea fairly severe and began using a cpap machine. I understand that there is a fairly well established co-morbidity between sleep apnea and BPH. I was diagnosed with chronic bacterial prostatitis, bph, and chronic pelvic pain syndrome at only 34 yrs old back in May.

He started me immediately on daily Flomax. The stuffy nose effect of Flomax. I use Flonase sometimes to combat the stuffiness, but when it gets really bothersome for 3 or 4 days in a row then I temporarily switch to every other day dosing.

Hello, my name is Nic aged 64 and live in England. I achieved my goal in that after 8 years daily prescription I no longer need Omeprazole but do take half tsp Bicarbonate of Soda before bed. I also have an enlarged Prostate and for about 6 years have taken daily Tamsulosin. An unexpected development is that recently I have improved urine Flow and longer periods of undisturbed sleep.

As a consequence I am about to reduce Tamsulosin to alternate days and hope to improve my constant blocked sinuses. If I note reduced Flow or increased urgency I will resume daily Tam; blocked sinus is price I am prepared to pay.

Hope this is of some help to someone. Best wishes to you all. As a consequence I am about to reduce Tamsulosin to alternate days and hope to improve my blocked sinuses. If I note reduced urine Flow or increased urgency I will resume daily Tam; blocked sinus is price I am prepared to pay.

Has anyone been prescribed to take a double dose of Uroxatral alfuzosin? My urologist has me taking two 10 mg pills a day and it was working well — good flow and no urgency.

I cut back to one dose a day and not working as well — more frequency and less flow. I am concerned about the double dose and was wondering if anyone else uses a double dose.

This site is so very informative. Is there another medication or a herbal remedy to help the flow? I am 60 years old and have been on finasteride for 4 years and Rapaflo for almost 3. Both have helped though their effectiveness are declining and now having ED issues and retrograde ejaculation as well as a significant lost of sexual desire. I now have esophageal spasms and one doctor recommended Cialis for that.

Should I consider switching to Cialis? That might help with a several other issues? My primary concern was nocturia as I was having to get times each night to void. I have tried all the drugs therapies to include doxazosin, tamsulosin, finisteride, cialis, myrbetric, desmopressin, etc. None produced any significant improvement in my urinary issues. Finally, after much research, I elected to submit to surgery.

All went well with no apparent complications. I had a Foley catheter for four days. For about two weeks after the surgery everything was perfect. I had a robust stream and felt I could put out a forest fire. Then I noticed a gradual decrease in my flow rate Q. My urologist attributed the decline to swelling of the prostate and urethra resulting from the surgery. Her plan was to wait an additional two months and re-evaluate. Unfortunately, my flow rate continued to decline to the point that by the first week in September 50 days post op I had no stream at all and could only drip urine one drop at a time.

I had a non-prostate related surgery on the 11th of September and for reasons unknown, I regained some improvement in my stream velocity after that surgery. My output is currently what I would characterize as a minimal dribbling intermittent steam.

My urologist has scheduled a flow rate test and a cystoscope exam in the forthcoming weeks. I suspect there is a blockage somewhere and that the current voiding problem is not caused by swelling. My conclusion is that the PVP procedure itself is safe and effective and I would consider it again.

I think something was not done correctly by the surgeon during the procedure. Meanwhile, as long as I can void by whatever means and avoid acute retention, I will fight on and try to attain a better quality of life by eliminating these troubling BPH issues.

I tried to not go the surgery route But as I tried with the Tamsulosin and Finasteride for 3 and half months to be able pee again without a catheter but to no avail was I able to urinate. Kevin Short Jersey. The sponsors have paid anything from an estimated? Great article when written. But it badly needs updating. For example, generic Viagra is now available. I get it for 50 cents a pill 20mg. Yes, the pills are made here in the USofA. These pills can help with enlarged prostate problems.

And to use them for ED you simply increase your dose on whoopee day. If you can get away with not taking Finisteride and only using Tamulosulin that is about as good as it gets for me. Finisteride really crushes your t-levels and some docs will prescribe both in combination which is not needed. Very helpful information regarding BP levels and Tam.

I do experience a bit less energy while taking it and found this article very helpful in understanding the medicine. I was considering testosterone therapy but will probably just adjust to the new normal.

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There are some very good questions that I would have liked to answers to…. I am in my 70s, Finasteride seems to work too well for me, in terms of promoting urination.

However, frequency and urgency continue to be a problem. Also, I seem to bruise easily — like someone taking a blood thinner. Why is Finasteride not produced in a dosage below the 5 mg pill? I should add that I also take Tamsulosin 0. This is one of many high-quality articles by the Harvard prostate team and I really appreciate it!

But…it was written over a decade ago, and only updated six years ago. Much has happened since then medically and so this piece DOES need to be rewritten or at least updated.

One of the best articles on the current state of medication for BPH. It says it was last reviewed in , so an update seems to be in order. Perhaps you can add something about Free PSA too. Many thanks indeed to the Harvard writers, it is the best article of its scope that I have seen.

And thanks too to the many who have written, may I join you now. I am 76 and have had enlarged prostate problems for many years. My prostate was in excess of cc, I made 30 or so trips to void the bladder each day. Now my prostate is greatly reduced in size and depending on the amount of coffee, well the trips are greatly reduced.

Downside — large boobs, smaller balls, body hair greatly reduced. Now I am considering ceasing the Duodart medication. I am 44 and I take Alfuzosin and Dutasteteride in the evening. I have pain when trying to get an erection and when I do retrograde ejaculation is frustrating.

Jerry Lewis. Recovery required Cather in for three days and then all was great. No pain encountered. Strict rule is NO sex for 6 weeks. It has been three months now and I am doing great.

Most Urination urges have gone away and I sleep through the night Only draw back is when I urinate the volume is around ML regular each time yes — test indicate badder is empty after urination. Sexual climax is different with no fluid out the penis but rather it goes backwards into the bladder and eventually out through normal urination.

I am very happy with the path I took!!!! I am a 68 year old man who developed a problem of night time dribbling. Saw Urologist who put me on daily tamulosin and finasteride. Went for flow test and found out I was retaining urine. Started self catherisation x3 times a day. Been doing that for almost a year. Seems to be OK but wonder where it is all going?

Saw urologist last week, he was only interested in whether I wanted an op to assist in placing catheter. Unfortunately, I have been on various antibiotics for last 4 months which initially shift infection but which returns days after course finishes. Now starting three month palliative antibiotic course. I have a very enlarged prostate and an atonic bladder, not sure if the drugs will improve my situation. No ejaculate at all but no loss of libido. I am 54 years old and was taking flomax and found it gave me an erection lasting 4 hours uncomfortable.

Can I take flow max on an as needed basis. I am 64 and taking Duodart. I have noticed decreased libido, impotence, Gynecomastia and runny nose. Sounds like Viaga can work for the occasions it is necessary and this dose can vary, as required. I am a 73 old male with diagnosed IC and OAB For the last 3 years i have received a Botox intraversical operation each year in my detrusor muscles to eleviate the problem of excessive wetting accidents Just recently my urologist also suggested i needed to take Duodart for the in between very limited urine flow.

Has anyone here used or know of Trospium Chloride? Trospium Chloride tablets USP are a muscarinic antagonist indicated for the treatment of overactive bladder OAB with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency.

I have had BPH for several years now and have taken several medications mentioned in this article, all to no avail. Currently, my urologist put me on oxybutynin chloride 5mg, twice a day. I have had no results from that either. This medication is not mentioned in this article. When the treatment with finasteride is ceased, DHT production increases with symptoms most likely coming back Steiner, The difference in mechanism of action affects how fast initial relief of symptoms is achieved.

Read more in the following paragraph: Which drug is better: tamsulosin or finasteride? Tamsulosin is more commonly prescribed in the UK than finasteride. The significant difference in prescribing between tamsulosin and finasteride comes from the main recommendations in the management of lower urinary tract symptoms LUTS in men and related conditions, for example, benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH. Alpha-blockers tamsulosin, alfuzosin, doxazosin, or terazosin are the first-line treatment in males with severe lower urinary tract symptoms.

Prostate-specific antigen PSA is measured a blood test to determine prostate size. PSA is produced by the prostate but also by cancer cells in the prostate. When the prostate gets bigger, for example, with age, PSA levels increase.

Tamsulosin and finasteride can be taken at the same time. For the explanation, see the previous paragraph. Both dugs have a distinct mechanism of action. There is no interaction between drugs, and in some way, both drugs complement each other. The treatment with tamsulosin and finasteride aims to decrease urinary tract obstruction symptoms and improve urine flow rate Steiner, These effects are achieved with some success by both tamsulosin and finasteride.

In one study, patients participated in a week trial Rigatti et al. Patients were randomly given either tamsulosin or finasteride. This study concluded that tamsulosin improved the symptoms to a greater extent than finasteride. Tamsulosin also improved urinary symptoms quicker than tamsulosin. The secondary aim of the above study was to measure how quickly symptoms control is achieved.

For tamsulosin, about half of the total effect was achieved after one week of the treatment. Maximum improvement in symptoms control for tamsulosin was achieved during week 18 of the study.

Compared to finasteride, tamsulosin worked faster, improving storage symptoms, which are considered most troublesome for patients. After 26 weeks of treatment, both drugs produced the same relieve of symptoms ibid. Cochrane Collaboration a worldwide collaboration of scientists looked at the effectiveness of finasteride in BPH treatment by looking at different studies Tacklind et al.

Although comparison of finasteride with alpha-blockers was not the main aim of this study, some valuable facts about finasteride treatment were highlighted in this review. Finasteride effectively improves urinary symptoms compared to a placebo a dummy pill and reduced the risk of BPH progression.

Finasteride is less effective than some alpha-blockers doxazosin and terazosin but equally effective as tamsulosin. Short term use of finasteride does not improve symptoms of BPH, but it does in the long run.

Alpha-blocker, doxazosin improves symptoms of BPH better than finasteride in short and long term treatment.