Have been on Rapaflo since mid-August when I ended up in the ER with acute urinary retention and was awarded a Foley for a solid week. I am now self-cathing (CIC) with good results. However, in my research, I discovered that these medications cause "Floppy Iris Syndrome" in almost every patient after only a few doses, and it is irreversible and permanent. What this means is that if you ever have to have cataract surgery, it becomes much more difficult for the surgeon (by the way, you must tell them about your history with the drug). They have to put a retainer ring in the eye during surgery to keep the iris from being vacuumed up during the procedure. In 10% of these cases, even if the surgery is successful, the patient ends up with a misshapen pupil that may be out of round, or elongated, etc. It is a distinct cosmetic blemish which is, once again, permanent. I am getting off this drug immediately even though my opthalmologist says the "horse is out of the barn". Maybe the Uros don't really understand this, or maybe they simply think it's not worth mentioning, however I think it is criminal to prescribe this stuff without full disclosure.
They tend to tell you about side effects after the fact. Are you still on any of those drugs? Obviously they didn't work all that well or you would not have gone into acute urinary retention. In any event, now that you're self cathing, no reason for them now.
I was on them for a month. No one said a thing about that one Found out about retro on my own. Did not tell me about that one either I thought that was bad. Get off it as soon as you can Take care Ken
Is rapaflo the only drug that does this? Seems like a class action would follow if this is a side effect that almost 100%. rapaflo website only mentions may affect cataract surgery. I hate taking drugs
These findings confirm the opinions of members of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). In the 2008 member survey, 90 percent of respondents who had sufficient experience believed that IFIS was more common with tamsulosin than with nonselective alpha-1 antagonists.8
I make sure all my docs are up on stuff. Noone talks to anyone and most to lazy to read your file. Had that issue with a few docs. Half read a file. Had one do it today. Had a sore throat. Asked me when last time was I was checked for strep. I said about 15 minutes ago. Nurse swabed me when I told her it felt raw.
Been on Flomax for about 2 years and my recent vision been going downhill fast. During recent visits to both URO and GP, they acted concerned that I havn't seen opthamologist but didn't say why. This may explain.
Hi Jim, Took myself off it gradually over the last few days. Took my last dose yesterday. Will not be going back on it. Never filled the Avodart prescription at all. I actually was prescribed the drugs as a result of going into urinary retention shortly after a very stressful cross-country trip with 2 transcon flights. And yes, now that I do CIC, I feel more confident in my ability to handle things and stay out of the ER! Thanks!
Thanks Ken. Yes, the retro is bad too, but I think that goes away after a while. Are you back to normal yet? I'm off the Rapaflo now and won't be going back.
Hi Unclefester, yes seems to be common across this class of drugs, including Flomax, Tamsulosin, etc. Yes, I'm not big on taking drugs either. I'm trying the herbal route now.
Hi Waffalobill, A matter of perspective. My opthalmologist told me yesterday (and she does lots of this surgery) that it makes the surgery significantly more difficult and the results less predictable. They need to place a retractor ring in the eye during surgery to hold the iris back out of the way of the vacuum that they use to suction out the cataract. This is something that is usually done automatically by the muscles of the eye if they have not been weakened by these drugs. According to her, in about 10% of the cases, the retractor damages the pupil and you end up with a pupil that is no longer round and evenly shaped. So you may end up Ok, but maybe not.
I was offered Flowmax at first presentation to my uro, had pre-researched, mentioned IFIS and that my mother had had cataracts and that I was worried it'd at least slightly muck cataract surgery for me if I ever went on it, he said yes don't have it then, and it wasn't mentioned again. A retired colleague who is on it who I see only once a year, saw him last week, believes his flowmax has caused slight deterioration in his eyesight, I didn't press him for details as I was having to shout across two other people, one of whom was saying at this instant how he doesn't like Finasteride he's on - but didn't say why (although did say he does like the radical regrowth of hair on his bald spot, that it has caused - it often does that, I believe). It's my fault they were talking about prostate stuff, had mentioned my issues and resolution via Holep earlier this year. I managed never to take either of those meds as I'd read also that Finasteride in some cases - not sure if it's many - causes ED, or reduced libido in others, that can in some instances be irreversible once you're off it. I'm quite glad I went direct to surgery.