Pyridium

Generic name: Phenazopyridine
Drug class: Miscellaneous genitourinary tract agents

Usage of Pyridium

Pyridium is a pain reliever that affects the lower part of your urinary tract (bladder and urethra).

Pyridium is used to treat urinary symptoms such as pain or burning, increased urination, and increased urge to urinate. These symptoms can be caused by infection, injury, surgery, catheter, or other conditions that irritate the bladder.

Pyridium will treat urinary symptoms, but this medication will not treat a urinary tract infection.. Take any antibiotic that your doctor prescribes to treat an infection.

Pyridium side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Pyridium: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using Pyridium and call your doctor at once if you have:

little or no urinating;

swelling, rapid weight gain;

confusion, loss of appetite, pain in your side or lower back;

fever, pale or yellowed skin, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting; or

blue or purple appearance of your skin.

Common Pyridium side effects may include:

headache;

dizziness; or

upset stomach.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Pyridium

To make sure Pyridium is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

liver disease;

diabetes; or

a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Pyridium is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether phenazopyridine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Relate drugs

How to use Pyridium

Use Pyridium exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Take Pyridium after meals.

Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking Pyridium.

Pyridium will most likely darken the color of your urine to an orange or red color. This is a normal effect and is not harmful. Darkened urine may also cause stains to your underwear that may be permanent.

Phenazopyridine can also permanently stain soft contact lenses, and you should not wear them while taking this medicine.

Do not use this medicine for longer than 2 days unless your doctor has told you to.

This medication can cause unusual results with urine tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Warnings

Do not take Pyridium if you are allergic to phenazopyridine, or if you have kidney disease. Pyridium will treat the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, but this medication does not treat the actual infection. Take any antibiotic that your doctor prescribes to treat your infection. To avoid stomach upset, take this medicine with food.

Pyridium will most likely darken the color of your urine to an orange or red color. This is a normal effect and is not cause for alarm unless you have other symptoms such as pale or yellowed skin, fever, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Darkened urine may also cause stains to your underwear, which may or may not be removed by laundering.

Pyridium can also permanently stain soft contact lenses, and you should not wear them while taking this medicine.

Do not use Pyridium for longer than 2 days unless your doctor has told you to.

Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have pale skin, fever, confusion, yellowing of your skin or eyes, increased thirst, swelling, or if you urinate less than usual or not at all.

What other drugs will affect Pyridium

Other drugs may interact with phenazopyridine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.