What is the difference between mebeverine and buscopan

Buscopan relieves the pain of stomach cramps by helping your gut to relax. The medicine works very quickly. Painful cramps should ease within 15 minutes. It's unusual to have any side effects, but some people get a dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision. Buscopan comes on prescription and as 2 different products Buscopan IBS Relief and Buscopan Cramps that you can buy from a pharmacy or shop.

If you're self-treating with Buscopan, do not take it for longer than 2 weeks without checking with a doctor. Most adults and children from 6 years of age can take Buscopan. Important: Giving Buscopan to children Do not give Buscopan Cramps tablets to children under the age of 6 years.

Who may not be able to take Buscopan Buscopan is not suitable for some people. Dosage and strength Each Buscopan tablet contains 10mg of hyoscine butylbromide. When to take Buscopan Take Buscopan tablets when you have stomach cramps or period pain.

What if I forget to take it? What if I take too much? If you take an extra dose of Buscopan, it's unlikely to harm you. Common side effects These side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away: dry mouth constipation blurred vision fast heart rate Serious side effects It happens rarely, but some people may have a serious side effect when taking Buscopan.

Stop taking Buscopan and call a doctor straight away if you: get a painful red eye with loss of vision this could be caused by increased pressure in your eye find it hard to pee Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to Buscopan.

Information: You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme. Visit Yellow Card for further information. What to do about: dry mouth — chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets constipation — get more fibre into your diet , such as fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals, and drink plenty of water.

Try to exercise more regularly, for example, by going for a daily walk or run. If this does not help, talk to your pharmacist or doctor. Do not take your next dose of Buscopan if your vision is still blurry.

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if your vision has not returned to normal a day after taking your last dose. It may also help to cut down on alcohol, smoking, caffeine and big meals, as these can make the problem worse. If you're still having symptoms after a week, speak to your doctor. You may need to change to a different type of medicine.

Buscopan and pregnancy Buscopan is not thought to be harmful in pregnancy. Buscopan and breastfeeding Buscopan is not usually recommended while breastfeeding. Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:. Some medicines increase the risk of side effects if you take them at the same time as Buscopan, including: codeine medicines for allergies such as antihistamines some medicines for depression, such as amitriptyline some medicines for mental health problems like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder , such as clozapine or chlorpromazine amantadine taken for Parkinson's disease quinidine or disopyramide heart medicines some inhaled asthma medicines, including salbutamol , ipratropium and tiotropium Do not take Buscopan together with other irritable bowel syndrome IBS remedies, as they work in the same way.

Mixing Buscopan with herbal remedies and supplements There's not enough information to say that complementary medicines and herbal remedies or supplements are safe to take with Buscopan. Important: Medicine safety Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.

How does Buscopan work? When will I feel better? Can I take Buscopan for a long time? No worsening of symptoms and no side effects of the therapeutic agents was observed in any patient during the trial. Abstract Irritable bowel syndrome IBS is a functional disorder characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort with bowel disturbances. Substances Parasympatholytics Phenethylamines mebeverine Trimebutine.

Both products contain the same drug — hyoscine butylbromide. The only difference comes in licensing of both products, which are reflected, for example by the broader availability of Buscopan IBS Relief and more stringent age restrictions for the product. Buscopan IBS relief can be purchased off the shelf in any retail, outlets, and online see the link below , whereas Buscopan Crams only from a pharmacy counter.

Although both Buscopan and mebeverine are available over the counter and sometimes recommended by a GPs to purchase, the patient may be better off if a larger quantity of the drug is prescribed. Both drugs come in larger, prescription-only packs, which can provide for up to a month of treatment.

Over the counter, hyoscine butylbromide and mebeverine will provide only for a few days of treatment only. Patients who experience symptoms of IBS should not take over the counter Buscopan or mebeverine ongoingly without speaking to their GP.

In NHS, mebeverine is more commonly prescribed than hyoscine butylbromide Buscopan — last 12 months 1. The above prescribing data reflect the guidelines on the management of IBS as detailed in the next paragraph. Drug treatment can be considered on a trial basis alongside dietary and lifestyle adjustments, such as eating regular, healthy and well-balanced meals. Symptoms of diarrhoea and constipation can be managed with different drugs which are not reviewed in this post.

Antispasmodic drugs such as mebeverine can be considered in the management of IBS when ongoing symptoms of abdominal pain or spasm are present. Mebeverine is the preferred drug of choice over antimuscarinic drugs such as hyoscine butylbromide Buscopan , as it is less likely to cause side effects BNF, When recommending treatment, NICE looks at existing evidence from clinical trials to support prescribing decision making. Small studies suggest that antispasmodics mebeverine may help with IBS symptoms such as pain and bloating.

Several studies found hyoscine butylbromide effective and beneficial in the abdominal pain caused by cramping, making it a valuable treatment of IBS Tytgat, Although no specific interactions between both drugs exist, generally speaking, it is not recommended to take medications which have similar mechanisms of action.

Buscopan hyoscine butylbromide and Colofac IBS mebeverine hydrochloride are products which can be purchased over the counter for the management of IBS symptoms. If you do not get better within 2 weeks of taking mebeverine, or get worse at any time, talk to a doctor. There are other treatments that you can take for IBS, including peppermint oil and Buscopan hyoscine butylbromide.

These are also antispasmodics and work in a similar way to mebeverine. They relax your stomach muscles to ease painful cramps. Both peppermint oil and Buscopan hyoscine butylbromide are available to buy from pharmacies. Buscopan is also available on prescription. However, you can get a combination of mebeverine with ispaghula husk brand name Fybogel Mebeverine.

This can help with constipation related to IBS. Mebeverine does not affect any type of contraception, including the contraceptive pill or emergency contraception.

There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking mebeverine will reduce fertility in men or women. Yes, you can. Mebeverine does not affect you being able to drive or cycle. There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to prevent or ease IBS or painful stomach cramps. It can really help to understand which, if any, foods trigger your cramps and then reduce or remove them from your diet. It can also help to control your stress levels — for example, by doing breathing exercises or trying relaxation therapy such as yoga or meditation.

Regular activity is good for your digestive system. Aim to exercise 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes. Page last reviewed: 18 December Next review due: 18 December Mebeverine On this page About mebeverine Key facts Who can and cannot take it How and when to take it Side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.

About mebeverine Mebeverine hydrochloride is a type of medicine known as an antispasmodic. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Take mebeverine 20 minutes before you have a meal. It works by relaxing certain muscles in your gut.

Mebeverine is generally safe and you're unlikely to have side effects. Some people may get an itchy rash hives. Tell a doctor or pharmacist before taking mebeverine if you: have had an allergic reaction to mebeverine or any other medicines in the past have constipation caused by a condition called paralytic ileus an inactive gut have a rare inherited condition that means you cannot digest galactose a sugar found in lactose are trying for a baby, pregnant or breastfeeding.

Before buying Colofac IBS without a prescription, check with a pharmacist or doctor first if you: are 40 years or over have blood in your poo are feeling or being sick nausea or vomiting have lost your appetite or have recently lost weight are looking pale and feeling tired have unusual vaginal bleeding or vaginal discharge have or think you may have food poisoning, especially if you have recently travelled abroad.

Standard-release tablets mg : the usual dose is 1 tablet, taken 3 times a day Slow-release capsules mg : the usual dose is 1 tablet, taken twice a day How to take it It's best to take your mebeverine 20 minutes before a meal. Swallow the tablet or capsule whole with a drink of water.

How long will I take it for?