September 30, 2007
I took Flomax for three weeks and stopped using it due to its side effects that were totally unacceptable. After my first week of use, I experienced significant back pain over the lower left and right side of my back. The pain would linger throughout the day and dissipated by late afternoon. I also experienced a subtle chest pain along with significant joint pain in each elbow. The elbow joint pain lasted well into the afternoon too. The subtle chest pain would disappear by Noon. What really concerned me was a general weakness in my arms, hands and legs. I couldn't grip, push or pull as I could before, and my legs felt weaker when exercising. In fact, my right arm (I'm right handed) felt much like a limb just "waking up from being asleep". I did not have a tingling sensation, but a heaviness and weakness that was a great concern to me. The urinary flow with Flomax was not great, but OK. After the first week, my doctor wanted me to take two 0.4mg Flomax tablets. I tried two tablets for two days. Two 0.4mg Flomax tablets doubled the intensity of my side effects. I immediately went back to taking one 0.4mg Flomax tablet. I stopped using Flomax after 21 days. Enough was enough. For me, as a 59 year old man, this drug caused more pain than help. I am now on Terazosin and this seems to be working out OK.