The generically named drug dicyclomine is an anticholinergic/antispasmodic medication marketed under many brand names in the United States, including Bentyl, Norflex, Sanctura, Detrol and Vesicare. Prescription anticholinergic/antispasmodic medicines have a variety of uses, including relieving spasms and cramps in the bladder, intestines and stomach. Dicyclomine, sold as Bentyl, specifically is used in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. There are no reported serious common side effects of this medication.
Blurry Vision
As you begin your treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with dicyclomine, the medicine may affect your vision. Specifically, it may make it difficult to focus your vision, whether it is on far or near objects or people. Your vision may be blurry only at close distances or at far distances, or both when you take the recommended dose of dicyclomine. While this may make you a bit frustrated and cause problems when walking or driving, it is categorized as a nonserious, common side effect, Drugs.com states. As such, blurry vision often is temporary in most people taking dicyclomine and will clear up in a few days. If it does not change, or if it worries you too much, tell your physician about the problem.
Eating Difficulties
Dicyclomine can make it difficult to eat food during the first several days of your treatment. This may be caused by several common, nonserious side effects of the medication. For example, you may experience dry mouth, which is not enough saliva in your mouth to allow for easy eating. The use of dicyclomine also may cause you to lose your sense of taste temporarily, which can take the pleasure out of eating a meal. The medication also may make you feel nauseous or queasy during the first part of treatment, so it may make it difficult to eat food when you feel like you may throw up. Again, all of these side effects---if you get them---will be temporary for a few days only when you begin taking dicyclomine. Talk with your doctor if these side effects are severe or do not go away.
Sleeping Problems
Using dicyclomine to treat your IBS may interfere with your regular sleep patterns at first. The medicine may make it hard for you to fall asleep, or you may get to sleep only to wake up and find it difficult to return to sleep. You also may have the opposite problem in that dicyclomine use may make you drowsy. This can occur at any time, even when you have gotten enough rest.
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