bethanechol
Brand names: Urecholine
Bethanechol helps you to urinate if you have trouble emptying your bladder. It works by stimulating your bladder muscle to squeeze.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.18/unit
Generic Available
Yes (7 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Bethanechol treats urinary retention (trouble emptying your bladder).
Common side effects
Abdominal cramps or discomfort, Nausea, Diarrhea
Key warnings
You should not take bethanechol if you have: an overactive thyroid, peptic ulcer, asthma, low blood pressure, heart problems, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease.
How It Works
Bethanechol is similar to a natural substance in your body called acetylcholine. It helps your bladder muscle squeeze to release urine. It also helps increase muscle movement in your stomach and intestines.
How to Take It
Take bethanechol when your stomach is empty, at least 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after. The usual adult dose is 10 to 50 mg, taken three or four times daily. Your doctor will start you on a low dose, like 5 to 10 mg. They may increase it every hour until you can urinate, up to a maximum of 50 mg.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if bethanechol can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store bethanechol tablets at room temperature, between 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C), in a tightly closed container.
Serious Warnings
You should not take bethanechol if you have: an overactive thyroid, peptic ulcer, asthma, low blood pressure, heart problems, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease. Also, do not take it if you have a blockage in your stomach, intestines, or bladder, or if you recently had surgery on these areas.
Known Drug Interactions
7.2 Use with Cholinomimetics and Other Cholinesterase Inhibitors A synergistic effect may be expected when cholinesterase inhibitors are given concurrently with succinylcholine, similar neuromuscular blocking agents, or cholinergic agonists such as bethanechol.
Mechanism: Both drugs work in a similar way to increase a specific chemical in the body. Taking them together can make this effect much stronger than intended.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor you closely for side effects if these drugs are used together. They may need to adjust your dose.
7.2 Use with Cholinomimetics and Other Cholinesterase Inhibitors A synergistic effect is expected when cholinesterase inhibitors are given concurrently with succinylcholine, other cholinesterase inhibitors, similar neuromuscular blocking agents or cholinergic agonists such as bethanechol [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] .
Mechanism: Both drugs increase the activity of a specific chemical in the body's nervous system. Taking them together can make their effects much stronger than usual.
What to do: Your doctor should watch you closely for extra side effects if you take both. They may need to change your dose to keep you safe.
Common Questions
Can I take bethanechol with food?
How long does it take for bethanechol to work?
What should I do if I take too much bethanechol?
Can bethanechol cause seizures?
What are the inactive ingredients in bethanechol tablets?
Can bethanechol cause heart problems?
What does 'nonobstructive urinary retention' mean?
Can bethanechol be given as a shot?
What do the tablets look like?
How can I report side effects from bethanechol?
What are the common side effects of bethanechol?
Does bethanechol interact with other medications?
What drug class is bethanechol?
Is bethanechol safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Cholinergic Agonist (Urinary Retention)
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dutasteride/tamsulosin
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What the FDA Data Shows for bethanechol
The FDA label for bethanechol (sold under brand names such as Urecholine) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Cholinergic Agonist (Urinary Retention) class. Bethanechol treats urinary retention (trouble emptying your bladder). Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Abdominal cramps or discomfort, Nausea, Diarrhea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.18.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: October 27, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages