Hyoscine butylbromide 20mg/ml (Buscopan®) aftercare

You have been given an intramuscular or intravenous injection of hyoscine butylbromide (Buscopan®) in your arm. This is an anti-spasmodic medication which slows the peristaltic contractions of the muscles in the bowel, enabling sharper images to be obtained of the bowel, prostate, urinary tract and the female reproductive organs.

Side effects

Any side effects or adverse reactions are uncommon, but can occur.

The most common side effects experienced (affecting up to 1 in 10 people) are a dry mouth, temporary blurry vision, dizziness and an increased heart rate. If you experience blurry vision, please wait until your vision returns to normal before attempting to drive.

Uncommon side effects (which affect fewer than 1 in 100 people) include skin reactions such as redness, hives, itching or rash.

A rare side effect (affecting less than 1 in 1000 people) causes a problem when emptying the bladder.

Severe reactions (anaphylactic) could include tightness in the throat, chest pains or palpitations, shortness of breath and extreme dizziness. Other severe reactions can include an increased pressure in the eye or redness of the eye which may be an indication that you have an eye problem called glaucoma.

In the event of experiencing a severe reaction you should go to an emergency department, or, if problems persist, consult your GP, informing them that you have had an injection of hyoscine butylbromide.

Aftercare

You can eat and drink normally after taking hyoscine butylbromide.

If you have any questions, please contact the MRI department on 01223 216667 and ask to speak with a senior radiographer.