Bentyl vs. Linzess

• Are Bentyl and Linzess the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Bentyl?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Linzess?
• What is Bentyl?
• What is Linzess?
• What Drugs Interact with Bentyl?
• What Drugs Interact with Linzess?
• How Should Bentyl Be Taken?
• How Should Linzess Be Taken?

Bentyl (dicyclomine) and Linzess (linaclotide) are used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Linzess is specifically used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). Linzess is also used to treat chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults.

Bentyl and Linzess belong to different drug classes. Bentyl is an anticholinergic and Linzess is a guanylate cyclase-C agonist.

Common side effects of Bentyl include:

• dry mouth,
• blurred vision,
• dry eyes,
• confusion,
• agitation,
• increased heart rate,
• constipation,
• difficulty urinating,
• headache,
• nervousness,
• drowsiness,
• weakness,
• dizziness,
• lightheadedness,
• flushing,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• rash,
• stuffy nose, and
• abdominal bloating

Common side effects of Linzess include:

• diarrhea,
• stomach/abdominal pain or discomfort,
• gas,
• bloating,
• heartburn,
• vomiting,
• headache, or
• cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, or sinus pain.

Bentyl (dicyclomine) is an anticholinergics prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Linzess (linaclotide) is a guanylate cyclase-C agonist used to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults.

Bentyl may interact with amantadine, MAO inhibitors, phenothiazines, or antidepressants.

Bentyl may also interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, or anxiety), digoxin, metoclopramide, atropine, belladonna, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bronchodilators, bladder or urinary medications, heart rhythm medications, irritable bowel medications, nitrates, steroids, or ulcer medications.

Linzess may interact with other drugs.

The usual doses of Bentyl range from from 20 - 40 mg given 4 times daily.

The recommended dose of Linzess for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is 290 mcg taken once a day on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before the first meal of the day. The same applies for those with chronic idiopathic constipation only the dosage is 145 mcg. Pediatric patients under the age of 17 should not take Linzess.