Buscopan Tablets 10mg

What are Buscopan Tablets?

They contain the active ingredient hyoscine butylbromide, an antispasmodic medicine that relaxes the muscles of the gut. It helps ease abdominal cramps, bloating, and IBS-related pain and discomfort. Many people find it helpful to take them when symptoms flare after food, stress, or travel.

Buy Buscopan Tablets online

You can use our UK online service to purchase Buscopan Tablets. We are a GPhC-registered pharmacy offering standard and next-day delivery. After you complete a short assessment, our independent prescriber will check it's suitable for you. If approved before 3pm, your order is usually dispatched the same day.

How Buscopan works

It works by blocking signals in the gut's smooth muscle, reducing spasms in the stomach and bowel. By relaxing these muscles, it can ease abdominal pain, cramping and urgent bowel movements linked with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Relief can start quickly and may last for several hours.

How to take Buscopan tablets

For adults and children aged 12 years and over, the usual dose is ONE 10mg tablet, three times a day. If needed, this can be increased to TWO tablets, four times a day (maximum 8 tablets in 24 hours). Swallow with water; you can take it before or after food. If symptoms do not improve after 2 weeks, or get worse, speak to a doctor. Do not take two doses at once to make up for a missed dose.

What causes IBS or cramps?

IBS symptoms can be triggered by certain foods, stress, hormones, and gut sensitivity. High-fat, spicy, ultra-processed foods and large meals can make abdominal cramps worse. Keeping a simple food and symptom diary can help you spot personal triggers. You can read more NHS guidance on IBS here.

Lifestyle changes to help with IBS

Mild symptoms often improve with small, steady changes:

1. Eat regular meals, take time to chew, and avoid skipping meals
2. Aim for the right balance of fibre (often more soluble fibre helps)
3. Drink plenty of fluid (water and non-fizzy drinks)
4. Limit caffeine, alcohol and fizzy drinks
5. Exercise regularly and manage stress
6. Consider a short trial of probiotics

If symptoms are severe or persistent, ask your GP about dietitian-led approaches (for example, a time-limited low-FODMAP plan).

Who cannot take Buscopan tablets

Do not take these tablets if you:

1. Are allergic to hyoscine butylbromide or any tablet ingredients
2. Have glaucoma
3. Have myasthenia gravis (rare muscle weakness)
4. Have a suspected or confirmed bowel blockage, paralytic/obstructive ileus, or very enlarged bowel (megacolon)

Seek medical advice before use if you have: blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, fever, severe constipation, persistent vomiting, difficulty or pain when passing urine, new or unusual vaginal bleeding, or a fast or irregular heart rate. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor or midwife for advice first.

Buscopan and pregnancy

There is limited information on use in pregnancy. It is generally best to avoid taking them while pregnant unless a doctor recommends it. Ask your GP or midwife for advice on managing abdominal pain and cramps during pregnancy.

Buscopan and breastfeeding

Small amounts may pass into breast milk and anticholinergic medicines can sometimes reduce milk supply. Discuss with a GP, pharmacist or health visitor before using while breastfeeding.

Buscopan side effects

Common side effects include dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision and a faster heartbeat. Dizziness can occur. Stop the tablets and seek medical help urgently if you have sudden eye pain or vision changes (possible angle-closure glaucoma), severe constipation, difficulty passing urine, rash, or signs of allergy.

Interactions

Tell us or your GP about all medicines you take. Avoid taking Buscopan at the same time as other IBS antispasmodics (you are unlikely to get extra benefit and side effects may increase). A serious interaction can occur with clozapine. Extra caution is advised with other medicines that can cause drowsiness or constipation. For a full interactions list, see national guidance or speak to a pharmacist.

Alternatives

If you find they are not helping or is not suitable, other options may help:

• Peppermint capsules (can relax gut muscle and help cramps)
• Mebeverine tablets (antispasmodic)
• Mebeverine MR capsules (longer-acting)

Lifestyle changes and trigger management remain important for long-term control of abdominal pain and abdominal cramps.

More information

For the full product information information, you can read the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC).
Visit the NHS page on IBS.