Jalyn contains two medications that work together to improve your BPH symptoms. Tamsulosin (an alpha-blocker) works by relaxing the muscles around your prostate and the lower part of your bladder. Dutasteride (a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor) works by shrinking your prostate.

How long does it take Jalyn to work?

Jalyn begins to work within one week of starting treatment. However, getting the full benefits may take two to six months.

Jalyn (Dutasteride and Tamsulosin) - Oral: Uses, Side Effects

What Is Jalyn?

Jalyn is an oral medication used to treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlarged prostate), including problems urinating. Jalyn contains two medications—dutasteride and tamsulosin—that work in different ways to help improve your symptoms.

Dutasteride belongs to a group of drugs called 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. These medications work by shrinking the size of your prostate. Tamsulosin is an alpha-blocker. It works by relaxing muscles in your prostate and the neck of your bladder (the lower part of the bladder that connects to your urethra). Taking these medications together helps improve BPH symptoms more than taking either medicine alone.

Jalyn is available as an oral capsule that you take by mouth. Jalyn requires a prescription, so you'll need to visit your healthcare provider to determine if this is the best treatment for you.

Drug Facts

Generic Name: Dutasteride and tamsulosin

Brand Name: Jalyn

Drug Availability: Prescription

Therapeutic Classification: 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, alpha-blocker

Available Generically: Yes

Controlled Substance: No

Administration Route: Oral

Active Ingredients: Dutasteride and tamsulosin

Dosage Form: Capsule

What Is Jalyn Used For?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Jalyn to treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH, or an enlarged prostate, is one of the most common medical conditions affecting men and increases with age. The prostate is a gland located below your bladder and surrounds your urethra. If your prostate becomes too large, you may develop symptoms that affect your ability to urinate, including:

Needing to urinate frequently or urgently
Feeling like you need to push or strain to begin urinating
Needing to get up in the middle of the night to urinate
Feeling like you haven't completely emptied your bladder
A weak urinary stream
Urine flow stops and starts again while urinating

Jalyn helps improve these symptoms.

How to Take Jalyn

Jalyn is an oral capsule that you take by mouth once per day. You should take your dose of Jalyn 30 minutes after the same meal each day. Do not open, crush, or chew Jalyn since the contents in the capsule can irritate your lips, mouth, or throat.

Storage

Store Jalyn at room temperature, away from excess heat. Keep Jalyn and all your medications in a safe location, up high and out of the reach of children and pets.

How Long Does Jalyn Take to Work?

You may begin to notice improvements in your urinary symptoms within one week of starting treatment. For some people, it may take two to six months to get the full benefits.

What Are the Side Effects of Jalyn?

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at fda.gov/medwatch or 800-FDA-1088.

Common Side Effects

You may experience side effects while taking Jalyn. Let your healthcare provider know if you develop any side effects that bother you or don't go away.

Common side effects include:

Ejaculation problems
Trouble getting or maintaining an erection
Decreased sex drive
Dizziness
Enlarged or painful breasts
Runny nose

Severe Side Effects

Rarely, Jalyn may cause serious side effects. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any severe reactions. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening. Serious side effects and their symptoms include:

Allergic reactions, including a severe form called anaphylaxis. Seek medical care immediately if you have trouble breathing; swelling of your face, tongue, or throat; or skin reactions, including skin peeling.
Eye problems during cataract or glaucoma surgery (Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome). Be sure to let your eye surgeon know if you currently take Jalyn or have ever taken Jalyn in the past.
Increased risk of a more serious form of prostate cancer
Low blood pressure, especially when you first start treatment. Signs of low blood pressure include fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness. It is important to stand up slowly from a sitting or lying position and to make sure you feel steady before walking.
Painful erections or an erection lasting longer than four hours (priapism). Priapism can permanently damage your penis if not treated right away and may affect your ability to have sex in the future.

Report Side Effects

Jalyn may cause other side effects. Call your healthcare provider if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your healthcare provider may send a report to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program or by phone (800-332-1088).

(800) 332-1088

Dosage: How Much Jalyn Should I Take?

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For oral dosage form (capsules):
- For benign prostatic hyperplasia:
  - Adults—One capsule once a day. Each capsule contains 0.5 milligram (mg) dutasteride and 0.4 mg tamsulosin.
  - Children—Use is not recommended.

Modifications

Pregnancy: People who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant should not touch the Jalyn capsules since the medication can be absorbed through your skin and harm a male fetus. If you accidentally touch the capsules, wash your hands with soap and water.

Breastfeeding: Jalyn is only approved to treat males with BPH.

Pediatric: Jalyn is only approved to treat adults. The safety and effectiveness of using Jalyn in children have not been studied.

People over the age of 65: During clinical trials, the effectiveness and safety of Jalyn in older adults were similar to the effects in younger adults. However, some people over the age of 65 may be more sensitive to medication side effects. Be sure to let your healthcare provider know about any side effects you experience.

Missed Dose

If you forget to take your dose of Jalyn, you may take it later in the day, 30 minutes after a meal. If you forget to take Jalyn for several days, call your healthcare provider before starting again.

Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Jalyn?

Taking too much Jalyn can cause your blood pressure to drop. Signs of low blood pressure include fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Call your healthcare provider or the Poison Control Center if you've taken too much Jalyn. If your symptoms feel life-threatening, call 911.

What Happens If I Overdose on Jalyn?

If you think you or someone else may have overdosed on Jalyn, call a healthcare provider or the Poison Control Center (800-222-1222).

If someone collapses or isn't breathing after taking Jalyn, call 911 immediately.

911

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

Women and children should not use this medicine. Pregnant women or women who may become pregnant should not handle or touch the capsules. Dutasteride can be absorbed through the skin and can cause birth defects in male fetuses. If a pregnant woman does come in contact with this medicine, the affected area should be washed right away with soap and water, especially if the capsule is broken.

Because this medicine may cause some people to become dizzy or feel faint, make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur after you take this medicine, especially when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help with this problem. If you feel dizzy, lie down so you do not faint. Then sit for a few moments before standing to prevent the dizziness from returning.

If you plan to have cataract surgery, tell your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) that you are taking this medicine or that you used this medicine in the previous 9 months. A serious eye problem called Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has occurred in some patients who were taking this medicine or who had recently taken this medicine when they had cataract surgery.

This medicine may affect the results of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, which may be used to detect prostate cancer. Make sure you tell all of your doctors that you are using this medicine.

This medicine will not prevent prostate cancer but may increase your risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer. Tell your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

You should seek medical attention right away if you experience a prolonged erection while using this medicine. This is an extremely rare unwanted effect that must be treated right away to prevent permanent erectile damage (impotence).

Men who have taken this medicine should not donate blood until 6 months have passed since the last dose. Dutasteride can remain in your blood for a long time and be passed on to a pregnant woman who receives a blood transfusion.

This medicine does not usually affect normal sexual abilities for most men. You may notice that you ejaculate less fluid when you have sex.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

What Are Reasons I Shouldn't Take Jalyn?

Certain conditions increase your risk of developing complications from Jalyn. Do not handle or take Jalyn if you are:

Allergic to tamsulosin, dutasteride, or finasteride
Taking another medication that contains an alpha-blocker (e.g., doxazosin, terazosin, alfuzosin, silodosin, prazosin)
Pregnant or plan to become pregnant

Be sure to inform your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions so they may determine if Jalyn is the best treatment for you.

What Other Medications Interact With Jalyn?

Some medications may interact with Jalyn. Let your healthcare provider know about all your medicines, including over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription products.

Certain drugs can increase Jalyn levels and cause side effects. Let your healthcare provider know if you take:

Clarithromycin
Cymbalta (duloxetine)
Darifenacin
HIV medications
Ketoconazole
Myrbetriq (mirabegron)
Nefazodone
Noxafil (posaconazole)
Paxil (paroxetine)
Prezista (darunavir)
Sporanox (itraconazole)
Thioridazine
Vfend (voriconazole)

Some medications can increase your chance of developing low blood pressure if taken with Jalyn, including other alpha-blockers. Watch out for:

Cardura (doxazosin)
Flomax (tamsulosin)
Minipress (prazosin)
Rapaflo (silodosin)
Terazosin
Uroxatral (alfuzosin)

This is not a complete list of all the drugs that may interact with Jalyn. Always keep an up-to-date list of all the medicines you take, and let your healthcare provider and pharmacist know any time there are changes.

What Medications Are Similar?

Jalyn is the only BPH medication that combines an alpha-blocker (tamsulosin) with a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (dutasteride). These two medications work together to improve your BPH symptoms better than either alone. Additionally, Jalyn offers the convenience of only needing to take one capsule. However, the cost is higher than taking each medication separately.

Other alpha-blockers include:

Cardura (doxazosin)
Flomax (tamsulosin)
Minipress (prazosin)
Rapaflo (silodosin)
Terazosin
Uroxatral (alfuzosin)

Other 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors include:

Avodart (dutasteride)
Proscar (finasteride)

This is a list of drugs also prescribed to treat BPH, similar to the medications found in Jalyn. It is NOT a list of drugs to take with Jalyn. You should not take these drugs together. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jalyn used for?

Jalyn is used to treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlarged prostate), including frequent urination, weak urine flow, and feeling like you haven't emptied your bladder completely.
How does Jalyn work?

Jalyn contains two medications that work together to improve your BPH symptoms. Tamsulosin (an alpha-blocker) works by relaxing the muscles around your prostate and the lower part of your bladder. Dutasteride (a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor) works by shrinking your prostate.
How long does it take Jalyn to work?

Jalyn begins to work within one week of starting treatment. However, getting the full benefits may take two to six months.
What are the side effects of Jalyn?

The most common side effects include ejaculation problems, trouble getting or maintaining an erection, decreased sex drive, dizziness, enlarged or painful breasts, and a runny nose.

How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Jalyn?

If you're struggling with the symptoms of BPH, you're not alone. Most men experience some degree of prostate enlargement as they age. Fortunately, effective medications like Jalyn can help improve your symptoms.

Be sure to also talk with your healthcare provider about lifestyle modifications. Avoiding fluids one to two hours before bedtime and limiting your alcohol, caffeine, and salt intake can help. Some people also benefit from a "voiding schedule"—urinating every 90—120 minutes daily. Keep track of your symptoms and discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider. Together, you will develop a treatment plan that gets you feeling your best.

Medical Disclaimer

Verywell Health's drug information is meant for educational purposes only and is not intended as a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare provider. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any new medication(s). IBM Watson Micromedex provides some of the drug content, as indicated on the page.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

DailyMed. Jalyn - dutasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride capsule.
Madersbacher S, Sampson N, Culig Z. Pathophysiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia and benign prostatic enlargement: a mini-review. Gerontology. 2019;65(5):458-464. doi:10.1159/000496289
Langan RC. Benign prostatic hyperplasia. Prim Care. 2019;46(2):223-232. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2019.02.003

By Christina Varvatsis, PharmD
Christina Varvatsis is a hospital pharmacist and freelance medical writer. She is passionate about helping individuals make informed healthcare choices by understanding the benefits and risks of their treatment options.

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?