Glycine is a germ-free solution used for flushing and cleaning the bladder and urinary tract.
Glycine is an amino acid normally produced in our body.
Glycine is preferred as a washing solution instead of water in order to prevent the harmful effects of the abundant fluid used in surgeries (transurethral resection of the prostate; TUR) of a gland called the prostate in men, performed by entering the urinary tract.
It can also be used to dilute some drugs in concentrated form applied to the bladder through the urinary tract.
What Will We Learn?
Precautions Before Using Glycine
Do not use this medicine in the following situations:
- If you have had an allergic reaction when you have taken Glycine or the active substance or auxiliary substances contained in the drug, that is, if you have symptoms such as sudden shortness of breath, wheezing, skin rashes, itching or swelling in your body, do not use this drug.
- If you are not sure whether you have allergies, consult your doctor.
- If you have symptoms such as shortness of breath due to fluid accumulation in your lungs (pulmonary edema).
- Or if there is a progressive damage or dysfunction in your kidneys after starting this medicine,
- Do not use this medicine if your heart becomes progressively incapable, if water begins to collect in your lungs.
Use glycine with caution in the following situations:
- If the bag of this medicine is not intact.
- If the solution inside is not clear.
- If this drug is to be used in an operation performed through your urinary tract (as the used fluid may pass into your circulation), it should be used with caution.
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before using the medicine.
This medicine will be administered to you during pregnancy only if absolutely necessary.
If you realize that you are pregnant during your treatment, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Glycine can be used during breastfeeding.
Concomitant Use With Other Drugs
Please tell your doctor if you are planning, taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including over-the-counter medicines, vaccines and herbal medicines.
Glycine may be incompatible with some medications that are diluted and applied to your bladder through your urethra.
The doctor or health worker who will do the application will not add these drugs, which are known to be incompatible, to the solution and will prefer other solutions to dilute these drugs.
In order to minimize the risk of incompatibility with any other drug to be added to the solution, the health worker will check whether there is any turbidity or precipitation in the final mixture to be applied immediately after mixing, before and at certain intervals during application.
If you are currently using or have recently used any prescription or non-prescription drugs, please inform your doctor or pharmacist about them.
How Is Glycine Used?
Instructions for proper use and dose/frequency of administration:
Your doctor will decide in what amounts you need this medicine, when it will be given to you and how long your treatment will last.
Application route and method:
It can be used through an application set connected to a special tube (probe) for the area that needs to be cleaned or washed.
If necessary, it can be heated in a water bath.
The solution should be applied in germ-free (aseptic) conditions.
For the preparation of the set, the Instructions for Use of the irrigation set should be consulted.
The medicine bag is removed from the protector
After the shield is removed, the bag is squeezed to detect small holes.
If there is a leak, it should not be used as there may be a hole in the bag and sterility may be compromised.
The control clamp of the irrigation set is closed.
The protective cover on the outlet hole is removed.
The connection piece of the irrigation set is inserted into the outlet hole.
For application, the instructions for use of the irrigation set should be followed.
Caution: The product cannot be used intravenously.
Use in children:
For children, the dose and frequency of administration is decided by the doctor who recommends the application.
It should not be used in cases of severe kidney failure where there is no urine output.
In cases where it is used in large amounts, such as in transurethral prostatectomy, care should be taken in terms of ammonia accumulation that occurs as a result of the breakdown of glycine in the body, since the risk of passing into the bloodstream is high.
If you have the impression that the effect of Glycine is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have used more glycine than you should, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
If you have used more Glycine than you should, an excessive accumulation of liquid or solid matter may occur in your body.
In this case, your situation will be re-evaluated by the practicing doctor and appropriate corrective actions will be taken.
Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses.
Side Effects Of Glycine
There may be side effects in people who are sensitive to glycine.
If any of the symptoms listed below occur, stop using Glycine and tell your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital emergency department:
Symptoms associated with hypersensitivity (allergy):
- Itchy redness/swelling, burning sensation in any part of the body
- Respiratory distress, wheezing, chest pain;
- Feeling of extreme heat or coldness in the body
- Swelling of the hands, feet, lips, face or whole body
- Dizziness, feeling faint
- Heart palpitations
These are all very serious side effects.
If you have one of these, it means you have a serious allergy to Glycine. You may need emergency medical attention or hospitalization.
All of these very serious side effects are very rare.
Depending on glycine, side effects other than allergies can be seen.
Most of these side effects mentioned below are due to the disorders in the liquid and solid substances that the solution creates in the body by passing into the blood.
Possible Side effects are listed below:
- Hives
- Shift of body fluids to the acid side (acidosis)
- Salt loss from the body
- Dehydration
- Decrease in the amount of salt called sodium in body fluids (hyponatremia)
- Coma due to hyponatremia
- Elevated ammonia levels in the blood that can result in coma and/or brain disorders (hyperammonemia)
- Drowsiness
- Convulsions
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Temporary blindness
- Drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
- Increase in heart rate (tachycardia)
- Pain similar to those seen before a heart attack (angina)
- Fluid accumulation in the lungs
- Runny nose
- Increase in salivation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dry mouth
- Thirst
- Back pain
- Increased urination
- Urinary retention
- Chills
All these are serious side effects.
Emergency medical attention may be required.
If you experience any side effects not mentioned in this article, inform your doctor or pharmacist.
You may also notice our article on Famotidine, which is used in the treatment of stomach acid.
