Eat as normally as possible, as soon as you feel able. If your symptoms continue for more than 48 hours, speak with your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have not already done so. Loperamide must not be taken by children under 12 years of age unless it is prescribed for them by a doctor. Loperamide is a medicine that can help if you have acute diarrhoea. Acute diarrhoea in adults starts suddenly and in most cases eases within a few days. The main treatment is to have lots to drink to prevent dehydration.
The most common cause of acute diarrhoea is an infection. Many bacteria, viruses, and other germs can cause diarrhoea. In most cases the diarrhoea settles as your body's immune system clears the infection. Antidiarrhoeal medicines like loperamide may not be necessary; however, they can be helpful if you wish to reduce the number of trips that you need to make to the toilet. Most people only need to take loperamide for a day or so. Loperamide works by slowing down the activity of your bowel.
This reduces the speed at which the contents pass through, and so food remains in your intestines for longer. This allows more water to be absorbed back into your body and results in firmer stools that are passed less often. Because loperamide regulates the passage of food through the digestive system, it can also help people with diarrhoea associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and people who need help to regulate their bowel activity following surgery on the intestines.
You can buy loperamide from retail outlets or get it on prescription from your doctor; however, it is not suitable for children under the age of 12 years unless it has been prescribed by a doctor.
To make sure this is the right treatment for you, before you start taking loperamide it is important that you speak with your doctor or pharmacist:.
Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with loperamide. If your doctor prescribes loperamide for long-lasting diarrhoea, they will tell you how much to take.
The usual starting dose is:. Your doctor will adjust your dose according to your symptoms and how well loperamide is working, up to a maximum of:. Once you're on the right dose, your doctor will usually recommend dividing your daily dose, so you take half in the morning and half in the afternoon or evening.
Occasionally patients with a colostomy stoma need a higher dose. Only take a higher dose if your doctor tells you to. Do not give loperamide to children under 12 years old unless their doctor prescribes it.
If a doctor prescribes loperamide for your child, they will use their weight or age to work out the right dose. The dose also depends on their symptoms. If you miss a dose of loperamide, do not worry. Just take a dose after you next go to the toilet and have a runny poo.
If you take 1 extra dose of loperamide as a one-off, it's unlikely to harm you. But taking higher doses can cause serious heart problems. The signs include having a fast or irregular heartbeat. Like all medicines, loperamide can cause side effects, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to loperamide. These are not all the side effects of loperamide. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Loperamide is not usually recommended in pregnancy. This is because there is not enough information to say whether it is safe or not.
They'll be able to advise you about the benefits and possible harms of taking it. This will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and why you need to take it. It is OK to take loperamide for a couple of days while you're breastfeeding. Hardly any loperamide passes into breast milk, and so it will not affect your baby. For more information about how taking this medicine can affect you and your baby, read this leaflet about loperamide on the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy BUMPs website.
Speak to your doctor if your diarrhoea is very severe and you take metformin for diabetes, or medicines for high blood pressure or heart failure. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking these medicines for a few days until your diarrhoea is better.
There's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with loperamide. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. Loperamide is an anti-motility medicine. This means that it slows down food as it goes through your gut. Your body can then draw in more water from your intestines, so that your poos get firmer and you poo less often.
Loperamide usually starts to work within 1 hour to make your diarrhoea better. You may need to take it for longer if your diarrhoea is because of a bowel condition such as Crohn's disease , ulcerative colitis or short bowel syndrome. If you've bought loperamide from a shop or pharmacy, do not take it for more than 48 hours without talking to a doctor. Although diarrhoea is usually nothing to worry about, it can sometimes lead to dehydration.
This can be serious if you do not get the correct treatment. Diarrhoea can also sometimes be a warning sign of another problem.
For this reason, it's important to see a doctor to find out the cause of your diarrhoea if it continues beyond 7 days. If you've bought loperamide for short-term diarrhoea, do not take it for longer than 48 hours without talking to a doctor. Loperamide may be used for long-lasting diarrhoea and by people who have a colostomy stoma if their doctor prescribes it. Do not take loperamide to prevent diarrhoea, unless your doctor tells you to. It's not been officially approved and tested for preventing diarrhoea.
It's best not to drink alcohol while you're taking loperamide. Alcohol makes you more likely to have side effects such as feeling sleepy or dizzy and having difficulty concentrating. Apart from avoiding alcohol, you can eat and drink normally while you're taking loperamide. However, if you have diarrhoea it's best to avoid fatty or spicy food. Loperamide can make you feel dizzy, tired or sleepy. You might also feel less alert, feel faint or pass out. If this happens to you do not drive, cycle or use machinery or tools until the effect has worn off.
Yes, you can take loperamide at the same time as everyday painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen. There is another medicine for diarrhoea called co-phenotrope. This works in a similar way to loperamide to slow down your gut.
You do not usually need an antibiotic for diarrhoea. The process makes your bowel movements smaller, more solid, and less frequent. It also decreases the amount of fluids and electrolytes your body loses. Imodium is available as a caplet and a liquid.
Both forms are taken by mouth. These forms should be used for no more than two days. However, the caplet is also available in a prescription form that may be used long-term. The prescription-strength form is used to treat diarrhea caused by digestive diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. The recommended dosage is 4 mg to start, followed by 2 mg for each loose stool that occurs after that.
Dosage should be based on weight. When using either weight or age, use the following information:. Imodium is generally well-tolerated by many people. However, it can sometimes cause some side effects.
Serious side effects of Imodium are rare. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:. Imodium interacts with certain drugs that break down in the body in the same way.
The interactions can lead to increased levels of either medication in your body. Imodium also interacts with other anti-diarrheal drugs or medications that cause constipation. Imodium is a safe medication for most people. However, it should be used carefully. And in some cases, it should be avoided. The following warnings can help keep you safe. Do not take more than the maximum daily dosage of Imodium. Also, do not take it longer than two days unless directed by your doctor to do so.
You should see an improvement in your symptoms within two days. Your diarrhea may be caused by bacteria, a virus, or another cause. This may require treatment with a different medication. These symptoms likely mean there is a problem in your stomach or intestines.
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