Loperamide (Imodium) – Side Effects, Interactions, Uses, Dosage, Warnings

uses

What is Loperamide (Imodium) used for?

• Diarrhea — Acute
• Diarrhea — Chronic

warnings

What is the most important information I should know about Loperamide (Imodium)?

You should not use loperamide if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• stomach pain without diarrhea;
• diarrhea with a high fever;
• ulcerative colitis;
• diarrhea that is caused by a bacterial infection; or
• stools that are bloody, black, or tarry.

Ask your doctor before using loperamide to treat diarrhea caused by taking an antibiotic (Clostridium difficile).

Do not give loperamide to a child younger than 2 years old. Do not give this medicine to an older child or teenager without a doctor’s advice.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take loperamide if you have:

• a fever;
• mucus in your stools;
• liver disease; or
• a heart rhythm disorder.

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant.

You should not breast-feed while you are using loperamide.

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Side Effects

What are the side effects of Loperamide (Imodium)?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning in your eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling).

Stop taking loperamide and call your doctor at once if you have:

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
• stomach pain or bloating;
• ongoing or worsening diarrhea; or
• fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness (like you might pass out).

Common side effects may include:

• constipation;
• dizziness, drowsiness;
• nausea; or
• stomach cramps.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Can I take Loperamide (Imodium) if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

C

Risk cannot be ruled out

Based on FDA pregnancy categories

Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant.

You should not breast-feed while you are using loperamide.

Interactions

What drugs and food should I avoid while taking Loperamide (Imodium)?

Avoid drinking tonic water. It can interact with loperamide and may cause serious heart problems.

Avoid becoming dehydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Avoid vigorous exercise or exposure to hot weather if you are dehydrated.

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired.

Dosage Guidelines & Tips

How to take Loperamide (Imodium)?

Use Loperamide (Imodium) exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

What should I do if I missed a dose of Loperamide (Imodium)?

Since loperamide is used when needed, it does not have a daily dosing schedule. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after using this medicine.

Overdose Signs

What happens if I overdose on Loperamide (Imodium)?

Overdose symptoms may include fast or irregular heartbeats, or fainting. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you pass out and are hard to wake up.

If you think you or someone else may have overdosed on: Loperamide (Imodium),  call your doctor or the Poison Control center

(800) 222-1222

If someone collapses or isn’t breathing after taking Loperamide (Imodium), call 911

911

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5 Effective Diarrhea Remedies

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A bout of diarrhea is never fun. Plenty of options, from anti-diarrheal medication to dietary changes that soothe your digestive system, can help you find relief.

Overview

We’ve all experienced bouts of diarrhea at some point in our lives. Common symptoms of diarrhea include frequent, watery stools, abdominal cramping, and bloating.

Diarrhea is often your body’s way of dealing with disruptions in your gastrointestinal system. Acute diarrhea lasts less than 2 weeks and can come from many sources, such as:

• a viral infection
• a bacterial infection
• food poisoning
• recent antibiotic use
• water contaminated with an infectious agent

Infectious diarrhea is common in young children and is often caused by a virus. Traveler’s diarrhea can occur if you travel to underdeveloped areas with contaminated water. Bacteria from improperly stored or cooked food are typical causes of food poisoning.

Read on for some of the most effective ways to manage acute diarrhea.

Hydration is very important when you have diarrhea. Dehydration from diarrhea can be fatal in young children and older adults. Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding infants who are experiencing diarrhea. Over-the-counter oral pediatric hydration solutions, like Pedialyte, are the recommended fluids of choice for children with diarrhea. Small amounts of hydration solutions should be given frequently. These formulas also come in popsicle preparations.

Studies have shown that for adults with mild symptoms of diarrhea, sports drinks and over-the-counter rehydration solutions are equally effective.

Alcohol, milk, soda, and other carbonated or caffeinated drinks should not be used for hydration, as they may make your symptoms worse.

Probiotics are sources of “good” bacteria that work in your intestinal tract to create a healthy gut environment. They’re essentially live microorganisms that exist in certain foods, including:

• aged soft cheeses
• beet kvass
• cottage cheese
• dark chocolate
• green olives
• kefir
• kimchi
• kombucha
• sauerkraut
• miso
• natto
• pickles
• sourdough bread
• tempeh
• yogurt

Probiotics also come in powder or pill form.

The good bacteria that live in your intestinal tract are necessary for the normal functioning of your gastrointestinal system. They play an important role in protecting your intestines against infection. When your system is changed by antibiotics or overwhelmed by unhealthy bacteria or viruses, you can get diarrhea. Probiotics can help with diarrhea by restoring the balance of bacteria in your gut.

Saccharomyces boulardii is a yeast probiotic. While it’s not a bacterium, it acts like one. S. boulardii may improve antibiotic-associated diarrhea. It also seems to provide relief for traveler’s diarrhea. Studies suggest it may help your intestines fight off unwanted pathogens and ensure they’re absorbing nutrients properly. Because it is yeast, it should be used with caution in people with inadequate immune systems.

It’s important to receive proper medical care in cases of acute diarrhea. Talk with your health care provider before taking probiotic supplements to treat your diarrhea.

With your doctor’s supervision, several over-the-counter medications can help with acute diarrhea if your symptoms are not severe. Common over-the-counter medications include:

• bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol and Kaopectate)
• loperamide (Imodium)

While these drugs can relieve the symptoms of diarrhea, they don’t treat the underlying cause.

If you have chronic diarrhea, you shouldn’t use these drugs without your doctor’s consent. Chronic diarrhea is diarrhea that lasts more than 14 days. It often has different causes.

You should be especially cautious if your child has diarrhea. Dehydration resulting from diarrhea can be dangerous and can occur quickly in young children. Severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Over-the-counter medications are not recommended for treatment in children, so it’s important to talk to your doctor. Infants under 3 months old who have diarrhea should be taken to the doctor right away.

If you have bloody diarrhea, a fever, more than seven days of symptoms, intense abdominal pain, or diarrhea that is getting worse, you should seek medical attention.

While it might sound counterintuitive to eat if you have diarrhea, eating certain foods can help alleviate your diarrhea symptoms and ensure your health doesn’t worsen from not eating. Stick to low-fiber “BRAT” foods that will help firm up your stool. These include:

• bananas
• rice (white)
• applesauce
• toast

Other foods that are usually well-tolerated when experiencing diarrhea include:

• oatmeal
• boiled or baked potatoes (with skins peeled)
• baked chicken with skin removed
• chicken soup (which also aids in rehydration)

Fried and greasy foods are usually not well-tolerated in people who have diarrhea. You should also consider limiting high-fiber foods like bran as well as fruits and vegetables that can increase bloating. Foods to avoid include:

• alcohol
• artificial sweeteners (found in chewing gum, diet soft drinks and sugar substitutes)
• beans
• berries
• broccoli
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• chickpeas
• coffee
• corn
• ice cream
• green leafy vegetables
• milk
• peas
• peppers
• prunes
• tea

Methods and preparations for the treatment of loose stools.

The nature of the causes of diarrhea | Imodium®

Author, editor and medical expert – Klimovich Elina Valerievna.

Editor and medical expert – Harutyunyan Mariam Harutyunovna.

Number of views: 637 673

Date last updated: 25.06.2023

Contents:

What to do about diarrhea
Drugs for the treatment of diarrhea in adults

Diarrhea syndrome is the second most common after acute respiratory infections of the upper respiratory tract ¹ .

Because loose stools can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, treatment of diarrhea should always be preceded by a visit to the doctor and examination.

Causes of loose stools may be associated with infection:

• food poisoning caused by eating foods that are contaminated with bacterial toxins ² ;
• intestinal infection that develops when infected with viruses, bacteria or protozoa ² .

Infectious diarrhea, in addition to intestinal disorders, is characterized by general malaise, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and sometimes vomiting ¹ . The severity of these symptoms and the choice of drug for therapy depend on the infectious agent that caused the disease ¹ . Therefore, before treating diarrhea, the doctor will conduct a study – a microbiological analysis of vomit and feces to determine the type of pathogen and its sensitivity to antibiotics ¹ .

Diarrhea may be associated with non-infectious inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enteritis, colitis), circulatory disorders of the intestine (ischemic enteritis), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food intolerances and allergies, taking certain medications. In all these cases, the doctor selects the optimal treatment ⁴ .

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Dealing with Diarrhea

Recurrent diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration and loss of electrolytes ^{1. 2} . Violation of the body’s water and electrolyte balance negatively affects the work of the cardiovascular system and aggravates the course of the disease ⁵ . Therefore, rehydration therapy aimed at replenishing fluid loss is the first and most important component of the treatment of diarrhea in adults, and even more so in children ¹ .

Rehydration

The method of rehydration depends on the degree of dehydration:

• In case of normal health and the absence of strong thirst and dry mouth, plenty of fluids are sufficient ^1,2,5 .
  What to drink with a nose? In this case, ordinary drinking water, mineral water without gas, green or black tea, fruit drinks, fruit drinks, diluted juices (if they are well tolerated), decoctions of dried wild rose and blueberries are suitable ^1.2 .
• If there is severe thirst, dry mouth, restlessness and bruising under the eyes, that is, signs of moderate dehydration, you need to drink special rehydration solutions ^{1. 5} . They contain the most necessary electrolytes and help to restore the balance in the body during diarrhea.
• Severe dehydration in which the patient appears emaciated, lethargic, unable to drink and hardly urinates, an indication for hospitalization and intravenous rehydration ^2.5 . In such cases, urgent medical attention is needed.

As fluid loss is compensated, the state of health improves, thirst disappears, urination is restored. Rehydration therapy does not reduce stool frequency, does not speed up recovery, but prevents the development of severe complications due to dehydration ¹ .

Diet

Diet during diarrhea should be sparing. All dishes should have a delicate texture, so the products used for their preparation are carefully crushed, ground, stewed, boiled.

During the treatment of diarrhea, adults are advised to exclude from the diet ^2.6 :

• raw vegetables/fruits and stringy meats, which contain a large amount of indigestible coarse fibers;
• various sweets, legumes, yeast bread, dairy and other products that cause fermentation and putrefaction in the intestines;
• onions, garlic, radishes, turnips, mushrooms and spinach rich in essential oils;
• beets, dried apricots and prunes;
• coffee, cocoa and chocolate due to their intestinal stimulating effect ^{2. 6} .

Slimy soups, meatballs and quenelles made from twice ground lean meat, steamed fish, rice or buckwheat boiled in water, plain crackers and eggs are recommended ^{1, 6} .

If the intestinal disorder is caused by allergies or intolerance to lactose and gluten, the doctor prescribes an elimination diet that completely eliminates the use of “irritant” foods.

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Medicines for treating diarrhea in adults

Pharmacy chains offer a large number of products to normalize bowel function. However, self-medication is unacceptable. All drugs should be prescribed by a doctor based on the results of the examination.

Antibacterial agents

According to statistics, in 80% of cases, infectious diarrhea ends on its own within 5 days and there is no need to use antibiotics ^1.5 . If the diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotic therapy. The drug is chosen on the basis of the clinical picture and the results of a microbiological study of vomit and feces.

Enterosorbents

Enterosorbents are used to bind pathogenic bacteria, toxins and free water in the intestine. This allows you to reduce intoxication, accelerate recovery and normalization of stool ^4.5 .

Antidiarrheals

Antidiarrheals are prescribed to quickly relieve diarrhea and prevent dehydration ^1,4,5 . Among the drugs in this group is IMODIUM® Express, the main active substance of which is loperamide ⁷ .

The action of loperamide is aimed at normalizing intestinal motility and the processes of absorption of water and electrolytes, which contributes to the compaction of feces and less frequent defecation ⁷ .

Probiotics

Probiotics are preparations based on lacto- and bifidobacteria. They are prescribed to restore and maintain a healthy intestinal microflora, naturally suffering from diarrhea ⁵ .

Enzyme preparations

Enzyme preparations promote the breakdown of food components, which helps with diarrhea associated with an absolute or relative lack of one’s own enzymes, such as chronic pancreatitis and lactase deficiency.

The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, contact a qualified specialist.

“Imodium is contraindicated for use in children under 6 years of age.”

Diarrhea in the elderly: treatment and causes

Varieties of diarrhea

Diarrhea is classified by course and pathogenesis. It is very important to understand what type of disease a person has in order to choose the right medicines in the future.

Downstream

Before the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen, it is necessary to determine the type of diarrhea. There are the following types of diarrhea according to the clinical course:

1. Acute diarrhea lasting no more than 4 weeks. It develops against the background of bacterial, viral and infectious diseases of the intestine. Often accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, nausea, which is typical for intestinal infections.

2. Chronic diarrhea that lasts more than 4 weeks. In this case, loose stools provoke pathological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. What disease caused diarrhea is established using diagnostics.

Separately, it is necessary to highlight the diarrhea of ​​travelers. The disease occurs in those who travel to regions and countries with an unusual climate. In time, diarrhea lasts no more than a week.

By pathogenesis

In older people, there are also 4 variants of diarrhea in pathogenesis:

1. Secretory. It develops when a large amount of liquid, mineral compounds (electrolytes) is released into the intestinal lumen. It is characterized by frequent liquid stools with a volume of more than 1000 ml per knock. The most common causes are viral and bacterial infections.

2. Osmotic. Excess fluid appears from the intestinal wall, more precisely, from its vessels. The volume is 500-1000 ml per day. It appears against the background of a number of diseases, for example, pancreatitis.

3. Exudative. It occurs due to the exudation of water, electrolytes and protein into the intestine through the damaged mucous membrane. The volume of loose stools is 200-500 ml per day. It develops with ulcerative colitis, chronic inflammation of the intestine of unknown etiology (Crohn’s disease), tumors of the colon and others.

4. Motor. With such diarrhea, the volume of liquid feces is no more than 200-300 ml per day. Occurs due to spastic contractions of the intestine.

Knowing the daily volume of liquid feces, you can determine the type of diarrhea, its causes.

Drug therapy

The treatment regimen is determined by the doctor after studying the results of diagnostic studies. Depending on the causes of diarrhea, a specialist may prescribe:

1. Enterosorbents. The drugs bind and remove various toxic substances, water and gases from the body. As a result, the stool is normalized.

2. Probiotics prebiotics. Medicines help in the fight against pathogenic microflora.

3. Enzymatic agents. Accelerate the breakdown of nutrients, improving the digestion process.

4. Antidiarrheal medicines. The action of drugs is aimed at regulating the mechanisms involved in the development of diarrhea.

As fluid losses are compensated, well-being improves, thirst disappears, urination is restored. In people, unpleasant symptoms disappear, the frequency of stool decreases, the risk of complications stops.

Proper nutrition in therapy

Treatment of older people with diarrhea, which is caused by poisoning, infection, and malfunction of internal organs, is impossible without proper nutrition.

Role of therapeutic diet

With diarrhea, table number 4 is shown. The treatment regimen is also prescribed for diseases of the digestive system, for example, for pathologies of the pancreas. The table is indicated for the treatment of both adults and children.

Diet involves limiting factors (food) that provoke mechanical and chemical irritation of the intestinal mucosa. Goals of therapeutic nutrition for diarrhea:

• relief of inflammation;

• decrease in the processes of fermentation and putrefaction in the intestine;

• normalization of the digestive system.

Dietary nutrition in diseases of the intestines, as well as in the elderly with acute and chronic diarrhea, should help to inhibit peristalsis, reduce the release of fluid and electrolytes.

Proper nutrition should be followed for a long time. First, the diet is prescribed for a week with constant monitoring of the elderly patient. If it is well tolerated, the course is continued. During treatment, special attention is paid to elderly people with gastritis, a history of peptic ulcer.

Clinical Nutrition Rules

Nutrition in older people with diarrhea has a number of features. To normalize the stool, it is necessary not only to eat right, but also to follow certain dietary rules:

• food is boiled or steamed;

• fried, smoked, salted, pickled and other harmful foods are prohibited;

• too cold and hot dishes are excluded from the diet;

• it is desirable to use food in a semi-liquid, pureed form;

• you should eat often, every 3 hours;

• one serving should be no more than 150 g.

The menu should have a large amount of protein. Do not eat acidic foods. Under the ban and dishes that can increase gas formation in the intestines. These include products consisting of coarse fiber.

Prohibited and permitted products

During diarrhea in the elderly, exclude from the diet:

Foods and dishes that do not irritate the intestinal mucosa are allowed. It can be cereals on the water, vegetable soups (you can use low-fat broth), baked fruits, steamed fish. You can treat yourself to a steam omelette, low-fat cottage cheese. From drinks, weak tea with milk, non-acidic compotes, vegetable decoctions are allowed. Particular attention is paid to the quality of the products included in the diet.

Starvation of older people with diarrhea is contraindicated. You should focus on your own condition and appetite. Food should be light and easy to digest. You need to eat often, but little by little. Subject to all the rules, remission will come quickly. Therapeutic nutrition will help restore strength, normalize intestinal motility, relieve loose stools.

Stationary program “Geriatrics”

The “Geriatrics” screening program is recommended for patients aged 60 and over who want to get a comprehensive picture of their health status, the presence and degree of compensation for chronic age-related diseases, as well as risk factors for their development.