Loperamide

[Vallie]

I have IBS-d which my doctor and consultant advise me to control with Imodium. This works most of the time, when it suddenly doesn't, I don't really know why. I was wondering if anyone out there also uses Lopermide to control their diarrhoea, and whether they need to increase the dose over time. I hate to think I must take it forever.

[Jalonso]

Hi there! I used before Imodium for a while to avoid evacuating so often, but again what it does is constipate me and bloating ridiculously. Now my choice is to use coffee in the morning to help a proper full evacuation and at least i control it a bit, and with luck i will only go evacuate another time daily, 2 times a day not so bad afters suffering ibs for 20 years.

[Whoopdedoo]

I took it almost daily for years for the same thing. I even tried taking it daily to prent attacks. I think that your body can get used to it. I have taken Symprove for a year now an my dose is right down. Now, one tablet fixes it.

[Vallie in reply to Whoopdedoo]

I have looked at the possibility of Symprove, but it does seem quite expensive.

[Whoopdedoo in reply to Vallie]

It is, but unfortunately which one of us wouldn't pay for something that actually improves our lives. I've taken it for over a year now.

[fenbadger]

It's a fairly simple and safe medication so keep it going if you can. It works by paralysing the lower gut giving it time to re absorb water. You can take up to 6 a day. I usually know how my gut is early on in the morning so if I have a long day or a lot to do and little prospect of a toilet I take them 2 at a time and the last dose just before leaving home. It usually works out ok. Your body will get used to it but it takes a lot of years to do it, and there are alternatives when that happens.

I take 2 every morning at the moment and top up if needed. I also avoid the onion family and tomatoes and peppers among other things. Hot spices certainly don't help but loperamide seems to help when things go wrong. And yes, there are days when it still doesn't help and you body just HAS to react - but not as many as there used to be.

Perhaps you should take this up with your doctor.

[Vallie in reply to fenbadger]

I take mostly take one a day, if I want to eat a pizza or similar I take another one in the evening. Like you I also have trouble with tomatoes and onions, also chocolate and fats. I have been thinking about going back to my surgery and seeing a different doctor and talk through my options. It's good to hear from others who have the same problems.

[fenbadger in reply to Vallie]

Might help. On these forums we have to remember we're not medically qualified.

Have you looked into FODMAPS? I haven't tried it but you never know.

[Vallie in reply to fenbadger]

I bought a FODMAPS book, but to be honest it looks so complicated ...

[fenbadger in reply to Vallie]

Yeah, isn't it?

[Michelle1974 in reply to fenbadger]

I definitely agree we are not qualified medically but it is always nice just to hear from another sufferer and have the ability to compare their issues with your so you do know you are not alone.

It's always good though to mention the tablets what we take as some people out there are not even aware that you can get medication to relieve it. Also if your doctor thinks he has tried everything on you it is good to be able to mention different drugs to him and get his expert advice.

I will spend some time finding out about FODMAPS that you mentioned it is a good example reading others views as it could be something that helps someone and even if one person gets relief it's worth it

Best wishes

Michelle74

[calista]

I take immodium too any time I have to go out...on home days do without. However If have to go out every day its a problem with constipation after so is a vicious circle.

How many do you take and is it daily ?

[Vallie in reply to calista]

I take one a day normally, plus a second one if I want to eat a pizza or something "naughty", but that's only occasionally. I was so sore with the diarrhoea last year that I thought I must have something really serious, I'm approaching 60 so I had a sigmoidoscopy within two weeks which was clear. So to be honest if a get a bit constipated, I would rather that, than go through the pain again!

[calista]

I take immodium too any time I have to go out...on home days do without. However If have to go out every day its a problem with constipation after so is a vicious circle.

How many do you take and is it daily ?

[Hidden]

I take loperamide every day. I started on 1 per day, then 2 per day etc. I have been taking up to 6 per day when necessary, so it depends how your tummy is. When I have a flair-up I take 6, and then as time goes by I realize that I no longer need 6 and go down to 4 etc etc. but I never take less than 2 per day before breakfast. I have been taking it for years now, and there are no real problems unless you take too much and have constipation problems - just play it by ear, and adjust your dose whenever it is necessary. It is the only thing that has helped me have a normal life, but even then, I don't go out in the morning when it could be bad. If I get through the morning OK and my tummy feels settled, then I have no problem going out. We still all hope things are going to be alright, and there will be a loo when necessary, but that's the way life is for some of us. Sometimes I wish I could be 'normal' and have a life like I used to, but that doesn't seem to be the future for me unfortunately. Maybe one day........

[Hidden]

Do you know if you are lactose/dairy intolerant ?

If you are then loperamide will not help as nearly all tablet medication contains lactose - if you find you are intolerant you must read ALL labels

If you want to do a food intolerance test do one food group at a time, ie eliminate all dairy - I wouldl suggest that you also keep a food and bowel movement diary to see if there is any improvement and do it for at least 3 weeks

[Vallie in reply to Hidden]

I hadn't thought about lactose intolerance. I have kept a food and symptom diary for about six months. I know my worst triggers (tomatoes, fats, chocolate, onions), but sometimes I have no idea what sets me of. I think stress can do it. I'm going back to my doc next week, will ask about testing. Thank you.

[GobiObi]

I have these on prescription, i have intermittent diroeah and constipation, when I have episodes of diroeah I take 2 loperamide. I am having a troubles the other way at the moment even though I eat well over 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

[Vallie in reply to GobiObi]

I think I will look into getting them on prescription, thank you.

[Michelle1974]

I have suffered IBS for years. Some foods make it worse as does certain alcohol.

I have always been prescribed Buscopan which is really the standard drug.

I am prescribed a dose of 20 mg four times a day.

I used to get the pain and the diarrhoea but now I take many prescription drugs that make me so constipated ,I just ( listen to me just ,it's absolute agony) get the most deliberating pain and bloating.

My pattern would follow around twice a month and it would always be that I had the Diarrhoea during the night.

When I get the pain now I get the feeling that I an bloated and need to go to the toilet ,I know I won't go so I try and sit it out as if I was to try and go and I wouldn't it makes my cramps/ spasms worse.

I used to buy my own ones that were called Relaxyl they were great and when I had a flare up it would last 24 hours at most,now i can go up to five days.

Irritable bowel is so painful my morphine and other such like drugs make no difference to it.

It would be unfair for me to say try this try that as the Diarrhoea was not the worst part of mine,I do know though when it used to cause me to have Diarrhoea the pain never improved with the emptying of my bowel,it feels like it should be a relief but it is not.

I suffered very bad trapped wind with it as I do so now.

I think that IBS gets overlooked by those who had never suffered but as I always say if they do get it themselves they will have sympathy towards us or at least understanding and as you know there is no tablet you can take to make you feel better,some help though nothing helps you to become symptom free and sometimes it can be quite an embarrassing condition.

I feel for you

Michelle74

[Vallie in reply to Michelle1974]

I really don't have that much spasm type pain or wind, just occasionally. What I have is such bad diarrhoea that I end up really sore in my rectum. Last time it even affected my tailbone and sitting down. I felt like I wanted to pass a stool all the time, but not the same as being constipated. I had a sigmoidoscopy which was clear. I'm just to frightened to try stopping the Lopermide and find I'd go back to that! Is Buscopan just for cramps? I agree with you, after my sigmoidoscopy came back clear, it was great in one way, but I feel the hospital washed their hands of me because I'm not 'ill'.

[Michelle1974 in reply to Vallie]

Very much the same with me once you are diagnosed with IBS they do seem to think "that's another patient sorted" send the next one in!

My Bladder,Uterus and Bowel are all adhered together.

I have a supra pubic catheter for my bladder and holding on tight as I will need a hysterectomy and a very high chance of a stoma bag for my bowel.

Spasm is an awful lot of my pain.makes me feel like my insides are going to come out.

Sometimes that they are that strong I feel my body pushing as almost giving birth. About four weeks ago I had Bladder spasms which made me feel I needed to open my bowels,but I don't actually do so. I am afraid of all the spasms and the pressure I will cause a prolapse or such like.

Buscopan is made for helping with the spasms more than anything else.

There is nothing worse than constant diarrhoea and it does make me really uncomfortable I am constantly using Sudocrem and I wear pads as. I have also had a bout of getting the bladder spasms,pressurising my bowel and causing a water based discharge from my bowel.

Have you got or had haemorrhoids I know they have caused a feeling really low down that you need the toilet so quick as it almost feels as you are opening your bowels there and then!

Please post again if you need someone to post and send messages to your questions or just chit chat.

Hope I have been of some use,best wishes

Michelle

X

[Suzannes]

Hi I mostly take two of a morning if in work and more if needed through the day but two seem to work if taken first thing on an empty stomach

[mogamed]

I too take between 2 and 8 everyday sometimes even with 8 I still gets the runs

[shoppaholicsue]

Hi, I dont take Immodium or Loperamide regularly, However, when I have to go to for any length of time I do. Tomorrow I have to be up really early to take my mum into hospital for an operation - and morning time is when my bowels are erratic (to say the least!) I hope to get a BM out of the way before i go and then bung myself up with Immodium!

Sue