# Lomotil



## Sharon6640 (Jul 20, 2001)

Any information on the use of Lomotil. My doctor suggested to use it for short termuse. Is there is reason for this?Any help would be appreciated.------------------Sharon6640


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## KimTN (Jul 23, 2001)

Hi,I have taken Lomotil briefly and found it did not work for me. After asking my dr, he said the Lomotil isn't effective in all cases. Lomotil has an ingredient (atropine, I think?) which is pretty stout stuff I believe crosses the nervous system/ blood brain barrier. It basically paralyzes the intestinal tract....if you have IBS from gall bladder removal it usually isnt effective because it isnt dealing iwth the root of the problem. Like most things you will find some it works for and some it does not. Good luck


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## Guest (Oct 9, 2001)

I found that Lomotil didn't do anything for me either. It basically backs you up for a day or two, then when do you go, the first movement is solid, but it's diarrhea all over again because the atropine stops everything. Whatever is behind that solid movement still suffers the same fate of missing the water absorption step in your intestines, so you end up with D again. It's a vicious cycle with me. This is what my Dr. told me, so I don't use it anymore.


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## Sharon6640 (Jul 20, 2001)

Kim and Betty,Thanks for your reply. It helps to know a little more about Lomotil and it's effects on the body. I think I can now make a more informed decision about when, how and if to use it.------------------Sharon6640


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Lomotil is a combination of a drug that interacts with the opiod receptors in the nervous system (including the ones in the nerves that control the gut) and atropine (an antispasmodic).Lomotil tends to stay in the GI tract more than most opiod drugs used for pain killing purposes. However some does get into the body. This can cause dependance problems so they often recommend that you don't take it continually. The atropine in it tends to discourage people from taking enough Lomotil to get high as the side effects of atropine tend to discourage ODing on it.Loperamide (Imodium) also works on the opiod receptors but extremely little gets into the body so the dependance risk is much lower (and why it and not Lomotil is available over the counter) There is one case of Loperamide addiction in the medical literature but the guy was already an opiod addict and was taking something on the order of 160 Imodium tablets at a time.K.------------------ kmottus###aol.comï¿½When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fallï¿½Think of it, ALWAYS. ï¿½Mahatma GandhiMy story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2001)

I have taken Lomotil for years, but it's at the point where it's needed daily, so I asked questions here, and now I take Imodium (or Rx Loperamide) on normal days, but for the bigger events, I go back to the Lomotil.Lomotil has worked for me by taking it one to two hours before I leave the house, and if needed I repeat the dose four or more hours later.I have also added Caltrate, which has helped stop the awful urgency.


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## Sharon6640 (Jul 20, 2001)

Hi RustyThanks for your reply. I have stopped taking the Lomotil on a daily basis, saving it for emergencys. I do take the Caltrate every day and was able to slowly add Citrucel to my daily routine. (3 Caltrate & six Citrucel).Knock on wood so far it have pretty much taken care of my IBS-d. The only day I had a bout of D was a day I have missed my lunch dose of both and didn't get the dinner dose until really late. I paid for it the next day, but got right back to the routine. Good luck to you, hang in there and keep searching for the answers, I think the answeres are in these IBS pages, you just have to find the right combo for you.Sharon


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## jobabe56 (Nov 30, 2000)

I've never tried lomotil.I have used imodium and it stops me up for a few days then look out- explosion. I then have to take imodium again and so the cycle begins. Does Lomotil work like this? Also I've found if I have to take more than 2 imodiums in one day I wind up with a splitting headache, anyone else get these headaches?


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## JanEllen (Sep 24, 2001)

Yes. I have problems with Immodium too--headaches, delayed and explosive BMs, also nausea and lack of appetite. My body does much better with Lomotil. If I am eating out, I try to take a Lomotil at least a half hour before eating, avoid my trigger foods and hope for the best. Usually this works pretty well for me. If I want to be extremely careful, I will take a "handful" of Questran with my meal too. Also I follow the Caltrate protocol (pink box without magnesium) with every meal.


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## 3fans8 (May 3, 2002)

I have taken it ever since I found out about my ibs-d Which was when I was 14 or so. I only needed 1 a day but now I have to take more. Something happened I guess. I had a colonscopy and nothing, but it feels something else is wrong since I could only take 1 and now I need more and I feel so scared to leave the house. I dont have to work thanks to my loving husband he understand so much! So now I'm on more meds seems to help but still very nervous. I'm going to try the calcuim and I pray it will work for me!


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## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

I have taken lomotil for years as needed-sometimes I go for days without it and other times I might take 3 or 4 at one time-I carry some with me at all times-If you put them under your tongue they work faster- It shuts down my D quicker than anything else-


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