# Immodium effective rate?



## searchingforacure

How long does it take for immodium to "kick in"? I used to think that it took about 20 minutes to be effective. You see, my biggest problem is eating out-and I have gotten into the habit of taking an immodium before going out to eat. But sometimes I don't get around to taking it until about half an hour before the meal. Well...the other day was a mess-even though I took an immodium before I ate, I had a SEVERE case of post-meal diarrhea. This shocks me because I have never had a problem with it before---taking an immodium=an enjoyable evening. So the only thing that I can think of-is maybe I didn't give the immodium enough time to work?


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## trots

Did you use the same kind of imodium you always do or did you switch to a different kind? I always used to take the swallow kind then recently used the chewables. They didn't work as well for me because they have sorbitol in them. That stuff doesn't sit well with me. I didn't know that it had sorbitol or I wouldn't have bought it. But the swallow kind usually takes 20 min. If I take it as a preventitive, for a night out I will take it around 4:30-5:00. Hope some of this helps.


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## Sherree

I don't know, in my 20 years of experience with it, seems to take about 12-24 hours to really kick in.


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## lisa01

Wow, 12-24 hours! Mine helps within 20 min. The liquid is even faster. I take the tablets in the bottle. I've never had Imodium not work - yet.


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## Marier

Searching - I usually take imodium several hours before. I'm just reading the directions on the box: take 2 caplets after the first loose bowel movement and 1 caplet after each subsequent loose bowel movement. To me, this indicates it may take a little time to work.


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## scaredy_cat

It takes several hours for Immodium to take effect for me. When I take it to prevent an attack of diarrhea, I usually take it about fours before I'm due to go out just to be on the safe side.


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## LindaR322

Just wanted to let you know that immodium takes about 1/2 hour for it to work on me. I take the chewable advanced pill. I also take calcium and donnatol. My problem is usually always in the AM.There are days that nothing works.what about anyone else? Do you have a specific time of day that is bad?


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## maumie

Linda, The morning is my worst time of day. If I have trouble at other times it's probably because of stress on the job. If I awake in the morning and have gone to the bathroom three or more times, then I take 2 immodiums so that I'm all settled down before I start my 30 min. commute to work. If I start to have gurgling and gas during the day, I take one or two immediately to ward off any trouble. I've always had good luck with immodium. I usually take the generic tablets which have the same ingredients as the brand name. I've heard on this BB that the Immodium AD and other forms of Immodium have not worked well for some people. I guess because we're all different. It usually takes between 20 and 40 min. for the immodium to really "kick in" and settle everything down to the point where I can go back and concentrate on my job instead of where is the nearest bathroom in case I need it quick. I also take 3 tablets of Caltrate each day and two levsin tabs for the spasms. Hope this helps.


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## Marko

Well I,ve been taking immodium capsules for over a year. My adice if your going out for the night would be....if you know your going out on the following night, take two immodium capsules that night before you go to bed with about a litre of water. If what waste you have inside you doesn,t bulk up, you,ll probabaly go sometime that night or maybe in the morning. Then I find it helps to take one more immodium capsule after the next bowel movement which should see you through the day and night.


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## searchingforacure

Thanks for your swift replies...it really helps to hear everybodies' stories. I have been taking the immodium AD and so far (aside from that one occasion) it has been working pretty good. I asked my Gastro specialist for a prescription for the immodium so now I can claim it (since it could very well send me to the poor house otherwise!!) Hopefully the pharmacy gives me the correct type of immodium and not anything that might bother me. Thanks again and good luck to you all, E


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## jb2

I find that Lomotil is more of an effective product for me than Immodium.I take about three a day. My D is always worse in the mornings.Not sure of its availability in other country's other than in the UK ?


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## DonnaP

Lomotil is more effective, but if you need or want to take something long term, your best bet is the immodium. Lomotil should really be reserved for extremely bad 'D' days.......







Hang in,Donna


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## mamamia

Dear friends:My cousin has everything wrong with him under the sun. He says if he takes a tablet of any kind (not a capsule) and chews it and sticks the granules under his tongue, I guess there's absorbing blood vessels there, he gets quick relief. He does this with tranquilizers, I bet it would work with Immodium too. Why not?Any experts out there? Is this just wishful thinking?love to all, have the best day you can!!! mama-


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## maumie

Now that you mention that chewing thing, I do remember the immodium working faster. I just didn't have any water available at the time when I chewed the tablet and downed it dry....I was in my car at the time and had to do something fast!! Well, the immodium did kick in faster than if I'd swallowed the pill whole. That's a good little trick to remember when it's imperative to get relieft a.s.a.p. Better health to all on this BB---what a Godsend this place has been for me


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## JA144

Sounds like everyone has the same problems..Nice to know people are willing to share experiences, this has become a nightmare for me! Taking Librax,4x a day supplement with Levsin as needed,for severe cramps and Immodium when going out.Out for dinner is not an option lately...Working desperately to get this under control. Also use Acidophilus 4xa day!!!Help?????Getting ready to try acupuncture..Has anyone tried that?


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## Lizbec

I hate to throw a spanner in the works but i don't think that immodium should be used preventively, any more than laxatives should. Surely if you take it regularly and preventively it then won't work when you really need it?And anyway, taken like that is not a long term solution - kind of a chemical sticking plaster? liz


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## Guest

I am new to this site and forum, and so far I am impressed that with this gathering of people who share the same problems. I use loperamide daily as a maintenance med, typically 4 mg. a day. I use more if I have a particularly bad day. So far, I have used it for 3 yrs. and it works most of the time. Recently, I found the best deal on loperamide at Costco. I don't remember the exact cost off hand, but it is around $10-15 for 180 caplets. Compared to the small boxes of 12 or 24 for $5 or more, this is one hell of a deal. Just thought this might help someone save some money.


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## Kathleen M.

Lisbec--They have looked at long term use of Imodium in some studies and it appears to be safe and effective for most people in the long-term.A recent review of IBS in the New England Journal of Medicine did recommend it taken daily for people who have diarrhea prone IBS.If you alternate or only have diarrhea occasionally then daily preventative doses may not be for you (mostly because it can make you quite constipated if you take it when you do not need it) but for people who have diarrhea every day, or have very predictable episodes taking it in a preventative way can be quite effective (like if you alway get diarrhea when you do X, taking it 30-60 minutes before X may do you much more good than waiting for a full blown attack.).Daily or near daily use of stimulatory laxatives (rather than osmotic ones) has been shown to in some people in fairly short periods of time (like months to a couple of years) cause visible changes to the colon. This sort of thing has not been seen with Imodium.A few people do report sometimes that it stopped working for them but whether this is due to tolerance to the drug or from the IBS going through a getting worse stage is hard to tell. IBS typically waxes and wanes and what helps at one time may not help during others.K.


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## Mary fran

I take 20ml. of bentyl four times a day...cani also take immodium...thanks..Mary fran


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## Patty Lou

Do most of you take the prescribed dose? If after the intitial two, and then two more....is it safe to take more? When I have a full-blown case of diarrhea, the regular dosage doesn't stop it and I have taken more, but I don't know if I should or not. Patty Lou


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## DonnaP

Patty Lou,I, myself have never taken more than the prescribed dose of imodium. If I need something stronger I have Lomotil on hand. I have heard others mention that they have taken 6 or more if needed to stop the 'D'. My mother has this condition also, and before imodium became an OTC medication she got prescriptions from her doctor for it. She told me once she had taken about 16 capsules to get the 'D' to stop........Now that is excessive.Good luck and hang in there......







Donna


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## Kathleen M.

The max in 24 hours for people of adult weight (more than 118 lbs) is 8 tablets (they have a chart on http://www.drugbase.co.za/data/pi/jimod2mg.htm#Dosage in kgs so you can see the max doses for kids).So typically I wouldn't go voer 8 a day unless your doctor knows and gives the go ahead.On the other hand even very large overdoses do not seem to be particularly problematic. It can have side effects (see http://www.gicare.com/pated/loperamide.htm ) and so if you start having those you may want to cut back. Since it does interact with opiod receptors (but stays almost entierly in the GI tract) there is a case study of an opiate addict that turned to Imodium to get his fix. He took something like 100+ pills at a time (I think the dose was 320 mgs which is 160 2 mg tablets) and other than needing some detox he did this for some time.K.


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