# Dosage of immodium



## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

For those of us who take immodium, could I have some feedback on how many times a day you should take it and at what dose for daily diarrhoea? My doctor doesn't give me any advice on this, says just to take it 'as an when'. I take 1 capsule each morning but some days it only lasts about 4 hours before I get some D back, though it's improved but it's still D! Should I take it twice a day perhaps? I'd be really grateful for some information on this if anybody has had any advice from their doctor. Maybe I'm not taking enough but some days I struggle to 'go' and then a few hours later back comes the D.


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

Its something you need to test out on your own as each person is different. If you are taking 1 in the morning and it only last for a few hours then take another one in a few hours. Or try taking 2 in the morning. Some people need to take it throughout the day, or take a larger quantity. You just need to figure out what dose works for you. I used to take 2-6+ a day, some in the morning and some in the evening if I was going out.It also depended on how bad my D was. If I was sicker that day I took more. Also, some people take theirs before bed if their D is usually in the mornings.Experiment and see what works for you.


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## crstar (Jun 29, 2009)

i have asked my dr this............he said to take 2 lomitil, 4x aday, when it's bad..........& not to take more the 3 at any one time...........cmt......


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## BayRat (Mar 28, 2011)

There is no One-Size-Fits-All dosing schedule, the dosing should be responsive to your needs. Your needs vary because the symptoms of IBS are chaotic and unpredictable. Your symptoms also vary due to triggers like food/drink that provokes the condition, or situational triggers like increased stress or lack of sleep. You also might metabolize it differently than me. You'll just need to learn to flex with the symptoms.On a good day, I don't take any.On a bad day, I take a full dose every 4 or 5 hours.For me, when I'm having chronic D, Imodium seems to be very effective for about 4 hours on average.-1 Full dose every 4-5 hours.Some days I have just one D in the am and then nothing else all day.1 full dose in the am.Most common is 2-3 Ds within 2 hours of rising, then 1-2 Ds about 2 hours after supper.1 Full dose in the am, 1/2 dose at noon, 1 full dose at supper time.


crstar said:


> i have asked my dr this............he said to take 2 lomitil, 4x aday, when it's bad..........& not to take more the 3 at any one time...........cmt......


Lomotil or Loperamide (Imodium)?


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

I think for daily D management the thing that worked best for me was taking it WITH my meals with an anti-gas product (simethicone).


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

[quote name='BQ' timestamp='1302831921' post='828043']Thanks for all your replies so it seems my doctor is right, we all need to take different doses and work it out ourselves.BayRat - when you say a 'full dose', how many tablets is that? Do you mean 6?BQ - Yes, I think that's a good idea to take it with meals, I'm guessing that would help with that awful urgent rush after eating at times!Has anyone found that their digestive system 'gets used' to taking imodium and it stops working? I'm very scared of that happening but I think it could be just because my IBS has good and bad days.


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## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

> Has anyone found that their digestive system 'gets used' to taking imodium and it stops working? I'm very scared of that happening but I think it could be just because my IBS has good and bad days.


Yes i got used to imodium and had to keep increasing the dose and this has happened with almost all drugs ive tried for my IBS.But horses for courses.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

> Has anyone found that their digestive system 'gets used' to taking imodium and it stops working?


I have taken it for the better part of 20 years and my body has never "gotten used to it". But we are all different so you would have to see for yourself. And being "scared" of that happening so that you don't bother using it... doesn't make much sense to me. Also being afraid all the time doesn't help IBS in general... it can actually make you worse.So I would try it and see how you do... without fear.. as much as possible. I have learned: Negative thoughts lead to more negative thoughts and positive thoughts lead to more positive thoughts.Imodium didn't stop my Diarrhea all together. It made the D less watery and less urgent and I called that "working" for me. Yes of course one has good and bad days with IBS... and symptoms can wax & wane and come and go. So any treatment results will probably vary from time to time.


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## BayRat (Mar 28, 2011)

Friday said:


> Thanks for all your replies so it seems my doctor is right, we all need to take different doses and work it out ourselves.BayRat - when you say a 'full dose', how many tablets is that? Do you mean 6?BQ - Yes, I think that's a good idea to take it with meals, I'm guessing that would help with that awful urgent rush after eating at times!Has anyone found that their digestive system 'gets used' to taking imodium and it stops working? I'm very scared of that happening but I think it could be just because my IBS has good and bad days.


By "Full Dose" I mean what the package states is one maximum dose for an adult. Imodium comes in tablets, caplets, gelcaps, and liquid. I think all of the tabs/caps/gelcaps state that an adult can take one -or- two tablets as a dose, so in that case 2 tablets is a 'full', or maximum, dose for an adult, but check the label to be sure. I've never used the liquid form.No, in 14 years I've never built a tolerance to Imodium. That might be aided by the fact that I vary my dose according to my body's response and don't take a sustained max dose for any long stretch of time. I think the longest I stayed on the max dose was two weeks or so.


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## Friday (Dec 9, 2008)

BQ said:


> I have taken it for the better part of 20 years and my body has never "gotten used to it". But we are all different so you would have to see for yourself. And being "scared" of that happening so that you don't bother using it... doesn't make much sense to me. Also being afraid all the time doesn't help IBS in general... it can actually make you worse.So I would try it and see how you do... without fear.. as much as possible. I have learned: Negative thoughts lead to more negative thoughts and positive thoughts lead to more positive thoughts.Imodium didn't stop my Diarrhea all together. It made the D less watery and less urgent and I called that "working" for me. Yes of course one has good and bad days with IBS... and symptoms can wax & wane and come and go. So any treatment results will probably vary from time to time.


This information is really comforting, thank you BQ. You're right, this being scared and not using medication is not a good idea as it means I fear the worse and the worse happens as I don't take the dose I need! Thank you for your encouraging words, being positive is indeed the way to go!


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