# addicted to imodium



## buggga (Jun 16, 2010)

hi friends---once again i need some advice--im pretty sure im addicted to imodium---i am so scard of getting a diarrhea attack that i take imodium at the first soft stool---then i cant go for 4 or 5 days and when i go again its loose and i take the imodium again--- and the cycle keeps going can some one talk to mke about this??----my docotor said stop the imodium---its easy for him to say---he dosent have this problem and he dosent have to commute to work on a bus---and work in a office with 25 employees and 1 bathroom!thanks so much


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## overitnow (Nov 25, 2001)

Hi again,I presume you have looked at Linda's thread on Calcium and how well that has worked for her. It would seem that you should be able to try that out to see if you can find the dosage to dry things out for you. If that doesn't work, you might ask your doctor to try you out on Questran. That has also helped a number of people here. (Maybe try it the next time you get a week off from work, so that you don't have to face the anxiety of the commute.) Once you get it under control,,you might give the flavonoids I use a trial. If you have any minor inflammatory issues playing a role in your digestive system they might be enough to eliminate the problem for you as they have for me. (They do take a period of time, so would not immediately replace the Immodium, Calcium, or Questran.)Good luck with this. I know numbers of people are prepared to use Immodium for life; but I can't help but think that it is better if you can find an approach to address the cause. I don't think that chronic diarrhea can be caused by a lack of opium in our diets.Mark


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## BayRat (Mar 28, 2011)

overitnow said:


> <snip>I don't think that chronic diarrhea can be caused by a lack of opium in our diets.Mark


Totally off-topic, but perhaps interesting...There is one train of thought about chronic D and/or abdominal pain that wonders if it is a lack of 'natural' opioids in the body, or some disorder in properly metabolizing & making use of them. In particular it involves endorphins (endogenous opioids) which target the mu receptor, found both in the CNS and Enteric nervous system. The gut does have as many, and possibly more, of those receptors as the brain & CNS does. Must be there for a reason. An intriguing concept.I'm a big believer in avoiding synthetic medications if possible. The risk : benefit is often badly skewed, and long term studies are often scarce. Treat one problem and create a whole new one.


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## Angry Canadian Girl (Dec 1, 2010)

The long term use of Imodium seems to get different opinions. I asked my internist about it and he told me that imodium is a short acting drug, 4 hours, and as long as I was only taking it every 4 hours and not more often that it was fine with him. Other people seem to think it can cause problems. I have been taking two when things start to go mushy again or if I start to having that rumbly feeling in my tummy at work. I try not to go more than 2 a day and I try to go a few days without them here and there so they don't stop working. I am hoping my doctor knows what he is talking about.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Imodium is not an addictive medication. You may have become "dependent" upon it though. Try taking less of it. Try taking a half a tablet instead at first. Then maybe try a quarter of a tablet.. etc. Then on a weekend.. try taking NONE of it and see what happens. Once you are no longer dependent upon it... try the Calcium regimen. That may be just enough for you.


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## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

As BQ says its not an addictive medication but because it may be the only thing that works people take a lot of it to get through their day.I was taking 12 a day until about 6 months agobut it stopped working and ive had to move on to something else.The Professor who treats me said that as long as it helps you you can go on taking imodium indefinitely.He is world renown on the treatment of IBS.Call me cynical but because imodium/loperamide is relatively cheap and an OTC drug in most cases,could it be that in the US doctors are reluctant to recommend it long term as they dont make a lot of money from it?Just a thought.


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## buggga (Jun 16, 2010)

jmc09 said:


> As BQ says its not an addictive medication but because it may be the only thing that works people take a lot of it to get through their day.I was taking 12 a day until about 6 months agobut it stopped working and ive had to move on to something else.The Professor who treats me said that as long as it helps you you can go on taking imodium indefinitely.He is world renown on the treatment of IBS.Call me cynical but because imodium/loperamide is relatively cheap and an OTC drug in most cases,could it be that in the US doctors are reluctant to recommend it long term as they dont make a lot of money from it?Just a thought.


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## buggga (Jun 16, 2010)

thanks everyone----all the comments really helped me!!!! you all are the best! thanks for your kindness and support-its a great feeling knowing i have friends to talk to about this horrible condition!!!


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