Imodium
Drug name: Loperamide
Other names used:
- Gastro-Stop®
- Imotil®
- Loperid®
Active Ingredients:
Loperamide HCl
Therapeutic actions: Loperamide slows the rhythm of digestion so that the small intestines have more time to absorb fluid and nutrients from the foods you eat.
Indications: Loperamide is used to treat diarrhea. Loperamide is also used to reduce the amount of stool in people who have an ileostomy (re-routing of the bowel through a surgical opening in the stomach).
Contraindications and cautions: Do not use this medication if you are allergic to Loperamide, or if you have:
- stools that are bloody, black, or tarry; or
- if you have diarrhea that is caused by taking an antibiotic.
Before taking Loperamide, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
- a fever;
- mucus in your stools;
- a history of liver disease; or
- if you are taking an antibiotic.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Loperamide, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Loperamide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 2 years old without the advice of a doctor.
Adverse effects: The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- stomach pain or bloating;
- ongoing or worsening diarrhea;
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody; or
- fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash.
Keep taking Loperamide and talk to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
- dizziness;
- drowsiness, tired feeling;
- constipation;
- mild stomach pain; or
- mild skin rash or itching.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
Interactions: Tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine.
Before taking Loperamide, tell your doctor if you are also taking saquinavir (Invirase). You may not be able to use Loperamide, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.
Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.
