.png)
Can I Buy Loperamide Over The Counter
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are those that can be sold directly to people without a prescription. OTC medicines treat a variety of illnesses and their symptoms including pain, coughs and colds, diarrhea, constipation, acne, and others. Some OTC medicines have active ingredients with the potential for misuse at higher-than-recommended dosages.
can i buy loperamide over the counter
Pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant found in many OTC cold medicines, can be used to make methamphetamine. For this reason, products containing pseudoephedrine are sold "behind the counter" nationwide. A prescription is not needed in most states, but in states that do require a prescription, there are limits on how much a person can buy each month. In some states, only people 18 years of age or older can buy pseudoephedrine.
Loperamide is an anti-diarrheal that is available in tablet, capsule, or liquid form. When misusing loperamide, people swallow large quantities of the medicine. It is unclear how often this drug is misused.
Loperamide misuse can also lead to fainting, stomach pain, constipation, eye changes, and loss of consciousness. It can cause the heart to beat erratically or rapidly, or cause kidney problems. These effects may increase if taken with other medicines that interact with loperamide. Other effects have not been well studied and reports are mixed, but the physical consequences of loperamide misuse can be severe.
Yes, a person can overdose on cold medicines containing DXM or loperamide. An overdose occurs when a person uses enough of the drug to produce a life-threatening reaction or death (Read more on our Intentional vs. Unintentional Overdose Deaths webpage).
As with other opioids, when people overdose on DXM or loperamide, their breathing often slows or stops. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term mental effects and effects on the nervous system, including coma and permanent brain damage and death.
A person who has overdosed needs immediate medical attention. Call 911. If the person has stopped breathing or if breathing is weak, begin CPR. DXM overdoses can also be treated with naloxone. Read more about naloxone at our Naloxone webpage.
Yes, misuse of DXM or loperamide can lead to addiction. An addiction develops when continued use of the drug causes issues, such as health problems and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home.
There are no medications approved specifically to treat DXM or loperamide addiction. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and contingency management, may be helpful. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps modify the patient's drug-use expectations and behaviors, and effectively manage triggers and stress. Contingency management provides vouchers or small cash rewards for positive behaviors such as staying drug-free. Read more about drug addiction treatment on the Treatment webpage.
[1-30-2018] To foster safe use of the over-the counter (OTC) anti-diarrhea drug loperamide, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with manufacturers to use blister packs or other single dose packaging and to limit the number of doses in a package. We continue to receive reports of serious heart problems and deaths with much higher than the recommended doses of loperamide, primarily among people who are intentionally misusing or abusing the product, despite the addition of a warning to the medicine label and a previous communication. Loperamide is a safe drug when used as directed.
Patients and consumers should only take the dose of loperamide directed by your health care professionals or according to the OTC Drug Facts label, as taking more than prescribed or listed on the label can cause severe heart rhythm problems or death. If you are using OTC loperamide and your diarrhea lasts more than 2 days, stop taking the medicine and contact your health care professional.
Health care professionals should be aware that using much higher than recommended doses of loperamide, either intentionally or unintentionally, can result in serious cardiac adverse events, including QT interval prolongation, Torsades de Pointes or other ventricular arrhythmias, syncope, and cardiac arrest. In cases of abuse, individuals often use other drugs together with loperamide in attempts to increase its absorption and penetration across the blood-brain barrier, inhibit loperamide metabolism, and enhance its euphoric effects. Some individuals are taking high doses of loperamide to treat symptoms of opioid withdrawal. If loperamide toxicity is suspected, promptly discontinue the drug and start necessary therapy. For some cases of abnormal heart rhythms in which drug treatment is ineffective, electrical pacing or cardioversion may be required. Also counsel patients to take loperamide only as prescribed or according to the OTC Drug Facts label and advise patients that drug interactions with commonly used medicines may increase the risk of serious cardiac events.
We previously issued a Drug Safety Communication about this safety concern and added warnings about serious heart problems to the drug label of prescription loperamide and to the Drug Facts label of OTC loperamide products. We are continuing to evaluate this safety issue and will update the public when more information is available.
Imodium is available in four different products, which all contain the drug loperamide. Loperamide is an antimotility drug. This means it slows down movements in your intestine and helps to control diarrhea.
In addition to loperamide, Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief contains the antiflatulent drug simethicone. This drug reduces symptoms of gas. It works by causing small bubbles of gas that are trapped in your intestines to merge into larger bubbles. These larger bubbles are more easily expelled from your body.
Imodium and Kaopectate are both brand-name drugs. And generic forms of both drug are available. The generic form of Imodium is called loperamide. The generic form of Kaopectate is called bismuth subsalicylate.
Before taking Imodium, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
In addition, if Imodium is misused (taken in higher doses than are recommended for diarrhea), it can enter your brain. In this case, taking Imodium with opioids could lead to symptoms of opioid overdose, such as loss of consciousness and respiratory depression (slow, weak breathing).
Although Imodium is an over-the-counter (OTC) drug, in some cases a doctor may prescribe it. If your doctor prescribes Imodium for you, you can ask your insurance provider if they will cover the drug.
Before approving coverage for Imodium, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.
Imodium is available in a generic form called loperamide. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
Loperamide is an opioid agonist that binds to opioid receptors in the gut wall. This action reduces peristalsis, increases intestinal transit time, and increases reabsorption of water and electrolytes from the intestinal contents into the bloodstream. Taking loperamide results in firmer stools that are passed less frequently.
Misuse of Imodium can lead to prolonged QT interval, Torsades de Pointes, or other ventricular arrhythmias, and heart attack. It can also lead to other symptoms of opioid overdose, such as CNS and respiratory depression.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
Loperamide is used to treat diarrhoea (runny poos). It works by slowing the movement of the gut, and in this way reduces the number of bowel motions and firms up runny poos. Loperamide helps to ease diarrhoea but does not treat the cause of diarrhoea, such as infection or a tummy bug. Read more about diarrhoea. Loperamide is also used in people who have undergone an ileostomy (an operation that removed part of the bowel), to thicken your stool and reduce the amount of output from your ileostomy. In New Zealand, loperamide comes as capsules (2 mg) or tablets (2 mg) and orally disintegrating tablets (2 mg). It is available on prescription from your doctor or can be bought from your pharmacy without a prescription.
Lomotil (diphenoxylate/atropine) and Imodium (loperamide) are two antidiarrheal medications that are used to treat acute and chronic diarrhea. These medications work in similar ways to decrease the number and frequency of bowel movements. Lomotil and Imodium are designed to be taken for short-term diarrhea, which usually resolves within a few days after taking the medication. 041b061a72