Imodium (Loperamide Hydrochloride)
Imodium
2mg Capsule
Can not be split. Product of India. Shipped from Mauritius.
Generic equivalents for Imodium... What are generics?
Loperamide Hydrochloride
2mg Tablet
Can not be split. Product of Canada. Shipped from Canada.
Loperamide Hydrochloride Information
(loe per' a mide)
[Posted 01/30/2018] AUDIENCE: Consumer, Pharmacy, Family Practice ISSUE: To foster safe use of the over-the counter (OTC) anti-diarrhea drug loperamide, FDA is working with manufacturers to use blister packs or other single dose packaging and to limit the number of doses in a package. FDA continues 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. Loperamide acts on opioid receptors in the gut to slow the movement in the intestines and decrease the number of bowel movements. It is safe at approved doses, but when much higher than recommended doses are taken, it can lead to serious problems, including severe heart rhythm problems and death. FDA is continuing to evaluate this safety issue and will update the public when more information is available. BACKGROUND: Loperamide is FDA-approved to help control symptoms of diarrhea, including Travelers' Diarrhea. The maximum approved daily dose for adults is 8 mg per day for OTC use and 16 mg per day for prescription use. It is sold under the OTC brand name Imodium A-D, as store brands, and as generics. FDA previously issued a Drug Safety Communication about this safety concern in 2016, and added warnings about serious heart problems to the drug label of prescription loperamide and to the Drug Facts label of OTC loperamide products. RECOMMENDATION: 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.- Fainting
- Rapid heartbeat or irregular heart rhythm
- Unresponsiveness, meaning that you can't wake the person up or the person doesn't answer or react normally
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Before taking loperamide,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to loperamide, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in loperamide products. Check the package label for a list of the ingredients.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin, in PrevPac) and erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Eryc, others); certain antifungals such as itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox) and ketoconazole; cimetidine (Tagamet), gemfibrozil (Lopid); quinine (Qualaquin), ranitidine (Zantac), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), or saquinavir (Invirase). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had ulcerative colitis (condition in which sores develop in the intestines causing pain and diarrhea). or colitis (swelling of the intestine caused by certain bacteria). Also, tell your doctor if you have a fever, blood or mucus in the stool, black stools, or stomach pain without diarrhea. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take loperamide or give it your child if you have one or more of these conditions.
- tell your doctor if you have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or if you have or have ever had liver disease.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking loperamide, call your doctor.
- you should know that this drug may make you drowsy and dizzy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
- constipation
- fatigue
- rash
- red, peeling or blistering skin
- hives
- itching
- wheezing
- difficulty breathing
- fever
- stomach pain or swelling
- bloody stools
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.