Indications
- Used to treat sudden diarrhea, including traveler’s diarrhea.
- Slows down gut movement, reducing bowel movements and making stool less watery.
- Also used to decrease discharge in patients with ileostomy and treat ongoing diarrhea in inflammatory bowel disease.
Dosage and administration
- ake orally after each loose stool or as directed by the doctor.
- Dosage based on condition, response to treatment, age, and weight (adults not to exceed 8 or 16 milligrams in 24 hours, self-treating or under doctor’s direction).
- Chewable tablets on an empty stomach; rapidly dissolving tablets dissolve on the tongue without water.
- Stay hydrated, and switch to a bland diet if needed.
- eport lack of improvement after 2 days, worsening condition, or new symptoms to the doctor.
- Seek medical help for blood in stool, fever, abdominal pain, or discomfort.
Side effects
- Possible side effects may include dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness, or constipation.
- If these effects persist or worsen, inform your doctor promptly.
- The medication’s benefits are considered greater than the risk of side effects, according to your doctor.
- Many users do not experience serious side effects.
- Seek immediate medical help if you encounter severe constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, discomfort, fast/irregular heartbeat, severe dizziness, or fainting.
- Although rare, a serious allergic reaction may occur; seek medical help for symptoms like rash, itching/swelling (especially face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, or trouble breathing.
- The list of side effects provided is not exhaustive; contact your doctor or pharmacist for unlisted effects.
Precautions
- Before taking loperamide, inform your doctor or pharmacist about allergies and potential inactive ingredient reactions.
- Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have stomach/abdominal pain without diarrhea, bowel obstruction, black/tarry stool, blood/mucus in stool, high fever, HIV/AIDS, liver problems, certain infections, or specific bowel diseases.
- Rapidly dissolving tablets may contain aspartame or phenylalanine; consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have phenylketonuria (PKU) or similar conditions.
- Antibiotics may rarely cause severe intestinal conditions (C. difficile); do not use loperamide, especially after recent antibiotic use, without consulting your doctor if experiencing related symptoms.
- Loperamide may cause QT prolongation affecting heart rhythm; disclose all medications and medical conditions to your doctor.
- Risk of QT prolongation may increase with certain drugs, heart problems, or family history; consult your doctor.
- Low potassium/magnesium levels may elevate the risk; discuss the safe use of loperamide with your doctor, especially if using diuretics or experiencing conditions like severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting.
- The drug may induce dizziness or drowsiness; avoid activities requiring alertness until safe. Alcohol or marijuana use can intensify these effects.
- Older adults are more sensitive to side effects, particularly QT prolongation.
- Children, especially susceptible to drowsiness and dehydration, should be closely monitored; refer to Warning and How to Use sections.
- During pregnancy, use loperamide only if necessary; discuss risks and benefits with your doctor.
- The drug passes into breast milk but is unlikely to harm a nursing infant; consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
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