Loperamide
Loperamide is an antidiarrhoeal for short bouts of diarrhoea: it slows the gut so stools firm up. Imodium 2mg tablets are the loperamide product sold here.
What loperamide does to a loose bowel
Loperamide slows the bowel. It acts on the muscle in the bowel wall and calms the wave-like contractions (peristalsis) that move the contents along. With less hurry, the gut takes back more water and salts from the stool, so it comes out firmer and less often.
At normal doses very little of it reaches the brain, so it does not bring on the drowsiness morphine-type painkillers do. Most people reach for it during a short bout: a tummy bug, food or water that disagreed with them while travelling. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, a long-term condition that brings cramping and loose stools) is another reason people keep a pack at home.
Taking it
Adults start with two 2mg tablets and take one more after each loose stool, up to four tablets in 24 hours. Swallow them with water; food does not change how they work.
The first dose starts to work in about an hour and lasts for several hours. Diarrhoea drains water and salts from the body, so keep drinking through the day. If stools are still loose after two days, loperamide is not dealing with the cause.
Side effects
Constipation is the main one to expect, since the medicine slows the gut and sometimes overdoes it. Cramps, bloating, nausea, a dry mouth and dizziness are also reported and tend to pass as the dose wears off.
A rare allergic reaction can bring a rash, swelling of the face or lips, or difficulty breathing. Amounts far above the recommended dose have triggered dangerous heart rhythms, which is why the daily limit is not a number to stretch. Severe bloating with bad belly pain can mean the bowel has stopped moving altogether.
When loperamide is the wrong choice
Diarrhoea that contains blood or mucus, or that comes with a high fever, is not something to treat with loperamide. Nor is the severe diarrhoea that can follow a course of antibiotics, or a flare-up of inflammatory bowel disease — slowing the gut in those situations can make matters worse.
Painkillers such as codeine and morphine, and other medicines that slow the bowel, add to the constipating effect. So do some medicines used for an overactive bladder or for depression.
The loperamide product here
The loperamide on this page is Imodium 2mg tablets, the strength adults use for self-treatment. Each tablet carries the whole 2mg dose, so two tablets make the usual starting dose. It sits in the digestive health range here.
Sources
Where can I buy Loperamide in Hong Kong?
You can buy Loperamide online with delivery to Hong Kong, where the page lists generic Imodium as 2mg tablets. If a parcel does not arrive within the delivery window or arrives damaged, it is sent again free, or the order is refunded if that is not possible.
What is the price of Loperamide?
Imodium is priced per pack: its page lists every strength and pack size with the current price in HKD or your chosen currency.
Do I need a prescription to order Loperamide?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order loperamide. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What is another name for loperamide?
Imodium is a brand name of loperamide, which is also sold as Eldoper and Lopamide. Here, loperamide can be bought online as generic Imodium. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does loperamide take to work?
About an hour after the first two tablets, and that dose usually lasts a few hours. If another loose stool follows later, take a single 2mg tablet, and stop at four tablets for the day.
Can I take loperamide with food?
Yes, with a meal or without one; food does not change how well the tablets work. What matters more is drinking. Diarrhoea draws water and salts out of the body, so keep up your fluids for as long as the symptoms last.
What happens if I take too much loperamide?
Large doses are dangerous rather than just uncomfortable: loperamide has caused serious heart rhythms when taken in amounts well above the usual four-tablet daily ceiling. It is also more likely to bring on severe constipation, bloating and a bowel that stops moving.
Is loperamide the same as Imodium?
Imodium is a brand name for loperamide, and the Imodium tablets sold here contain loperamide as their only active ingredient, 2mg per tablet. Other brands use the same ingredient at the same strength; what changes is the name on the pack.
Can I take loperamide with painkillers?
Codeine, morphine and similar painkillers slow the bowel as well, so taking them alongside loperamide makes constipation more likely. Medicines for an overactive bladder and some antidepressants have a similar effect on gut movement.